u/tlzt1

Do you think we'll see her on Saturday or is she already gone? We won't see her at our 10/18 home game. I hope we get to see her for the last home game on November 1.

If you've gone before, would you do it again? Was it worth it?

I have to assume Alyssa Naeher will retire this year leaving a GK opening in the bottom club looking for a restart under the Stars under Vlatko. Anyone else worried they look to pull Silky there? Unless we commit to bringing in some big names for next season, I'm worried. Her body can only take so much and Stars will likely do a major roster upgrade, don't you think?

Girelli: "My first goal in the US was a relief, I hope to score many more. The 2027 World Cup? It's already at the forefront of my mind."

by Alessandro Vinci

Juventus Women's all-time leading scorer, now at Bay FC, (finally) made her mark in the NWSL a week ago. Her loan was then renewed until June: "I'm happy, it was the best solution for everyone."

It took a little longer than expected, but on the Italian night between Sunday, August 23rd and Monday, August 24th,  Cristiana Girelli scored her first NWSL goal . Her joy was uncontainable— just look at the photos to believe it . Scored two minutes from the end, it gave her Bay FC a 1-0 victory over Lisa Boattin's Houston Dash (her teammate for the national team and, until last year, also at Juventus). A prompt rebound from a free kick that hit the post by Keira Barry: not the most spectacular of her over 400 goals (62 of which were for Italy and a whopping 150 in her seven and a half seasons in black and white), but certainly one of the most significant. "Yes, on a personal level, it will always be a special goal," she confirmed to (Non è) Calcio Femminile on the eve of her departure for the next match, on the difficult pitch of Sofia Cantore and Lucia Di Guglielmo's Washington Spirit. "Obviously, if I had to rank it, I wouldn't put it ahead of goals that meant something huge to clubs or Italy," she clarifies, "but at the same time, there's no doubt it represents something different: the culmination of a new experience, a new challenge. A path I decided to take to challenge myself and have an extra motivation at the end of my career." A career that— news of the last few hours —will see her return to the Old Lady not for the imminent start of the Women's Serie A ( as initially reported ), but in June, that is, before the World Cup in Brazil.

The ball's in the back of the net after 16 appearances, nine of them as a starter: what prompted such a wait? "Exactly what I was referring to: leaving my comfort zone. Because in my nearly eight years at Juve, I played with friends, rather than teammates. They knew me by heart, and I knew them by heart. Even in life. Here, however, football is different: more physical and with constant transitions, so there's more of a habit of attacking space rather than relying on the striker, which would suit my characteristics well. However, the coach (Emma Coates, Englishwoman ) was trying to change this approach even before my arrival, focusing on a more European style of play. The fact is that, like all new things, this too took time."

The half is finally over: what emotions did you feel when you saw the ball cross the line? "It was liberating: looking at the glass half full, all the anticipation made the joy even greater. And to think that at first I had thought about taking that free kick, but when Barry arrived I agreed to let her take it. All this at the end of a very important match for our pursuit of the playoffs (currently six points away, ed. )"

It's no coincidence that her teammates' celebrations were equally enormous, with everyone rushing to celebrate with post-match water fights. "If there's one value I'll never change, even off the field, it's sharing. Because sharing a moment of happiness is the most beautiful thing in the world. In this case, my teammates had been through that period with me and had also sensed a bit of frustration, so in a certain sense, it's as if they all helped me kick that ball in. Also because they made me feel welcomed from day one."

The icing on the cake was that you were also playing in front of nearly 13,000 spectators, which is standard for your matches at PayPal Park in San Jose. But is there more to it than the numbers? "Of course. The first time I was there, before I even received my visa, I was in disbelief. What struck me most was their enthusiasm, their energy, the way they cheer regardless of the score or the importance of the match. They treat it like a party: entire families arrive at the stadium hours early because they know they're in for a spectacular show. Soccer, yes, but also children's games, the national anthem with fireworks, the halftime show, bars, restaurants, themed days, and so much more. It's all thanks to the club's great commitment to developing women's soccer."

Her eyes were shining when she celebrated, and during interviews, she seemed more like a young player making her debut than a veteran, even a candidate for the latest Ballon d'Or. Does scoring really still have this effect on her, as if she hadn't gotten used to it in these twenty years? "It's something that simply comes from the love and passion I have for this sport. And then, in reality, there's always a different story behind every goal: this one brought with it five months of not just difficult ones, but at least of adaptation. And of course, now that I've unlocked myself, I hope this is just the first of many."

Messages, calls, and compliments from Italy, too? "A bit of everything, yes! From those I like to call 'my people,' I received so much affection, and I was happy about it. Martina and Barbara (Rosucci and Bonansea, ed. ) even watched a snippet of the match, even though they had training the next day. If I'm not mistaken, it started a few minutes after midnight."

Exactly. "It's a shame" that Martina herself, on Wednesday night against St. Polten, decided to compete with her ... "Well, we actually joked about it: first one, then the other. But objectively, her goal was the better one, and I'm really happy for her. She totally deserves it."

It's fair that forwards are judged on their goals, but she was also hired at Bay FC to bring experience to a very young squad. One name stands out: Claire Hutton, already tipped by many as the future captain of the US national team. "She's also one of the new teammates I've bonded with the most, and in fact, when I think of her strong personality and innate leadership, I can hardly believe she's only 20 years old. And if you add to that her technical ability, it's easy to see she has a truly brilliant future ahead of her. Another player I get along with very well is Jordan (Silkowitz, goalkeeper born in 2000, ed. ), and she's also having a fantastic year. They have one thing in common, which is determination: you can see that football is their reason for living, driven as they are by the dream of carving out a place for themselves in such a prestigious national team. And yes, even if at times it was precisely inexperience that cost us a few points, I have to say that in this team there are many players who show great potential."

Most come from the college system, which, unlike the men's system, has always been at the forefront of developing top-tier female soccer players. "Exactly, I'm curious, and I even asked: they told me they hit the gym here almost every day, starting in high school. Consequently, since at 16 your body responds immediately, it's clear that by the time you get to the first team, you're already ready. This is where the intensity of this league comes from, which, of all the factors, is the one that impressed me the most: the pace is always high and you never stop going a thousand miles an hour. All this without mentioning the fact that you find thousands of people at college games: when I saw it with my own eyes, I was amazed. So, that explains why 12, 13, 14,000 people come to watch the NWSL."

Emma Coates, born in England in 1991, is also very young: how does it feel to think of herself as being a year older than her coach? "It's a somewhat unusual situation, and in a way even fun, but when you're working on the pitch, that issue is completely secondary. Or rather, perhaps being practically the same age can also make certain communication dynamics more immediate. So, we have a very professional relationship, and I have great respect for her role and for the idea of ​​'European' football she's having the courage to bring to the States."

The opponent who has impressed her most so far? "Rose Lavelle, against whom I had already played last year with the national team in Florida : pace, intensity, change of pace, feel on the ball, football intelligence. Need I say more?"

I'd say definitely not. Let's talk about the renewal of your loan until June 2027, along with a simultaneous contract extension with Juventus until 2028. What prompted this change of plans? "On the one hand, I wanted to continue the journey I started here and have the opportunity to enjoy this experience until the end of the season. On the other hand, given the different calendars of the two leagues, a possible return in January would have meant inserting myself into a pre-determined situation mid-season: in the year of a potential World Cup, that wouldn't have been ideal. Therefore, we jointly evaluated the best solution for all parties, and we reached this decision. I'm very grateful to Bay FC for their trust and their desire to continue investing in me, as well as to Juventus for believing in this project and my journey. The loan renewal and contract extension represent a great demonstration of trust for me, and I'm happy to be able to continue this journey with peace of mind."

These words suggest that her goal of ending his career in black and white remains unchanged. "Absolutely, that's what I've always said and hoped for, because I don't see myself ending up playing for another team. Of course, these developments don't depend solely on me, and anything can happen in this world, but that's the way things are today."

Are you intrigued by Isaac Guerrero 's new game plan ? Can you follow the matches live? "Absolutely, if they fit my schedule (California is nine hours behind Italy, ed. ). For example, in the last few days I've watched both the Como game and the second half in St. Polten. And I have to say, watching the team play is fun; in fact, when I talk to Martina and Barbara, I never miss an opportunity to ask them about tactics. They're very enthusiastic; it's a style of football where you touch the ball a lot and are always in the thick of the action. Very nice, yes."

You mentioned the World Cup: is your mind already there? "Yes, even though it's still a long way off, it's my first thought. I wouldn't say every morning, but it's almost there. I even talked about it with the coach when he came to visit me , and then, having seen a few matches from the men's World Cup live, I obviously couldn't help but think about next year's women's World Cup. So, in the playoffs , we hope to earn the spot we deserve, and after that, I'll do everything I can to make things difficult for the coach and be part of the expedition."

Let's end with something off-the-beaten-path: what do you enjoy doing in your free time in California? "We live in San Jose, 45 minutes from San Francisco. I really enjoy exploring and have started to live more in touch with nature, which is amazing here. So sometimes I grab a good book and go hiking among the hills and giant trees, then I stop to read. Or I head to the ocean: there are wonderful trails there too, and there are tons of beaches with beautiful views."

What books have you read lately? "Gianluca Gotto's, which I have shipped from Italy. But now I'm reading Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist in English, because I came to America partly to improve my English, and Imogen Clark's Rainy Days ."

Rainy days, but they're rare in those parts... "Since I've been here, there's been zero. Zero! I know it seems impossible, but it's true."

Have you also been to Silicon Valley, which is right next door? "Yes, having seen the movie about Steve Jobs, I was curious. But I also like to go to San Francisco, where, speaking of the weather, it's amazing how usually there are more clouds and four or five degrees cooler than in San Jose. In fact, I find it a very artistic and colorful city."

She's always on the move, in short. As if she didn't do enough already between games and practices. "I like being at home, but sometimes I feel like I'm wasting time. Time that is precious to me here in the United States, since it's limited. That's why I try to enjoy this experience outdoors as much as possible, depending on the occasion. For example, here in the Bay Area there are also tons of concerts."

What kind? "Country, a genre I wasn't familiar with and which turned out to be a great discovery. But also internationally renowned artists. So far, I've heard, for example, Olivia Dean, Ed Sheeran, Karol G, Akon, Ne-Yo, and on Tuesday, Usher and Chris Brown will be coming too."

Not bad. But the food? "Well, I miss the food from our country, indeed. Especially pasta, but luckily in San Francisco I've found some really good Italian restaurants, so when I want to treat myself, I'm happy to stop by. But of course, what I miss even more are 'my people': friends, grandchildren, family. I'll repeat something I've told them too: that you can truly be anywhere in the world, but metaphorically speaking, home will always be one and only one: your people."

Who's visited her so far? "Martina (Rosucci again, ed. ) and initially a friend of mine from Verona who accompanied me and helped me in the first few days. This week, Chiara Beccari will be coming, taking advantage of a break from rehab for her cruciate ligament injury. I'll be happy to show her where I live and share my life with her."

And so we return to the concept of sharing. "Exactly, because having loved ones nearby is very beneficial, especially if you're on the other side of the world. It's a difficult situation, but it's also a source of growth: exactly what drove me to come here."

And, judging by the latest news, they don't want to go back just yet.

Anyone going to the Seattle game?

Cometti is questionable 😱

Where can I find them?

i was surprised this whole ordeal wasn't already posted in the sub, so i apologize if i somehow missed a post about this already.

tldr is that wilkinson was previously the president of both the timbers (mls) and the thorns but was fired after being featured heavily in the yates report for not reporting or acting on complaints from players and staff about sexual abuse by the thorns head coach, paul riley.

from the article linked: "He was fired in 2022 after his name showed up prominently in the Yates Report, the independent investigation into abusive behavior and sexual misconduct in women's professional soccer. 

While the report did not specifically sanction Wilkinson, it portrayed him as overseeing a toxic environment with the Thorns, where the sexual misconduct by head coach Paul Riley was an open secret. The report indicates that Wilkinson did not adequately respond to reports from players and team trainers about Riley's sexual harassment as well as the coach's unsafe actions that endangered players' health. Two days after the report came out, Wilkinson was let go."

"Though the Earthquakes and Bay FC are independent of each other, they share the same building and the same market. The fact that the Earthquakes cavalierly hired Wilkinson, without any consideration of his toxic reputation in women's soccer, is beyond insulting to their co-tenants, who are supposed to be their partners in building a soccer culture."

Cont: "On Monday, Bay FC issued a statement that read: "As an organization committed to building a safe, inclusive and respectful environment, we believe the actions and history associated with Wilkinson's time in professional soccer are inconsistent with the standards we hold for those entrusted to lead in our sport.

"We stand with the players, survivors and advocates who have worked tirelessly to make soccer a safer and more inclusive place and we will continue to put the safety, dignity and well-being of our players and our community first.""

https://bayfc.com/articles/hannah-bebar-2026-lauren-holiday-impact-award-nominee-stands-up-for-girls-in-sports-20260810/

You can vote once per day.

I read the announcement in ESPN and other places, but do we have any confirmation from Bay that it's real?

Let's give Hannah some love for her banger goal!

Everyone should go to the bridge by section 106 before and after the game where the players enter and leave the field. There used to be huge crowds there yelling for the players and now there aren't many. They appreciate being celebrated (even after disappointing results). LFG Bay!!

I can't wait to see her even if it's only for a few mins!!