Angel City center back and captain Sarah Gorden and goalkeeper Angelina Anderson spoke out on Thursday, opening their gameday press conference by addressing Monday's New York Post op-ed penned by teammate Elizabeth Eddy that urged the NWSL to adopt a "clear standard" for gender eligibility.
"Questions and controversy abound over intersex and transgender athletes," Eddy wrote, suggesting the league require players be "born with ovaries" or undergo genetic testing, with a photo of Orlando Pride and Zambia striker Barbra Banda — who faced fan harassment earlier this year — as the lead image.
The article — and its originating tweet — provoked backlash online, with Angel City issuing a statement on Tuesday saying the op-ed "does not reflect the opinion of an entire organization," and that the team "has remained committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging."
ACFC captain Gorden used stronger language, saying that the article directly caused her teammates "hurt" and "harm."
"We don't agree with the things written for a plethora of reasons, but mostly the undertones come across as transphobic and racist," Gorden, who has a history of addressing social justice issues, told reporters.
Gender policy abandonment "invites harassment" of NWSL players
After quietly abandoning a 2021 policy that deemed all transwomen eligible so long as their testosterone levels mirrored those assigned female at birth, the NWSL has failed to provide official gender eligibility guidelines in the three years since — though no current league athletes identify as trans.
"The league may have hoped its silence over this lack of policy would be taken as an openness to revisiting or reworking its approach, or at least neutrality when it comes to the inclusion of trans and intersex players," wrote The Athletic’s Meg Linehan in response.
"But the league and commissioner Jessica Berman's silence have instead repeatedly invited harassment of current players — to whom such a policy would not apply in any case — especially Black and queer players."
According to an NWSL Players Association spokesperson, collective bargaining — rather than the league itself — must determine all policy matters, including guidelines surrounding gender eligibility.
As for where the players union stands on the issue, the spokesperson told The Athletic that "Any position the NWSLPA takes…is and will be the product of a thoughtful, deliberate process that engages all our members and the issues that are important to them."
Angel City FC is on the brink of elimination from making the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, with the No. 11 LA club sitting seven points below the postseason cutoff line after falling to 2025 Shield-winners Kansas City 1-0 on Monday.
"There's no more losses at this point," Angel City center back and captain Sarah Gorden said postgame. "It's win or go home. We're going to have to put that into training this week, and come out and find something in us next weekend."
With only three games left in the regular season, Angel City will face the No. 10 Houston Dash, No. 4 Portland Thorns, and No. 14 Chicago Stars to close out their 2025 campaign.
"I know that if we can perform like this going forward, we will win a lot of football games," LA head coach Alexander Straus said after Monday's hard-fought loss.
In a season headlined by high-profile departures, Angel City now faces their second straight season missing the NWSL Playoffs, having reached the postseason just once since their 2022 debut.
However, that lone run to the playoffs could give this year's squad some hope — the LA club clinched their first and only postseason berth on the final day of the 2023 regular season.
As for the Current, the spoils keep coming for No. 1 Kansas City, who set a new NWSL single-season record with their 19th win on Monday — all while continuing the club's second-longest unbeaten run of 16 games.
"We believe so much in the process that we know if we execute everything at some point, we are going to be successful," said Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
After a red-hot start to the 2025 NWSL season, Angel City saw their unbeaten streak squashed by a Gotham side that defeated the LA club 4-0 on Friday.
Failing to register a single shot on target against the NJ/NY club, ACFC's loss dropped their goal differential to -1, dropping the team to fifth on the NWSL table despite sitting tied with the now fourth-place Gotham on points.
Angel City's unexpected moonshot in the season's first four matchdays is still a strong sign for the 2022 expansion club, but Friday’s stumble underlines just how much more progress they’ll look to make under incoming manager Alexander Straus.
"We have a really young squad right now," said Angel City captain Sarah Gorden following the game. "And we just played a really experienced team. This is part of the process, and it's part of a long season."
Gotham snags momentum with second major 2025 win
Bolstered by star forward Midge Purce's return — not to mention a brace from striker Esther — Saturday's win returned 2024 NWSL semifinalist Gotham to the league's upper echelon following an offseason roster overhaul and a mediocre 2025 season start.
Along with a victory over North Carolina last week, the NJ/NY club now holds significant season momentum with their two straight statement wins.
"We've been working very hard in training, and it's showing in the matches," said Esther. "Everyone is giving their all, and we're really united as a group."
Ultimately, while Angel City’s growing pains were perhaps inevitable, Gotham’s sudden surge after a slow start is shaking up the NWSL standings.
Get ready for the 2023 NWSL Championship with the Just Women’s Sports Super Show, hosted by Sarah Gorden and Christine Williamson.
The two break down the matchup between OL Reign and Gotham FC while also recapping a hectic 2023 season. Special guests include San Diego Wave’s Jaedyn Shaw, Gotham FC’s Kelley O’Hara and Allie Long, Angel City FC’s Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley, Kansas City’s Lo’eau LaBonta, and Just Women’s Sports’ own Claire Watkins.
It’s the funnest, rowdiest NWSL Championship preview you’ll find anywhere.
The NWSL has announced its expansion draft for Bay FC and Utah Royals FC, but there appears to be an important loophole: unsigned free agents aren’t available for selection.
The 12-round draft, which will be held at 7 p.m. ET Friday, Dec. 15, features rules similar to past expansion drafts, with teams permitted to protect nine players. Players with a “no trade” clause are required to be protected by their club — and if one of the expansion teams selects a player from a team’s roster, that team is allowed to protect one additional player.
With free agents exempt from the draft, though, teams could wait to sign players until after Dec. 15. Top unrestricted free agents include Rose Lavelle of OL Reign, Crystal Dunn of the Portland Thorns and Sarah Gorden of Angel City FC. By waiting to sign a new contract, their teams would not have to protect them.
Several teams have a large number of free agents. The Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash have 10 free agents each, while Gotham FC has eight, as do the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC.
There are 75 total players eligible for free agency this offseason.
Top unrestricted free agents include:
- Tierna Davidson, Chicago Red Stars
- Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
- Sarah Gorden, Angel City FC
- Casey Krueger, Chicago Red Stars
- Savannah McCaskill, Angel City FC
- Rose Lavelle, OL Reign
- Emily Sonnett, OL Reign
- Mallory Swanson, Chicago Red Stars
Top restricted free agents include:
- Emina Ekic, Racing Louisville
- Emily Fox, North Carolina Courage
- Madison Hammond, Angel City FC
If any question remained about whether Becki Tweed deserves to have the interim tag removed from her head coaching title, it may have been answered Sunday when Angel City FC secured its first-ever playoff appearance.
Angel City FC did so with a resounding 5-1 win over the Portland Thorns, who have been one of the league’s best teams all season long. The win put an exclamation point on one of the greatest turnarounds in the NWSL.
After starting the season with a 2-3-6 record (W-D-L), the team fired head coach Freya Coombe and elevated assistant coach Tweed to interim head coach in her place. Since then, Tweed has proven she deserves a shot at a more permanent role, leading the team to the No. 5 seed in the NWSL playoffs.
Tweed started her tenure with an 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, and she finished with a 6-4-1 record in the regular season. Tweed spoke after Sunday’s win about the buy-in from players, and she shouted out her assistant coaches and her “incredible group of staff.”
“We’ve won games in these moments that haven’t just come down to the head coach or the player,” she said. “It’s a bigger squad than that. We say every day in the film room and at training, it’s not about 11 players, it’s about 26 people. We have players that graft and grind every day and don’t make a squad, but they keep going and they believe in the team.
“I can’t speak highly enough of how the group has come together. … I think the buy-in comes down to everybody being on the same page and having the same goal. I can’t speak highly enough about the team, the players and the staff that we have in and around every day that continue to push all the standards and the boundaries.”
For Angel City players, though, much of the success leads back to their head coach.
“I mean, Becki has done, can I say the eff word? Becki has done f—ing fantastic,” defender Sarah Gorden said. “She’s done a great job at holding us accountable, pushing us, knowing when to just manage players.
“She’s done great. I mean, you’ve seen the difference.”
In recent weeks, players have spoken about wanting to see Tweed take over the head coaching job on a permanent basis, noting that she has established a winning mentality and has given Angel City an edge they didn’t have before.
On Sunday, defender M.A. Vignola echoed that sentiment.
“She knows how we work. She knows the things [like], how she can say things to us and how each different player works,” she said. “You can even just tell at training that she’s very in tune with everyone individually and that kind of helps as a collective. Because it helps us be able to talk to each other in certain ways or push each other, get through s–t – the nitty and gritty – and that’s what she does best.”
August was a disjointed month in the NWSL, as the league took an extended regular season break to finish the Challenge Cup group stage and make room for World Cup absences. With only two regular season games throughout the month, sample sizes for top performers have been small, while World Cup players have had variable availability.
Within that context, for the first time this season, our Player of the Month is a defender — and one who was not destined for international duty in 2023. A number of teams are making strong playoff pushes based on their ability to hold onto leads and grit out results, placing extra importance on defenders.
Here are our top performers for the month of August in the NWSL, beginning with our choice for Player of the Month.
Sarah Gorden, D, Angel City FC
Angel City FC is unbeaten in nine games across all competitions, with six of those wins coming in the regular season. Two of those games were in August, as the Los Angeles club makes a surge toward the playoffs.
Angel City’s newfound attacking tenacity has been critical to their success, but they’ve also been adept at turning close games into results. The player at the center of those efforts is center-back Sarah Gorden, who’s been remarkably steady in her first full season with the club.
Gorden is in the top five in American Soccer Analysis’ g+ metric for the August regular season, due to her excellent 1v1 defending and closing speed that allows her to interrupt opponents’ attacks. The Angel City defense gave up just two goals in two regular season games in August, securing a draw and the club’s first win ever against OL Reign.
In a season without many defensive stalwarts, Gorden has stood out, and now Angel City is finding the success it’s been looking for. Gorden surely has to be on the shortlist for 2023 NWSL Defender of the Year, as she gives her team a shot at its first-ever playoff berth.
Honorable Mentions
Morgan Weaver, F, Portland Thorns
Weaver notched a goal and an assist in two regular season games in August, as Portland went undefeated to regain the top spot on the NWSL table. Weaver is overshadowed at times by higher-profile teammates, such as Golden Boot leader Sophia Smith, but she serves as the motor that helps Portland’s attacking machine run.
so you agree? You think Morgan Weaver is really good at soccer 😎 pic.twitter.com/7sOF28oA8S
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) August 27, 2023
Messiah Bright, F, Orlando Pride
Speaking of end-of-the-year shortlists, Messiah Bright’s case for Rookie of the Year is getting stronger by the game. The Pride dominated a struggling Chicago Red Stars team in their first regular season game of the month, with Bright scoring a brace in just 60 minutes played. The 2023 second-round pick now has six goals on the season, launching herself into the Golden Boot conversation as a rookie.
Simply in awe.
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 21, 2023
The @martavieiras10 pass. The @messiah_bright finish. pic.twitter.com/7Z5F8cspd5
Abby Dahlkemper, D, San Diego Wave
Abby Dahlkemper made a welcome return to the NWSL in August, after a back injury had held her out of competitive play for almost a year. Slotting back into San Diego’s starting defense, the World Cup champion helped seal two much-needed regular season wins as the Wave surged into third place. She capped her return month with a goal, opening the scoring in San Diego’s 2-1 win over Orlando on Friday.
Abby Dahlkemper, take a bow!
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 25, 2023
What a way to start the match 🤩 pic.twitter.com/z5jc2Zl5MU
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Angel City FC’s first season in the NWSL was a rousing success by almost every metric off the pitch. The team hosted sold-out crowds, sold sponsorships, connected with the community and more.
On the field, the results were slightly less conclusive, as a number of key players suffered injuries and the team’s plans hit bumps in the road. An expansion team taking some time to find its footing in its inaugural season is understandable, but the Los Angeles club will need to take steps forward on the pitch in 2023 to keep pace with the rest of the league.
2022 Review: Baby steps
Angel City made a handful of splashy moves prior to their inaugural season. The team swapped their first-round draft pick for USWNT superstar Christen Press and benefitted from smart deals and player wishes to compile what looked like a competitive starting XI.
The team’s best-laid plans never quite came to fruition, in part due to an influx of injuries. Angel City lost center-back Sarah Gorden for the year with an ACL tear as well as star striker Christen Press to an ACL tear in June. After trading for Orlando’s Sydney Leroux later in June, the forward’s availability was limited the rest of the season. Winger Simone Charley dealt with lingering Achilles issues in the latter half of the summer, and midfielder Julie Ertz took time away from the sport entirely after the club acquired her rights before the season.
Angel City’s availability issues made it difficult to gauge their roster construction. The team became a gritty unit of starters who withstood the ebbs and flows of possession to try to grind out results. Angel City’s depth was put under a microscope by necessity, and the toll at the end of the season showed as the expansion side faded to eighth after a season-ending loss to the Chicago Red Stars.
Offseason moves: Betting on the future
After an inaugural season involving many factors outside the club’s control, Angel City took the two-pronged approach of running it back and planning for the future. The club traded for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NWSL draft, selecting local teenage talent Alyssa Thompson. Thompson will get significant minutes in her first year as a pro as Press and Leroux continue to work their way back from injuries.
The assets L.A. dealt to acquire Thompson, in addition to the assets used to pick up Press and others in 2022, left the club with little room for more moves. As a result, Angel City needs to rely on their current team taking steps forward in 2023. Canada international Vanessa Gilles remains on loan to Olympique Lyon, but Gorden has made a full recovery and appears ready to run the backline in 2023.
“We didn’t necessarily get where we were looking to in the first season but were able to establish a foundation and a training facility,” general manager Angela Hucles Mangano said at the beginning of preseason. “We are looking at how we’re rounding out our entire roster, for the immediate and long term. We really want to make sure that we can provide depth in different positions. That is where you see how those players can be additive.”
While Angel City eagerly awaits the returns of Press and Leroux, the club made no moves to shore up the frontline that will likely be commanded by Thompson and Charley. Former North Carolina outside back Merritt Mathias should walk into a defensive role if she’s available, and former San Diego Wave forward Katie Johnson can also connect the attack to the midfield with her connective passing.
2023 outlook: Patience for the payoff
It’s difficult to gauge how head coach Freya Coombe plans to manage Thompson’s high ceiling while also getting the most out of the rest of her squad. A preseason friendly against Club América showed both the strengths and the weaknesses in Angel City’s roster construction.
While Thompson showed off her electric speed and poise to score her debut goal, the team started defender Madison Hammond at defensive midfielder and center back Paige Nielsen at outside back. Angel City never quite addressed the positional needs in the offseason that would allow the club to control the pace of play without requiring as much off-the-ball defending to pick up points. Jun Endo and Savannah McCaskill’s playmaking will be the key toward unlocking opposing defenses, and reliability at the less flashy positions might be what Angel City needs more than a brand-new star.
Angel City could be one of the biggest boom-or-bust propositions in the NWSL. They have the on-the-ball quality and speed of play to put opponents on their heels, but they might find that living dangerously gets in their way during a punishing regular season.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
After years of waiting, and then an extra week’s delay, the NWSL finally debuted Wednesday in the popular “FIFA 23” video game. But almost immediately, NWSL players began to voice their displeasure with their digital likenesses.
Angel City FC forward Sydney Leroux called out the game regarding her player avatar and those of other players. And while she injected humorous disbelief into her critiques, she made clear that the issue cuts deeper than surface-level jokes.
“I know you expect women to just be thankful and grateful that you’ve given us a little sliver of publicity but please stop wasting our time,” Leroux tweeted. “Some of us are bald.”
I know you expect women to just be thankful and grateful that you’ve given us a little sliver of publicity but please stop wasting our time. Some of us are bald. pic.twitter.com/DK6jut5YmS
— Sydney Leroux (@sydneyleroux) March 23, 2023
The bald player included in Leroux’s post seems to be Canada women’s national team goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan — who at least sports her usual full head of hair in her San Diego Wave avatar, if not in her Canada avatar, as she noted on her own Twitter account.
Leroux’s Angel City teammate Madison Hammond also took issue with her representation in the game.
“Somebody please lmk when they find me, Madison Hammond #99 from Angel City!” she tweeted. “Because this … is simply not it!”
Somebody please lmk when they find me, Madison Hammond #99 from Angel City! Because this … is simply not it! 💀 pic.twitter.com/PP6UzFRGjb
— Madison Hammond (@gohaamm) March 22, 2023
Houston Dash defender Caprice Dydasco posted a photo of herself alongside a screenshot of her avatar to present a stark comparison.
“I’m grateful EA Sports is finally including the NWSL but this does not represent me,” she tweeted.
Dydasco is among a small group of Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander players in the NWSL, which makes her avatar even more disappointing.
With so few AAPI players in the league, “it’s really important to be that much more thoughtful and deliberate about appearances,” The Athletic’s Steph Yang tweeted.
I’m grateful EA Sports is finally including the NWSL but this does not represent me. @EASPORTSFIFA pic.twitter.com/SgrFkoCYy1
— Caprice Dydasco (@CapriceDydasco) March 22, 2023
Incongruous avatars and player ratings can leave NWSL players feeling like they remain on the outskirts of the soccer community, despite what has been marketed as a milestone for inclusion.
“When EA Sports didn’t put me in the top 10 for speed I was mad but I was like eh we will show them,” Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden tweeted. “But when they gave me a 48 rating in speed I realized they have never and will never actually watch a NWSL game.”
When @EASPORTSFIFA didn’t put me in the top 10 for speed I was mad but I was like eh we will show them. But when they gave me a 48 rating in speed I realized they have never and will never actually watch a nwsl game 😂🤣😂
— Sarah Gorden (@sarahlgorden) March 22, 2023
Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden has suffered a knee injury “that will keep her out of competition for a period of time,” the club announced Monday.
The 29-year-old joined ACFC in the offseason following a trade with the Chicago Red Stars, where she helped anchor the Red Stars’ back line. During the 2021 season, she earned Chicago’s first Iron Woman title after playing every minute of every game – 2,160 minutes through 24 games – and was a nominee for NWSL Defender of the Year.
She was traded alongside Julie Ertz, who is not expected to join the club this season.
Both trades came on the heels of the resignation of head coach Rory Dames, who quit the club ahead of verbal and emotional abuse allegations. The trades appeared to be requested, as a release by the Red Stars at the time said that the moves “prioritize and honor the wishes of select players.”
In a post on Instagram, Gordon can be seen with a full knee brace, with a caption that says “I feel it looks better on me than OBJ.” Los Angeles Rams star Odell Beckham Jr. tore his ACL in the Super Bowl.
“We are saddened that Sarah has experienced this injury. The team, our staff, and the whole Angel City organization is here to fully support her on her road to recovery,” said head coach Freya Coombe in a team statement.
Angel City already has a somewhat small roster relative to the rest of the NWSL, inviting just 25 players to training camp, which players said was “great” for building trust and confidence amongst team members. However, with the loss of Gorden for the foreseeable future, the club is left with just five defenders in Vanessa Gilles, Paige Nielsen, Ali Riley, Allyson Swaby and M.A. Vignola.
The club will begin its inaugural season with the start of the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 19.