Love's In Need of Love Today

What’s up World. Gonna keep it simple this week since I’m supposed to be celebrating myself. That’s right, I’m working on my birthday. Yes, I’ve already been yelled at, no it didn’t matter. I’ve rearranged some things to give myself a bit more time to write a better story, which will drop in the next newsletter because it will still be May. We had some NWSL action this week, along with an FA Cup Final, the D1 Arkema final, and the introduction of the World Sevens Tournament. There’s plenty of WOSO and life to get into, so let’s do it to it.

We have merch!

Do we ever. It’s almost Pride month, and we at Shea Butter want to honor Pride with our first ever kit. Shea Butter Pride 25 is now on sale, in two colors (teal is the goal keeper kit). This kit was done in collabortioon with Olive & York (highly recommend), and tells the story of our show and what Pride means to us. We hope this kit honors all of the ways that Shea Butter FC and the LGBTQ+ community matter to you. We think it does. Don’t delay, get yours now!

Also, dropping today, is our newest line of Don’t Play Out The Back shirts, now in tie dye. These are fresh of the presses, so you can get our most popular shirt in even more colors! We hope you like having even more ways to tell your favorite team Don’t Play Out The Back. Available in multiple color options at the link below (minty rainbow is one of 5 color options)

Match Recaps and Notable Goal Scorers

*_{note, all names listed in italics are players that scored, the number beside their name indicates the minute they scored their goal. (P) = goal scored was a penalty kick}

This week gave us plenty of chances to see a trophy lifted, as the FA Cup Final, D1 Arkema playoff final, World Sevens, and CONCACAF W Champions League were all in action this past week, not to mention another week of NWSL action. Also, shout out to the Carolina Ascent for winning the inaugural USL Super League Shield as the best team in the league. Now, let’s get into some of the Shea Butter Ballers below.

Adobe Women’s FA Cup

Chelsea 3, Manchester United 0 - Sandy (Not Charli) Baltimore 45, 90+1, Cat Macario 84

D1 Arkema Playoff Final

Lyon 3, Paris Saint-Germain 0 - Melchie Durmonay 45+3, Kadidiatou Diani 80, Wendie Renard 90+4 (P)

National Women’s Soccer League

Utah Royals 3, Washington Spirit 3 - Casey Krueger 90+12

Portland Thorns 4, Houston Dash 1 - Caiya Hanks 54

Kansas City Current 1, Orlando Pride 0 - Temwa Chawinga 52

Notable Goals - World Sevens

Finding every goal from the World Sevens Tournament, the first 7-v-7 tournament for European based clubs. The three day tournament was more enjoyable than most thought it would be, and we got goals and great performances from the likes of young ballers Lily Yohannes and Breakout Player of the Tournament, Georgia’s own Simi Awujo. Kerolin was in her element scoring three goals for the tournament, and former Hermann Trophy winner Jennifer Echegini scored two goals for Paris Saint-Germain who took home third place honors. Mostly, this tournament was about football being fun. Bayern Munich and Manchester United squared off in the final as the two best teams of the tournament. They came with a clear game plan, but also with a desire to have as much fun as possible. Both were successful in all ways, and they walked away with 2.5 million and 1 million dollars respectively. There will obviously be feedback and tweaks to the format, but for a first go round, this should be considered a successful event. Let’s do it again next year.

Spirit Recap: Goals and Vibes in DC

Well where do we start? We are 9 games into the season for the Washington Spirit and it has been a rough going to say the least. With a record of 5-1-3 the spirit continue to struggle to find their balance. With players playing out of position to compensate for the injuries, it has been nothing short of a learning curve for the team. The Spirit played the Utah Royals this past weekend at home at Audi Field, with the lineup continuing to change every week. Croix Bethune got the start and Meg Boade got her second start of the season with the team. That doesn’t end there for Meg Boade’s stats, but we’ll get there soon. Utah and the Spirit both seem to be plagued by the injury curse but Utah came out at the start with a goal from Brecken Mozingo in the 9th minute. A trend for the Spirit this season is allowing goals early in the game. The Spirit have struggled a lot this season when it comes to their defensive line. It is a true head scratcher when it comes to trying to identify what the problem is with the defense. They were missing Esme Morgan this game and, fresh from injury, Casey Krueger is still on minutes restriction and could not sub in until the second half. What looks to be a lack of communication and connectivity, Tara Mckeown stated in the post match press conference that it may be time to go back to basics. There isn’t a lack of talent on this team that’s for sure, but it is a team that is struggling to defend and can’t seem to identify where the true problem lies, and that doesn’t bode well as we get further into the season. While the Royals did get on the board first the spirit didn’t take too long to come back with a goal from Ashley Hatch in the 16th minute and another goal in the 19th minute from Meg Boade which makes that her first career goal in the NWSL and first with the Spirit. It was raining goals at Audi field and there wasn’t a lack of shots taken either, which was unfortunate for the Spirit as Cece Kizer scored in the 21st minute. Then suffered an own goal from Bernal in the 35th minute. Additionally, this game was full of fouls and it wasn’t lost on me that Rose Kouassi was continuously fouled throughout the game by Utah and nothing was called but she received numerous fouls called on her against the Royals. One frustrating thing that is happening to a number players at different clubs this season being targeted specifically when it comes to being fouled. This game was very chippy and it finally came to a head when Krueger was pulled down in the box, giving the Spirit a chance to level it up with Hatch taking the penalty, which ended up being saved by McGlynn. Better late then never, the Spirit find a way in extra time with a banger from Casey to tie it up to end the game, grabbing 1 point at home.

The Spirit are on the road to play Seattle this week and will have 3 games left after that before the July break. They have got a lot of kinks to work out and hopefully the July break will bring some clarity or maybe a singing to relieve some stress.

by Riss Willett

Black In Action: Casey Krueger

I figured it made sense to roll from Riss’s lovely recap right into talking about Casey Krueger. She is just coming back from injury and was only allowed to play for 45 minutes due to minutes restrictions. Casey Krueger only needed 45 minutes in this match. She instantly helped DC sure up their defending. While still not great, the Spirit did not concede in the second half of the match, and were able to create more chances for themselves. Krueger drew the penalty on Utah, thought the chance wasn’t converted, and, of course, she scored the game tying goal in the dying minutes of stoppage time. Her savvy to move in the box as a former striker, and her veteran presence and IQ that knows where to be in those game moments, or even how to read a match like this, becomes invaluable on a young and depleted Spirit team. Krueger is a generationally good 1-v-1 defender and has been for the better part of a decade. But the last few seasons have grown her, and she is now the calm, elder stateswoman that is also still playing at a high level. She has the abilities that only experience can teach, and while her form may not last forever (though, who is betting against Casey Krueger at this point), her mind is still brilliant, and she is capable of passing that torch. She is also still very, very good at organizing a defense and shutting down the opposition, the thing defenders are supposed to do better than others on the pitch. I am happy that Casey Krueger got this game and this moment, but in now way am I surprised. Welcome back Casey, the game missed you.

Cultural Cuts: Happy AANHPI Month, The Acknowledgment

What’s up world. So, I’m working on a piece about AANHPI Month, but I want to give it the love and care it deserves, so I plan on releasing it next week. It will drop in time to close out the month with a bang. We at Shea Butter obviously have a focus on Black players in the league, but we honor and celebrate our APINH siblings, and want to amplify them during their month. We have many players in this league who identify with the vast cultures and identities that fall under the AANHPI banner, and this league would not be the same without those players, coaches, staff, and fans. Again, stay tuned to this space for more on what this months means to the players, in their own words.

Quick Musings on a Roster

 https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2025/05/hayes-names-24-player-uswnt-roster-china-pr-jamaica-naomi-girma

Emma Hayes announced the 24 player senior team roster for the May Training Camp (though one match will be played in June). This roster includes the return of Naomi Girma for the first time in 2025, the first full camp callup for Claudia Dickey in goal, and two first time callups for Kerry Abello and, better late than never, Lo’eau LaBonta. There are still questions at midfield for this team, and Lo may help navigate some of the potential structure Emma wants going into 2027. There’s no guarantee LaBonta makes the 27 squad, but her leadership and skillset are invaluable to her club, and her experience has helped the likes of Claire Hutton develop her technical game in the pros. We’ve talked before about the leadership qualities of veterans women of color in this league, and Lo fits the bill more than most. The WOSO community at larger seems elated that she’s getting this well earned opportunity. The front line is still thin due to injury, but Gisele Thompson being called into camp as a forward is an interesting choice. Hayes spoke to wanting her to learn to navigate different spaces, but the US also desperately needs a backup right back for the next cycle, and no one has had much of a chance to stake that claim behind Emily Fox. It may not be necessary this camp, but that’s a group Hayes will have to figure out soon. Lastly, the U23 roster was also announced this week, and all but one player named is in the pros. These matches may hold more significance, as the US is scheduled to play Germany’s U23 squad, featuring the likes of Gia Corley and Shekeira Martinez, twice in Germany this window. These matches are likely to teach us more about our talent pool than the senior camp will. The U23 squad is allowed to carry 5 overage players, but we’ve elected to send Jaedyn Shaw, Mia Fishel, and Kobrin Albert only this camp. If either of these matches is televised and you are able to watch, I’m implore you to do so.

Final Thoughts: Football Should Be Fun!

I spoke on the World Sevens early. Most of WOSO was at best trepidatious about this new tournament, taking place during Women’s Champions League weekend, not too far from Lisbon, the location of the final. This format had not been tried in Europe, and a similar tournament, TST, does not have the exact same rules and takes place over five days instead of three. However, with a total prize pool of five million dollars, and the winner receiving 2.5 million, there was incentive to take the tournament seriously. Early on Manchester United and Bayern Munich set themselves apart, both with their play and with the joy they played with. They clearly had strategies that including full line changes as subs, and hitting the ball to the 9 for hold up play, and those methods worked. However, it was the goofy walk up intros, the bowling pin celebrations, and the audacious goals that truly made many a believe in this tournament. The two most joy filled teams made the final, and quality nor entertainment were sacrificed to do so. The tournament is brand new and far from perfect. There is legitimate feedback to be given about the format, the length, and the trophy. But watching a team that is often so serious, like Bayern, let loose and play amazing football that showcased their skills, to watch a Simi Awujo breakout on the European stage in the most unique of ways, showed me that winning football can be fun. May that joy be a lesson taken back to the traditional 11-v-11 game, because we could use some fun football right now.