ALSO IN TODAY’S ROUNDUP, FISHLOCK NAMED HEAD COACH, FOUDY VISITS USDWNT, AND MORE
Outshot 18-2, PSG made theirs count in a 1-0 win at Lyon to move on to the UWCL quarterfinals.
French club Paris Saint-Germain lost their top ranking in Division 1 Féminine today after they were ruled by the French Federal Commission to have fielded a player not on the team sheet in their 4-0 win over ASPTT Albi on September 10. As a result, they forfeit the match, losing not only the three points from the victory but a further point as a penalty.
The loss of four points drops them to third place in the league behind Olympique Lyonnais (who welcomed Alex Morgan this week) and Montpellier HSC, effectively negating PSG’s hard-fought win over Lyon on December 17. The two rivals play again on March 14, and PSG will need a clear win instead of a draw to claim the title.
Following the announcement, Head Coach Patrice Lair offered his resignation, but the club rejected it. Lair will decide his future with the club next Monday. Prior to the reversal, PSG announced this week the signing of WVU standout Ashley Lawrence, who won a bronze medal in Rio this summer with Canada.
MORE ON THIS. As well as PSG having win taken away from them, they're also penalised one point. They drop to 3rd. https://t.co/RL1AM5NUls
— Kieran Theivam (@KiersTheivam) January 6, 2017
FISHLOCK NAMED MELBOURNE CITY COACH
Melbourne City Women promoted Jess Fishlock to interim head coach of the team after manager Joe Montemurro was named coach of the Melbourne city men’s side. The Welsh midfielder is on her second season with the team, on loan from the Seattle Reign, and was announced as an assistant coach alongside her playing duties at the beginning of the season. Fishlock will remain a player-coach through the end of the 2016-2017 W-League campaign.
Fishlock helped Melbourne City achieve history in its inaugural season last year, winning both the regular season and the championship without losing a game. She made 11 appearances in that run, scoring two goals, and has started every game so far this season.
JULIE FOUDY VISITS USDWNT CAMP
Coinciding with the roster announcement for the USWNT’s annual January camp, the US Deaf Women’s National Team, 2016 World Champions, met for their own January camp in Mission Viejo, California, this week. The three-time Deaflympic gold medalists were surprised by two-time World Cup champion Julie Foudy and her family at dinner yesterday. Foudy’s former teammate and fellow World Cup champion Joy Fawcett is one of the team’s coaches.
Thanks @JulieFoudy for surprising us tonight at dinner. So fun to hang with you and your family! We ❤ you! pic.twitter.com/6exNBpPNQ5
— U.S. Deaf Soccer WNT (@USDeaf_WNT) January 6, 2017
The USDWNT is fully self-funded and has won every Deaflympic and World Championship held, compiling an undefeated record since its creation in 1999. Their journey to their triumph at last year’s World Championship, a year in which they only trained together for eight days, earned nationwide attention from NWSL and USWNT players and fans. Unfortunately, the team was forced to withdraw from the upcoming 2017 Deaflympics in Turkey due to safety concerns.
THORNS’ MORRIS TAKES STEPS TOWARD RECOVERY
Portland Thorns defender Meg Morris tweeted today that she was returning to Portland and walking again as she makes her way back from a broken hip. Morris, in her first season with the Thorns, was a last-minute replacement at left back for Meghan Klingenberg at Western New York on June 17 when she suffered an acetabular fracture in her left hip, putting her out for the rest of the Thorns’ Shield-winning season. She was in attendance at Yurcak Field on September 25 when the Thorns defeated Sky Blue, her former team, to clinch the 2016 Shield. The UNC product scored one goal in seven appearances for Portland.
Portland bound ✈️ #backtowork #finallywalking #BAONPDX?
— Meg Morris (@megmo_32) January 6, 2017
