In a true show of the talent that lies within the FA Women’s Super League, Manchester City and Everton battled for the title of FA Women’s Cup Champions in a thrilling match that required extra time to decide its winner. Man. City came out victorious behind goals from Sam Mewis, Georgia Stanway and Janine Beckie, winning the tournament for the third time in four seasons and for the second season in a row. USWNT stars Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis each logged valuable minutes during the match, earning their first silverware with Man. City since their signings in August.

Here’s how the action unfolded.

They've done it!!

Your #WomensFACupFinal winners for 2019-20

Congratulations, @ManCityWomen! pic.twitter.com/sGAiHMWTes

— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) November 1, 2020

In the 15th minute, a ball was threaded through to Everton midfielder Hayley Raso, catching the Man. City defense too far upfield. Taking advantage of the breakaway, Raso took her space as Man. City defender Lucy Bronze recovered, gaining on Raso from behind and tripping her to end the scoring drive. The foul would draw a yellow card and give Everton a set-piece opportunity, which the squad was unable to convert.

33. Bronze battling for Gold! ⚔️????

???? 0-0 ???? #ManCity | https://t.co/HkTzfLv0HJ pic.twitter.com/XTyBOXo0z1

— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) November 1, 2020

Fighting for a go-ahead goal, Man. City continued to press the Everton defense, with standouts Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis leading the charge. With 25 minutes gone, Mewis received a lofted ball just outside the eighteen, taking a touch forward to beat three Everton defenders. Mewis attempted to poke the ball past Everton goalkeeper Alexandra MacIver, but the keeper would deny Mewis’ scoring chance to render the game deadlocked at 0-0.

Battling ???? pic.twitter.com/RTuRSaYLVi

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 1, 2020

As the first half began to draw to a close, Man. City had yet to be rewarded for their impressive showing. In the 39th minute, they would get their chance, earning a corner kick that was taken by defender Alex Greenwood. Greenwood played in a near-perfect ball, finding the head of Mewis in the box. The 6-foot midfielder had no trouble redirecting the ball into the back of the net, notching her third regular-season goal in her sixth appearance for the club to put Man. City up 1-0.

Deadlock broken ????❌@sammymewy bags the first goal in the #WomensFACupFinal for @ManCityWomen ⚽️pic.twitter.com/tQBdJ6G1F2

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 1, 2020

In the 55th minute, a Man. City shot rebounded off of the post and to the feet of Chloe Kelly, who fired off a close-range shot that would be denied by MacIver yet again to limit Man. City’s lead to one goal. Everton would level the score five minutes later, in a similar fashion to Mewis’ goal —  a corner kick taken by Izzy Christiansen was headed home by forward Valérie Gauvin, who battled back from an injury earlier in the match to deadlock the game once more at 1-1.

????????#WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/37EOyTewOO

— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) November 1, 2020

With six minutes of stoppage time on the clock, Man. City’s Caroline Weir played a give-and-go with Chloe Kelly, receiving the ball and firing a shot that deflected off of the crossbar. Both teams fought for a goal that would render them the FA Cup Champions, but neither were successful in their efforts, leaving the match to be decided in extra time.

A hard-fought first half of extra time ensued, highlighted by a Man. City chance which began when a pass was slipped to forward Georgia Stanway. Taking her space, Stanway collided with MacIver, who had abandoned the net in an attempt to make a save. The ball squeaked out from under MacIver, allowing Stanway to maintain possession, but a recovery and clearance from Everton defender Megan Finnigan would serve to fend off the attack.

Finally, in the 111th minute of play, Jess Park played a through ball into the path of Stanway, who ran onto the pass and, on her first touch, put away the go-ahead goal, giving Man. City a 2-1 advantage. Minutes later, it was Stanway on the ball again — this time slotting a pass to Janine Beckie in the box, who scored to seal the FA Women’s Cup Championship title for her squad.

GOAL!@ManCityWomen take the lead again!

Jess Park beautifully sets up @StanwayGeorgia who gets the vital touch. Will that be the winner?!#WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/3UQRiXebqG

— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) November 1, 2020

It's all over!@janinebeckie seals the victory for @ManCityWomen ????

What a game ????#WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/8t3tkhx5Pf

— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) November 1, 2020

This feeling. ????????

Well done, @ManCityWomen!#WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/Ji2XfypUz3

— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) November 1, 2020

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FA WSL:

 

November 7th 

Manchester City vs. Bristol City @ 10:00 a.m. EST

November 8th 

Chelsea vs. Everton @ 7:00 a.m. EST

Manchester United vs. Arsenal @ 7:00 a.m. EST

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Aston Villa @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Birmingham City vs. West Ham United @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Tottenham vs. Reading FC @ 9:00 a.m. EST

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

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Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.

U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that the USWNT will play their last home game on July 16th in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The 2024 Send-Off Match against Costa Rica will take place at Washington, DC’s Audi Field — home to both the Washington Spirit and DC United — at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 16th. The friendly rounds out a four-game Olympic run-up campaign under incoming head coach Emma Hayes’ side, with the last two set to feature the finalized 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team roster.

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Hayes will appear on the USWNT sideline for the first time this June, helming the team as they embark on a two-game series against Korea Republic hosted by Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1st followed by Allianz Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4th. 

The team is then scheduled to meet a talented Mexico squad on July 13th at Gotham FC’s Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, where the Olympic-bound lineup will attempt to rewrite February’s shocking 2-0 loss to El Tri Femenil in the group stages of this year’s Concacaf W Gold Cup. And while clear roster favorites have emerged from both of this year’s Gold Cup and SheBelives Cup rosters, a spate of recent and recurring injuries means making it to the Olympics is still largely anyone’s game.

Broadcast and streaming channels for the USWNT's final July 16th friendly at Audi Field include TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, and Peacock.

The USA Basketball Women's National Team is still considering Caitlin Clark for a spot on the Paris Olympics squad, says selection committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti. 

On Monday, Rizzotti told the AP that the committee will be evaluating the college phenom’s Olympic prospects by keeping a close eye on her first few weeks of WNBA play with Indiana.

The move is somewhat unconventional. While Clark was invited to participate in the 14-player national team training camp held earlier this month — the last camp before Team USA’s roster drops — she was unable to attend due to it coinciding with Iowa’s trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

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Judging by the immense talent spread throughout the league in what might be their most hyped season to date, competition for a piece of the Olympic pie could be fiercer than ever before.

"You always want to introduce new players into the pool whether it's for now or the future," said Rizzotti. "We stick to our principles of talent, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience. It's got to be a combination of an entire body of work. It's still not going to be fair to some people."

Of course, Clark isn’t the first rookie the committee has made exceptions for. Coming off an exceptional college season that saw her averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for UConn, Breanna Stewart was tapped to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil less than two weeks after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm. Eight years prior, fellow No. 1 pick Candace Parker punched her ticket to the 2008 Games in Beijing just two weeks after making her first appearance for the L.A. Sparks.

In the lead-up to Paris’ Opening Ceremony on July 26th, USA Basketball Women’s National Team is scheduled to play a pair of exhibition games. They'll first go up against the WNBA's finest at the July 20th WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix before facing Germany in London on July 23rd.

While an official roster announcement date hasn’t yet been issued, players won’t find out if they’ve made this year’s Olympic cut until at least June 1st.