Jeff Kassouf
@jeffkassouf.bsky.social
Lead NWSL + USWNT writer at ESPN. Founder of The Equalizer. Covering women's soccer since 2009.
#NWSL FT: San Diego 2, Kansas City 0 Wave's possession prevails over Current's press + Pounce approach. San Diego moves into 2nd (for now) and 3 pts. off Gotham for the Shield... Kansas City stuck in 7th and could be in 9th by Sunday night. 👀 Wave didn't flinch from their identity, rewarded.
Intriguing game so far. KC "just wait[s] for our mistake, that's all they do," as Kenza Dali just said. Defend high and pounce...and it should have paid off by now. Combination play from SD when they can unlock KC is exceptional. Still scoreless. Battle of opposing styles. #NWSL
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 7h agoThere's only one #NWSL game tonight, and it's important. San Diego hosts Kansas City, and a win for the Wave would (at least temporarily) send them into second... and leave the reigning Shield-winners, the Current, susceptible to falling out of playoff position this weekend.
There's only one #NWSL game tonight, and it's important. San Diego hosts Kansas City, and a win for the Wave would (at least temporarily) send them into second... and leave the reigning Shield-winners, the Current, susceptible to falling out of playoff position this weekend.
NEWS: Rory Dames, who is banned from coaching in the NWSL and has been accused of abuse by youth players, is no longer listed in SafeSport's centralized disciplinary database. Per a document reviewed by Defector, a one-year suspension has ended. Read for free: defector.com/rory-damess-...
Rory Dames's SafeSport Suspension Has Ended | Defector
Rory Dames—the women’s soccer coach currently banned for life from the NWSL, and who has been accused of abuse by more than a dozen former youth players—is no longer listed in the U.S. Center for Safe...
defector.com
"Tough. Disruptive. Intense. Physical. Defend well." "Accept the fact that Chicago is a Midwestern team." On @espn.com, Vlatko Andonovski shared his vision for resurrecting the Chicago Stars from the #NWSL basement. Plus, prez Karen Leetzow: "No limit" on spending or resources for the rebuild.
Can ex-USWNT coach Andonovski save NWSL's last-place Chicago Stars?
Vlatko Andonovski takes over Chicago Stars FC as the last-place NWSL club's chief soccer officer. Will it be enough to save their season?
espn.com
Banger alert in a big NCAA game on Thursday. Shaela Bradley hit this 🚀 to seal a 4-2 win for North Carolina over rival Duke. Great goal. And how about the atmosphere in Chapel Hill, with an announced crowd of 6,791? Pro level.
UNC Women's Soccer: Tar Heels Downs #2 Duke in 4-2 Thriller
YouTube video by GoHeels
youtu.be
The Chicago Stars are on their way to another last-place finish. Can Vlatko Andonovski turn them back into a contender? #NWSL + his own history say yes—and maybe quickly. Deep dive on what's been wrong in Chicago, how they fix it, and his vision for a (re)new(ed) identity. On @espn.com 👇
Can ex-USWNT coach Andonovski save NWSL's last-place Chicago Stars?
Vlatko Andonovski takes over Chicago Stars FC as the last-place NWSL club's chief soccer officer. Will it be enough to save their season?
espn.com
EXCLUSIVE: Vlatko Andonovski is the new Chief Soccer Officer of the Chicago Stars. The ex- #USWNT coach will oversee the entire technical department. Why Chicago? And how did the last-place #NWSL team secure him after his recent exit from Kansas City? Details on @espn.com 👇
Ex-USWNT coach Andonovski named Chicago Stars soccer chief
The Chicago Stars have hired former United States women's national team coach Vlatko Andonovski as the team's new chief soccer officer.
espn.com
Janine Sonis posting 11 G / 4 A (and counting) as a left fullback... we need to uphold this in #NWSL lore until the end of time. Absolutely bonkers (complimentary).
NWSL@nwslsoccer.com · 2d agoWith 11 goals and 4 assists to move into the top 5 in the Golden Boot race, Denver defender Janine Sonis is unstoppable! Sound off in the comments for Sonis and her career-best '26 season!
#NWSL NEWS: San Diego Wave FC has signed 18-year-old Melanie Barcenas to a contract extension through 2028. She has scored six goals this year in a breakout season (her fourth! 🤯). Wave GM/sporting director Camille Ashton calls Barcenas "one of the league’s most dynamic young attacking players."
If you prefer audio only, catch the show in podcast form. Here's this week's, with Kay Murray hosting 👇 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
Futbol W: NWSL Roundup + Player of the Week Picks + Bad News for Catarina + Top 10
Podcast Episode · Futbol Americas · September 16 · 55m
podcasts.apple.com
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 2d agoReminder that Futbol W is on every Tuesday at 8:30 pm ET on ESPN+. #NWSL + #USWNT highlights + analysis, news, guest interviews, global context. Join me, Ali Krieger, Cristina Alexander weekly, and send us your questions! Live shows and replays here: www.espn.com/watch/catalo...
Reminder that Futbol W is on every Tuesday at 8:30 pm ET on ESPN+. #NWSL + #USWNT highlights + analysis, news, guest interviews, global context. Join me, Ali Krieger, Cristina Alexander weekly, and send us your questions! Live shows and replays here: www.espn.com/watch/catalo...
Stream Futbol W Videos on Watch ESPN - ESPN
Stream the latest Futbol W videos on Watch ESPN.
espn.com
Two major results today in the U-20 Women's World Cup Round of 16: Nigeria defeats England 3-0 Canada defeats France 3-1
Angel City defeated Seattle Reign FC 3-1 on Wednesday, and Denver Summit blew a 2-0 lead late to draw Bay FC 2-2. Denver has blown two-goal leads in 'six-point' games twice in five days. Must-win territory Saturday v Seattle. Angel City has momentum now. #NWSL
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 5d agoIt feels like we are in a week-long, quasi-double round robin/group stage play-in for the 8th playoff spot in the #NWSL. Seattle holds the keys, especially after the 3-3 Angel City/Denver draw.
The Houston Dash have had constant issues with stability through the years. It seemed like they were working toward that with head coach Fabrice Gautrat and one of the #NWSL's youngest rosters. Now Gautrat and technical director Twila Kilgore (hired in February) are gone.
When will Houston Dash find STABILITY?! Gautrat, Kilgore fired as coach, technical director
YouTube video by Jeff Kassouf
youtu.be
The Utah Royals have extended the contract of forward Cloé Lacasse through the 2028 #NWSL season. She is absolutely in the MVP conversation: co-league leader with 10 assists (ties single-season NWSL record) and 7 goals on top of it for the surprise team of the year.
Utah Royals FC Extends Forward Cloé Lacasse Through 2028 | Utah Royals
HERRIMAN, Utah (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) - Utah Royals FC announced today the extension of forward Cloé Lacasse through the 2028 NWSL season.
rsl.com
The NWSL has received 8 complaints of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or retaliation in the last six months. More on what we know, and what we don’t, from me and @dianamoskovitz.bsky.social at Defector. defector.com/docs-nwsl-re...
Docs: NWSL Received Eight Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment, Or Retaliation Complaints This Year | Defector
The NWSL received eight complaints about either sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, or retaliation during the first half of this year, according to documents obtained by Defector Media. The reports ...
defector.com
Now official: Gianna Paul to NC Courage KC Current get $150K in intraleague transfer funds #NWSL
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 5d agoBREAKING: The Kansas City Current have transferred forward Gianna Paul to the North Carolina Courage for a fee of about $150K, multiple sources told ESPN. Paul is in her rookie #NWSL season. More words in our catch-all transfer tracker: www.espn.com/soccer/story...
Hucles Mangano says that the Dash are not planning a search to fill the technical director role that Twila Kilgore held as part of a restructuring. Kilgore took the role in February. #NWSL
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 3d agoHouston Dash president Angela Hucles Mangano addressing the firings of Fabrice Gautrat and Twila Kilgore. "To be direct, this was a performance-based decision. This was not about one match." "This is not a reset, and we are not starting over." #NWSL
Houston Dash president Angela Hucles Mangano addressing the firings of Fabrice Gautrat and Twila Kilgore. "To be direct, this was a performance-based decision. This was not about one match." "This is not a reset, and we are not starting over." #NWSL
#USWNT ousted from U-20 World Cup by Brazil on penalties in the Round of 16. The U.S. won this tournament in 2002 (inaugural; U-19), 2008, 2012. Finished third in 2024 after back-to-back group stage exits. More on the match, the context, and the history.
U.S. ousted from U20 Women's World Cup in shootout loss to Brazil
The United States was eliminated in the round of 16 at the 2026 U20 Women's World Cup on Wednesday after falling to Brazil, 5-4 in a shootout. The teams played to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.
espn.com
#USWNT coach Emma Hayes said she was "massively worried" about development at the U-20 level. Rd of 16 exit won't provide comfort. US U-20s showed resolve v Brazil, looked disjointed v Italy, Japan. Ullmark, Adames, Fuller among some individual bright spots. Still, disappointing tourney for the US.
Emma Hayes urges U20 WWC focus to improve player development
Emma Hayes urged US Soccer to prioritize the U.S. Under-20 Women's national team at this year's World Cup to help American youth players match the development of top European teams.
espn.com
Among the things hanging over this U-20 World Cup is the absence of some top players, yes, but that problem is not exclusive to the #USWNT (Erica Meg Parkinson and England, for one example). 👇
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 3d agoA group of current and former players including Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Marta — and even U-20 #USWNT captain Kennedy Fuller, plus U-20 eligible players Claire Hutton and Alex Pfeiffer — sent a letter to FIFA urging them to put the U-20 World Cup in an international window.
Brazil wins the penalty shootout 5-4, and the United States is eliminated from the U-20 Women's World Cup in the round of 16. The #USWNT last won a U-20 World Cup in 2012. To their credit today, after group-stage struggles, they were the better team and showed a new fight, but they're headed home.
Extra time at the U-20 Women's World Cup: USA and Brazil are level at 1-1 after 90 minutes. Brazil scored on its only shot on target. U.S. pushed for a winner late (Linda Ullmark continues to impress) but also looked gassed in transition as they tried to win it.
#USWNT equalizer, naturally! Ainsley McCammon gets a shooter's bounce on the deflection. 1-1.
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 3d agoBrazil takes the lead that had been coming since halftime: Sofia Couto perfectly places a header on a short corner, and Brazil leads the #USWNT 1-0 in this U-20 World Cup Round of 16 match. Thirty minutes to play. It's been all Brazil since halftime.
Brazil takes the lead that had been coming since halftime: Sofia Couto perfectly places a header on a short corner, and Brazil leads the #USWNT 1-0 in this U-20 World Cup Round of 16 match. Thirty minutes to play. It's been all Brazil since halftime.
Scoreless at the half between #USWNT and Brazil in the Round of 16 at the U-20 Women's World Cup. Transitional game as expected. USA has the only two shots on goal in the game thus far.
Yes, and Peacock in Spanish, which has made the tournament more accessible.
Jeff Kassouf@jeffkassouf.bsky.social · 3d agoThe knockout stage of the U-20 Women's World Cup is underway. The #USWNT faces Brazil in the Round of 16 (right now.........only on FS2, for those who have it 🙃, or Universo in Spanish)