From Gotham to Chelsea, two stars gave fans moments to remember

Not every moment of soccer euphoria has to come from championship trophies or dramatic game-winning goals. Sometimes it's the moments that seem exciting yet unextraordinary to the outside world, but mean everything to the individual, that bring immense joy.

Jaedyn Shaw: New team, same brilliant old habits

Jaedyn Shaw had a handful of days to incorporate herself into a championship caliber team already in their groove. Then, come game day, there's the expectation that she will make her new team better, outperform her peers, and justify her record transfer. That's a lot of pressure for anyone.

But Shaw is a world-class striker with goal-scoring in her veins, and with only 45 minutes to make a first impression, she headed home a goal with conviction.

It wasn't a game-winner, but Gotham staff took a deep breath, reassured that they knew what they were doing, Gotham fans had their arms wide open for their newest star, and Jaedyn Shaw let the emotions flow because even world-class athletes don't always get their dream debuts, but she did.

Sam Kerr: The moment that lifted a 634 day weight

The anticipation for Sam Kerr to make her Chelsea return after two excruciating years rivaled that of women of quite literally any age drooling in anticipation of The Summer I Turned Pretty series finale.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has urged patience from everyone in regard to Kerr's return. It's a process. Even for the game's biggest stars.

But Sam Kerr's stoppage-time goal against Aston Villa marked her 100th Chelsea goal and, perhaps more importantly, marked the return of a joyful, confident Kerr. It wasn't her most spectacular goal, but it's in the running for most important.

There's nothing quite as empowering as a striker scoring a goal when they need it the most.

Chelsea has a remarkable roster and is spoilt for choice in their front line. Kerr has competition. The club certainly didn't sit still in her absence. But she's back, and full of hunger, and Chelsea and Sam Kerr are both enjoying life at the moment.

For two players, September 2025 will always mean something. Two unforgettable moments in an otherwise ordinary week.