{"id":238856,"date":"2025-10-25T08:51:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T08:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/238856\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T08:51:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T08:51:09","slug":"wnba-players-association-spar-over-revenue-sharing-amid-cba-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/238856\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA, Players Association Spar Over Revenue Sharing Amid CBA Talks"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world No. 2 USWNT had an inauspicious start to their October friendlies<\/a> on Thursday, falling 2-1<\/a> to No. 23 Portugal. It’s the first-ever lost to Portugal in US program history.<\/p>\n

“Ultimately, tonight was just not acceptable, it was not our standard,” USWNT midfielder Sam Coffey told broadcaster TNT after the game \u2014 the team’s first match<\/a> in almost four months. “I think we were really individual.”<\/p>\n

Though US star midfielder Rose Lavelle gave the hosts the early lead by finding the back of the net just 33 seconds<\/a> into play, Portugal’s Diana Gomes equalized before halftime before her fellow defender F\u00e1tima Pinto put the Europeans on top in the 73rd minute. Both Portuguese goals came off of corner kicks.<\/p>\n

The loss marked only the third time that the USWNT has lost to an opponent outside the Top 20 FIFA rankings<\/a>, as US players struggled to find each other on the pitch when faced with Portugal’s physicality and formation.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes as a coach in this position, it feels like Whack-a-Mole,” said US manager Emma Hayes afterwards. “You try and put one thing out, and then there’s another one popping up.”<\/p>\n

“We’ve played many teams that surprised us with formation changes, but our response to it just took so long,” she continued. “Then when we get into good areas, we just would make poor decisions.”<\/p>\n

Though Hayes addressed all aspects of her team’s disappointing Thursday play, she also specifically honed in on their defensive missteps, saying “from front to back, we just mistimed everything.”<\/p>\n

In response, Hayes is already beefing up her options on the backline, calling up Eva Gaetino<\/a> from the concurrent USWNT U-23 training camp on Friday, with the PSG defender joining the senior team’s roster through this window’s remaining two friendlies.<\/p>\n

How to watch the USWNT vs. Portugal on Sunday<\/p>\n

While Hayes tempered Thursday’s loss by reminding everyone that “it’s a game of football, no one died,” the USWNT will still have vengeance on the mind during Sunday’s rematch against Portugal.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got to be better, and I promise you, we will be better,” said Hayes. “We better be.”<\/p>\n

The clash will kick off at 4 PM ET, with live coverage airing on\u00a0TNT<\/a>.<\/p>\n