Sports
Buurman thunderbolt keeps Chelsea’s season alive as Spurs beaten in FA Cup
With only one trophy realistically left to play for, this season has not reached Chelsea’s lofty standards and following last week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) exit to local rivals Arsenal with another cup defeat would have been unforgiveable.
With six minutes left of the FA Cup quarterfinal against Tottenham Hotspur, it looked like Sonia Bompastor’s week was about to get even tougher. Enter Veerle Buurman. The young Netherlands defender’s rocket of a shot secured a late 2-1 victory and ensured the Blues still have something positive to build on, even in a campaign that has fallen well short of expectations.
Since the winter break, Buurman has been exceptional. After seeing her goal controversially ruled out in the UWCL first leg vs. Arsenal, where Chelsea were ultimately beaten 3-2 on aggregate, the young Netherlands defender has responded in the best possible way. Spurs goalkeeper Lize Kop was left grasping at air as Buurman, who only came on as a 59th-minute sub, danced around defenders on the edge of the box to send a thunderous left-footed shot into the roof of the net to put Chelsea into the semifinals.
Before then, it looked like Spurs might frustrate the hosts and force extra time at least. Sam Kerr had put the Blues ahead late in the first half, but Martin Ho’s side managed to get back on level terms in the second after Eveliina Summanen‘s free kick bamboozled goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who completely misjudged the clearance and failed to keep the ball out. And they had more chances to cause an upset.
Chelsea’s celebrations were emphatic after Buurman’s late intervention. It was a sense of relief, but it is also somewhat unfamiliar territory for the club to be putting so much stock in an FA Cup quarterfinal as it has been a disappointing year by their own benchmark.
The Blues have dominated domestically, winning six consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) titles — the last of which was an unbeaten season in Bompastor’s debut campaign — but will surrender their crown to Manchester City, who are nine points clear with just three games remaining. Meanwhile in Europe they had reached the semifinals in each of the past three seasons, but went out in the quarterfinals this time around.
There are, of course, mitigating factors. The club are in the midst of a transition under Bompastor, adjusting their squad, tactical approach and overall identity. Such changes inevitably bring teething problems. Off the pitch, the departure of head of women’s football Paul Green after 12 years removed a key figure who oversaw recruitment, logistics and day-to-day operations.
Injuries have also played a significant role. Striker Mayra Ramírez has been absent for the entire season, depriving Chelsea of a crucial attacking presence, especially with Sam Kerr on reduced minutes after her long-term injury. Midfielder Lauren James was unavailable for the first half of the season. And defensive disruptions have been frequent, with Naomi Girma, Millie Bright and Nathalie Björn all missing stretches of time to prevent any real cohesion at the back.
None of these factors can excuse the club’s underwhelming performances, but they do provide context and point to what Chelsea must address this summer if they are to restore the dominance and standards that have defined them in recent years.
Adding an FA Cup trophy and top-three WSL finish to their League Cup success would salvage some positivity to complete the season, though it would do little to mask the disappointment of missing out on the two prizes that matter most.
Spurs also know a little something about rebuilding. After reaching the 2024 FA Cup final — where they were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United — they have been trying to rediscover the form that carried them to Wembley. Under Ho, they began the season strongly and climbed the WSL table to suggest they could mount a charge for Europe, but momentum has faded in recent weeks and they have now lost four games in a row. Had this fixture come earlier in the campaign, the outcome might have been very different.
Still, the appointment of Ho has nevertheless injected fresh energy into the side, complemented by several impressive signings like young midfielder Signe Gaupset. By extending the manager’s contract less than a year into his tenure, Spurs have made clear their commitment to his long-term vision. Another summer transfer window should further support their upward trajectory where consistency remains the key challenge as they continue to develop.
Making the FA Cup quarterfinals and securing a top-five finish in the WSL represents solid progress and, based on this game, the gap to the likes of Chelsea is closing. Before Buurman’s wonder strike, nobody would have been surprised to see Spurs’ name in the hat for the semifinal draw. It’s just that big moments like that win games, and Chelsea have the kinds of players to do it.
It’s Tuesday, the 2026 NWSL regular season is well underway, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who’s set for a climb up the table? Who’s in danger of a free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 4 to come up with this week’s order of all 16 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.
– Who are the best U21 women’s players in the world?
– USWNT transfer grades: Rodman, Heaps, Macario and more
– Denver Summit’s record NWSL crowd sets new standard for what’s possible
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Denver Summit, 8:45 p.m. ET
Four victories in a row and two consecutive games with a clean sheet, not bad at all from Jonas Eidevall’s side. Carried by Ludmila‘s 63rd-minute game winner, the Wave surpassed Boston with a 1-0 result and are now sitting comfortably at the top of the standings. Credit is due to the roster that leads the league in xG (expected goals) and xA (expected assists) after Matchday 4.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Sunday, April 26 at Angel City FC, 6 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
There was plenty of back-and-forth between Portland in its trip to North Carolina, but it ultimately remained level at 2-2 over the weekend after losing the lead twice. Sophia Wilson, making her second start since maternity leave, is still seeking that first goal of 2026. A silver lining for Portland is Olivia Moultrie‘s fourth goal contribution of the season.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Sunday, April 26 vs. Portland Thorns, 6 p.m. ET (stream live on ESPN)
This is what happens when the schedule becomes a bit tougher. Just when it looked like Angel City were about to take a point in Orlando, the hosts responded with a pinball-like moment in the 98th minute that led to Haley McCutcheon‘s dramatic game winner that cemented a 2-1 loss for head coach Alexander Straus. Is this a worrying sign for a team that’s ranked 14th overall with duel success rates and 12th in xG?
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Sunday, April 26 vs. Utah Royals, 8 p.m. ET
Seattle kept Denver scoreless in their 0-0 draw, but more was expected at home after being outshot 18 to 13. Recently earning two wins in a row, Matchday 4’s result slows the momentum for head coach Laura Harvey and her squad. Nonetheless, credit to Seattle’s Sam Meza for her seven out of seven on tackles and winning 10 of her 12 ground duels.
1:15
Seattle Reign FC vs. Denver Summit FC – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Seattle Reign FC vs. Denver Summit FC, 04/05/2026
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Friday, April 24 at Racing Louisville, 5:30 p.m. ET
There’s the much-awaited big statement. Competitive against Angel City and having the mentality to fight back with a late game winner, Orlando deserves plaudits for its narrow 2-1 victory at home. Clearly a shot-hungry team with 83 in total over five matches, Orlando is starting to pick up steam with its four-game undefeated streak.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. ET
Count them, four penalties in total (two for each team) in Houston’s exhilarating 4-3 win over Louisville. With the game winner arriving in the 99th minute, the result was on a knife edge against an opponent who has just one point so far in 2026. Kiki Van Zanten, with a brace in the victory, now has four goals this season.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 1 p.m. ET
More to prove for a Bay roster that hasn’t kept pace with some of the more noteworthy teams in the NWSL this season. Holding on to just 37.8% possession of the ball at home, and being outshot 20-6, the Northern California side stumbled to a 2-0 loss to the Washington Spirit. With nine saves, goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz was arguably the best player on the field for Bay.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Friday, April 24 at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. ET
Speaking of Washington, its four-game winless streak was immediately cut over the weekend with the 2-0 away win against Bay. Off the bench, Gift Monday was the hero for the visitors through her 86th-minute goal that followed an own-goal from Bay’s Brooklyn Courtnall. Things should continue to turn around for the roster that maintains the second-highest xG and xA in the NWSL.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. ET
Credit to making their latest match an arduous one against Portland in the 2-2 draw, but that’s now three games in a row without a victory for the Courage. Still, it would be a stretch to say that ambitions were sky high in the start to 2026, and with a game in hand, North Carolina is out of a playoff spot by just one point. Not bad.
1:14
North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC – Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC, 04/05/2026
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. San Diego Wave, 8:45 p.m. ET
No move up, but no move down either after the 0-0 draw in Seattle. Fans will have to be patient for the 2026 debutants, who have now secured three ties from their past four. If there is something they can work on, though, it’s the fact that they rank 14th in the NWSL when it comes to shots on target. They outshot Seattle, but have also hit the target just 27.1% of the time from their 48 shots in total.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday, April 24 vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. ET
Welcome back, Temwa Chawinga. The forward wasn’t the star of the show for the 2025 NWSL Shield winners. That honor goes to either goal scorers Debinha or Michelle Cooper, but the 2026 return of Chawinga (and an assist) sparked good news for the KC side that clinched just their second win of the season through a 2-1 home result vs. Gotham.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. Bay FC, 1 p.m. ET
There was some late attacking pressure from the 2025 champions, but they just couldn’t get the job done in the 2-1 loss to Kansas City. The lone goal, scored by Jaedyn Shaw, represents just Gotham’s second goal of 2026. Their underlying numbers aren’t exactly great either. They’re 13th in xG, 12th in shots on target and 13th in on-target percentage. Work to do for coach Juan Carlos Amorós.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Sunday, April 26 at Seattle Reign, 8 p.m. ET
Step by step for Utah in its 1-0 win over Chicago that truly didn’t reflect how dominant it was. That’s back-to-back wins after Mina Tanaka‘s second goal of the year and a move up to seventh in the standings. Can the Royals hold on to this for the rest of 2026? They might not be the most aesthetically pleasing team tactically, but don’t overlook the scrappy squad that is third in the NWSL in duel success rate and fourth in aerial success rate.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Friday, April 24 vs. Orlando Pride, 5:30 p.m. ET
Injury issues aren’t helping, and it perhaps shouldn’t be a shock to see Racing lose 4-3 to Houston. Granted, they kept things competitive with their three goals, but the outcome confirms a third defeat from their four games this season. Still, ten goals allowed from four games is never a great look.
Previous ranking: 15
Next match: Saturday, April 25 at Chicago Stars FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
Like Denver, fans will need patience for this expansion team, if not more so. There were some bright first-half moments from the leadership of coach Filipa Patão, but those ultimately led to San Diego’s extra push in the final 45 minutes with the 1-0 loss at home for Boston. Some serious growing pains here for the team that is far from a confident protagonist in the NWSL.
Previous ranking: 16
Next match: Saturday, April 25 vs. Boston Legacy FC, 6:30 p.m. ET
What can you say about Chicago? Outshot 27 to 3 in a 1-0 loss to Utah, which extended a three-game losing streak, allowing its 11th goal of the year, which is the worst in the NWSL, leaning on goalkeeper Katie Lund to be the idol of the night with her eight saves. It’s too early to make big proclamations about how the season will play out, but Chicago struggling feels like a safe one.
United States midfielder Weston McKennie scored for Juventus in a 2-0 win over Genoa Monday and was named man of the match.
McKennie netted 17 minutes after kickoff to add to a fourth-minute opener from Brazilian defender Bremer.
The American missed two chances to add to his tally and the woodwork also came to Genoa’s rescue when Jonathan David hit the post.
The goal was McKennie’s fifth of the season for Juventus, tying his career-best mark in Serie A when he netted five times.
Genoa defender Aaron Martin missed a golden opportunity to bring the visitors back into the game with 15 minutes remaining when Mattia Perin got down brilliantly to save his penalty kick and his rebound.
The result enabled Juventus to close the gap on fourth-placed Como to one point. Como were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese.
Cesc Fabregas’ men were on top for most of the game, but could not find a way past Maduka Okoye in the Udinese goal.
The result brought Como’s five-game winning streak to an end in Serie A, but the point kept alive their hope of winning a Champions League place.
Substitute Matteo Politano scored late to give Napoli a 1-0 win over fellow title chaser AC Milan and close the gap on Serie A leaders Inter Milan later Monday.
With Napoli starting the night in third place, one point behind AC Milan and 10 behind Inter, both clubs knew a win was needed to keep alive their title aspirations.
However, neither showed much urgency or guile in a game that featured few clear scoring chances.
Politano, who replaced Leonardo Spinazzola just five minutes earlier, eventually broke the deadlock with 11 minutes remaining when he fired home a low shot after the Milan defense failed to clear a cross from the left.
Milan poured forward in the final minutes, but could not get an equalizer and dropped to third.
U.S. attacker Christian Pulisic came on as a substitute in the second half, but he could not help Milan’s cause as his goalless 2026 continued.
Napoli ended the day seven points behind Inter with seven matches remaining, while AC Milan are two points further back.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
As the confetti falls on the hardwood floors of the Finals Fours in both Phoenix and Indianapolis, it will mark a bittersweet yet joyful moment.
UCLA took home its first women’s NCAA championship in program history on Sunday after a dominant 79-51 win over South Carolina. Michigan joined the Bruins on Monday night after defeating UConn 69-63 in the men’s championship game to cap off a tournament to remember.
March Madness produced plenty of stunning moments that defined the 2026 edition of the college basketball masterpiece, setting it apart from other NCAA tournaments in past years.
Multiple upsets, miscommunication and late-game mistakes. Nail-biting situations that were inches away from a bracket buster. And, of course, the fans who stood out with their main character energy in the stands for their team — or perhaps, multiple.
But as much as team personnel and fans yearn to reverse time to relive those priceless moments, there were lenses on the sideline that froze the excitement-filled seconds.
Relive the intensity of March Madness with a look back at some of the best tournament-defining moments through the lenses.
Kacy Burdette contributed to this report.
Anthropic Teams Up With Its Rivals to Keep AI From Hacking Everything
Pakistan blames Israeli strikes on Iran for fresh escalation in Middle East conflict
NWSL Power Rankings: Wave lead the way, Spirit back on track
-
Uncategorized5 days ago
[CinePlex360] Please moderate: “Trump signals p
-
Entertainment4 days agoJoe Jonas shares candid glimpse into parenthood with Sophie Turner
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
[CinePlex360] Please moderate: “Further tariff
-
Tech4 days agoOur Favorite iPad Is $50 Off
-
Fashion7 days agoChina’s Anta Sports posts record $11.62 bn revenue in 2025
-
Politics4 days agoIran can sustain Strait of Hormuz closure for years, will cut US military logistics: Official
-
Sports4 days agoUConn Final Four run could trigger a $50M furniture giveaway for Massachusetts-based Jordan’s Furniture
-
Politics1 week agoTrump considers asking Arab allies to help to pay for Iran war