Heading into week 13 NWSL action, the soccer world in the United States has featured plenty of storylines outside of the USWNT roster drop.
NWSL news: Lindsey Horan transfers from Portland Thorns to Lyon permanently
After a recent episode of "Snacks" hosted by Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams, it was evident Lindsey Horan has enjoyed her second go-round in France much better than the first time. Horan said on the podcast that she never thought she was going back to France following her tenure with Paris Saint-Germain. Seven years later, the American has officially made the country her second home.
Confirmed by the Portland Thorns on Thursday afternoon and Horan herself via her social media, the USWNT midfielder made her loan to Olympique Lyonnais a permanent one. The Colorado native, who joined the French powerhouse back in January 2022 on an 18-month loan signed a deal until the summer of 2026. Just a day prior, Lyon's No. 26 learned she was going to the World Cup where she will most likely wear the captain's armband for her country in July and August.
She was one of the trailblazers in the United States to skip college and go directly to the professional game. Unlike many who have made the move behind her, Horan began her career overseas. The 2019 NWSL MVP was a force in the middle of the part for Portland from 2016 to 2022. During her time in Oregon, Horan won an NWSL title, a Challenge Cup, an International Champions Cup, and two NWSL Shields.
She netted 25 goals to go along with nine assists in 88 starts for the Thorns before taking her talent back to the European game. Horan finished her campaign with the eventual French champions with the fourth most goal contributions on the team while leading her club in total touches in the Champions League. With Catarina Macario now at Chelsea, the presence of the 2022 Champions League winner is vital for Sonia Bompastor's team. For Portland, the move makes sense. The USWNT co-captain has nothing to prove in the NWSL, and with the Thorns flying without her, it is a win-win for both parties.
NWSL news: League announces new bonuses off the back of the UKG Challenge Cup prize
Months after Jessica Berman and the NWSL continue to do the right things in order to address the discrepancies between both the men's and women's game. In a statement released by the league, Commissioner Berman acknowledged UKG and CarMax for their support in making a difference in the sport. With UKG sponsoring the Challenge Cup, CarMax has taken on the Shield.
Each player on the team with the best regular season record will have an increased bonus of an additional $5,000, making the total now $15,000 per player. Not only has the award for the Shield been given an upgrade, but the NWSL postseason will now hand out bonuses to each player on a playoff team with the money increasing per round.
Up until the championship game, each player will receive an extra $3,750 every time they progress to the next match. $11,250 will be given to players on the last two clubs standing while $7,500 will be heading the way of semifinalists and $3,750 to the quarterfinalists. Each individual on the winning side of the championship match will be given a "maximum" of $13,400. On the team end of things, about $300,000 and $200,000 will be distributed to the teams still competing on September 9 for the title. For the growth of the women's game around the world, this is another massive step in the right direction. There is still work to be done, but now that people see what happens with investment, the only way from here is up.
NWSL news: Tara McKeown wins Week 12 NWSL Player of the Week with performance at KC
Going under the radar with the extensions across the league, and the USWNT roster drop, the NWSL announced its 12th player of the week this season. Compared to the winners of the past, this past week's honoree is not one that many know from the international game. In her third season for the Washington Spirit, the converted forward turned center back Tara McKeown has made a name for herself. The soon-to-be 24-year-old leads the red-hot Washington Spirit in total clearances with an astounding 76 across all competitions. She becomes the second defender excluding goalkeepers on the Spirit to be given this award since 2017.
Her influence on the match against the Current in week 12 was remarkable. Not only did she net the winning goal, but the former USC forward came up with some extraordinary tackles in the final third. For the second successive game, McKeown has completed over 80 percent of her passes while finding the back of the net twice. Mark Parson's ability to identify McKeown, and transition her from the frontline to a critical piece of the team's back four is one of the most underrated moves of the campaign so far. Washington's comeback was led by the 23-year-old. Her tackles against players like Debinha, and Kristen Hamilton ignited a fire under the rest of her side.
While the Spirit only have two clean sheets in both the regular season and Challenge Cup, not once has a club scored more than two goals on them. McKeown is a key reason for that. Her forward instincts kick in when necessary. Even when the most talented of attackers head her way, the former goal scorer has demonstrated both calmness and discipline.
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