Welcome to this week’s edition of Goalside Gossip!

From stoppage-time stunners to sibling linkups, this weekend delivered drama in bulk. Aston Villa clawed their way out of the drop zone with a last-gasp win, while the Holmgaard twins staged a sibling takeover to frustrate Manchester City. Meanwhile, Gotham FC lit up LA with a four-goal demolition job, San Diego introduced us to the Melanie Barcenas era, and Orlando’s unbeaten run came to a screeching halt thanks to one costly pass.

Across the leagues, the WSL relegation race is in full panic mode, the NWSL table is looking like rush hour traffic, and off the pitch, a new second division is shaking things up. Oh, and did we mention Lindsey Heaps just fired shots at the salary cap?

Buckle up—we’ve got a lot to unpack. ⚽🔥

What's in store this week:

• NWSL: Racing Louisville vs SD Wave (1-4)

• NWSL: Seattle Reign vs Portland Thorns (1-0)

• NWSL: Orlando Pride vs Washington Spirit (0-1)

• NWSL: Angel City FC vs Gotham FC (0-4)

• WSL: Manchester City vs Everton (1-1)

• WSL: Tottenham vs Aston Villa (3-2)

• News: New Second Division Coming in 2026

• News: Lindsey Heaps Blames Salary Cap for Players’ Departures

• News: Miller Family Buys Both Utah Teams for $600 Million

Racing Louisville vs
SD Wave (1-4)

San Diego Wave FC lit up Lynn Family Stadium with a dominant 4-1 win over Racing Louisville, led by a breakout performance from Delphine Cascarino, who bagged her first NWSL brace and added a league-leading third assist. Kenza Dali opened the scoring with a stunning free kick, while 17-year-old San Diego native Melanie Barcenas netted her first goal—and game-winner—in her first start of the season. Despite a brief equalizer from Louisville via a VAR-awarded penalty, the Wave took control in the second half, out-possessing Louisville 65-35 and firing six shots on target to the hosts’ two. The win marks San Diego’s first four-goal game on the road and sets the tone for their next stop: Chicago. Listen to what Melanie Barcenas and Kenza Dali had to say about each other post game here.

Seattle Reign vs
Portland Thorns (1-0)

Seattle Reign FC secured a gritty 1-0 win over Portland Thorns in a charged Cascadia Rivalry clash at Lumen Field, with rookie Maddie Dahlien netting her first professional goal in the 4th minute off an assist from Lynn Biyendolo—her first for the club, and one that ties her for the all-time NWSL assist record. Portland dominated possession and applied heavy second-half pressure, but Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey stood tall, making a string of key saves to preserve the clean sheet. Despite a few near-misses from Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic and Emeri Adames, the early goal proved enough as the Reign pulled level in the all-time rivalry record and walked away with three hard-earned points.

Orlando Pride vs
Washington Spirit (0-1)

The Orlando Pride suffered their first loss of the 2025 season in a 1-0 defeat to the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium, ending a four-game win streak and marking their first home loss to the Spirit since 2019. Despite controlling large stretches of the match and firing off 20 shots—including a Barbra Banda header that rattled the crossbar—Orlando couldn’t find the breakthrough. The lone score came in the 63rd minute when Spirit forward Gift Monday capitalized on a defensive miscue, intercepting a pass from Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and finishing into an open net. Despite the loss, Ally Watt remains optimistic that the Orlando Pride will be just fine this season.

Angel City FC vs
Gotham FC (0-4)

Angel City FC suffered a tough 4-0 loss at home to Gotham FC, marking their first defeat of the 2025 season. Gotham’s Esther González led the charge with a brace, opening the scoring in the 18th minute and adding a second via a powerful header off a corner in the 75th. An own goal from ACFC’s Miyabi Moriya and a late finish from Geyse—assisted by Midge Purce—sealed the dominant result for Gotham. Despite flashes from Angel City, including Christen Press setting up a near-chance late in the match, Gotham’s defense held firm. Notably, 17-year-old Casey Phair made her NWSL debut for Angel City, becoming the youngest player in club history to do so (she was also the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup).

Manchester City vs
Everton (1-1)

Identical twins Karen and Sara Holmgaard stole the show as Everton held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Joie Stadium in the WSL. City struck first in the 13th minute when Kerstin Casparij bundled in Lily Murphy’s header and held up a Mary Fowler shirt in tribute to her injured teammate. But Everton hit back just before halftime, with Karen heading home a pinpoint cross from her sister Sara in a rare WSL start—then celebrating the moment together. City dominated possession and created more chances, but couldn’t find a second goal, with interim boss Nick Cushing lamenting it as a “missed opportunity” after rivals Manchester United dropped points. With Champions League hopes fading and an injury list piling up, City’s season continues to stall, while Everton sit level on points with West Ham and eye a strong finish.

Tottenham vs
Aston Villa (2-3)

Kirsty Hanson played hero once again for Aston Villa, scoring a stoppage-time winner to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham and breathe life into their relegation fight. Villa jumped out to a 2-0 lead through goals from Anna Patten—who scored on her 26th birthday—and Ebony Salmon, but Spurs stormed back with quickfire goals from Jess Naz and Ella Morris to level it by the 70th minute. Just when it looked like the hosts might snatch all three points, Hanson latched onto a Rachel Daly pass and coolly finished in the 91st minute, giving Villa back-to-back league wins for the first time since January 2024.

Where We Stand So Far

New Second Division
Coming in 2026

A new era is officially on the horizon for women’s soccer in the U.S. WPSL Pro, a second-tier professional league, is launching in fall 2026—filling a long-missing link in the player development pipeline beneath the NWSL. With 15 teams already confirmed and plans to expand to 16–20 by 2027, the league aims to be more than just a stepping stone. It’s pitching itself as a platform for communities, investors, and brands to rally around the women’s game in a sustainable, scalable way.

Each club is paying a $1 million franchise fee, and league officials say they're exploring an equity model that would allow players to own a stake in the league itself—something nearly unheard of in pro sports. The inaugural season will be abbreviated, launching after the 2026 Men’s World Cup, before shifting to a full April-to-October schedule in 2027. Teams span the country, from Austin Rise FC and Georgia Impact FC to The Town FC and FC Wichita, signaling a truly national footprint from day one.

Lindsey Heaps Blames Salary
Cap for Players’ Departures

USWNT captain and Lyon midfielder Lindsey Heaps isn’t mincing words: the NWSL’s salary cap might be driving top American talent overseas. In the wake of Naomi Girma’s record-breaking $1.1 million move to Chelsea—the first million-dollar transfer in women’s soccer—Heaps pointed to the league’s financial limits as a key reason players are seeking opportunities abroad. “There’s a salary cap in NWSL and I think that’s an ongoing issue,” she said at a press conference ahead of Lyon’s Champions League semifinal against Arsenal. “Hopefully it can be changed or increased.”

Heaps, who will face off against USWNT teammates Emily Fox and Jenna Nighswonger in that semifinal, made it clear the move to Europe isn’t about ditching the NWSL—it’s about new challenges and Champions League dreams. “It wasn’t anything against the NWSL, but I wanted to come play in Champions League again… I just needed a different kind of challenge,” she said.

Miller Family Buys Both
Utah Teams for $600 Million

The Miller family is back in the big leagues of Utah sports, officially taking over as the majority owners of both Real Salt Lake (MLS) and Utah Royals FC (NWSL). Their company, Miller Sports and Entertainment, has acquired controlling interest from the Smith Entertainment Group, marking a full-circle return to top-tier ownership after selling the Utah Jazz in 2020. The $600 million deal was announced with flair at America First Field, drawing both MLS and NWSL commissioners, as well as Utah Governor Spencer Cox. David Blitzer, the previous co-owner, will stay on as a minority stakeholder, while former Jazz exec Steve Starks will help lead the Royals.

The Millers aren’t just buying into soccer—they’re doubling down on Utah. With deep community ties and property around the stadium, including their Megaplex Theaters and new ballpark for the Salt Lake Bees, they’re planning to enhance the gameday experience and keep the clubs rooted in Sandy. Steve Miller, now chairman of both teams, emphasized the family-friendly and inclusive nature of soccer as key to their investment. And they’re inheriting clubs with momentum: RSL made splashy signings under Smith-Blitzer ownership, and the Royals got a state-of-the-art training center last year.

The timing is notable: the MLS transfer window closes in days, and RSL is reportedly on the hunt for a proven striker. Meanwhile, both teams are set for a doubleheader weekend at America First Field. If the Millers were looking for a moment to make their mark, this might just be it.