Ahead Alex Morgan performed quarter-hour and had a penalty kick saved on Sunday for San Diego Wave FC in her ultimate match as an expert.
Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, introduced on Thursday that the Wave’s NWSL residence recreation at Snapdragon Stadium towards the North Carolina Braveness could be the final of her almost 14-year profession on the worldwide {and professional} stage.
On Sunday, Morgan was denied a dream exit by North Carolina Braveness goalkeeper Casey Murphy, one in all Morgan’s teammates with the United States nationwide staff in recent times. Morgan stepped as much as the spot after the Wave earned a penalty within the tenth minute, however her left-footed effort was saved by Murphy.
San Diego scored an equalizer three minutes later, and Morgan started leaving the sphere with simply over 13 minutes on the clock, a nod to the No. 13 that she famously wore for membership and nation over the previous decade-plus.
She eliminated her cleats at midfield and tearfully waved and blew kisses to the group — who was chanting her identify — as gamers from each groups surrounded her and applauded. She was changed by ahead Amirah Ali.
In a primary for a girls’s sporting occasion, the sport was proven throughout a number of shops, together with the ESPN networks, concurrently within the U.S. The Sunday night recreation was initially slated to air on NWSL+ and Paramount+.
Morgan mentioned on Friday that she would play “restricted” minutes on Sunday and introduced on Thursday, along with her retirement, that she is pregnant together with her second youngster.
The USWNT veteran was on the groups that received the 2015 and 2019 World Cups and an Olympic gold medal in 2012, in addition to a bronze medal in 2021. She scored 123 objectives for the USWNT, fifth most in program historical past and is one in all solely seven gamers to attain 100 or extra.
Morgan performed in 4 World Cups, together with her breakout on the 2011 version, when the USWNT misplaced the ultimate to Japan in a penalty shootout.
Domestically, Morgan received the inaugural NWSL title with the Portland Thorns in 2013. She additionally received an expert title in her rookie season in 2011, with the Western New York Flash in Girls’s Skilled Soccer, the NWSL’s predecessor.
Morgan received the NWSL Golden Boot in 2022, scoring 15 objectives in 17 video games whereas serving to the Wave change into the primary NWSL enlargement staff to qualify for the playoffs in its first season. Final 12 months, the Wave received the NWSL Defend as one of the best staff of the NWSL common season.
She performed in 150 NWSL video games, 63 of which had been for San Diego. In 2017, Morgan joined Lyon on a short-term deal and received a treble, together with the UEFA Champions League.
Morgan wore the captain’s armband for San Diego on Sunday.
Her daughter, four-year-old Charlie, was her mascot for the walkout and nationwide anthem. Charlie wore a Wave jersey with “MOM 13” on the again. Morgan mentioned she anticipated about 80 household and associates to attend Sunday’s match, most of whom joined her on the sphere earlier than the match.