All Scores

Rose Lavelle, Kristie Mewis Propel USWNT Past the Netherlands

ANA PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
MATCH INFO:

United States 2, Netherlands 0

GOALS:

Rose Lavelle (Christen Press), 41’

Kristie Mewis (Lynn Williams), 70’

A grueling 261 days have passed since the U.S. women’s national team last took the pitch. As you may imagine, Friday afternoon’s friendly was widely anticipated for more reasons than one — yes, the match marked the long-awaited return of the USWNT, but even more thrilling was the opportunity to witness a rematch of last year’s World Cup Final between the U.S. and the Netherlands.

The game took place in Rat Verleigh Stadium in Breda, with the U.S. once again winning comfortably by a score of 2-0 thanks to goals from Rose Lavelle and Kristie Mewis.

Prior to the match, USWNT players released a statement on their social media accounts, highlighting what an honor it was to represent America and that it was their subsequent duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms that the country was founded upon be extended to everyone. As the national anthem played, each USWNT player donned a pullover with the message “Black Lives Matter,” with a majority of players taking a knee to further convey their stance against racial injustice.

“Today, we wear Black Lives Matter to affirm human decency. We protest against racial injustice and police brutality against Black people,” the statement read. “We protest against the racist infrastructures that do not provide equal opportunity for black and brown people to fulfill their dreams, including playing on this team. As the United States Women’s National team players, we collectively work toward a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systemically targeted.”

Here’s how the action unfolded:

The United States wasted no time after the opening whistle blew. With only one minute gone in the first half, Tobin Heath took the ball to the goal line, slotting a cross intended for Lynn Williams who made herself available in the box. Despite Williams’ best attempt to get a foot on the ball, her line of sight was restricted by the Dutch defense, leading to the demise of a near chance for the Americans. Later, in the 18th minute, Williams would take advantage of another scoring chance, curving a shot from outside the eighteen that sailed just over the crossbar.

In the 29th minute, Tobin Heath slipped a through ball to Christen Press, who utilized her quick footwork to beat Dutch goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal and score what would have been the go-ahead goal the U.S. had been desperately working towards. Unfortunately, Press was called offside by what seemed a mere step, and the goal was scratched, maintaining the 0-0 deadlock.

The deadlock would not last much longer, however, as Christen Press placed a ball into the path of Rose Lavelle, who neatly cut the ball to her left foot, rendering Dutch defender Dominique Bloodworth off balance. Lavelle then ripped a shot from just inside the eighteen and into the upper ninety, scoring her third national team goal of the year to put the United States up 1-0 as the first half wound to a close. (Hopefully Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor took note of how lethal Lavelle can be when she plays in her actual position.)

Her goal even received a nod from the FA Women’s Super League:

The hero of the second half was none other than Kristie Mewis, who returned to the pitch for the U.S. women’s national team for the first time since 2014 after a standout year with the Houston Dash. Replacing Rose Lavelle in the 60th minute, Mewis made an instant impact — in the form of receiving a through ball from Lynn Williams in stride, taking a few touches and scoring her second-ever national goal to give the United States a 2-0 advantage through 70 minutes of play.

First to congratulate her on such an achievement? Her younger sister Sam, of course. Let’s add watching the Mewis duo in action to the list of things to look forward to next year, shall we?

Finally, in what was nearly an astounding finish in an already-incredible performance for the United States, Midge Purce set Alex Morgan up just outside the eighteen. In a showcase of her skill on the ball, Morgan slipped the ball past Veenendaal and into the net, scoring her first goal since her return to play following the birth of her daughter.

However, Morgan’s goal met a similar fate to that of Christen Press’ earlier in the match and was called offsides, restricting the United States’ lead to two goals.

As the clock wound down, the Dutch worked desperately to cut the United States’ lead in half, but no dice, as the States secured yet another 2-0 victory over the Netherlands, matching the score of last year’s World Cup Final.

Given that the USWNT has not played a match together in over eight months, both the win and team performance in the friendly show immense promise for the future — not to mention both goals came from players who could be serious contributors next year and thereafter.

Though it’s uncertain exactly when we will get to see the U.S. women’s national team take the field again, it was refreshing to witness a team beloved by so many indicate that they are ready to pick up right where they left off — by cementing their status as the best in the world.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

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