Tag: Lindsey Horan

USWNT player ratings: Smith stands out as U.S. eases past Vietnam in World Cup opener

Smith was at the center of most of the USWNT’s best in their win

It may not have been the blowout some expected, but the U.S. women’s national team started the World Cup off with a 3-0 win over Vietnam.

A first-half brace from Sophia Smith — one goal was clinical, the other needed a fairly hefty slice of luck — set the USWNT on their way. After some missed chances, including an Alex Morgan penalty kick that was saved by Vietnam’s Tran Thi Kim Thanh, Lindsey Horan added the third on an assist from Smith.

In the context of Vietnam’s recent results, including only falling to Germany 2-1, it’s a decent result. It’s also not the rout that fans may have thought was coming, though on another day the goals may have been flowing with just a touch more sharpness from the attacking players.

As a reminder, here’s the Pro Soccer Wire player rating scale:

Our scale:

  • 1: Abysmal. Literally any member of our staff would have been been able to play at this level.
  • 6: Adequate. This is our base score.
  • 10: Transcendent, era-defining performance. This is Carli Lloyd vs. Japan in the 2015 final.

Horan calls out Portland double standard: ‘How do the Timbers have it but the Thorns don’t?’

Horan: training on turf is a “huge deal”

Lindsey Horan says that unequal training conditions in Portland were a part of her reason to pursue a move to Lyon.

Speaking on ESPN show Fútbol Americas, the U.S. women’s national team captain was asked why she sought to make her loan to the French champions permanent, a move that Horan sealed late last month.

Some of her answers weren’t a particular surprise. The 29-year-old cited a more measured, possession-oriented style of play that she has been vocal about preferring, and also brought up the unrivaled glamour of playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

However, per Horan, there was another, more prosaic reason: Lyon trains on grass, while her old club the Portland Thorns are on artificial turf.

“I think for me, also health-wise, physically, I wanted to be in a place where I could be training on grass every single day,” said Horan. “I think that’s a major component that is not seen as much in the NWSL and where certain teams are training, and especially in Portland. I would hate myself if I didn’t say that, because they deserve better as well.”

At Lyon, Horan trains at the Groupama OL Training Center, which features five grass fields. With the Thorns, training is generally held at their home stadium Providence Park on the same FieldTurf playing surface they use on gamedays. While Portland has occasionally trained elsewhere in Oregon, including a few days in Bend during preseason this year, they generally only get sessions on grass when they hit the road.

For Horan, there are two clear issues with this: basic player health, and a double standard at a club that contains both an NWSL side and the Portland Timbers of MLS.

Horan called the daily grind of being on turf a “huge deal,” adding that “it [does] a number on your body.”

“Every team that comes in and plays at Portland, you know that you feel it worse,” added Horan. “You go play 90 minutes there, and it’s so much harder in your body. And I don’t think a lot of people realize it, but it’s just a different kind of impact.”

As for the lack of equal treatment in Portland, Horan said the training situation is a clear manifestation of the issue. “You have to think about the women training there every single day. It’s just, it’s not good. So they need to have a facility for the women as well. How do the Timbers have it but the Thorns don’t?”

While the Thorns train at Providence Park, the Timbers have a dedicated facility in Beaverton that includes a grass field, a kitchen and commissary, a theater-style film room, and the club’s gym and treatment spaces.

The use of artificial turf has long been a pressure point in women’s soccer, with the issue coming to a head in 2015. FIFA approved multiple venues for that year’s World Cup that had turf surfaces, a development that many women’s players said would never happen in an elite men’s tournament. No men’s World Cup match has ever been played on an artificial surface.

The Thorns are in the process of being sold, a major part of the fallout from multiple investigations into misconduct and abuse around the NWSL. However, that sale process — announced in December 2022 — has not come with any public movement.

Watch the full Lindsey Horan interview

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USWNT names Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan as World Cup captain(s)

The most-discussed armband in American soccer has been sorted out

Why have one captain when you can have two?

The U.S. women’s national team announced Friday that Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan are both captains for the upcoming World Cup.

With Becky Sauerbrunn left off the roster due to injury, the two veterans will lead the USWNT’s push to lift an unprecedented third straight World Cup trophy.

Per a U.S. Soccer press release, Horan will wear the armband when both players are on the field (which figures to be most of the tournament).

“We have a lot of leaders on this team among the young players and the veteran players, and among those, Lindsey and Alex have vast experience in big games, and they understand what it takes to win at the highest levels,” said USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “They are ultimate professionals and understand all the factors that go into having a united and motivated team. I know they will represent us well on and off the field at the World Cup.”

Both players have plenty of experience with the armband. Per U.S. Soccer, Horan has started a match as captain nine times dating back to 2021, while Morgan has been captain 22 times, having first been named captain in 2016. Morgan captained the USWNT in three 2019 World Cup games, including their quarterfinal win against France and a semifinal triumph over England.

Less-experienced USWNT has fewer current captains

A consequence of a less-experienced USWNT for this World Cup is that the squad has fewer players who captain their club teams than in years past.

Of the 23 players Andonovski selected for this tournament, only Morgan (San Diego Wave), Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), and Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) currently serve as captains at the club level. Midfielders Julie Ertz and Andi Sullivan have also spent full NWSL seasons as captain in the past, while Megan Rapinoe’s off-field presence has been lauded by USWNT players over recent years.

Still, with Horan and Morgan both projected starters, the USWNT will probably end up with at least one more player donning the armband during the World Cup. While the scheduling in the 2023 edition is not too condensed — the USWNT’s three group stage games will be played over 10 days — it stands to reason that Andonovski will look to rotate early so that he can play his strongest 11 in the knockout rounds.

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Lindsey Horan says USWNT should expect ‘most competitive World Cup’ ever

Horan is embracing her new role as a leader for the USWNT

Lindsey Horan is expecting nothing less out of this World Cup than the toughest tournament the U.S. women’s national team has ever faced.

The USWNT and Lyon midfielder spoke to USA Today Sports’ Sports Seriously on the challenges her team will face during the upcoming World Cup, and she expects the road to a three-peat to be demanding.

“I’ve said it many times: This is gonna be the most competitive World Cup,” said Horan. “You see a lot of young players coming into different pools in other nations. So I think it’s gonna be very exciting for all nations, for all fans, for the world to watch one of the most competitive tournaments in the world.”

Horan — who is seen as the frontrunner to take the captain’s armband after Becky Sauerbrunn was left off the roster due to injury — admitted that she didn’t expect to be in such a prominent leadership position at this point in her career, but called the situation “very exciting for me.”

“We’ve had so many veterans, so many leaders in my eyes, that I’ve looked up to and I’ve grown and learned from,” explained Horan. “Actually seeing myself as that type of role model for the young players on our team was new for me. I think I always felt like I was a young player…I’ve embraced it. I’ve loved taking on this new role.”

For Horan, the USWNT won’t just be facing challenges in terms of a stronger-than-ever field of opponents. There are also the realities of going to a World Cup without big names like Sauerbrunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Catarina Macario, Christen Press, and Mallory Swanson.

“It’s been tough on us,” admitted the 29-year-old. “Some of the injuries that we’ve picked up over the past year and recently, it’s unfortunate. No one likes to see that. You don’t want to see some of these big players out and missing a World Cup.”

Still, to Horan, the USWNT’s vaunted mentality is the key to overcoming both the lost talent on the field and the disruptions to the squad’s rhythm off of it.

“When it comes down to it, when we get to tournament mode, and we have to finalize all the details, that’s when we all kind of embrace our roles on the team,” said Horan. “[We] know that we’re fighting for each individual out there that’s on the roster, and players that didn’t make it as well. We come together, and I think every major tournament that I’ve played in, that’s kind of how it goes.”

“You put the team first and the individual second, and you do whatever you can to win and I think that’s the kind of thing that just brings everyone together.”

Watch Sports Seriously with Lindsey Horan

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USWNT’s Horan says bonjour to Lyon, au revoir to Portland Thorns

Lyon put up one of the biggest transfer fees in women’s soccer

Lindsey Horan is going to be staying in France for a while yet.

The U.S. women’s national team midfielder has completed a transfer to Lyon, with the French powerhouse stating that they had paid the Portland Thorns a €250,000 transfer fee to seal the deal.

Per Lyon, that fee could rise by €50,000, though the club did not specify what would trigger that extra payment. Horan has signed a contract that runs through June 30, 2026.

“Since Lindsey left on loan for France we have remained in contact and continued the dialogue about her return to Portland,” Thorns FC general manager Karina LeBlanc said in a press release announcing the move. “In our discussions, Lindsey expressed her desire to remain there long term and continue that journey. She has our full support, and we are grateful for all the success she has helped bring to this club.”

“Portland holds such a special place in my heart, I made many incredible memories I will never forget,” said Horan. “I want to thank all those at the Thorns organization who have supported me along the way, my teammates, my coaches, and of course, the best fans in the world. Playing for this club and city and getting to experience gameday at Providence Park brought me great joy during my career. For me, Portland will always be home. Thank you for understanding my goals and dreams in my continuing career.”

Horan’s long-term future at Lyon

Horan’s move doesn’t come as a surprise. In May, Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor stated that she would be carrying on with the club next season while discussing forthcoming changes to her squad.

The 29-year-old joined Lyon on an 18-month loan in January 2022. Since then, she has been an integral player for a team that has gone on to win two Division 1 Féminine championships, the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League, and the 2022-23 Coupe de France.

Horan’s long-term contract points to the more aggressive investment in the team expected under Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang, who has taken over the women’s side of the club after agreeing to a deal with Lyon owner John Textor.

While figures have not always been available for transfers in women’s soccer — an area that has seen rapid growth in recent years — England midfielder Keira Walsh’s €470,000 move to Barcelona is believed to be the biggest single fee paid for a traditional transfer. If the €50,000 bonus is triggered, Horan’s move would be second on that list, just ahead of Pernille Harder’s transfer to Chelsea (which involved a reported €294,000 fee) and Beth England’s switch to Tottenham (€285,000).

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Lyon boss Bompastor: Horan will stay beyond end of Thorns loan

Lyon wants Horan to stick around, which might work for all parties

Don’t expect Lindsey Horan back in the NWSL this year.

That’s the message from Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor, who says that the U.S. women’s national team midfielder will remain with the club despite her loan from the Portland Thorns ending next month.

Bompastor, speaking to Lyon’s in-house broadcasting arm, did not have specific details on whether Lyon would complete a transfer for Horan or simply extend her loan.

When Horan’s loan move to Lyon was announced in January 2022, it came in conjunction with news that she had agreed to a contract with Portland running through 2025. While a longer loan is certainly possible, a transfer for one of the staples of the USWNT would very likely require one of the biggest fees ever paid in women’s soccer.

Bompastor additionally stated that Lyon’s other USWNT player, Catarina Macario, will leave on a free transfer this summer. Per a report in The Athletic, Macario — who on Tuesday confirmed that she will miss the World Cup as she continues to rehab a torn ACL — is set to join Chelsea as a free agent.

Per Bompastor, Macario would be joined by some big names leaving Lyon. Amandine Henry, Signe Bruun, Janice Cayman, and Emma Holmgren were also on her list of players that won’t be re-signed once their contracts end.

Lyon move may work for all parties

Under normal circumstances, a player like Horan would be very difficult to acquire on loan, even for Lyon, and on the surface one would expect Portland to be counting the days before her return.

However, the Thorns have adopted a roster-building strategy where they have developed both the strongest starting midfield in the NWSL, as well as its deepest. In head coach Mike Norris’ preferred 4-3-3 formation, Crystal Dunn, Olivia Moultrie, Raquel Rodríguez, Christine Sinclair, and Hina Sugita are all vying for two midfield spots alongside defensive midfielder Sam Coffey.

Were Horan to come back to Portland ASAP, she would still be expected to have a first-choice role, but it would lead to something of a roster imbalance for a stacked side that won the 2022 NWSL final without her.

Meanwhile, Horan has thrived in France. She has been a regular starter on a team that has won the 2021-22 Champions League, two Division 1 Féminine trophies, and this year’s Coupe de France in the 16 months since Horan’s loan began.

It’s a rare case where all parties have the means and motive to make the move without any side losing out. With Lyon under new ownership in the form of ambitious Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang, the club seems well-positioned to put up the money it would take to buy out Horan’s contract with Portland and make the move permanent.

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Chelsea fends off Lyon as UWCL quarterfinal goes into Twilight Zone

The UWCL drama levels, and the strangeness, were extremely high

Chelsea and Lyon played out a UEFA Women’s Champions League classic on Thursday, with the finish containing equal parts weirdness and drama

The Blues emerged victorious on penalties despite losing 2-1 on the night, with Maren Mjelde’s spot kick in the eighth minute of stoppage time leveling the aggregate scoreline at 2-2 with the game’s final touch.

Ann-Katrin Berger then emerged as the hero, saving two spot kicks to end Lyon’s reign as the champions of Europe.

Chelsea won the first leg 1-0 in France, setting up an extremely tense second leg. Both teams pursued the opening goal, and between that exuberance, typically rainy London conditions, and desperation from both teams to win, a true battle played out at Stamford Bridge.

Berger stopped an early Delphine Cascarino chance (with Lindsey Horan inches away from poking the rebound home), only for Christiane Endler to respond by denying a Sam Kerr one-on-one later in the first half.

The tension kept going up, and the game got progressively more strange. Melanie Leupolz had to leave the match a bloody mess after she was struck in the face by Danielle van de Donk’s trailing hand. A short-handed Chelsea would end up withdrawing their entire central midfield for a range of reasons, while a typically stacked Lyon was able to turn to the likes of Ada Hegerberg and Dzsenifer Marozsán off the bench.

Finally a goal came, and for Lyon it was symbolic of how scrappy they had to be to gain an edge over Chelsea on the night. A recycled set piece was chested down by Wendie Renard to Horan, who had just enough speed to round Jess Charles and hit a blind cross along the endline.

Vanessa Gilles had stayed forward, and did just barely enough to reach a foot out before Magdalena Eriksson could arrive, somehow prodding the ball towards goal, off Berger’s upper arm, and (by mere inches) over the line.

Through sheer willpower, Lyon appeared to have gained an edge as Chelsea’s energy levels flagged. Extra time largely saw the visitors look more potent, and if anything a goal for the defending champions felt inevitable.

In the 110th minute, the pressure finally told. Vicki Bècho’s clever flick gave Lyon width, and Hegerberg’s cross from the right floated just out of Eriksson’s reach. With the rest of the Chelsea defense too stagnant, Sara Däbritz’s bobbling finish — while far from convincing — was just enough to get past Berger.

Chelsea began the predictable “last chance saloon” approach, hoofing it long and hoping for the best. Lyon, with a team stocked with strong headers and seeming to have more energy, looked solid.

However, with essentially the last play of the match, the French giants couldn’t quite clear Berger’s free kick from midfield. Wendie Renard won the first header, but could only glance the ball away from the goalmouth. Kerr tried a cross, but Bècho beat multiple Chelsea players to the ball.

Chelsea’s Lauren James saw that header fall to her, and for a split-second, the option to shoot was open. James took another touch though, then tried to get to the endline. Bècho followed, and James hit the deck.

Initially, referee Ivana Martinčić had no interest in giving a penalty, but a two-minute VAR check (all coming after the two minutes of stoppage time that had initially been announced) centered on whether Bècho had clipped James, or if James had clipped her own feet.

At long last, Martinčić gave the penalty, but even that wasn’t enough drama for this match. It took over a minute from that point for Mjelde to have the ball on the spot, but there were still two more minutes to wait. The reason? Martinčić wanted every player from both teams, other than Mjelde and Endler, to clear out of the area. It seemed like this was a literal last kick.

More than three minutes after knowing she’d have to take a stoppage-time penalty in a UWCL quarterfinal against mighty Lyon, and with manager Emma Hayes literally unable to look, Mjelde held her nerve, powering the equalizer past one of the world’s best goalkeepers.

Chelsea shot first in the tiebreaker, and Mjelde — just four minutes in real time from when she’d beaten Endler the first time — was among the successful shots from both teams. However, Berger flew to her left to deny Renard in the third round, giving Chelsea the edge.

It lasted just moments. On the very next shot, Endler dove to her right to slap James’ penalty away, and Däbritz would bring Lyon back to even terms heading into the final round.

Jess Carter made no mistake for Chelsea, but with the game on the line, Berger read Horan’s intentions all the way, tipping the U.S. women’s national team star’s effort away.

Chelsea, despite looking like they’d run out of gas before crossing the finish line, were somehow through.

Having come through extraordinary drama, Chelsea joins Barcelona, Arsenal, and Wolfsburg — who knocked out France’s other big power, Paris Saint-Germain, earlier on Thursday — in the semifinal draw.

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USWNT counter-presses their way to SheBelieves Cup win over Brazil

The USWNT may need to improve against a press, but their counter-press is looking sharp

Much has been made of the U.S. women’s national team’s issues against high-pressing foes of late, but they showed they can dish it out better than anyone at the SheBelieves Cup.

The USWNT defeated Brazil 2-1 Wednesday night, with counter-pressure leading to goals from Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson and helping generate much of the U.S. attack during an even contest. Brazil pulled a very late goal back thanks to Ludmila, but ultimately came up just short as the USWNT lifted the trophy in this tournament for the fourth straight time.

Still, it has to be said that Brazil gave them a real test. As was the case in their win over Japan, the USWNT struggled with a foe implementing a high press in the early minutes. It would be unfair to say they were in as much trouble on Wednesday as they were against the Japanese — Crystal Dunn hit the post in the fourth minute, and many USWNT turnovers were totally self-inflicted — but the team still has a clear issue to work on with the World Cup looming this summer.

Even when the USWNT had started to find better angles and more precision to break that press, the Brazilian counter-attack remained a major threat. Kerolin rolled a shot just wide after an incisive break forward after Brazil broke out just as the U.S. had pushed seven players into the attack.

The USWNT finally gave Brazil a taste of their own medicine in the final seconds of the half, with a counter-press ending with Lindsey Horan jarring the ball loose. Andi Sullivan immediately seized the chance, playing a 35-yard pass to send Alex Morgan in alone.

Morgan finished with clinical ease, but an offside flag interrupted her celebrations.

Morgan may have been disappointed, but she didn’t have to wait long to get on the scoresheet. In the final seconds of the half, Brazil hesitated, expecting a foul call after Rose Lavelle was tripped up. Referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin let the USWNT carry on with their attack, and Horan immediately played a similar ball to Sullivan’s through for Swanson.

Swanson has been in such good form that it was fair to expect her to finish against four Brazil defenders, but with her shot being blocked, Morgan was on hand to pick up the pieces. The San Diego Wave striker took a touch before bending a sublime 24-yard shot around the traffic in the box and into the far corner.

Brazil didn’t let the goal get them down, with winger Adriana lining up a shot moments into the second half that beat Alyssa Naeher but clanked off the crossbar.

Still, the USWNT had their chances as well: Morgan nearly scored one of the least orthodox goals of her career, while seconds later both Becky Sauerbrunn and Sullivan both had point-blank shots blocked in a scrum following a corner kick.

Brazil was starting to look a little unsure about how to progress the ball against the USWNT, and the counter-press factored in yet again as they padded their lead through — who else? — Swanson.

Lynn Williams, mere seconds after entering the fray, won a tackle at midfield, gifting Lavelle possession between the lines. The OL Reign star surged forward against a retreating defense, but once Rafaelle decided at last to step to the ball, Lavelle immediately fed Swanson for a pinpoint low finish.

We should pause to consider Swanson’s form, which remains unreal: seven goals in 2023, and eight in her last six USWNT appearances.

Brazil weren’t offering much in terms of a comeback, but almost out of nowhere, snagged a goal that won’t go over very well when the USWNT reviews this match. NJ/NY Gotham FC fullback Bruninha lofted a cross to the back post, and despite the presence of Naeher, Emily Fox, and Naomi Girma, Ludmila somehow managed to win the header and tuck the ball away by guiding it back across goal.

The same duo nearly combined again as Brazil suddenly showed some life, with Girma having to get her header exactly right under pressure from Ludmila, but from that moment on, the USWNT settled down and saw themselves through to yet another SheBelieves Cup victory.

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USWNT midfield ‘tremendous’ in SheBelieves Cup win over Canada

The USWNT boss was delighted with Horan, Sanchez, and Sullivan’s play against Canada

The SheBelieves Cup may be delivering more clarity to the U.S. women’s national team’s midfield picture.

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski has taken more questions about that part of his team in recent months than any other. However, a recent change has shifted it from a cause for concern to one that is making progress towards being an area of true strength at the World Cup.

Even without Rose Lavelle (who was held out as a precaution due to a minor injury), the USWNT central trio of Lindsey Horan, Ashley Sanchez, and Andi Sullivan controlled play on both sides of the ball, giving their side the platform for a straightforward 2-0 victory over Canada on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Andonovski first praised his entire team from a mentality and effort perspective, and then had plenty to say about the particular qualities of his midfield’s performance.

“Obviously we have a plan,” said Andonovski, alluding to an ongoing process that has seen the USWNT have to move away from having veteran stars like Julie Ertz and Sam Mewis available. “The plan is in several stages, and in the stage that we’re at right now, I’m actually very happy with our midfield.”

Andonovski has most recently made a small, but nonetheless significant change to how his midfield structure looks, and the distribution of roles that comes with it. A team that spent much of 2021 and 2022 playing out of a 4-3-3 formation — with two midfielders (usually Lavelle and Horan) obliged to join the attack — has since this past November moved into a 4-2-3-1. That has sacrificed attacking numbers, but the trade brings solidity against counter-attacks and fluency in possession.

That change helped tilt the win against Germany that ended a rare three-game losing streak for the USWNT, and against Canada it seemed to really be bearing fruit against top-tier opposition.

In a match where Canada were held to 0.24 expected goals despite trailing from the game’s opening stages, Sullivan was a midfield force, tackling with authority and prompting the team’s tempo. Horan seemed to barely put a foot wrong alongside her, easily moving the ball out of pressure and playing passes into the final third. Sanchez, playing as the No. 10, nearly scored an early golazo and was able to repeatedly draw Canadian defenders before dishing the ball off to open players.

Praise for the entire midfield triangle

Andonovski was particularly effusive about the partnership between Horan and Sullivan, and how that benefits both players individually.

“I’m gonna start with Andi. I thought she was tremendous,” said Andonovski. “I thought that she was very good defensively and covered every little gap that developed, and part of the reason why Canada couldn’t break through the middle was because of Andi and her ability to close down.”

On Horan, Andonovski said with a smile that “on both sides of the ball, Lindsey was Lindsey… pressure doesn’t faze her, and she has ability to do things on the ball that not many players can do. She’s just a world-class midfielder. But one thing that I was happy about Lindsey, is that she doesn’t neglect the work off the ball. She puts [in] a proper shift, and effort off the ball. So that’s what makes her world-class.”

Andonovski said that Sanchez, who got her 20th cap but has largely been restricted to appearances off the bench, did well but would benefit from more time to gel with striker Alex Morgan and the rest of the attack. In particular, her relationship with Morgan in the defensive phases was tested, and the USWNT boss says that was a major positive to take from the game.

“Sanchez has got special qualities,” explained Andonovski. “It’s not easy to synchronize her movements right away, because she hasn’t played much with Alex [Morgan], but when they do [synchronize], I think it worked very well. I’m very happy where she’s at positionally, and happy where she’s at in the stage of her development.

“The [area] that I feel like she needs to grow and get better is the defensive part, because she puts so much work and effort [in], but her timing and angle is just a little bit off. And it’s not quite synchronized with Alex’s movement when we want to shift from mid-block into high press, for example.”

Andonovski said that Sanchez “studies the game a lot” and said that Canada’s test of how well the USWNT’s front four could restrict their build-out phase is a great learning opportunity for Sanchez when her side doesn’t have the ball.

“I have no doubt that she’s gonna get better. In fact, games like this as well, it’s going to help her get better, because if we try certain things with her against teams that [are] not going to expose us, we’re probably not going to see everything that we want to see,” said Andonovski. “Now, every little thing: if you’re not in the proper spot, if you’re one step to the left or one step to the right, you’re gonna get exposed, and that’s where you learn the most.”

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Horan, Horvath and Richards attend NFL game in London with cast of ‘Ted Lasso’

Football is life!

A trio of American soccer stars were in London over the weekend to watch the Vikings face the Saints in an NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

USWNT star midfielder Lindsey Horan was joined by USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner and defender Chris Richards alongside the cast of Apple’s popular Ted Lasso show.

Horan’s French club team, Lyon, is just a two-hour flight from London, and she’s in town this week for the USWNT’s upcoming friendly against England at Wembley Stadium.

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Turner and Richards didn’t have to travel far for the game as they play for London-based clubs Arsenal and Crystal Palace, respectively.

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Christian Pulisic, who plays for nearby Chelsea, attended a game featuring his Jets in London last year. The Jets won’t to return to England this year, but the NFL has two more London games on deck later this season.

Horan played 19 minutes off the bench in Lyon’s 2-0 win over Rodez Aveyron on Saturday. Turner is coming off an impressive performance with the USMNT and he’s expected to play in cup games with Arsenal this fall. Richards is still working his way back into Crystal Palace’s squad after leaving USMNT camp with a “minor injury” last month.

The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25 on Sunday.

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