Also in today’s Roundup, the Breakers will officially run on Dunkin, Dzsenifer Marozsan is Footballer of the Year in France,
FAWSL will take on a 10th team, and Meghann Burke speaks about the NWSL PA
Alex Morgan is out of the French Cup final. The UWCL final remains a possibility. (photo courtesy Olympique Lyonnais)
Alex Morgan has a hamstring injury and will miss the French Cup final for Lyon on Friday in Vannes. The club is still hopeful she will be able to return in time for the Champions League final on June 1 in Cardiff. Both matches are against French rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Lyon has already locked up the league championship—their 11th straight—and will be looking to win the treble for a second straight year.
@alexmorgan13 Alex Morgan goes off injured (looks like her hamstring ?) D1 Féminine #D1F #womensfootball #TeamOL #PSG #OLPSG pic.twitter.com/nimQENPBSy
— WomensSoccerUnited (@WSUasa) May 13, 2017
Morgan was injured Saturday in Lyon’s 3-0 win over PSG in league play when she took a bad step trying to beat Ashley Lawrence in the attacking third. She left the match immediately and did not return. Morgan signed with Lyon in December and has 5 goals in 8 league appearances, including one before going off over the weekend. She is expected back in Orlando to join the Pride once the transfer window opens next month.
Breakers will officially run on Dunkin’
Natasha Dowie warms up in front of a Dunkin Donuts ad at Jordan Field. (photo copyright Clark Linehan Photo for The Equalizer)
The Breakers formally announced a partnership with Dunkin’ Donuts on Tuesday. The popular brand will become the official coffee, bakery, donut, breakfast sandwich, and frozen beverage of the Boston Breakers. Signage at Jordan Field has been in place for at least two games and the news was reported by The Equalizer’s Allison Lee.
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“As a brand with a long history of partnerships with some of the biggest sport leagues in the country, we are once again proud to advance our commitment to support female athletes with the Boston Breakers,” Todd Wallace, Dunkin’ Donuts Senior Field Marketing Manager, said in a statement released by the Breakers. “We look forward to keeping the team and fans running on Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and breakfast sandwiches throughout the year.”
Dunkin’ Donuts will also keep the team running in new player and staff travel wear designs featuring the brand’s logo.
Marozsan named Footballer of the Year in France
Dzsenifer Marozsan’s summer move to Lyon has resulted in one trophy so far, and now the German captain has been named Footballer of the Year in France.
Dzsenifer Marozsan’s move to France has proven fruitful.
The Hungarian-born midfielder left Frankfurt after 119 appearances to join Lyon just over a year ago. In the time since, Marozsan has won a god medal for Germany—scoring once and setting up one in the deciding match—and helped Lyon to a dominant regular season during which they have dropped points only once in 21 matches.
FAWSL TO PLAY SEASON WITH 10 TEAMS
FAWSL will add a 10th team for the upcoming season after Notts County disbanded on the even of the Spring season. According to a story on the league site, all FAWSL2 clubs will be eligible to apply to become the 10th team in the top flight.
Applications are due May 30 with a decision to be made in the first part of June. A decision will be made based on five criteria: finance and business management; players, staff, and youth development; facilities; marketing and commercial; and performance during the Spring Series as well as the 2016 league season.
The move will also balance out FAWSL2 which had been on course to play with 11 teams. The English women’s calendar is currently playing a special Spring Series in preparation for a return to a fall-to-spring schedule.
Meghann Burke talks NWSL Players Association
Meghann Burke, former WPS player and attorney working with the newly formed NWSL Players Association,gave a Q&A style interview to FIFPro during which she discussed several elements of the new organization. Burke is also working with FIFPro, a global union for soccer players.
When asked about the most important issue facing the new PA, Burke gave her most interesting answer: “I think we have a fairly long list of issues that need to be addressed systemically. On the micro level, season by season, I think minimum wages, consistency in training and knowing what kind of conditions you can expect as a professional. There needs to be trainers, physical therapists, adequate training facilities, consistent and predictable schedules for players whether or not they are full-time professional or have other jobs or classes that they’re trying to plan their lives around. Female players are like any other competitive, professional athlete or footballer, they want to play at the highest level. In order to do that we need the best conditions to make that possible.”
The full interview, which was conducted by Monica Gonzalez, can be found here.
