All Scores

How OL Reign and Lyon forged a special soccer sisterhood

Eugénie Le Sommer reunited with Jess Fishlock on OL Reign last year after the two played together with Lyon. (Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Almost exactly a year ago, France’s top goal scorer, Eugénie Le Sommer of Olympique Lyonnais, was in Tacoma, Wash., blasting past the Houston Dash midfield and into the center of the park where she passed to Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock. The Wales national team player took the meters of free space in front of her, unleashed a shot from the top of the 18-yard box and sent the ball flying into the top left corner of the net to contribute to a dominant 5-1 win for OL Reign.

A play like that is nothing new to Fishlock and Le Sommer, who together and apart, have helped build two of the most dominant clubs in the world.

Le Sommer was on loan with the Reign in the NWSL at the time, burying eight goals during the 2021 season. With her were Lyon teammates Dzsenifer Marozsán and Sarah Bouhaddi.

On Friday, with the rest of their Lyon teammates from Division 1 Féminine, they’ll return to the state of Washington, where the Reign will host them at halftime of their match Sunday against Gotham FC. Lyon will then head to Portland, Ore. to play Chelsea FC in the first round of the Women’s International Champions Cup on Wednesday, while the Reign will go to Louisville, Ky. to compete in The Women’s Cup.

Players and coaches for both teams took time to reflect on the clubs’ intercontinental relationship before they come together in person this weekend, sitting down for interviews with Just Women’s Sports and for a three-part video series on OL Reign’s website.

“We miss you, Eug,” Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock told Le Sommer on one of those calls. “When you come over, when I see you, I’m going to steal you.”

Fishlock is a big reason why Le Sommer went to play for the Reign in 2021. They first met when Fishlock joined Lyon on loan from 2018-19.

“We had a really great time together,” said Le Sommer.

The friendship represents a bigger sisterhood between the two teams. The clubs are connected by the same owner, OL Groupe, who acquired the Reign in 2019. The visit on Sunday will be an opportunity not only for players like Fishlock and Le Sommer to reconnect with friends, but also for the athletes and coaches who have yet to meet their sister club counterparts.

“It’s important,” Lyon assistant coach Camille Abily said of the visit. “We can meet each other, and I think we can learn about the OL Reign team.”

Due to their busy schedules, Reign head coach Laura Harvey and Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor had never spoken before our three-way phone call, a mere two weeks ahead of Lyon’s visit to Lumen Field. But simply watching each other’s success has helped them grow in their own roles.

“The support is there from both sides, but I think there’s just always an appreciation and respect,” said Harvey. “I can only speak for me, but from my side, just who Sonia is and what she’s done in the game as a player and obviously now what she’s achieving as a coach speaks for itself, really.”

Before Sunday, members of the Reign and Lyon spent time discussing the three primary values that keep them connected and motivating each other from across the ocean: competitiveness, women’s empowerment and sustainability.

Both clubs have featured some of the most decorated players in women’s soccer. That includes Fishlock, the reigning NWSL MVP who joined the Reign in 2013, and Le Sommer, who has 178 goals in 213 appearances with Lyon since 2010. Reign midfielder Megan Rapinoe won the Ballon d’Or in 2019, the year after it was awarded to Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg.

Olympique Lyonnais could be considered the best women’s soccer club in the world, having won all 14 Division 1 Féminine championships between 2006 and 2020, seven Champions League titles and 11 Coupe de France Féminine trophies. Across the pond, the Reign have consistently been one of the strongest teams in the NWSL, with back-to-back NWSL Shields in 2014 and ’15 and five semifinal appearances in eight seasons.

Harvey and Bompastor partnered for a conversation about women empowerment in the video series. While Harvey won NWSL Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2021, Bompastor is the only woman to have won the UEFA Women’s Champions League as both a player (2011, 2012) and a coach (2022).

For her sake, Harvey said the Reign’s standard of success can be attributed in part to Fishlock, Rapinoe and Lauren Barnes sticking with the club since its inception in 2013.

“They’ve been able to enable us to build a culture of what’s expected,” she said. “And then new faces and standards that we set in training and around games every day, those three who’ve been here the whole time understand what that means. They can then help the new ones implement that.”

Retaining multiple talented players for years on end is difficult in the U.S. pro league because of salary caps and player movement via trades. The system isn’t necessarily set up to keep winning since the NWSL seeks parity.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, who is also chairman of the Reign, will often use branding from the men’s side to elevate the women’s club. That relationship is not as common in the U.S., where the NWSL is separate from Major League Soccer (MLS), the men’s professional league.

“We can take everything that’s good with the men’s part and try to do the same with the girls,” Bompastor said of Lyon.

The relationship between the clubs only gets stronger as they take advantage of loan and training opportunities. OL Reign’s Bethany Balcer and Sofia Huerta trained with Lyon in 2020, and Rapinoe played for Lyon in 2013 and ’14 before the partnership was even established.

Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce said acquiring Le Sommer, Marozsán and Boudhaddi on loan last season was “that little spark” the Reign needed to get into playoffs.

“I think that’s the interesting thing that you have now with this collaboration between the two teams, is that you could just keep increasing your forces with each side and flipping back and forth,” Tullis-Joyce said.

Fishlock and Le Sommer said the loans helped them learn new styles of soccer and broaden their skill sets.

“Also a different level of understanding your teammates, because Lyon works like a machine,” Fishlock said. “They’re just like a cog, and they really helped me have more awareness of how can I help my teammates.”

“It was really different than my time in Lyon,” Le Sommer said of playing for the Reign and the physicality of American soccer. “But it was something also, to me, to be more open and to see another [style of] football and another way to play and how you can also win in another way of thinking … It was amazing for me.”

The unity the Reign and OL are forging between American and European football also helps grow women’s soccer as a whole, even as the media and fans continue to debate which league is better.

“There are different ways to play, different ways to understand football,” said Le Sommer.

“The only thing that matters at the end of the day is, are you affected and do you win at what you do? That’s the most important thing,” Fishlock said. “I think that’s why it’s really good to have to keep this kind of relationship because it will kind of solidify the actual approach and allow us to be in the same space at the same time, which is what women’s football should be able to do and take up space.”

They’re also pushing each other to take up space off the field, using their platforms to fight for environmental sustainability. Tullis-Joyce and Camille Abily teamed up for a video last week. on that exact subject.

Last year, Lyon named an organization they’ve been working with for over a decade, Veolia, their official “environmental partner.” The sides meet every month to discuss environmental issues around the club and drive initiatives like using reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones. Signing MG as their transportation partner last year, Lyon has also started using electric cars and installing charging stations at their training facility.

On the other side of the ocean, the Reign are striving to become one of the most sustainable clubs in America. With Barnes leading the way, they’re giving careful consideration to the everyday products they use, the merchandise they sell and the food they eat.

The Reign’s commitment to the environment made the decision to join the club a no-brainer for Tullis-Joyce, who scuba dives in her spare time.

“I just thought it was absolutely incredible, how forward this team was in their thinking of respecting the environment,” she said. “I wanted to be all about that. And now I’m kind of trying to wiggle my way into being like a little ocean girl. We’re saving the planet, and then I’ll just be like, ‘And the ocean, too.’”

While both teams are focused on the present and the future, the partnership doesn’t come without some nostalgia for the club that used to be: Seattle Reign. In 2019, the team relocated to Tacoma and was rebranded as Reign FC. In 2020, they changed their name to OL Reign.

“It was tough,” Fishlock said of the rebrand. “But it was something that we needed to do for our club.”

She fondly remembers the old footage and the crest on the jersey that the team and fans were so fond of.

“I don’t think we’ll ever forget about Seattle Reign and the badge and the history, and I don’t think you can because we had such a good history,” Fishlock said. “But obviously, we want to bring that kind of side of who we are into our new kind of brand, which I think is super important because you cannot forget our history.”

Harvey coached the Reign from 2013-17 before returning to the team in 2021. While she appreciates the club’s Seattle origins, she knows the rebrand hasn’t changed their identity. They’ve continued to foster the same competitive, empowering, sustainable and inclusive environment, just like their European sister club.

“What comes with OL,” Harvey said, “has elevated who the Reign wanted to be.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

US Tennis Stars Advance as Wimbledon Field Narrows

Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates her first-round win over Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini fell in the second round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday. (Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)

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.

US tennis star Emma Navarro eyes a return during a 2025 Wimbledon match.
US star Emma Navarro will face 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková in Wimbledon's Round of 32. (Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

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.

Finland Opens Women’s Euro 2025 with Upset Upset Win Over Iceland

Finland's Katariina Kosola and Emma Koivisto celebrate a goal during their opening 2025 Euro match.
Finland earned a surprise 1-0 win over Iceland in their 2025 Euro opener on Wednesday. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

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.

Spain jersey hang in lockers ahead of the team's 2025 Euro opening match against Portugal.
Reigning World Cup champions Spain will open their 2025 Euro account against Portugal. (Aitor Alcalde - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

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.

USWNT Caps Summer Friendlies with 3-0 Canada Shutout

Yazmeen Ryan, Michelle Cooper, Claire Hutton, Mandy McGlynn, and Izzy Rodriguez and the rest of the USWNT huddle after their July 2025 friendly win over Canada.
The USWNT finished the summer international window with 11 goals, conceding none, across three matches. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

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.

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."

Seattle Storm Looks to Climb the WNBA Standings in Weekend Gauntlet

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike high-fives teammates as she's introduced before a 2025 WNBA game.
The No. 5 Seattle Storm will face No. 4 Atlanta and No. 3 New York this weekend. (Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images)

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.

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.