FootyPop: Naomi Girma Given Captains Armband in USWNT’s 4-0 Win Over South Korea

In women’s soccer news this week, domestic women’s soccer leagues took a break for the international window. If you’re a USWNT fan, you know this is the first time new head coach Emma Hayes is with the team. Securing a 4-0 victory is a bright sign for this new USWNT era. In other news, Canada announced a pro women’s soccer league, Argentina’s players are coming out against their Federation, and much more. Keep on reading for this week’s women’s soccer news!

 

High of the Weekend 

Also, there’s something special about the first time Naomi gets the armband she’s wearing the #4. pic.twitter.com/GwAxoCvjry

— Anthony DiCicco (@DiCiccoMethod) June 2, 2024

The USWNT played its first match under Emma Hayes’s new leadership, and it went extremely well. The U.S. beat South Korea 4-0, with goals from Mallory Swanson and Tierna Davidson. This new era under Hayes already seems to be a good one; the team moved differently during the attack and looked more confident than ever. 

Perhaps the highlight of the match was Naomi Girma receiving the captain armband from Lindsey Horan when she subbed off the field. Girma is only 23 years old, but the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year plays with the experience of a veteran player and is a born leader. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Girma and a possible USWNT captaincy. 

 

Low of the Weekend

3 players quit Argentina’s WNT squad after a dispute over a lack of pay and conditions at a camp ahead of camp.

“We need improvements” “I am not only talking about finances. I speak about training, having lunch, breakfast.”https://t.co/2kWwmYX9o3

— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) May 28, 2024

We’ve heard about it in Spain, Canada, Jamaica, and more countries around the globe. Now, players on the Argentina women’s national team are coming out about mistreatment from their Federation. 

Ahead of the international window, four players on the team said they’d be stepping down from national team duty, citing a lack of pay and an inadequate training environment, including not being given breakfast or lunch during training days. 

 

News of the Weekend 

From nothing will come everything. Coming 2025. 🌌⚽️
Du néant naîtra une nouvelle ère. Rendez-vous en 2025. 🌌⚽️ pic.twitter.com/HeG9bGKlaW

— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) May 28, 2024

Canada has announced its women’s soccer league, the Northern Super League (NSL), to be launched in 2025! The teams already committed to participating are Calgary Wild FC, Atlantic Women’s FC/Halifax Tides, Montreal, Ottawa, AFC Toronto City, and Vancouver.

Mark your calendars 📆🧡⁰⁰The 2024/25 USL Super League Fall Schedule is here!⁰⁰➡️ https://t.co/frzRX9pU0P pic.twitter.com/MugimIcWPF

— USL Super League (@USLSuperLeague) May 30, 2024

The newest professional women’s soccer league here in the U.S. will begin player later this summer–USL Super League just released its fall schedule!

 

Goal of the Weekend 

A Colorado connection is the first goal of the Emma Hayes Era! @sophsssmith 🤝 @MalPugh#USWNT x @att pic.twitter.com/1DLbzIHNMD

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 2, 2024

Both Colorado natives, this Sophia to Mal goal was something special. It was Swanson’s first time scoring since before her injury in 2023, and she also ended up getting the team’s fourth goal. 

 

Player of the Weekend 

Tierna Davidson: A menace in front of goal @att 5G Net Cam 🎥🥅 pic.twitter.com/ekvkmSX2bN

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 2, 2024

Tierna Davidson miraculously scored a brace during Saturday’s match against South Korea. And what’s more, they were both from set pieces, were both headers and came within ten minutes of each other! 

 

Team of the Weekend 

Yesterday while watching Caitlin Clark a few hours before Cloé Lacasse, it occurred to me that Lacasse is also a former Hawkeye who attended Iowa from ’11 -’14

She was the Iowa’s top scorer during all her 4 seasons there + is second all-time goalscorer with 43 goals. Shooters. pic.twitter.com/QODQRFsOEm

— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) June 2, 2024

In a fun coincidence, Cloé Lacasse, the forward who scored the second goal for Canada in their match against Mexico on June 1, played for the University of Iowa. She is the second all-time leading goal scorer! In a different sport, Iowa alumni and WNBA #1 draft pick Caitlin Clark also played on Saturday. Iowa is cranking out the women’s sports talent!

 

Signing of the Weekend

ANOTHER COPPER QUEEN JOINS THE NWSL 🇿🇲

Per @CalvinChikenge, Grace Chanda, a Zambian midfielder and forward who currently plays for Madrid CFF in Liga F is joining international teammate Barbra Banda at @ORLPride. 🫶

Cannot wait to see those two link up in the NWSL. 😍 pic.twitter.com/tuRQWbOiLn

— The Women’s Game (@WomensGameMIB) May 29, 2024

Orlando just keeps killing it with its international signings. They just signed Zambian attacker Grace Chanda, who will join fellow Zambian national teammate Barbra Banda. We can’t wait to see how these two link up on the field. 

 

What to Look Forward To

Just 5️⃣ more days to go!
Don’t miss out. See you at Wrigley Field June 8 🤝#WitnessHistory #WithTheStars

— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) June 3, 2024

All eyes will be on Chicago this weekend as the Red Stars take on Bay FC at the legendary Wrigley Field. The club is aiming for a sold-out crowd, around 40,000 attendees, which is higher than any attendance they’ve had at their home games. Tune in on June 8 at 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT. 

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