At least one American is guaranteed to win the league in France’s top flight as Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon won their respective semifinal matches to advance to the D1 Féminine Final on Friday, May 17. This is the first time since 2004 that the league has held playoffs, with the top four teams in the final league standings making the semifinals.
PSG, winners of the Coupe de France earlier this month, punched their ticket to the first-ever D1 Féminine championship game defeating Paris FC 5-4 on penalty kicks on Saturday following a 2-2 draw through the end of regulation. Eva Gaetino played the full 90 minutes for PSG on defense while Korbin Albert came on as a late second-half substitute in the midfield. PSG, which finished second in the regular season standings, converted all five of its penalty kicks while Paris FC had its second attempt saved.
Lyon, which finished 11 points clear of PSG at the top of the table, won its semifinal against Stade de Reims much more comfortably, putting together a comprehensive 6-0 victory on Sunday. Lindsey Horan played 70 minutes for the 16-time league champions and tallied two assists on the afternoon. Lyon is seeking its third consecutive league title and is also in contention for the UEFA Women’s Champions League title, advancing to the May 25 final against Barcelona after defeating PSG 5-3 on aggregate in the semifinal round.
In the NWSL, Lynn Williams scored the game-winning goal for the second match in a row to lift NJ/NY Gotham FC to a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash on Wednesday night. Williams gave Gotham the lead in just the eighth minute as she pounced on a rebound in front of goal and finished from close range for her second goal of the season. The goal also marked Williams’ 78th career NWSL goal across all competitions, tying Australian international Sam Kerr for the most in league history.
WATCH: WILLIAMS’ GAME WINNER LIFTS GOTHAM
Jaedyn Shaw, who holds the record for the most goals scored by a teenager in NWSL history, was also in prime form midweek, playing a hand in both goals as San Diego Wave FC beat the Utah Royals 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium. Shaw put the Wave in front in the 35th minute as she buried a penalty kick for her second goal of the season and tallied her first assist of the year in the 77th minute as she played a perfectly weighted ball in on goal to set up the finish by Makenzy Doniak.
WATCH: SHAW ASSIST LEADS TO INSURANCE GOAL FOR SAN DIEGO
Rounding out the midweek action, the Seattle Reign and Kansas City Current played to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night at Lumen Field. The Current made it eight consecutive matches unbeaten to open the season and recorded their first clean sheet of 2024 while the Reign became the first team to shutout KC’s high-octane offense.
The Current returned to the scoresheet and extended their unbeaten run to nine consecutive matches with a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on Sunday afternoon.
The Orlando Pride are also unbeaten through nine games to open the 2024 campaign and extended their win streak to six games in a row with a 1-0 win over Bay FC on Saturday evening.
Portland Thorns FC extended their win streak to a club record five consecutive games with a 4-0 win over Pacific Northwest rivals Seattle Reign FC on Saturday night. Sophia Smith, the 2022 NWSL MVP and 2023 NWSL Golden Boot Winner, continued her impressive start to 2024, scoring once and assisting Portland’s other three goals in the win. The Thorns opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with an impressive team goal, building out from the back to find Smith on the right wing. Smith drove to the top of the area and cut the ball back towards the middle where Olivia Moultrie one-timed her right-footed shot into the upper left corner for her second goal of the season.
WATCH: MOULTRIE PUTS PORTLAND AHEAD WITH STUNNING STRIKE
Smith doubled Portland’s lead in the 80th minute as she converted a penalty kick for her eighth goal of the season and her 40th career regular season goal. At just 23 years and 9 months old, Smith is the youngest player in NWSL history to reach that milestone. Smith added two more assists late in second-half stoppage time to secure the win for the Thorns. Smith’s three assists were her most ever in an NWSL match and tied for the most by any player in a game this season.
Fellow USWNT forward and Colorado native Mallory Swanson also scored and played provider over the weekend, tallying a goal and an assist in the Chicago Red Stars’ 3-1 win over Utah Royals FC on Sunday. Swanson tallied her second assist of the season in the 24th minute with a pin-point cross into the area which led to a header goal. Swanson added a score of her own in the 29th minute, converting a penalty kick for her third goal of the season while lifting the Red Stars to their 100th overall regular season victory.
The Washington Spirit were also victorious on the weekend, beating Racing Louisville 2-1 on the road on Friday night. Andi Sullivan assisted the opening goal by the Spirit in the fifth minute and DC doubled its lead in the 34th after a Louisville own goal. Savannah DeMelo pulled one back for Racing in the 51st minute on a spectacular free kick but the Spirit prevailed for the victory away from home.
Both coming off midweek wins, Gotham and San Diego picked up a point each on Sunday night, playing to a 1-1 draw at Snapdragon Stadium. Defender and 2023 NWSL Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger tallied her first assist of the season - and the first of her NWSL career - as she set up Gotham’s opening goal in the 25th minute before San Diego leveled the tightly contested affair in the 64th.
The Houston Dash snapped their five-game winless streak with a 1-0 win over Angel City on Sunday night at BMO Stadium, netting the game winner late in second-half stoppage time.
Broadcast information on upcoming matches featuring U.S. Women’s National Team players can be found below. All times listed are ET.
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Wednesday, May 15
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FA Women’s Super League: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea FC
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2:15 p.m.
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Paramount+
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Friday, May 17
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D1 Féminine – Final: Olympique Lyon vs. Paris Saint-Germain
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2:00 p.m.
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DAZN
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NWSL: North Carolina Courage vs. Utah Royals
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7:00 p.m.
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Prime Video
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NWSL: Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns FC
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7:00 p.m.
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NWSL+
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NWSL: Bay FC vs. San Diego Wave FC
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9:30 p.m.
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NWSL+
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Saturday, May 18
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FA Women’s Super League: Manchester United vs. Chelsea FC
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10:00 a.m.
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The FA Player
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FA Women’s Super League: Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
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10:00 a.m.
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The FA Player
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FA Women’s Super League: Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Ham United
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10:00 a.m.
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The FA Player
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NWSL: Washington Spirit vs. Angel City FC
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6:30 p.m.
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ION
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NWSL: Kansas City Current vs. Racing Louisville FC
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8:30 p.m.
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ION
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Sunday, May 19
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NWSL: NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Chicago Red Stars
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4:00 p.m.
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NWSL+
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NWSL: Seattle Reign FC vs. Orlando Pride
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5:00 p.m.
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NWSL+
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