Vlatko Andonovski wanted three things for the USWNT during their friendly in England on Friday.

Take on a good opponent. Check.

Experience adversity. Check.

Experience a hostile environment. Check.

His checklist didn’t include a goal being called back by a controversial VAR call, but Andonovski got that, too, in his team’s 2-1 loss to England in front of 76,893 fans at Wembley Stadium.

Down 2-1 in the first half, Sophia Smith fielded a pass up the right wing. With her signature bubble braid swinging behind her, Smith took her touches carefully as Millie Bright stayed in stride to defend the dangerous goal scorer.

As Smith approached the box, Trinity Rodman sprinted from the right side of the field, well behind Smith, across the middle and into the left half of the box.

Smith threaded a pass between two England defenders to Megan Rapinoe, who heel-flicked the ball to the foot of a streaking Rodman.

The 20-year-old fired with her right foot and, as the ball hit the back of the net, commenced celebrating with an open-mouthed smile.

Rodman leapt into the arms of Lindsey Horan, and their U.S. teammates joined one by one for a massive group hug.

What could have been 😭

This Trinity Rodman goal was disallowed by VAR pic.twitter.com/JemzMWDCQD

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 7, 2022

But moments later, the goal was being reviewed due to VAR, a type of technology used for the first time in a women’s soccer match in a 2019 World Cup match between France and South Korea. In that game, a goal scored by Griedge Mbock Bathy France in the 26th minute was called back after VAR showed she was offside.

VAR was used the same way in Friday’s friendly. The review, according to the referees, showed that Smith was offside, overturning what would have been the game-tying goal.

But VAR, which the NWSL plans to introduce in 2023, may have gotten it wrong.

Several soccer stars took to Twitter to express their dismay at the call.

Alex Morgan, who didn’t make the trip to England with the USWNT due to a knee injury, was less than convinced by the replay.

“I can’t see any offside in that play,” she wrote. “And the ref didn’t even check the video herself. Anyone else wondering why exactly the goal was called back?”

The "offside" call......... pic.twitter.com/rOywlghNcp

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) October 7, 2022

By definition, VAR is a fifth official who watches the game via video and is able to access various angles while also slowing down the play. Essentially, it is a tool to ensure correct calls are being made on the field.

Morgan wasn’t the only player at home who was confused by the call. OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer expressed her skepticism as well.

“That VAR line didn’t help the case at all,” she tweeted. “looks more onside every time i watch it.”

VAR was used three times in the game, and all three instances negatively impacted the U.S.

The first use came at the 32-minute mark, when Hailie Mace appeared to kick Lucy Bronze in the head. After a review, England was given a penalty kick, which Georgia Stanway converted to give her squad the 2-1 lead that would hold for the final score.

A penalty was given to England after a VAR review of this sequence pic.twitter.com/YicGKAm6ev

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 7, 2022

Lauren Hemp also scored for England, and Smith was responsible for the USWNT’s lone goal.

VAR made its third appearance midway through the second half when Rose Lavelle fired a shot that looked at first to have hit off an England player’s arm. Upon review, the call, which would have given the U.S. a penalty kick of its own, was overturned.

Despite the overall chaos of the match and the one-goal defeat, Andonovski was pleased with his team’s efforts against the reigning Euro champions.

His squad, he said, got everything it needed to out of the contest.

“We pretty much saw they were very well organized or physical, and obviously well coached. So that’s why we came here to experience that,” Andonovski said. “We needed to go through those tough moments, and hopefully learn from it.”

The purpose of this friendly, and next week’s match against Spain, is for the USWNT to prepare for the 2023 World Cup.

“There’s a reason why we wanted to play this far away from the World Cup,” Andonovski said. “Just because we wanted to have enough time to fix the things that get exposed or the areas that we get exploited. And we have a good learning opportunity.”

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer for Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

After a dramatic 3-0 win over crosstown rival Manchester United on Saturday, Manchester City is now leading the WSL, sitting three points clear atop the 2025/26 league table while notably extending their advantage over second-place powerhouse Chelsea FC.

The home side scored all three of their goals in the first half, with defender Rebecca Knaak putting City ahead in the 26th minute before attacker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw added to the lead in the 43rd minute.

Returning from injury with a vengeance, forward Lauren Hemp sealed the deal for the Citizens with the final goal in first-half stoppage time.

"It's so nice to be back," Hemp said postgame. "Today we showed the mentality that I said at the start we needed to show."

While reigning six-time WSL champions Chelsea have yet to lose a match this WSL season, a trio of 2025/26 draws has the Blues now trailing the current eight-win, one-loss record held by Manchester City.

As for United, the WSL third-place Red Devils were without star goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce in Saturday's loss, after the USWNT net-minder suffered a fractured eye socket in November 8th's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.

"She should be fine, it's just trying to make sure she doesn't get another knock in that area," said United manager Marc Skinner, noting that Tullis-Joyce could return as soon as the club's 2025/26 Champions League match against VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

One of this season's NWSL Coach of the Year finalists is moving on up, with Kansas City manager Vlatko Andonovski leaving his position as the Current's head coach to become the club's full-time global sporting director.

Andonovski has been juggling both jobs since joining the Current in October 2023, with the 49-year-old coming off what was arguably his most successful managerial season, leading Kansas City to a first-ever NWSL Shield amidst a record-shattering 2025 campaign.

In his new role, Andonovski will "implement the long-term vision for the club's technical and athletic success, as well as be responsible for player recruitment, roster strategy and scouting."

"It's vital to move into this role to keep growing this club with the aim of being a perennial contender on the global stage and a top developer of talent," Andonovski said in Friday's club announcement.

With the administrative switch in the works prior to last weekend's playoff upset, Andonovski will now join the hiring committee tasked with appointing his successor, while continuing his head coaching duties until Kansas City secures its new manager.

In another front office shift, the Current's head of soccer operations Ryan Dell will immediately take over as the club's GM, with former GM Caitlin Carducci departing the club after one year at the helm.

Michigan women's basketball is on the rise, as the then-No. 14 Wolverines avenged their early 2025 NCAA tournament exit with a stunning 93-54 blowout win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame on Saturday.

Michigan sophomore guard Olivia Olson led the game in scoring with 20 points as the Wolverines put together a true team effort, with six bench players combining for 38 points in the win.

The Big Ten team also dominated defensively, limiting the Fighting Irish bench to just two points while keeping Notre Dame star guard Hannah Hidalgo to a mere 12-point performance.

"We knew exactly what Michigan was going to do," said Notre Dame basketball head coach Niele Ivey afterwards. "We did not have any type of fight defensively, and that's where we have to start."

The Wolverines' victory was especially sweet after Notre Dame ousted Michigan from last season's national tournament with a 76-55 second-round Irish win.

Saturday's fallout also affected this week's AP Top 25 poll, with Notre Dame falling six ranks to No. 24 while Michigan earned an eight-spot bump to No. 6.

After quietly recruiting five-star talents like Olson and Syla Swords in 2024, Michigan — a program that has yet to earn a title at the NCAA or conference level — proved over the weekend that they are entering the 2025/26 season with added depth and experience.

"That's why I committed to Michigan," Swords told JWS at October's Big Ten Media Day. "That's why so many of us came there, because we wanted to be part of something new, part of something that's never been done."

Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is back in action, subbing into her team's 2025 NWSL semifinal win in Saturday's 90th minute as she continues to rehab a sprained MCL — with questions still remaining surrounding her future with the club.

"It felt amazing," she said afterwards. "If I get 30 seconds, or if I get 90 minutes, it feels great to be out there."

Rodman will hope for more involvement in next weekend's NWSL Championship game, taking the pitch for the Spirit in her final match under contact before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

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The USWNT standout's extension negotiations have apparently made it all the way up to the NWSL commissioner, with Rodman garnering interest from multiple UK clubs willing to outspend the US league's salary cap restrictions.

The NWSL's most recent collective bargaining agreement sets each club's current salary cap at $3.3 million, which will titrate up to $5.1 million by 2030.

"Right now, my head's completely down. It's been so distracting being injured, and that's all I can really think about," Rodman said on Saturday, addressing the reports. "Once we get this championship, then I can start making decisions and figuring out what next year looks like for me."

With rumors swirling around Rodman and her future with the Spirit, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman defended the salary cap this week, telling CBS Sports that the parity the cap fosters is "the reason our league is the most competitive league in the world."