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USWNT coach praises Julie Ertz at center-back: ‘What we needed’

Julie Ertz solidified the USWNT’s backline against the Netherlands. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

The Netherlands struck first against the U.S. women’s national team on Thursday, when Jill Roord scored in the 17th minute.

From there, however, the USWNT’s defense tightened up. The Dutch didn’t register another shot on goal the rest of the game, and after the 1-1 draw in the World Cup group-stage game, coach Vlatko Andonovski credited Julie Ertz for solidifying the backline.

“It was what we needed,” Andonovski said of Ertz’s effort. “We’re happy with Julie’s performance, we’re happy with our backline.”

The coach has so far moved Ertz to center-back for this World Cup, a position she hasn’t played regularly since transitioning to defensive midfield in 2017. Ertz was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2017 and again in 2019.

After the Netherlands’ game, Andonovski was asked if Ertz moving back to her old position was due to “where she is at at this point in her career.”

“It has nothing to do with where she is in her career,” Andonovski said. “I feel comfortable with Julie playing at the nine, too, or seven or 11. She’ll give you her best, and she’ll play 90 minutes and she’ll be good.”

The veteran, for her part, has taken the shift in her role in stride. Ertz — alongside defenders Emily Fox, Naomi Girma and Crystal Dunn — shut out the Dutch in the second half, and then gave Lindsey Horan a brief pep talk before Horan’s game-tying goal in the 62nd minute.

“I think, obviously, coming back from being a goal down is huge, especially in this tournament,” Ertz told FOX Sports after the game. “That’s what this tournament is about. You roll up your sleeves, you find your grit, and then you find your goals.”

Report: Connecticut Sun Sale Saga Continues as WNBA Offers $250 Million Bid

A wide view of the Mohegan Sun Arena court before a 2024 WNBA Playoffs game
The WNBA has reportedly made an offer to buy the Connecticut Sun and control the team's sale. (Mark Smith/Imagn Images)

The Connecticut Sun is still on the chopping block, with reports surfacing Tuesday that the WNBA made a $250 million offer to buy the team in order to control its final landing place.

The Mohegan Tribe — the Sun's current owners — are reportedly still seeking clarity on the league's preferred relocation destination, after two prospective outside bids stalled in front of the Board of Governors.

Multiple offers remain on the table, including two $325 million bids from groups in Boston and nearby Hartford, Connecticut — as well as a plan to raise capital via minority investments rather than a full sale.

Recent reports point to the league's desire to control the Sun's fate while preserving certain markets for expansion, with the Mohegan Tribe under pressure to bend to the WNBA's interests.

The WNBA offer to buy the Connecticut Sun outright is reportedly part of a larger plan to flip the team to a different prospective ownership group without an additional relocation fee — and rumors say Houston is in the lead.

The Mohegan Tribe already turned down a low-ball bid out of Cleveland, with WNBA later awarding the Northeast Ohio city an expansion team for a $250 million fee.

NBA co-ownership was a clear priority during the league's most recent expansion, with officials now looking to force that strategy onto the Sun's future.

Phoenix Mercury Battle for Postseason Seeding as 2025 WNBA Playoffs Loom

The Phoenix Mercury huddles before a 2025 WNBA game.
The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury kept pace with a win over No. 7 Golden State on Tuesday. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

While the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx watch from above, the race for the No. 2 postseason seed is taking center stage, with teams like the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury eyeing 2025 WNBA Playoffs spots as the league nears the regular-season home stretch.

Big Tuesday wins helped boost the No. 2 New York Liberty and No. 5 Las Vegas Aces up the WNBA standings, while the Mercury refused to lose pace with a 98-91 victory over the No. 7 Golden State Valkyries.

"We're just continuing to try to build," Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts told reporters afterwards. "We're on the right step, but there's still work to be done."

Multiple talent-stacked teams are continuing to sharpen their form with the 2025 Playoffs looming, with only a half-game currently separating the New York Liberty, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, and Las Vegas Aces on the WNBA table.

The Mercury have benefitted a healthy Big Three — Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper — with Copper leading Phoenix's five double-digit scorers by registering 25 points in Tuesday’s win.

"Our support staff has been great and our culture and my teammates have been great in helping me navigate through [early-season injuries] and just being able to get back out there," Copper said this week.

How to watch the Phoenix Mercury this week

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will have their work cut out for them on Thursday, when they'll visit Las Vegas to tip off against the surging No. 5 Aces and their eight-game winning streak at 10 PM ET.

Live coverage of the clash will air on Prime.

LA Sparks Shoot for the WNBA Playoffs as Dallas Wings Battle Elimination

LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson shoots the ball over Washington Mystics forward Alysha Clark during a 2025 WNBA game.
Despite a recent winning streak, forward Rickea Jackson and the LA Sparks remain just outside postseason contention. (Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images)

The No. 9 Sparks haven't given up the fight, with LA sitting just outside the 2025 WNBA playoff picture ahead of Wednesday night's clash with a No. 11 Dallas Wings side facing postseason elimination.

The Sparks have had an up-and-down season, arriving at a 16-18 record with six wins in their last 10 games.

"We control our destiny, so what do we do with it?" LA head coach Lynne Roberts said on Tuesday. "And I love that we're in that spot, but we'll see how competitive we are."

"Obviously we feel like there's some games that we should have and could have won at the beginning of the season early on, but [you] can't change the past," echoed Sparks forward Dearica Hamby. "We have good momentum right now still. We're still in good position to make the playoffs, so just take it a game at a time."

Meanwhile, Dallas will try to stave off joining the last-place Connecticut Sun in playoff elimination, though their draft lottery odds rise with every loss.

The Wings will be even more shorthanded on Wednesday after losing Li Yueru to a season-ending ACL sprain on Friday, with the center now joining star guard Arike Ogunbowale, who is suffering from knee tendinitis, on the sideline.

How to watch the Dallas Wings vs. LA Sparks on Wednesday

The No. 9 Sparks will host the No. 11 Wings at 10 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on WNBA League Pass.

Indiana Fever Confirms Season-Ending MCL Injury to Sophie Cunningham

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham will miss the rest of the 2025 WNBA season after tearing her MCL. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The No. 6 Indiana Fever are officially down another guard due to injury, with the team confirming Tuesday that Sophie Cunningham suffered a season-ending right MCL tear during the squad's Sunday matchup against the No. 13 Connecticut Sun.

"If you're going to hurt your knee, that is the best possible case," Cunningham explained on her podcast on Tuesday. "A couple more inches to the left, [I] would've torn a whole bunch more s—t. I'm very thankful for where I am at, so it's all good."

Cunningham posted an average of 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field on the season for Indiana.

In response to losing the seven-season WNBA standout, Indiana signed veteran guard Shey Peddy to a seven-day hardship contract on Tuesday, one day after releasing previous hardship addition Kyra Lambert.

Cunningham became the third Fever guard sidelined with a season-ending injury in less than two weeks, after Indiana lost both Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald to an ACL tear and broken foot, respectively, in the same game on August 7th.

The trio join superstar guard Caitlin Clark on the Fever's injured list, after the WNBA sophomore's lingering right groin issue has seen her on the bench since before the 2025 All-Star break.

That said, Clark has reportedly been participating in practice this week, ramping up her game fitness as she eyes a return to the 2025 WNBA court.

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