NWSL Championship delivered the drama; Wild Chelsea vs. Manchester City 4-4 draw had absolutely everything

Happy Monday! A very entertaining weekend served as the perfect send-off ahead of the men’s international break. I’m Pardeep Cattry with a recap of action on both sides of the Atlantic.

Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, Nov. 13
Primera Division: Sarmiento vs. Godoy Cruz, 5 p.m. Paramount+

Tuesday, Nov. 14
U-17 World Cup: England vs. Iran, 7 a.m. FS2
UWCL: Slavia Praha vs. Lyon, 3 p.m. DAZN

  The Forward Line

  An NWSL final to remember

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It was a storybook ending for NJ/NY Gotham FC, who won their first ever NWSL championship on Saturday. Gotham’s 2-1 win over the OL Reign came courtesy of an MVP-worthy performance from Midge Purce, who had the assist on both of her side’s goals. The game came to an unforgettable ending when Gotham goalkeeper Mandy Haught was sent off, forcing midfielder Nealy Martin to take her place in the dying minutes.

It was a memorable night for Gotham’s Ali Krieger, who ended her storied career with one last title, as well as for the club itself. The east coasters finished bottom of the NWSL last year and then embarked on a rebuild, hiring Juan Carlos Amoros to infuse an attack-minded style that boasts plenty of defensive might. In the championship, they limited the Reign to a passing accuracy of just 44.7% in the attacking third, showcasing why Amoros took home Coach of the Year honors.

While Krieger got her perfect ending, it was far from that for the Reign’s Megan Rapinoe. The fellow two-time Women’s World Cup winner, in her words, “f—ing yeeted my Achilles in the sixth minute in my last game ever in the literal championship game.” It was a cruel ending to a legendary career, but does little to diminish her legacy and the impact she and Krieger leave on the game. This was on display during the championship, when 25,000 packed Snapdragon Stadium and set the league’s attendance record for the season finale.

Rapinoe: “I think even for me stepping away, there’s no sense of ‘Damn, like, I wish things were different.’ It’s just like, this is what we have built. This is what the players who played in my generation, this is part of our legacy and what we’ve left behind and what is now here for the kids to take and do with it what they want.”

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  Midfield Link Play

Goalfest between Chelsea and Man City in London

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The Premier League’s marquee matchup of the weekend did not disappoint, as Chelsea and Manchester City played to a 4-4 draw on Sunday. Though the two teams shared the points at the end, the performance offered some signs of optimism for Chelsea.

Results and performances have been inconsistent in the early months of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure, especially in attack as Chrisopher Nkunku recovers from a knee surgery. Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson were in strong form with one goal each, and could be key as they attempt to finally live up to their attacking potential. Even amidst the ups-and-downs, though, Chuck Booth notes that the Blues were in good shape to eventually turn things around.

Booth: “Since the beginning of October, no team has scored more goals than Chelsea’s 16 and they have the second most wins in the league since then and the third most shots on goal. Even by xG numbers, the Chelsea attack has been quite good as of late and that’s something City learned first hand.”

If they figure out their offensive balance sooner rather than later, it’s worth asking just how high Chelsea can go in Pochettino’s first season, especially once Nkunku returns to the fold.

  Top Stories

Championship rewind: Here’s more on Purce’s dominance plus plaudits for Gotham’s teamwork and the transformation led by general manager Yael Averbuch West. Commissioner Jessica Berman also used the occasion to celebrate the NWSL’s growth, from attendances to new expansion teams.

Krieger’s victory lap: Krieger tells Morning Footy about how her retirement served as extra incentive for Gotham during their playoff run, plus Purce’s big night, and two nights of post-match partying.

Garcia out: Napoli is set to fire Rudi Garcia after yesterday’s home loss to Empoli added to their slow starts in Serie A and Champions League play.

European rewind: Here’s more on the positive signs for Pochettino after Chelsea’s 4-4 draw with City, plus Xavi’s struggles at Barcelona and a check-in on Newcastle as they hit a rough patch.

Euro qualifiers: Here are the storylines to follow as qualification for the Euros resumes this week, from Italy’s precarious position to Israel’s return and which teams could play spoiler.

Must-watch goal: Inter’s Federico Dimarco got on the scoresheet in his side’s 2-0 win over Frosinone in fine form, scoring a stunning goal from midfield.

  The Back Line

Best bets

UWCL: Slavia Praha vs. Olympique Lyonnais, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
THE PICK: Lyon to score more than two goal in the first half (+127) — As expected, Lyon has begun this season in high-flying form and the star-studded roster will likely continue that run in European action this week. A lopsided scoreline is in the cards, and the French champions will likely confirm that hypothesis in the first half.
UWCL: Slavia Praha vs. Olympique Lyonnais, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
THE PICK: Lyon to score more than 2.5 goals in the second half (+129) — As mentioned, Lyon score a lot, so do not expect them to slow down even if they have a commanding lead by halftime.

What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network

 Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network’s flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you’ll never have to miss an episode.

 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+. 

3⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening): The leading women’s soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. This week catch them Friday at 9 p.m. with a final preview as our analysts break down the best highlights and analysis and share insider information for all things women’s soccer. And don’t miss a special postgame show following the NWSL final on Saturday night.

 Kickin’ It (Tuesday, 7 p.m.): CBS Sports Golazo Network’s new unfiltered interview show returns Tuesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch. 

 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can’t-miss goals from the day’s action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.

 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.