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USWNT Abroad Feb. 23GOAL
Celia Balf

USWNT Abroad: Naomi Girma’s 99th-minute winner for Chelsea FC headlines dramatic European weekend

GOAL breaks down the key moments from USWNT players abroad, including Girma helping Chelsea advance in the FA Cup, and Emily Fox rolling on gracefully with Arsenal.

It was a statement weekend for Americans Abroad - one defined by late drama, emphatic wins, and U.S. women making their presence felt across Europe. 

Naomi Girma delivered the moment of the weekend, rising in the 99th minute to score the game-winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United. In England, Emily Fox and Arsenal handled their business with ease, rolling past Bristol City Women 3-0, while across the Channel, Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes were relentless as OL Lyonnes tore through Olympique de Marseille in a six-goal takeover. FA Cup action rounded out the slate, with Sam Coffey and Manchester City cruising comfortably past Sheffield United.

Club play now pauses for the international break, with FA Cup competition set to resume afterward. Attention turns to the USWNT and the SheBelieves Cup, where a fully blended squad will come together for the first time this year - NWSL standouts joining those plying their trade in the WSL and France.

From Heaps’ tireless midfield surges to Girma’s last-gasp heroics, GOAL takes a closer look at how USWNT players fared across Europe over the weekend.

  • Naomi Girma Chelsea 2025Getty

    Girma's 99th minute thriller advances Chelsea

    It’s rare for center backs to find the scoresheet - rarer still on a Chelsea side with no shortage of attacking firepower. But Girma is not a typical defender. Known first as a shutdown presence at the back, she also has a knack for drifting into the right spaces when it matters most.

    On Sunday, Girma didn’t just score - she delivered the moment. Her 99th-minute strike, the first of her Chelsea career, broke a deadlock in a tightly contested match and sent the Blues into FA Cup final contention. Without her clutch moment, Chelsea’s season might be telling a very different story.

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  • Phallon Tullis-Joyce Man Utd HICGetty Images

    Tullis-Joyce keeps United in the game single-handedly

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Manchester United ultimately fell short, but the goalkeeper did her part to keep Chelsea in check.

    Tullis-Joyce was busy early, turning away efforts from USWNT teammate Alyssa Thompson and denying dangerous looks from Sam Kerr, Keira Walsh, and Erin Cuthbert. United, second in the WSL standings and eight points off leaders Manchester City, stayed competitive throughout — but despite Tullis-Joyce’s strong showing, their FA Cup run came to an end at Chelsea on Sunday.

  • OL Lyonnes v Club Atletico de Madrid - UEFA Women's Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6Getty Images Sport

    Heaps and OL Lyonnes show off against Marseille

    Before Lindsey Heaps returns home to play for the Denver Summit in their inaugural season, she still has unfinished business in France's top-flight with OL Lyonnes. 

    The midfielder was all over the pitch for OL Lyonnes, helping them tap in six goals against Olympique de Marseille in a 6-2 thrashing. One play specifically, she collected the ball at midfield, played a perfectly weighted through ball into Sofia Svava down the left wing, and crashed the net to get on the return service. While she didn't get the goal, her work rate and scramble in the box set up Tabitha Chawinga to put one away.

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  • Emily Fox Arsenal Women 2025-26Getty Images

    Emily Fox and Arsenal cruise past Bristol City

    Arsenal’s strong form has carried them deep into the season, with just two domestic fixtures remaining - against London City Lionesses and West Ham - before a high-profile Champions League quarterfinal clash with Chelsea. Once again, Fox was a steady presence down the flank, helping the Gunners keep a clean sheet and cruise past Bristol City.

    Arsenal will now pause for the international break, with Fox set to join the USWNT at the SheBelieves Cup before club play resumes in mid-March.