Just three days after the world No. 1 USWNT took down Brazil 2-0, the world No. 8 team returned the favor, securing a stoppage-time lead to take the pair's second April friendly 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Brazil's victory in San Jose marked the team's first win against the USWNT since 2014, and their first-ever on US soil.
Striker Catarina Macario put the USWNT on the board just 34 seconds into the match, before 2023 NWSL MVP Kerolin drew Brazil even with a clinical 24th-minute equalizer.
Chippy, physical play left much of the match at a stalemate until Amanda Gutierres came off the bench to snatch victory with a goal for Brazil in second-half stoppage time.
Growing pains apparent in young USWNT roster
Taking a calculated risk on Tuesday, USWNT manager Emma Hayes's starting XI was one of the youngest-ever that the team has fielded, averaging just 22.3 years old.
The inexperienced roster, which included first starts for defenders Gisele Thompson and Avery Patterson, averaged the fewest caps for a USWNT starting group since 2001. Tuesday's 17.9 cap average, however, shrinks to just 8.1 without veteran defender and captain Emily Sonnett's 106 previous appearances.
With two losses in their last three games, the USWNT is leaning into the growing pains of progress as Hayes continues her efforts to develop the US's deep talent pool in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup.
"It's been really good camp," Hayes said after Tuesday's Olympic gold medal-game rematch. "We mustn't always measure progress by outcome."
"If I only prioritize short-term success, of course, I wouldn't make that many changes. But I'm not making decisions for the short term."
Hayes's next USWNT roster assessment will come later next month, as the national team gears up for a pair of friendlies against China PR during the next international window.
The UEFA Champions League returns to play on Tuesday, as the elite European club competition's round of quarterfinals undoubtedly raises the stakes for the tournament's underdogs.
The quarters will kick off with Real Madrid hosting Arsenal, with 2023/24 runners-up Lyon visiting Bayern Munich to close out Tuesday's play.
Following a near-perfect group-stage performance, back-to-back reigning champs Barcelona will open Wednesday's Champions League action against 2022/23 runners-up Wolfsburg, with a WSL clash between Manchester City and league frontrunner Chelsea closing out the quarterfinals' first leg later that day.
After a tightly contested group stage, the knockout rounds will see the UWCL competition intensify even more as teams zero in on the tournament’s May 24th final.
"In the group stage, you know that you have time to fix things," Bayern Munich defender Magdalena Eriksson told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s match. "Now, it’s crunch time. It’s really important to get that first good result."
"It’s extremely important — it’s a home game," Wolfsburg captain Alexandra Popp echoed. "We will play in front of our home fans, and we want to get a good or even a very good result, because we are aware of what’s going to [await] us in Barcelona."
WSL rivals take center-pitch in UWCL quarters
The stakes are even higher for UK rivals Chelsea and Man City, who are currently in the midst of a unique scheduling gauntlet, as Wednesday’s UWCL matchup will be the pair’s second of four straight meetings.
The Blues took the League Cup by handing Man City a 2-1 defeat on Saturday, but the Citizens could enact swift revenge as the two teams will play each other three more times over the next 10 days — including the two UWCL quarterfinal matches that could define City’s season after sacking long-time manger Gareth Taylor.
"We knew it would be hard games," said City newcomer Kerolin. "We’re working this week to do different things and [find a] different way to hurt Chelsea... And now we’re home, so [it] will be special."
How to watch the Champions League quarterfinals
The first leg of the UWCL quarterfinals kicks off on Tuesday, with Real Madrid vs. Arsenal at 1:45 PM ET, and Bayern Munich vs. Lyon at 4 PM ET.
Wednesday will see the final pairings face-off, as Barcelona takes on Wolfsburg at 1:45 PM ET before Chelsea hosts Manchester City at 4 PM ET.
All Champions League matches will stream live on DAZN.
Some of the NWSL's brightest stars made headlines this week, as the league's free agency transfer window continues to turn heads both at home and abroad.
Brazil forward Kerolin is officially departing North Carolina after spending all three of her NWSL seasons with the Courage, the club confirmed on Wednesday. The 2023 NWSL MVP will reportedly head to the WSL's Manchester City in a deal extending through 2028.
Sources are also linking two-time NWSL Defender of the Year Naomi Girma to the first $1 million transfer offer in women's soccer history, courtesy of French side Lyon and UK titans Chelsea and Arsenal. The 24-year-old USWNT star's current contract with the San Diego Wave runs through 2026, making a transfer fee a necessary part of any earlier deal.
The current record for a women's soccer transfer fee is $860,000, which Bay FC shelled out to receive Zambian forward Rachael Kundananji from Spain's Madrid CFF in February 2024.
More NWSL teams make moves to lock down contracts
NWSL preseason has already started for select clubs, with teams putting the final touches on solidifying both their rosters and front offices.
Angel City hired former Portland Thorns FC and Washington Spirit head coach Mark Parsons as the club's new sporting director on Wednesday. The franchise is still searching for a permanent head coach after parting with boss Becki Tweed in December.
The 2022 expansion team also signed veteran forward Christen Press to a new one-year contract, per a Friday morning press release.
Meanwhile, with Girma's possible departure dominating the rumor mill, the Wave announced the addition of 17-year-old UNC defender and 2024 College Cup champion Trinity Armstrong to the club's ranks on Thursday.
Though Girma's fate is yet to be confirmed, San Diego's decision to pick up a talented young center back — on a three-year contract, no less — supports the theory that the USWNT standout is on the move.
All 14 NWSL teams issued final end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.
Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.
Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.
Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.
New CBA means more NWSL movement
Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.
Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.
Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.
The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.
Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.
That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.
Kerolin is the 2023 NWSL MVP.
The league announced the 23-year-old Brazilian forward as the Most Valuable Player, making her the first Latin American player and the first North Carolina Courage player to win the award. Eight previous Courage players had been nominated, but none of them took home the hardware.
Kerolin scored 10 goals on the season, finishing as runner-up to Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith (11 goals) in the Golden Boot race. She’s just the third Brazilian and the fourth Courage player to finish with a double-digit goal total in an NWSL regular season. With three assists, she also finished second in the league in points.
Her expected goals ranked third in the NWSL, while she ranked sixth in total shots and fourth in shots on target per 90. She finished first in the league in shot-creating actions with 91 and successful take-ons with 67. She ranked in the top 10 in the league in 28 statistical categories.
A member of the NWSL 2023 Best XI first team, she also led North Carolina to its second straight NWSL Challenge Cup title, scoring the team’s winning goal. It was the Courage’s seventh league trophy, the most in NWSL history.
Kerolin beat out four other nominees for the MVP award: Smith and Sam Coffey of the Portland Thorns, Debinha of the Kansas City Current and Naomi Girma of the San Diego Wave.
From Gotham FC, Juan Carlos Amorós was named Coach of the Year and Jenna Nighswonger won Rookie of the Year. Girma was named Defender of the Year, while Jane Campbell of the Houston Dash was named Goalkeeper of the Year.
WAKE UP! KERO IS MVP 👑@kerolinnicolii has been named the 2023 @nwsl Most Valuable Player
— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) November 10, 2023
10 goals. 3 assists.@thenccourage’s Brazilian sensation Kerolin is the 2023 @budlight NWSL MVP! 🔥
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 10, 2023
Kerolin will miss the 2023 NWSL playoffs for the North Carolina Courage.
The 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder tore the ACL in her right knee in the regular-season finale. The 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit clinched a postseason berth for the Courage, but they will enter Sunday’s quarterfinal against Gotham FC without their best player.
Kerolin joined North Carolina in 2022, signing a three-year deal with the club, but her breakout season came in 2023. She finished second to Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith in scoring with 10 goals, including a hat trick on June 10 against the Chicago Red Stars. But with Smith missing nearly a quarter of the season with injury, Kerolin stood out as the front-runner for the MVP award.
In addition to her regular-season success, she led the Courage to a second consecutive NWSL Challenge Cup title. She scored the game-winning goal in the championship match, a 2-0 win against Racing Louisville on Sept. 9. And she played for Brazil at the 2023 World Cup.
The No. 3 seed Courage will host No. 6 seed Gotham FC in a quarterfinal contest at 7 p.m. ET Sunday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. The winner will advance to face the No. 2 seed Portland Thorns in the semifinals on Nov. 5.
The 2023 NWSL season provided the emotional rollercoaster the league has become known for, with incredibly competitive games producing big wins and devastating losses. NWSL years with major international tournaments can disrupt form, but a few players and coaches have risen to the occasion to guide their squads through a tumultuous year.
After thorough review, here are my choices for the 2023 NWSL end-of-season awards.
MVP
Kerolin, F, North Carolina Courage
Shortlist: Sam Coffey, Adriana, Jaedyn Shaw
In a season where many stars burned bright in spurts, Kerolin stands out the most as an MVP candidate. She was a consistent goal scorer, finishing second in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals and three assists on the season. Her accumulative xG of 8.16, as compiled by American Soccer Analysis, was good enough for third in the league, and she delivered quality finishing in big moments. Other top scorers like Sophia Smith struggled with availability, and Kerolin carried her momentum through the Courage’s big playoff push.
She also has the argument of intangibles. The Courage lost a number of stars in the offseason, and it was unclear if they could pull together their new group in time to be a real playoff contender in 2023. North Carolina went on to surprise everyone by finishing third in the league standings. They played more methodically but stayed equally as threatening in the attack this season, led by Kerolin’s steady performance both as a striker and as a player who pulled space to aid her teammates.
In terms of how she compares to her peers in the league, and what she brings to a club that defied the odds to finish the season in third, Kerolin has my vote for 2023 MVP.
Coach of the Year
Sean Nahas, North Carolina Courage
Shortlist: Juan Carlos Amoros, Becki Tweed, Casey Stoney
Many of the same tenets of Kerolin’s case for MVP apply to the Courage as a whole, as led by head coach Sean Nahas. The losses of Debinha, Abby Erceg, Carson Pickett and Diana Ordoñez could (and perhaps should) have sunk the team’s chances for long-term success in 2023. Nahas followed a rough free agency period with a puzzling draft approach, taking prospects he prized over common consensus.
But Nahas’ vision shined throughout the season. The Courage, a team previously known for quick counter-attacks, began instead to prize possession and methodical build-up. Despite turnover in the team’s defense, the Courage finished the season tied for second-fewest goals allowed in the league. International signings Narumi Miura and Manaka Matsukubo also made immediate impacts in the midfield. As a result, North Carolina has looked more like a team reloaded than a roster rebuilding.
The Courage proved many experts wrong, and Nahas stepped into his role leading the squad with a clear style of play, making him deserving of Coach of the Year.
Goalkeeper of the Year
Katie Lund, GK, Racing Louisville
Shortlist: Jane Campbell, Abby Smith, Kailen Sheridan
This award can be divided by philosophy — whether the best goalkeeper is the player with the most organized defense or the player who excels even when their defense breaks down in front of them. Katie Lund had an argument for the latter in 2022, leading the NWSL in saves as the Louisville defense struggled to protect their keeper.
It wasn’t a standout season for a number of goalkeepers considered to be among the world’s best. The Wave’s Kailen Sheridan likely performed the best in the former category; Gotham’s Abby Smith looked poised for a breakout year before being sidelined by injury; and Houston’s Jane Campbell backed up the sturdiest defense in the NWSL.
While Racing’s defense improved this year, Lund also put together standout performances to keep her team in games. She’s arguably been the best pure shot-stopper in the league for two years in a row. And while she is still developing her distribution with the ball at her feet, she showcased technical abilities that could put her on the radar of the U.S. women’s national team and are worthy of Goalkeeper of the Year.
Rookie of the Year
Messiah Bright, F, Orlando Pride
Shortlist: Alyssa Thompson, Paige Metayer, Jenna Nighswonger
As should be expected for young players coming into the league, the 2023 NWSL rookies had moments of individual excellence but also struggled with consistency throughout the year.
No. 1 draft pick Alyssa Thompson thrived at times with the spotlight on her, most notably scoring a crucial equalizer on Oct. 8 to keep Angel City’s playoff hopes alive. Washington’s Paige Metayer and Gotham’s Jenna Nighswonger also contributed significantly to their sides, even as Nighswonger navigated a position change to outside back. But none stood out quite like Orlando’s Messiah Bright, who finished the season with six goals for a Pride team that just barely missed out on the playoffs.
Bright fell to the second round of the 2023 draft despite being considered a top prospect by many. The TCU graduate then proved wrong every team that passed on her, becoming a key member of the Orlando attack. Most notably, she scored consistently during a key stretch in which the Pride compiled more wins than four clubs that finished above the playoff line.
Defender of the Year
Ali Krieger, D, Gotham FC
Shortlist: Kylie Strom, Sam Staab, Naomi Girma
It was a strong season for defenders throughout the league, with every team having at least one clear cornerstone along their backline. Kylie Strom has excelled as an outside back for Orlando; Sam Staab continued her Iron Woman ways for the Spirit; and 2022 Defender of the Year Naomi Girma has become so synonymous with excellence that it’s easy to overlook.
But one defender has stood out, in part due to the story of her year. In her last season before retirement, Gotham’s Ali Krieger has looked as sharp as ever, guiding the club from the league basement in 2022 to a playoff spot in 2023. She’s been a clear vocal leader for a team undergoing a significant amount of change, and she’s looked comfortable at center back after spending most of her career running the flank.
Krieger is less of an aerial presence than some more traditional center-backs, but she can use her positioning and center of gravity to make it very difficult to pass her by, which could be the basis for a career-extending playoff run. Though there are few bad candidates for Defender of the Year, Krieger appears to have the momentum to go out on a high.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
This season was one of the most competitive in the NWSL’s history. With the 2023 World Cup pulling players away from their clubs, despite scheduling changes to mitigate absences, the season featured ebbs and flows. Teams battled every week to gain an edge, and the final standings and playoff spots came down to the final day of matches on Sunday.
Consequently, it was an interesting year for individual performances. The San Diego Wave, the NWSL Shield winners, played gritty team football rather than being carried by one particular player. The Portland Thorns looked like the best team in the league at times, but they struggled with consistent form. And some of the best players of all couldn’t get their teams into the playoffs.
With many factors in play, here is my shortlist for 2023 NWSL MVP.
Kerolin, F, North Carolina Courage
Kerolin ticks a number of boxes that you want when you’re looking for an MVP candidate. She was a consistent goal scorer, finishing second in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals and three assists on the season. Her accumulative xG of 8.16, as compiled by American Soccer Analysis, was good enough for third in the league, and she delivered quality finishing in big moments.
She also has the argument of intangibles. The Courage lost a number of stars in the offseason, and it was unclear if they could pull together their new group in time to contend for the 2023 playoffs. North Carolina went on to surprise everyone, playing more methodically but staying equally as threatening in the attack, led by Kerolin’s steady performance.
In terms of how she compares to her peers in the league, and what she brings to a club that defied the odds to finish the season in third, Kerolin has to be considered an MVP frontrunner.
Sam Coffey, M, Portland Thorns
The Thorns had an up-and-down year of player availability, due to the World Cup and lingering injury issues. As a result, Portland’s success came in spurts, with different players adding to a collective whole. Sophia Smith was statistically the most impressive player in the league before international duty and a knee injury kept her sidelined for much of the final third of the season. Morgan Weaver then picked up the slack, making key goal contributions down the stretch to earn Portland a top-two finish for the second year in a row.
But in terms of consistency, Sam Coffey is the Thorns’ best MVP candidate. Coffey handled a USWNT World Cup snub with grace, anchoring the Portland midfield as a disruptor on defense and a distributive engine in the attack. She finished the season with eight assists, three more than the next closest player, while adjusting to an ever-changing lineup of players around her. She played alongside multiple attacking midfielders, never wavering in her ability to connect and facilitate the league’s most effective attack.
Although the Thorns fell just short of the Shield again in 2023, they played some of the most cohesive soccer throughout the season largely thanks to Coffey.
Adriana, F, Orlando Pride
Voting philosophies for MVP can take on different lines of thinking. Should the award reflect the best player on the best team? Should it reward the top statistical performer in the NWSL? Or should it showcase a player whose team would struggle the most without them?
If we’re arguing for the last point, Adriana needs to be in the conversation. Her contributions flew under the radar at times, despite her scoring six goals and notching four assists throughout the regular season. The Brazilian attacker had the stats to back up her performances, sitting third in American Soccer Analysis’ goals added metric in large part due to her magical abilities on the ball.
In addition to her striking talents, Adriana is an excellent dribbler of the ball, bringing a dynamism to the Orlando attack that almost carried the team into the playoffs for the first time since 2017. While they fell short this time, the Pride look like a team prepped for the future, with Adriana’s breakout success a key part of that foundation.
Jaedyn Shaw, F/M, San Diego Wave
The Wave never relied on one single player on their way to finishing at the top of the NWSL table. Abby Dahlkemper’s midseason return shook up their staunch defense, and the team went through a rough patch before rounding into form late in the year. Jaedyn Shaw stood out among the rest for taking her added responsibilities in the attack and the midfield in stride. And if MVP should reward consistency, growth, and team reliance, the teenager deserves a look.
Shaw has scored the most goals as a teenager in NWSL history, breaking the record previously held by Trinity Rodman. The 18-year-old added key elements to her game in 2023: She adjusted to becoming more of a playmaker and facilitator as much as a goal scorer, and she showcased dribbling and passing abilities that will only improve over time. Shaw scored six goals and notched three assists in the regular season, often keeping the Wave in games as they found their form.
In her second professional season, there’s an argument that Shaw is not only the best young player in the league, but also one of the best players regardless of age. As a key part of the Wave’s Shield run, she has a serious case for MVP.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Sophia Smith is the frontrunner for NWSL MVP, despite having missed almost 25% of the season due to the World Cup and a knee injury.
The 23-year-old forward missed more than 40 days with an MCL sprain before making her return last Saturday, but in that time she maintained her place atop some of the NWSL’s most important statistical categories. Smith still leads the league in goals (11), goals per 90 (0.87), goals and assists (16), shots on target (38) and shots on target per 90 (3.02).
Her goals and assists average per 90 (1.27) nearly doubles that of second-place Kerolin, who sits at 0.74 for the North Carolina Courage. She also leads in non-penalty goal categories, shot-creating actions per 90, goal-creating actions and goal-creating actions per 90.
Simply put: Smith has been, statistically, one of the best players in the league once again, after becoming the youngest MVP in league history last season. And to top it all off, Smith is nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
Other MVP candidates, including Orlando’s Adriana, North Carolina’s Kerolin and Washington’s Ashley Hatch, have put together solid seasons. But no team has an answer for Smith.
In five matches without Smith, Portland lost four matches and won just one. In 16 matches with Smith, the Thorns went 9-2-5 (W-L-D). So Smith’s presence on the pitch certainly provides a boost, both for the Thorns in their quest for back-to-back NWSL championships and for Smith in her quest for back-to-back MVP awards.
Kerolin pulled within one goal of Sophia Smith for the top spot in the NWSL Golden Boot race in the latest match week, setting up for an exciting end to the season.
With just two games remaining in the regular season, Kerolin could overtake the injured Smith if she scores in each of the North Carolina Courages’s final two contests. But Smith has been back in training with the Portland Thorns, and she could make a surprise return before the playoffs.
And while it’s likely too late for Alex Morgan to take the title, she did get her first goal in four months, bringing an end to her scoring drought. Several other players joined her in scoring their sixth goals on the season, with Adriana and Bethany Balcer also finding the back of the net over the weekend.
Trending upward: Kerolin, North Carolina Courage
Kerolin’s goal against OL Reign provided the game-saver the Courage needed to stay in the running for the NWSL Shield. Her goal in the 1-1 draw assured her team of a crucial standings point. It also marked her second in the last three games, so the 23-year-old is peaking at the right time.
With just two games left in the regular season, the Brazilian forward will need to stay hot to overtake Smith for the Golden Boot. She needs two goals to do so, as the tiebreaker would go to the Thorns forward.
All tied up!
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 2, 2023
Kurtz over the top to Kerolin to even the score. pic.twitter.com/qxMCv5uOWu
Things we love to see: An Alex Morgan goal
Entering the most recent NWSL weekend, it had been far too long since Alex Morgan scored a goal – for club or country. A four-month drought is not something we’re accustomed to seeing from the star striker, so to have her score in the San Diego Wave’s 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns – a key win in the race for the Shield – was like taking that first sip of ice-cold water on a hot summer’s day.
The goal was nothing to sneeze at, either, with Morgan heading the ball from 10 yards out on a cross from Christen Westphal. And with a new head coach coming soon to the USWNT, one can only hope that the goal-scoring extends to the international level.
🚨ALEX MORGAN GOAL🚨@alexmorgan13 doubles San Diego's lead!! pic.twitter.com/GGAUaNnISa
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2023
NWSL leaderboard
- 11 goals
- Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
- 10 goals
- Kerolin, North Carolina Courage
- 9 goals
- Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit
- 8 goals
- Debinha, Kansas City Current
- 7 goals
- Lynn Williams, Gotham FC
- Morgan Weaver, Portland Thorns
- 6 goals
- Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
- Bethany Balcer, OL Reign
- Adriana, Orlando Pride
- Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave
- 5 goals
- Savannah DeMelo, Racing Louisville
- Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
- Cece Kizer, Kansas City Current
- Tyler Lussi, North Carolina Courage
- Ashley Sanchez, Washington Spirit
- Jordyn Huitema, OL Reign
- Jaedyn Shaw, San Diego Wave