FootyPop: Barcelona Win Champions League, NWSL Begins 2021 Season, and Teams Advance to the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup

We’re smack in the middle of a women’s soccer solstice right now. Look, I just made that name up because I feel like it deserves a name. In the last 48-ish hours, spanning Saturday night to Monday night, three major women’s soccer events took place: the NCAA D1 women’s soccer final, the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, and the start of the 2021 NWSL season. It’s incredibly special. It probably will not happen ever again. And believe it or not, it isn’t the only thing we’ve got to talk about in FootyPop today. Let’s dive into the latest women’s soccer news. 

Barcelona Win First UEFA Title in an Emphatic Fashion

Chelsea barely knew what hit them. Boom. They blink, and they were down 2-0. That’s how fast it all seemingly happened. A Melanie Leupolz own goal and Alexia Putellas PK put Barca up 2-0 in the first 15 minutes. Aitana Bonmati and Carolina Graham Hansen added their own first-half goals, which was pretty much all she wrote. It was a nightmare start for Chelsea that all around turned into a nightmare occasion. All credit goes to Barcelona for getting the job done on such a huge stage. The Catalan club will cherish this trophy forever. 

Gotham Win, Reign-Courage Tie on Opening Day

GOTHAM WINS pic.twitter.com/kwXFreHfkG

— Gotham FC Ultra (@PhilMetro96) May 16, 2021

Gotham FC continued their joyful run under their new brand on Saturday, beating the Houston Dash 1-0 in the first game of the NWSL season. A bit of first-half brilliance between Évelyne Viens and Midge Purce gave Gotham the go-ahead goal, and the NY/NJ side did a sufficient job managing the Houston Dash onslaught for the rest of the game to grab the 1-0 win. It was Gotham’s first-ever three points in Red Bull Arena.

In the second Saturday game, NC Courage and OL Reign played to a 0-0 draw at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington. Aside from a Rapinoe moment here and a Debinha run there, defense stole the show in this match as both sides struggled to find a breakthrough throughout the 90 minutes. Shout out to Lauren Barnes, who wore the captain’s armband on the day for her 150th NWSL appearance. She becomes the first player to make 150 appearances entirely with one club.

Spirit-Pride Draw Late, Thorns Hammer Red Stars

Washington and Orlando split the points in their season opener as Ashley Hatch and Alex Morgan got on the board for their respective sides on Sunday afternoon at Exploria Stadium.

Just an hour later, Chicago and Portland kicked off their game at Providence Park. And boy, oh, boy, this one gave us flashbacks to the UWCL final earlier in the day. Portland got on the board very, very quickly thanks to an own goal and a Christine Sinclair penalty kick. Sophia Smith then bagged a brace to give the Thorns a 4-0 lead heading into the second half. Tyler Lussi would add one more before the whistle. It was a HEAVY defeat for the Red Stars and one they will be scratching their heads about considering the veterans they have in their lineup. 

Fa Cup Fifth Round Recap

A disappointing end to the campaign, as we bow out of the #WomensFACup.#MUWomen

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) May 16, 2021

With FA Cup fifth-round games taking place this weekend, we now know seven of the eight teams who have booked their place in the tournament’s quarterfinals. Arsenal, Brighton, Charlton, Birmingham City, Tottenham, and West Ham are through. Both Manchester teams gave us big surprises, each losing 3-2 to teams ranked below them. Chelsea and Everton will face off on Thursday to determine who gets the last spot. 

Racing Louisville Sign Ebony Salmon To Two-Year Deal

A rising ⭐ running with us!

We’ve signed English striker @ebony_salmon to a two-year deal: https://t.co/L7mSaDbdRm pic.twitter.com/QXLA4s4Ukx

— Racing Louisville FC (@RacingLouFC) May 13, 2021

Racing Louisville has nabbed up a star in the making. On Friday, the Kentucky club announced the signing of English striker Ebony Salmon. The 20-year-old Salmon impressed with FA WSL side Bristol City this past season, becoming the team’s most potent offensive force in its fight to stay in the top league. Now, she’s bringing her skills stateside. Look for her to partner up with Cece Kizer up front!

Featured Image via @FCBFemini on Twitter

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