women's soccer

The teenagers on the Afghan girls national soccer team lean on each other as they adjust to a new life in Portugal, where they fled after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The D.C. team took home its first national championship on Saturday after defeating the Chicago Red Stars. The match ended in extra time with a final goal from Washington's Kelley O'Hara.

In an incident that's drawing comparisons to Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, the Paris Saint-Germain player allegedly arranged for two men to attack rival Kheira Hamraoui, injuring her legs.

After the excitement and thrill of the U.S. victory in the Women's World Cup, attention shifts back to the NWSL — the 7-year-old pro league in the U.S. Will the enthusiasm lead to sustained interest?

The players' union and U.S. Soccer announced the collective bargaining agreement Wednesday, ending protracted and sometimes bitter negotiations over wages. The deal runs through 2021.

The U.S. is now No. 2, behind Germany and ahead of France, England and Canada. The American squad has been ranked in the top two spots since FIFA created the world rankings for women back in 2003.

After losing to the Swedes in the Olympic quarterfinals, the longtime Team USA goalkeeper said she thought "we played a bunch of cowards." Solo was widely criticized for her criticism.

The federal ruling removes the possibility that the American women might refuse to play in this summer's Rio Olympics as part of the maneuvering over their union contract.

"I think that we've proven our worth over the years," Carli Lloyd says of the team that's been ranked No. 1 in the world since last July.

When the world's top-scoring international soccer player takes to the field Wednesday, it will be for the last time. To mark her retirement, here are some highlights from her career.

In the first five minutes, Carli Lloyd scored two swift goals. Lauren Holiday brought the score up to 3, and then Lloyd scored from midfield for a hat trick. The team led 4-0 after just 15 minutes.

They've been supporting the men for years. But for the first time, the American Outlaws — a growing and influential U.S. soccer fan group — will cheer for the women's national team at a World Cup.