Welcome back to another edition of Goalside Gossip, your ultimate source for all things women's soccer!

Get your tissues ready folks because this one is a tough read. In this edition of Goalside Gossip, we will cover our most exciting games from the NWSL Matchday 19 including Seattle Reign vs Angel City and Spirit vs Thorns. But the stinger is that Alex Morgan has officially retired from the game we all love. Here is the breakdown of what you can expect this week:

1. Special NWSL - Alex Morgan Bids Farewell

2. NWSL - NC Courage vs SD Wave 🟥 (4-1)

3. NWSL - Seattle Reign FC vs Angel City FC (3-2)

4. NWSL - Washington Spirit vs Portland Thorns (2-1)

5. NWSL - Orlando Pride vs Chicago Red Stars (1-0)

6. INT’L - Concacaf W Championship Update

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's blend of Goals, Gossip, and Glory from the world of women's soccer.

Alex Morgan Says Goodbye

Alex Morgan's illustrious career came to an emotional close as she played her final professional match for San Diego Wave FC, a 4-1 loss to North Carolina Courage. Announcing her retirement just days earlier, Morgan's last appearance was marked by her attempt at a penalty kick, which was saved by U.S. national team teammate Casey Murphy. Shortly after, she was substituted, leaving the field after just 13 minutes as a tribute to her iconic number 13 jersey. The emotional moment saw Morgan removing her cleats and waving tearfully to a nearly sold-out Snapdragon Stadium crowd, while fans chanted her name and players from both teams gathered to honor her. This was also the first NWSL game in history that was televised by multiple different major stations, marking yet another significant milestone for the NWSL this season.

Morgan’s influence extends beyond her achievements on the pitch, where she scored 123 goals for the U.S. Women's National Team and won multiple titles, including two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman highlighted Morgan's significant role in advocating for players' rights and helping grow the women's game, particularly through her leadership in the league and the newly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). With her impact on and off the field celebrated, Morgan's farewell marked the end of a legendary career and the beginning of a new chapter as she announced her second pregnancy just before her retirement.

As a special treat, we have attached her emotional final moments on the field below.

NWSL Matchday 19

NC Courage vs
SD Wave 🟥 (4-1)

The North Carolina Courage dominated San Diego Wave FC 4-1 in the first-ever multicast NWSL fixture at Snapdragon Stadium, dampening the night for fans who came to bid farewell to Alex Morgan. Haley Hopkins opened the scoring for the Courage just four minutes in, heading in a corner from Malia Berkely. A penalty awarded to San Diego in the 9th minute seemed to set up a signature moment for Morgan, but Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy made a stunning save to deny her. The Wave equalized soon after, but Morgan left the field in the 13th minute to a standing ovation, marking the end of her storied career.

Feli Rauch restored the Courage's lead in the 21st minute with another header from a Berkely corner, and Bianca St-Georges extended the lead just before halftime with a shot deflected past the keeper. Berkely's three assists in the match made her only the second player in Courage history to accomplish that feat in a regular-season game. San Diego's hopes were further dashed when goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was sent off in the 63rd minute, and Meredith Speck sealed the 4-1 win with a stoppage-time goal. The Courage now sit fifth in the league standings while the Wave sit at twelfth.

Seattle Reign FC vs
Angel City FC (3-2)

Seattle Reign secured their third consecutive win, defeating Angel City FC 3-2 in a thrilling match at BMO Stadium. Alyssa Thompson gave Angel City an early lead in the 8th minute, but the Reign responded when Jordyn Huitema won a penalty, converted by Sofia Huerta. Ji So-Yun then scored a spectacular goal, bending the ball in from near the post, followed by Tziarra King's goal to give the Reign a 3-1 lead. Despite late pressure and a 99th-minute header from Sydney Leroux, the Reign held on for the win, aided by two disallowed Angel City goals.

The Reign's defense, led by Huerta, played a key role in closing out the match, a marked improvement from earlier in the season. Head Coach Laura Harvey praised the team's growth, noting their ability to handle pressure and close games. With this win, the Reign extended their unbeaten streak to seven games and now sit just one point away from a playoff spot, with a critical match against Gotham FC on September 16.

Washington Spirit vs
Portland Thorns (2-1)

The Washington Spirit defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 on Saturday, with Leicy Santos heading in a 96th-minute cross from Trinity Rodman to secure the win. Rodman, who replaced the injured Ouleymata Sarr, also scored the equalizer in the 60th minute before celebrating with new Spirit owner Magic Johnson. This victory gives Santos two goals and an assist since joining the Spirit in August, while Rodman now has seven goals and five assists this season.

Portland took the lead in the 49th minute when Hina Sugita finished a cutback pass from Alexa Spaanstra, but the Thorns couldn’t hold on and now face a three-game losing streak since returning from the Olympic break. Despite the loss, Portland (8-8-3) remains in a playoff position, while Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made seven crucial saves to keep her team in control.

Watch Trinity Rodman’s iconic celebration with Magic HERE.

Orlando Pride vs
Chicago Red Stars (1-0)

The Orlando Pride secured a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars at SeatGeek Stadium, marking their first win in Chicago since 2021 and extending their unbeaten streak to 20 matches. Marta scored the game's only goal in the 37th minute with a strike from outside the box, her sixth of the season and 11th game-winning goal for the club. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse recorded her 10th clean sheet of the season, making two saves to help the Pride maintain their defensive dominance, with six shutouts in their last seven matches.

With the win, the Pride (14-0-5) became the first team to clinch a 2024 NWSL Playoff spot after Angel City FC's loss earlier in the weekend. Head Coach Seb Hines praised Marta's performance and the team's resilience in holding off Chicago's late push for an equalizer. The Pride will next face Kansas City Current at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13.

Updated NWSL Standings

Concacaf W Champions Cup Update

The Concacaf W Champions Cup returns this week on Wednesday. We will cover all of the action in our newsletter and on social media so make sure to give us a follow if you don’t already. You don’t want to miss this!

Tournament Overview:

• Start Date: Group stage started on Tuesday, Aug 20!

• Purpose: The Concacaf W Champions Cup is a new international women's soccer competition. It allows NWSL teams to compete against other top teams from North America, and serves as a qualifier for the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup in 2026.

• Teams Involved:

  • Group A: NY/NJ Gotham FC (USA), Tigres (MEX), Monterrey (MEX), Alajuelense (CRC), Frazsiers Whip (JAM)

  • Group B: San Diego Wave (USA), Portland Thorns (USA), Club America (MEX), Santa Fe (PAN), Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN)

Recent Matches:

• Sep 4: 

  • Santa Fe vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (1-2)

  • Portland Thorns vs. Club America (3-1)

• Sep 5: 

  • Alajuelense vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC (0-4)

  • Monterrey vs. Frazsiers Whip (5-0)

Upcoming Matches:

• Sep 18: 

  • Frazsiers Whip vs. Tigres

  • SD Wave vs. Portland Thorns

• Sep 19: 

  • NJ/NY Gotham vs Monterrey

  • Club America vs Santa Fe

For the full list of group stage matches, click HERE.

Standings So Far: