Canadians in action: Lawrence, Chelsea complete undefeated season
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Ashley Lawrence helped ensure Chelsea finished their season undefeated. Plus, Jacob Shaffelburg and Julia Grosso picked up their first goals of their respective campaigns. Here's a look at Canadians in action over the weekend.
Ashley Lawrence, Chelsea
Chelsea headed into the final match of the Women's Super League Season already crowned champions, but they were still looking for one last chance to make history. If Chelsea managed to avoid defeat in the last match of the season against Liverpool, the Blues would become the first team in league history to finish a season undefeated. Chelsea's last league loss came on May 1, 2024 to, coincidentally, the Reds. Not only did Chelsea manage to avoid defeat, they picked up all three points on a late marker by Aggie Beever-Jones and it was Lawrence who set it up. The 29-year-old full-back only made a cameo appearance in the match, coming on in the 83rd for Lucy Bronze. Just after the 90 minutes had passed, Liverpool looked to move up field. Gemma Evans attempted a pass down the right to Yana Daniels, but it was picked off by Lawrence. Lawrence found Beever-Jones in a give-and-go to move forward. With Beever-Jones having a step on Taylor Hinds, Lawrence dished a perfectly weighted through ball past the diving Liverpool defender to find the England forward. Running on net, Beever-Jones spotted Rachel Laws leaning to her right and unleashed a drive just inside the near post to claim a 1-0 win for the champions. The 2024-2025 Blues finish the first undefeated season in English top-flight football since Arsenal's "Les Invincibles" side of 2003-2004. Lawrence finishes her season with a goal and three assists, her largest scoring contribution in her two years in London. For Lawrence, the league title is her second straight with the Blues to go along with this season's League Cup.
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Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC
It's been a slow start to the Major League Soccer season for "Maritime Messi," but the minutes have begun to pick up for Jacob Shaffelburg and this past Saturday, he opened his account with the game-winning goal in Nashville's 2-1 win over Charlotte. The Kentville, NS native started his third straight game on Saturday after coming off of the bench in his first five appearances of the season. Before his first start in a 7-2 win over the Chicago Fire on Apr. 26, Shaffelburg had only played a combined 117 minutes in five games. All of the scoring in Saturday's game took place over a seven-minute stretch to open the second half. In the 48th minute, Liel Abada took a pass from Brandt Bronico, skipped into the area and dragged his shot past a diving Joe Willis to make it 1-0 for Charlotte. The visitors' lead wouldn't last long at all. Nashville was level almost from the restart. From a throw-in, Alex Muyl found Hany Mukhtar with a nifty backheel and the 2022 MLS Most Valuable Player hammered home a volley to tie things up in the 49th. Five minutes later, it was Shaffelburg's turn. Unmarked on the edge of the box, Andy Najar found Shaffelburg, who moved to his left foot and slammed home a volley inside the near post, past a diving Kristijan Kahlina to make it 2-1 and earn all three points for the hosts. For Shaffelburg, it was his first league goal since Oct. 19 in a 3-0 win over the Fire.
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Julia Grosso, Chicago Red Stars
The Chicago Red Stars continued their slow start to the National Women's Soccer League season, but there was a silver lining for Julia Grosso. The Vancouver-born midfielder picked up her first league goal of the campaign and the first NWSL goal of her career following her move from Juventus. Grosso joined the Red Stars last July after three seasons in Torino. She appeared in 10 games last season for the team. Grosso was handed her eighth start of the season on Saturday with a visit from the undefeated Washington Spirit. Just after the half-hour mark, the visitors got on the board with the help of the Red Stars. In the 31st, Rosemonde Kouassi sent in a cross towards the front of goal. There was miscommunication between goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and defender Ally Schlegel. With both women making a play for the ball, Schlegel deflected the ball past her 'keeper to make it 1-0. The lead was short-lived, however, with the Red Stars pulling back even through Grosso. Taking a ball out wide from Camryn Biegalski, Grosso cut inside the area, put Narumi Miura on skates, and whipped in a beautiful shot past a diving Aubrey Kingsbury to make it 1-1 in the 36th. It was Grosso's first goal in club competition since a Mar. 30, 2024 marker for Juve against Fiorentina. Like they have been many times already in the young season, the Red Stars found themselves up against it once again before the end of the half. This time Kouassi didn't need any assistance to find the back of the net. In the 41st, Tara McKeown floated a perfect ball to the far post for the Cote d'Ivoire forward to deftly chip over Naeher to make it 2-1. Coming out of the break, the hosts pulled level again thanks to a misplay from Kingsbury. In the 54th, Ludmila chipped a ball into the six-yard box for Schlegel, but she was bodied off of the ball by Miura. The ball fell for Kingsbury, who fumbled it to allow former Spirit centre-back Sam Staab to poke into an open net to tie it at 2-2. In dead last in the table, a point would have been welcomed by the Red Stars, but they thought they might be able to wrap up all three in the 78th. Schlegel forced a turnover deep into the Spirit half and played in a fine ball for Grosso, who came in alone on Kingsbury, but couldn't slide it past her with the Spirit 'keeper making a fine stop on the Canada midfielder. The save would prove to be a crucial one because the Spirit would take the lead back for good only minutes later with Kouassi once again the straw that stirred the drink. Getting a step on Grosso, Kouassi ran into the box along the far touchline and sent a ball in to the near post for Gift Monday. Naeher swiped at it and missed, allowing the Nigeria forward to slot home her third of the season to win the match at 3-2 in the 83rd.