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Welcome to this week’s edition of Goalside Gossip.

From Arsenal toppling European giants Barcelona to Gotham clinching the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup, the trophy shelves are getting crowded. Meanwhile in the NWSL, the Spirit stayed red-hot with another road win, Racing Louisville pulled off a gutsy shorthanded stunner in LA, and Kansas City kept their foot on the gas. Off the pitch, Union Berlin’s president stirred the pot with bold words on wages, and a new UK study revealed surprising truths about what really drives women athletes' online clout.

Let’s get into it. 👇

• NWSL: Seattle Reign vs Washington Spirit (1-2) 

• NWSL: Angel City vs Racing Louisville 🟥 (2-3)

• NWSL: Chicago Stars vs KC Current (1-3)

• NWSL: Houston Dash vs Bay FC (2-2)

• Women’s Champions League: Arsenal Stun Barca (1-0)

• Women’s Champions Cup: Gotham vs Tigres (1-0)

• News: Union Berlin President Critical of Bundesliga Wages

• News: New UK Study Focuses on Women Athletes & Social Media

Seattle Reign vs
Washington Spirit (1-2)

The Washington Spirit continued their dominant road form with a 2-1 win over Seattle Reign FC, tying an NWSL record by starting the season 5-0-0 away from home. Goals from Croix Bethune and Ashley Hatch secured the win, with Hatch’s 59th career goal putting her one shy of tying Alex Morgan for fourth-most in league history. Seattle equalized briefly, but the Spirit regained the lead in the 35th minute and held on thanks to a late clutch save by Aubrey Kingsbury. Strong defensive play, key contributions from Gift Monday and Rosemonde Kouassi, and debut minutes for Kiley Dulaney helped Washington head into the international break with a 6-3-1 record and plenty of momentum.

Angel City vs
Racing Louisville 🟥 (2-3)

Racing Louisville FC pulled off a gritty 3-2 road win over Angel City FC under the lights at BMO Stadium, setting a new club record with their third away victory of the season. Despite going down to 10 players after Kayla Fischer’s red card in the 67th minute, Louisville showed resilience and character, with goals from Taylor Flint (penalty), Emma Sears, and Savannah DeMelo sealing the win. Angel City responded with goals from Riley and Alyssa Thompson, but strong goalkeeping from Jordyn Bloomer and a unified defensive effort helped Racing close out the match. The victory lifts Louisville into eighth place — the final playoff spot — and caps off a performance that head coach Bev Yanez called “huge” heading into the international break. Listen to what she had to say about the season so far here.

Chicago Stars vs
KC Current (1-3)

The KC Current closed out May in dominant fashion with a road win over the Red Stars, solidifying their place atop the NWSL standings with 24 points. Bia Zaneratto opened the scoring and later sent a beautiful assist to none other than Temwa Chawinga for the match-winner, while Kayla Sharples sealed the result with a header off a set piece. Zaneratto and Chawinga continued their red-hot form, with Chawinga netting her third straight game with a goal. The win marked KC’s third in a row and featured Rocky Rodríguez’s first start and Michelle Cooper’s return from injury.

Houston Dash vs
Bay FC (2-2)

Bay FC battled back from a halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw on the road against the Houston Dash, thanks to a quick second-half scoring burst. Penelope Hocking netted her third straight goal in the 53rd minute, followed by Rachel Hill’s first of the season just three minutes later. Despite holding a 2-1 lead late, Bay FC conceded an 88th-minute equalizer to Houston’s Messiah Bright; hear what she had to say post-game. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz came up clutch in stoppage time to preserve the point. The match also marked Abby Dahlkemper’s 150th NWSL regular season appearance.

UCL: Arsenal vs
FC Barcelona (1-0)

Arsenal shocked the football world with a dramatic 1-0 win over Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final, claiming their first European title in 18 years. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute, just seven minutes after coming off the bench, finishing coolly after a brilliant through ball from Beth Mead. Despite being underdogs against a dominant Barcelona side featuring Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas,

The win capped off a remarkable turnaround season under head coach Renee Slegers, who took over after early-season turmoil and guided the Gunners through the qualifying rounds, past European giants Real Madrid and Lyon, and ultimately to Champions League glory. Celebrations erupted among Arsenal’s traveling supporters and players alike, many collapsing to their knees in joy. Blackstenius, often a wildcard figure, delivered yet another clutch moment in a career full of late heroics. Meanwhile, a heartbroken Barcelona squad was left to reflect on missed chances and an off-night, with Bonmati calling the loss "devastating" and Putellas admitting the team never found its rhythm (in Spanish). Watch the full match highlights here.

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Women’s Champions Cup:
Gotham vs Tigres (1-0)

NJ/NY Gotham FC made history by winning the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico’s Tigres, thanks to a gritty 82nd-minute goal from Esther Gonzalez. After her initial penalty was saved by Tigres goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez, the Spanish striker pounced on the rebound to seal the win. Gotham dominated the match with 23 shots to Tigres' seven but struggled to convert until late, including a missed penalty in first-half stoppage time. The result capped off a relentless performance and marked a new milestone for the rising NWSL powerhouse.

The title is the latest in a remarkable run for Gotham under head coach Juan Carlos Amoros, who has transformed the once-struggling side into champions of the NWSL and now the region. With this win, Gotham qualifies for the upcoming FIFA Women’s Champions Cup (2026) and the Women’s Club World Cup (2028), becoming the first NWSL club to do so. Amoros called the moment a “game-changer” for both the club and U.S. women’s soccer, while veteran defender Mandy Freeman reflected emotionally on the club’s growth over her seven seasons. As New York prepares to host major global soccer events, Gotham’s triumph cements the city’s growing influence in the world of football. Watch the full match highlights here.

Union Berlin President
Critical of Pay Dispersion

Union Berlin president Dirk Zingler has publicly criticized other Bundesliga clubs for failing to adequately invest in women's soccer, calling it a "pitiful disgrace" that only four or five of the twelve top-tier women’s teams in Germany pay their players professionally. Speaking after being confirmed for another term as president through 2029, Zingler emphasized that any club with a professional men’s team has the capacity to support its women’s side and denounced the media for treating women’s football as an afterthought or a “disability sport” requiring special treatment.

Under Zingler’s leadership, Union Berlin has committed heavily to women's football, especially following the men's promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time ever. The club’s women’s team secured promotion to the Frauen-Bundesliga this season, highlighting the club’s growing ambition across both programs. Zingler also pointed to infrastructure investments—like stadium renovations and new training facilities for both men’s and women’s teams—as examples of Union’s long-term commitment to sustainable growth and gender equity in football.

Female Athletes & Social Media

A new University of Kansas study has shed light on how professional women’s soccer players in Europe build their personal brands through social media, revealing that team strategy, media access, and branding decisions all play a significant — though unequal — role. Surprisingly, the study found that when women’s teams share social media accounts with their male counterparts, it actually hurts the women players’ follower counts. Although such joint branding might seem like a path to wider exposure, it often results in less visibility for female athletes and reinforces existing gender disparities online.

Led by sport management professor Nataliya Bredikhina, the research emphasized the value of verified team accounts and regular media coverage in boosting players’ Instagram popularity, while also pointing out that verification is harder for women to attain. The study found that team ranking and market size had little effect on social media followings, suggesting that digital engagement strategies matter more than club prestige. Bredikhina urges clubs to invest in dedicated women's team accounts and more consistent promotion, arguing that better branding not only elevates players' individual careers but strengthens the club's overall reach — a critical insight in a sport where monetization and visibility remain uphill battles for women athletes.