By the way, that will leave Philadelphia as the only market that had teams in the WUSA and WPS but does not have a NWSL team.

BREAKING: The NWSL is awarding its 17th franchise to Atlanta and will join the league for a record expansion fee of $165 million, sources tell The Athletic. Details: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

In May, New Haven raised $9 million in 18 days and beat the buzzer to join D-I. Its home gym seats 867 people. On Saturday, it hosted a Big Ten team. Here's the story of why and how it happened. "There's some coaches said to me, including coaches in the Big Ten, 'Are you crazy?' But yeah, I am."

I really did not expect the Spirit to get Saturday. But then again I expected Kansas City to win today, and I’d have been shocked if they’d been put during a big Chiefs game. Short rest for the Portland-San Diego winner to go east on, but an extra day for the winner of that before the final.

Some quick postgame reaction: Jaedyn Shaw on No. 8 seed: "Underdog my ass. We're not underdog." Vlatko Andonovski says it's a game of fine margins: "We're not here to have one good season and go away. We're not here to have a couple good games and go away. We're here to stay." #NWSL

JCA: "I love it, and at the same time, I hate it because it's too much emotion." That's the NWSL babyyyyyy.

If you had Katie Stengel scoring a last gasp go ahead goal in the second half of extra time, please go buy a lottery ticket.

I think we knew this could happen but it’s absolutely wild watching it happen

American Soccer culture is a no. 8 team taking down a league winner, IMO

For accounting purposes: Oregon State paid $1.2 million to Sam Houston State for last night's game.

me, 2:39 in the pod whatsapp: they still have a few minutes kc: bet

Ultimate "oh wow / oh nooooo" goal just now in the NWSL playoffs

American 42, Penn 37 at halftime. Very much a case of Penn playing someone its own size this time.

The ball is tipped in the Penn men’s team’s first game at American since my senior year of high school. I grew up two miles from here, and took swimming lessons as a kid at the pool a few feet from here in the Bender Arena complex. Just a few memories around here.

T.J. Power starts again for Penn today, with A.J. Levine, Michael Zanoni, Ethan Roberts and Augustus Gerhardt.

American raises its banner celebrating last season’s Patriot League championship.

A banner day for a banner giveaway at Bender Arena.

#NWSL Shield winners Kansas City Current host 2023 champs Gotham right now on ABC. Reigning MVP and back-to-back Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga is out today for KC, as is Michelle Cooper. Is there an upset in the cards in the 1 v 8 quarterfinal?

A first visit to American University’s Bender Arena for nearly 20 years. It’s one thing to aspire to follow in the footsteps of @davidaldridgedc.bsky.social, @stevengoff.bsky.social and @meglinehan.com, but it’s been quite some time since I’ve been on their turf for basketball.

…Gotham leading scorer Esther makes the bench, has also missed a month of action with an injury. Gabi Portilho gets the nod in the attack, Reale returns to the defence after a rest post-INT window.

Temwa Chawinga is OUT of today’s #NWSL quarterfinal between the KC Current and Gotham FC

Visiting my parents for the weekend, and the leaves are falling in real time as I’m out for a walk this morning. But those that are left are glorious.

One problem with this is it allows teams to bleed the clock. Easily solved by giving teams only a little bit of time – say, 35 seconds or so – to prepare for the next one, along with some time-outs.

Union record-breaking transfer target Ezequiel Alladoh is not in the matchday roster for Brommapojkarna’s final match of the season. Alladoh was featured in a club marketing post as recently as 14 hours ago. The gears are moving. #doop #MLS #Ghana #BlackStars 📸: Brommapojkarna

Esme Morgan on this whole scene: "They were just having a great time up there, like the standing section was absolutely packed. And I thought, I want to get involved. So, yeah, just clambered on the little platform that they have, and Trin handed me a flag, and I was waving it."

I think - at least for now, until it comes back to bite me - that Cincinnati beating Columbus is better for the Union. You want Miami going to Cincinnati, not hosting Columbus. I think.

Columbus Crew’s elimination means Darlington Nagbe has played his final game. Salute to a certified legend.

Would guess that was why MLS’s officials determined not to have Obed Vargas retake his attempt.

"She shows what she is: one of the best goalkeepers in this league and in this country." Esme Morgan, Hal Hershfelt, and Adrián González on the impact Aubrey Kingsbury has on opponents in shootouts, and Kingsbury's reaction to her colleagues' praise:

How do you not mark the guy whose whole thing is running at the back post?

Kate Scott reports that she made her train back to Philadelphia by two minutes, and will be at the arena in time.

Esther González is officially questionable for tomorrow, the NWSL says.

"That goal, I dedicate to all of the Spirit fans, and also my dad. He was my first coach and made me what I am today. ... I know my dad is with me, and he's giving me the strength to keep going, and this goal was the proof." - Gift Monday on scoring in her first game since her father's passing

‪…and is shown a (soft!) straight red card moments later. ‬

Folarin Balogun scores Monaco’s equalizer against Lens from the penalty spot. Fourth goal in 10 Ligue 1 games this season for Balo. #USMNT

SOCCER IS FUN

That Aubrey Kingsbury chant comes from a deep place in D.C. soccer history, and it might have awoken some ghosts. Two saves and a psych-out in the shootout to send the Spirit on.

Aubrey Kingsbury makes her sixth save of the day to bring the curtain down on extra time.

Joe Scally goes the distance, while Gio Reyna subs in at the 75th minute (there were 14 minutes of stoppage time) in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 3-1 win over FC Koln in the Rhine Derby. Gladbach now up to 12th(!) in the Bundesliga standings. Good to see Reyna get some more minutes. #usmnt

Tara McKeown is absolutely crushed to have to go off. We’ll see what the injury is, but that is quite a scene.

This is the 12th NWSL playoff game all-time to go to extra-time. The away team has won just 3 times. Only 2 of the previous 11 went to PKs — both involved the Spirit (2016 final, 2024 semi). Every WAS playoff HOME game has gone to ET, and they've advanced every time!

1-1 after regulation. Extra time beckons.

92nd minute Louisville equalizer. Courtney Petersen with a big hit over Washington’s back line, and Kayla Fischer sticks it. Still six minutes of stoppage time to go.

I deeply respect Gift Monday's vulnerability on her personal social media over the recent loss of her father. She penned a very lovely letter to his memory.

73' 1-0 Washington, and that one stands. Gift Monday with a big jump to beat Ellie Jean to Rosemonde Kouassi's cross from the right. Audi Field erupts.

#NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman spoke at halftime. She declined to explicitly confirm her widely reported contract extension ("I'm gonna still say that I intend to be here.") and was asked (Q: @jasondcsoccer.bsky.social) about the league's gender policy. Berman's full answer.

Eight minutes of stoppage time, which as a friend points out means "Free DC!" chants in both halves today.

Vid of offside from a friend at the game. Pretty quickly leads to goal so probably right call. #NWSL #WASvLOU

As best as I can bootleg it for @jasondcsoccer.bsky.social and @theolloydhughes.bsky.social, the play that was deemed offside (and I’m not saying I agree with the call) is the last pass in this short clip.

Trying to resolve this from the press box, and there's not an angle on the broadcast that shows Santos' positioning in relation to Louisville's deepest defender, who is inside the 6. Replays showed the wrong part of the sequence.