Cecilie Fløe scored in extra time and the Tampa Bay Sun won the inaugural USL Women’s Super League championship with a 1-0 victory over Fort Lauderdale United on Saturday night.
Sydny Nasello dribbled the ball along the back line before feeding it to Fløe, who timed her run between two defenders and scored in the 100th minute in front of a sellout crowd at Tampa’s Riverfront Stadium. It was the Danish international’s 12th goal of the season.
Fort Lauderdale United (11-9-9) upset the top-seeded North Carolina Ascent, the Players’ Shield winners, 2-1 in the semifinals last weekend. The Sun (13-6-10) downed the Dallas Trinity 2-1 in the other semi.
The Super League, which wrapped up its first season, sits on the top tier of women’s professional soccer in the United States alongside the National Women’s Soccer League.
The eight-team league plays a fall-to-spring calendar like many international leagues. A ninth team will join next season.
While it doesn’t have the profile of the more established NWSL, the Super League has expanded the opportunities for women to play professional soccer in the United States.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more .