The NWSL season is well and truly under way, with the Challenge Cup trophy having been taken home by the North Carolina Courage last weekend, while the regular season has already seen plenty of exciting action.
On this week’s episode of All of US: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Show, GOAL reflects on the first competition of the year while looking ahead to all that is coming, picking out the players, teams and stories to keep an eye on as 2022 unfolds.
The biggest game of the season in Europe is also on the horizon, with Lyon to face Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final later this month. There is plenty to talk about on that front too, particularly with U.S. women’s national team star Catarina Macario putting in award-worthy performances for the French giants.
Editors’ Picks
How to listen to All of US: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Show
You can find All of US simply by searching for it on your preferred podcast platform, be that Spotify, Apple, or something else.
As well as listening to this week’s show, there is plenty of timeless content to go back and enjoy – with some making for particularly great listening ahead of all the women’s soccer coming in May.
On an NWSL front, Ashley Hatch from the Spirit, Emina Ekic of Racing Louisville and OL Reign defender Alana Cook have all joined us in recent weeks to talk about their careers to date and look ahead to the 2022 season.
Macario was also a guest earlier this season, discussing her move to Lyon, her decision to play for the USWNT over Brazil and lots more.
If you’re looking for some content that covers the Barcelona side, you can also check out the episode with Veronica Boquete. She and her Spain team-mates did something in 2015 that was incredibly important for the rise of the women’s game in her homeland, speaking out about alleged abuse from the national team’s head coach.
“It’s hard to imaigne the sweet moment that Spanish women’s football is living now if we will still with Ignacio Quereda,” she says in an incredibly open interview.
Who will win the NWSL Championship?
After winning the Challenge Cup, the Courage are right up there as one of the favourites for the Championship. However, it is a very open race for that title.
The Spirit, the reigning champions, are big contenders, as are OL Reign and the Portland Thorns, while the Chicago Red Stars have also shown their ability to get results even with key players absent in recent weeks.
California’s two expansion teams are making some noise too, with Alex Morgan scoring four goals last week for the San Diego Wave and Angel City beating the Courage. If they are not in play-off contention, they will at the very least be teams that can upset those who are.
Who will win the UEFA Women’s Champions League?
The UWCL final on May 21 will be a repeat of the showpiece event from 2019, one that was a catalyst for making Barcelona the incredible team they are today.
They were beaten 4-1 that day as Lyon won their sixth European trophy, which they followed up with a seventh in 2020. However, last year, as the French side were knocked out for the first time in seven years, Barca reigned supreme.
The Spanish champions have been the talk of the town ever since – something which has provoked comment from those in Lyon, who are keen to ensure their incredible achievements over the last 10 years are not forgotten.
From a U.S. perspective, the French side will be the one most are rooting for, with USWNT stars Macario and Lindsey Horan aiming to win their first UWCL title, both having had stand-out moments on the road to Turin.
Discussion about this post