Hannah Martin

Dec 11, 2020

The Top Four Players to Watch This Weekend in the Fa Women’s Super League

DAGENHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 04: Rachel Daly of West Ham United celebrates after scoring her team’s third goal during the FA Women’s Continental League Cup match between West Ham United and Reading at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on November 04, 2020 in Dagenham, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Another action-packed weekend of soccer is on the horizon in the FA Women’s Super League, and if you’re still unsure of who to watch, we’ve got you covered.

Here are four impact players to keep your eye on as the regular season continues to take shape.

Coming up this weekend...????#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/aHb1EAUSVZ
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 10, 2020

ELLA TOONE, MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United vs. Reading FC @ 7:30 a.m. EST on AtaFootball.com

At the ripe age of 21, Ella Toone has been an instrumental piece in Manchester United’s line-up as the squad fights to maintain their positioning atop the table. In only eight games with United, Toone has notched four goals and one assist — her most recent goal being in last weekend’s contest against Aston Villa, providing United a comfortable 2-0 cushion in the 89th minute to seal the win.

???? @EllaToone99's fourth of the season wrapped up the three points on Saturday! ????#MUWomen pic.twitter.com/nR1AmYg2ye
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) December 7, 2020

Toone shows patience and abilities on the ball that extend well beyond her years. Most importantly, she is able to find the net when it matters most. In a match against Arsenal back in early November, it was Toone who finally broke through the Gunners’ defense after 82 minutes of scoreless play as her tap-in goal handed Arsenal their first loss of the 2020/2021 season. An impactful presence up top, keep an eye out for Toone as Manchester United faces off against Reading FC this Sunday.

SAM KERR, CHELSEA

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

It should come as no surprise that Sam Kerr is included as a player to watch this weekend. Bagging three goals in last Sunday’s 3-2 win against West Ham United, Kerr continues to cement her reputation as an elite goal-scorer, even when playing against some of the best defenses in Europe. In seven matches with Chelsea this season, Kerr has scored six goals and is beginning to mesh well on offense with teammates Fran Kirby, Bethany England, and Pernille Harder.

One, two, three ????

A first @ChelseaFCW hat-trick for @samkerr1 ????#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/uodAy7Kvzf
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020

Chelsea is set to take the field against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, a match that will be pivotal for the squad should they want to remain competitive for a top-three finish on the season. With 17 points, the Blues currently sit at third place in the table, bested only by Arsenal’s 19 points and Manchester United’s 20. The Australian will look to mark up the score sheet yet again this weekend, in hopes of stealing a necessary victory for her squad.

RACHEL DALY, WEST HAM UNITED

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

On loan to West Ham United from the Houston Dash, Rachel Daly was a key component of West Ham’s attempted comeback campaign in their most recent loss to Chelsea on December 6th. Logging the equalizer as the second half began, Daly was able to tie the match at 1-1 in the 47th minute. Despite the forward’s best efforts as the game continued, however, West Ham would ultimately be defeated 3-2.

It's a goal for the birthday girl! ????@RachelDaly3 scores for @westhamwomen at Kingsmeadow! #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/nkMXUy28lC
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020

Daly has not received nearly the amount of attention she deserves since joining West Ham United in September, and though her time with the Hammers is coming to a close (as she is only on loan until the end of the year), she has put forth an incredible effort for the squad. In only three appearances during the FA WSL Cup, Daly scored two goals, and in eight regular-season appearances, she has scored two goals and assisted one.

West Ham currently holds a 1-1-6 record and is in desperate need of another win to avoid the relegation zone, as they’re only two points off the bottom of the table. This weekend could be West Ham’s best chance to build a cushion as they compete against last-place Bristol City. Expect Rachel Daly to lead the offensive attack.

CAITLIN FOORD, ARSENAL

Arsenal vs. Manchester City @ 9:30 a.m. EST on AtaFootball.com

A machine on offense for Arsenal, Caitlin Foord has bagged five goals and five assists in eight appearances for the Gunners this season. Given that Arsenal is the top-scoring team in the league with 33 goals, this is no small feat. Foord is currently one of the WSL’s top scorers behind Sam Kerr and teammates Vivienne Miedema and Jill Roord. The Australian star has been a key contributor in wins over Birmingham City, Tottenham, and Bristol City, and has scored in three of Arsenal’s last six matches.

FOOOOOORD!! ????????

???? 1-0 ???? (57) | @BarclaysFAWSL ???? pic.twitter.com/Ed3uw1zdkW
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) December 6, 2020

Though Arsenal has cruised through its recent contests, a test awaits them this weekend in amatch-up against Manchester City, who is in red-hot form as of late. In the last meeting between the two teams, Manchester City bested Arsenal 2-1 to keep them out of the FA Women’s Cup Final. It goes without saying that Foord and her team will be on the hunt for sweet revenge, so be on alert for a thriller Sunday morning.

Dee Lab

Nov 14, 2025

2025 NCAA Soccer Tournament Kicks Off with ACC Teams Taking Top Seeds

A detailed view of a Stanford jersey bearing an NCAA College Cup patch. — Last year's College Cup semifinalist Stanford enters the 2025 NCAA soccer tournament as the overall No. 1 seed. (Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The road to the College Cup begins this weekend, as the 2025 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament kicks off with a stacked first-round field on Friday.

The strength of the ACC again leads the charge with three of the 64-team bracket's four top seeds hailing from the conference.

Snagging the overall No. 1 seed is Stanford, with the Cardinal outlasting fellow NCAA top-seed Notre Dame in a penalty shootout to claim their first-ever ACC tournament title last weekend.

Joining the Cardinal and Fighting Irish in the remaining No. 1 spots are the ACC's Virginia Cavaliers and the SEC-leading Vanderbilt Commodores.

Meanwhile, the 2025 tournament's No. 2 seeds — Michigan State, TCU, Duke, and Georgetown — are gearing up to play spoiler, with other underdogs also lurking throughout the bracket.

Already eyeing future upsets are four-time national champions and No. 3-seed Florida State, No. 4-seed and Big Ten champion Washington, and undefeated mid-major dark horse Memphis, who enters the 2025 field as a No. 7 seed.

The ACC's on-pitch dominance also sees defending champion North Carolina in an unfamiliar position, entering the 2025 NCAA tournament unseeded after the 22-time title-winners finished seventh in the conference behind a 12-6 overall and 6-4 ACC season record.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA soccer tournament

The 2025 NCAA women's soccer tournament kicks off with 32 first-round matches across Friday and Saturday, all on ESPN+.

The action begins with unseeded Ohio State taking on No. 8-seed Georgia at 3 PM ET, live on ESPN+.

Dee Lab

Nov 14, 2025

USWNT Icons Tobin Heath & Heather O’Reilly Lead 2026 National Soccer Hall of Fame Class

USWNT star Tobin Heath poses holding the 2019 World Cup trophy. — Recently retired USWNT star Tobin Heath will become a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in May. (Naomi Baker - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Two USWNT legends are seeing their legacies cemented, as the National Soccer Hall of Fame announced on Thursday that retired forwards Tobin Heath and Heather O'Reilly are first-ballot inductees as members of the Class of 2026.

Both Heath and O'Reilly retired as World Cup champions and Olympic medalists, winning their 2008 and 2012 Olympic golds as well as their 2015 World Cup title as teammates.

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The USWNT icons led all voting on the Hall of Fame's Player Ballot of 20 finalists, which only allots two to three athletes per annual class for induction.

O'Reilly snagged 47 of the 48-person selection committee's votes, with Heath earning 45 nods for inclusion.

Fellow former USWNT star Sam Mewis finished fifth on the ballot with 32 votes in her first year of eligibility, while longtime NWSL and USWNT player Amy Rodriguez came in seventh with 28 votes.

Longtime Seattle Reign defender Stephanie Cox — a 2008 Olympic gold medalist with the USWNT — also snagged votes, ranking 15th on the Class of 2026 Player Ballot.

Though they fell short of making the cut, a trio of former USWNT stars also earned votes on the 10-finalist Veteran Ballot, with longtime midfielder-turned-broadcaster Aly Wagner as well as legendary '99ers Tiffany Roberts and Lorrie Fair all snagging tallies.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame will induct Heath and O'Reilly as part of its six-person Class of 2026 in a ceremony at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on May 1st.

JWS Staff

Nov 14, 2025

Marta Scores Back-to-Back Nominations for Namesake FIFA Best Women’s Goal Award

Orlando Pride attacker Marta celebrates a goal during a 2024 NWSL semifinal. — Orlando Pride captain Marta is the reigning winner of the Marta Award, the FIFA prize named in her honor. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

Orlando Pride captain and Brazil legend Marta is back in the spotlight, topping the 2025 shortlist for the second-annual FIFA Marta Award — the women's goal-of-the-year prize established in her honor in 2024.

The 39-year-old attacking midfielder took home the inaugural trophy at the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony last December, earning the title for a stellar long-range shot that helped lift Brazil over Jamaica 4-0 in a June 2024 friendly.

Marta's 2025 nomination, however, comes from an iconic goal in club play, with the FIFA Award spotlighting the Orlando game-winner against Kansas City in the 2024 NWSL semifinals — a goal that saw the Pride star force four Current players to the ground with her footwork.

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Marta has steep competition for this year's trophy, however, with 10 other goal nominees including a viral scorpion kick by former Tigres UANL star Lizbeth Ovalle, Seattle Reign defender Jordyn Bugg's long-range missile against the North Carolina Courage, forward Ally Sentnor's first-ever USWNT goal at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, and more.

How to vote for the 2025 FIFA Marta Award

Holding 50% of the vote, fans can view and rank their top three goals of 2025 until voting closes on December 3rd.

Voting for the second-ever Marta Award winner is now open at FIFA.com.

Claire Watkins

Nov 14, 2025

USC Battles South Carolina in “The Real SC” NCAA Weekend Headliner

USC freshman Jazzy Davidson shoots over a NC State defender during a 2025/26 NCAA basketball game. — USC freshman Jazzy Davidson co-leads the Trojans in scoring early in the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season. (Cory Knowlton/Imagn Images)

South Carolina and USC are bringing fireworks to the 2025/26 NCAA basketball court this weekend, as the No. 2 Gamecocks take on the No. 8 Trojans in "The Real SC" showdown on Saturday.

Both standout programs enter the matchup undefeated in early-season play, with the Trojans touting a Top-10 win after narrowly edging out No. 10 NC State 69-68 last weekend.

"You don't know exactly what you have until you're put in these situations, which is why we schedule them," USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said about the upcoming clash. "And I think it's a chance for us to redefine our identity a little bit."

South Carolina's depth will likely test the new-look Trojans, as USC aims to solidify their identity with star JuJu Watkins sidelined with injury for the season.

That said, freshman Jazzy Davidson is giving the Trojans new life, with the No. 1 high school recruit co-leading the team in scoring with 17.5 points per game.

South Carolina, however, has seen early dividends from familiar faces, as sophomore Joyce Edwards leads the Gamecocks in scoring at 18.3 points per game, with high-profile transfer Ta'Niya Latson close behind with a 16.3 point average.