The Chicago Red Stars filled up the scoreboard, a Portland Thorns rookie made her long-awaited debut, and the Orlando Pride returned to action in what was a packed weekend for the NWSL. Here’s everything you might have missed:

 

5. VANESSA DIBERNARDO HITS A STUNNER

.@chiredstarsPR are running rampant ????@vdibernardo10 now puts her name on the scoresheet.

3-1 | #CHIvNJ

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/BLfm8Wfv7J

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) September 20, 2020

The Chicago Red Stars’ Kealia Watt mesmerizes her defender before cutting the ball back to the top of the box, finding teammate Vanessa DiBernardo. Bernardo rifles in a shot, nailing the side panel of the far post. Sorry, Sky Blue, no one was going to stop that ball from ending up in the back of the net. DiBernardo helped Chicago pick up the 4-1 win with this absolute banger off the beautiful team build up. *Chef’s kiss*

 

4. ASHLYN HARRIS SAYS ‘NOT TODAY’

Are you kidding?! ????#NCvORL | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/TlVHDCTA0l

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 19, 2020

We missed seeing Orlando Pride play in the NWSL’s Challenge Cup. We especially missed seeing Ashlyn Harris make these types of saves. North Carolina’s Lauren Millet drives to the box and places a ball behind the defensive line to Debinha, who beats her defender inside to direct the ball back post. But Harris makes a phenomenal save using both foot and hand, stopping one of the league’s top players from the six-yard box in order to hold a shutout and maintain a scoreless draw. We’ve watched this clip so many times and we’re still not sure how she did this.

 

3. KEALIA WATT’S 40-YARD DASH

The ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? @KealiaOhai showed on this goal ???????? pic.twitter.com/cpvOsOAVMb

— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) September 20, 2020

Kealia Watt flexes some serious speed here, completing a blistering 40-yard dash all while dribbling her way straight to goal. One-on-one with the keeper, Watt confidently pushes the ball into the back of the net, netting her first of two goals on the day. Watt also picked up an assist in Chicago’s 4-1 dismantling of Sky Blue FC. Someone grab a stopwatch and get her and JJ on the starting blocks.

 

2. SIMONE CHARLEY: GIVE HER ALL THE ROSES

Sheesh @SimoneCharley! Class.#PORvUTA | #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/4n8oOBL2JP

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) September 20, 2020

The Portland Thorns are famous for giving their team’s goalscorers roses after each game. We think Simone Charley deserves a bouquet after this one. Pulling down the long chip from teammate Lindsey Horan, Charley turns inside to lose her defender. She drives to goal, slipping in between two Utah Royals players before stuffing it into the near post. Charley’s goal opened the floodgates in Portland’s 3-0 win over the Royals, all while earning the postgame approval of her teammate Meghan Klingenberg.

Really glad you decided to do this against someone else so everyone knows what I go through in training everyday. So proud. @SimoneCharley https://t.co/emVmiyCLUL

— Meghan Klingenberg (@meghankling) September 21, 2020

 

1. WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE, SOPHIA SMITH

???? Debut goal for @sophsssmith ????

And what a class finish it was from the 2020 No. 1 college draft pick!

2-0 | #PORvUTA

Tune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/1EXeO1n4Bf

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) September 20, 2020

The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NWSL draft, Sophia Smith is all business as she scores a beautiful header just minutes into her professional career. Meghan Klingenberg intercepts a pass near the corner flag, turns inside, and hits a rocket to the penalty area, setting up the vaunted rookie. After having to sit out the Challenge Cup due to injury, it didn’t take Smith long to prove that’ she’s already an impact player.

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

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Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

• No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.

• No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.