Manchester United 2, Everton 0

Goals:

Ella Toone, 9’

Christen Press, 41’

Best of luck with your recovery, @TobinHeath — we're all right behind you! ????#MUWomen pic.twitter.com/aaHkEd3ubK

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) January 30, 2021

“As with all injuries I always say it is a window of opportunity for someone else,” Manchester United manager Casey Stoney said of Heath’s injury. “Obviously it is a big loss for us and it’s disappointing for her, but she is heavily influential in our environment and we will work to get her back as safe and quick as possible.”

Even without Heath in their lineup, Manchester United asserted their dominance with Sunday’s win, proving that they deserve to be in the mix with top teams like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

 

HERE’S HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN

Determined to maintain their position in the table, Manchester United kicked off the scoring early as Leah Galton received a ball up the left flank and positioned herself to send in a cross. Lofting a ball across the face of the Everton net, Galton’s cross would fall into the hands of goalkeeper Sandy MacIver.

Unfortunately for the Blues, MacIver was unable to maintain possession of the ball as it slipped from her hands and into the path of United midfielder Ella Toone. With MacIver now caught out of position, Toone tapped in her sixth goal of the season to give the Reds a 1-0 advantage in the 10th minute.

.@ManUtdWomen have taken the lead through @@ellatoone99!#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/85gg41nDbG

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 31, 2021

Later, it was Toone on the ball again, this time nearly adding a second goal in the 35th minute when a ball was cleared from midfield and into her path. Beating three Everton defenders in a footrace, the young star took a touch towards the goal, likely costing her the brace as the delay allowed one of the defenders to land a tackle before she was able to fire off a shot. The attempt was saved by Sandy MacIver, denying Toone the chance of adding a cushion to United’s lead.

In the 41st minute, Hayley Ladd threaded a pass to Christen Press just outside the eighteen. Cutting her first touch inside her body and to her left foot, Press narrowly avoided the advances of Everton defender Danielle Turner, utilizing her signature speed on the ball to take another touch forward. With the extra touch, she had no trouble slotting the ball past Sandy MacIver and into the lower ninety to score her second goal in a United uniform.

It's a second #BarclaysFAWSL goal for @ChristenPress! ???? pic.twitter.com/puR0N63Jj3

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 31, 2021

As the first half wound to a close, Manchester United held tightly to their 2-0 lead, rendering their opponent scoreless through 45 minutes of play.

Needless to say, Everton would need to cut into Manchester United’s lead early into the second half should they want a chance at a comeback campaign. A scoring opportunity would arise for midfielder Jill Scott in the 65th minute, who curved an impressive shot from distance in an attempt to get Everton onto the scoresheet. Scott’s chance, however, would be snuffed out by United goalkeeper Mary Earps, who made a stellar diving save to maintain the clean sheet. Ultimately, Scott’s chance would be one of the few that Everton was able to create.

The second half remained scoreless for both squads as Manchester United secured another victory on the road. Though Sunday’s match was certainly not Manchester United’s best performance, it was enough to render them still competitive with first-place Chelsea.

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."

Former Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo has signed on with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in the AU Pro Softball AUX this June.

The NCAA record holder in career home runs (122), total bases (761), and slugging percentage (.987), Alo was originally drafted by the league in 2022 but opted instead to join the newly debuted Women’s Professional Fastpitch. 

Alo currently plays for independent pro softball team Oklahoma City Spark, with team owner Tina Floyd reportedly on board with her recent AUX signing. AUX games are scheduled for June 10-25, while the Spark's season will kick off June 19th. Alo will play for both. 

Among those joining Alo on the AUX roster are former James Madison ace pitcher Odicci Alexander and former Wichita State standout middle infielder Sydney McKinney.

According to Alo, the decision to play in the Athletes Unlimited league was fueled by her desire to propel women's sports forward as well as provide more exposure to a sport that's given her "so many opportunities."

"Not only to challenge myself more, but just for the growth of the game," Alo said, explaining her reasoning to The Oklahoman. "I genuinely believe that professional softball can be a career for girls."

Joining AUX is also one more step in her plan toward representing Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball," she told The Oklahoman. "I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure."

Alo further expressed enthusiasm in the hope that the rise of other women’s sports, like women’s basketball and the NWSL, will push softball’s professional viability even higher.

"We’re seeing the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) get their stuff going, I see the WNBA starting to get hot," she continued. "I feel like the softball community is like, 'All right, it’s our turn and it’s our turn to just demand more.'"