Women's soccer league players kneel during the National Anthem wearing Black Lives Matter shirts in their first games since the pandemic began - and US national team defender Casey Short breaks down in tears

Players with the National Women's Soccer League knelt during the national anthem Saturday when the Challenge Cup tournament opened in Utah - marking the first US professional sporting event since the coronavirus pandemic.  

Players with Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts in warmups before the game, which was nationally televised on CBS.

They also knelt during a moment of silence before kickoff.

Photos taken from the field show all players from both teams kneeling as a sign of protest against racial injustice, police brutality and racism.   

The league confirmed the day before that it would play the national anthem before the Challenge Cup games and that it would support the players in whatever they chose to do. 

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National Women's Soccer League players with the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage knelt during the National Anthem on Saturday during the Challenge Cup tournament 

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Players wore Black Lives Matter shirts during warmups and Chicago Red Stars player Sarah Gorden wore a Black Lives Matter armband throughout the game (pictured) 

The death of George Floyd and other Black Americans while in police custody has brought a reckoning to the US, pushing citizens to re-examine the intricate effects of systematic racism.  

The Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage shared a joint statement before the game to clarify their stance on Black Lives Matter. 

'We took a knee today to protest racial injustice, police brutality and systemic racism against Black people and people of color in America,' the statement read. 

'We love our country and we have taken this opportunity to hold it to a higher standard. It is our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms this nation was founded upon are extended to everyone.'   

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The two teams took a knee during the National Anthem to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and protests racial injustice 

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The Challenge Cup tournament in the first professional sports event in the US to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic, but fans were not allowed to be inside the stadium

World Cup Champion Megan Rapinoe, who plays for OL Reign but opted out of the Challenge Cup, praised the move on Twitter. 

Rapinoe  was criticized when she knelt at an NWSL game and a pair of U.S. national team games in 2016.

At the time, she said she wanted to express solidarity with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the anthem to bring attention to racial inequality. 

'You love to see it. You love to see these women using their voice, demanding better for America, and for black people and people of color,' wrote Rapinoe. 

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Soccer star Megan Rapnioe praised the four National Women's Soccer League players on Twitter, noting 'you love to see women using their voice'

According to a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, support for NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick and his stance against police injustice has grown.

Fifty-eight per cent of the 18-29 age group said they supported  Kaepernick's cause while 48 per cent of the 30-44 age group agreed.

The older generations' percentages did not peak over 40 per cent, with 57 per cent of surveyors over 65 opposing.  

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The Portland Thorn and North Carolina Courage shared a joint statement ahead of the tournament game saying they support Black Lives Matter

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Megan Rapinoe (right) was criticized in 2016 for kneeling during the National Anthem at a NWSL game, but said she did it to stand in solidarity with NFL player Colin Kaepernick 

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NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick (pictured center) fought against police brutality in 2016 by kneeling during the National Anthem at NFL games

During the late match between the Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit, emotions ran high as some players remained standing while others broke down in tears. 

Casey Short, a Black player with the US Women's National Team, knelt on both knees as she cried during the National Anthem

She found comfort in teammate Julie Ertz, who wrapped an arm around her friend in a powerful moment of solidarity. 

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Chicago Red Stars defender Casey Short (center) broke down in tears during the National Anthem on Saturday at the Challenge Cup tournament 

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She was comforted by her teammate Julie Ertz (left), who knelt in solidarity with Short and the Black Lives Matter movement 

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Unlike the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage, not all players on the Red Stars knelt during the National Anthem. The NWSL said it would support the players in whatever they chose to do.

'This moment and this movement means everything to our players,' the NWSL wrote on Twitter.  

The NWSL is the first professional team sport in the United States to return amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

The surge of cases and deaths earlier this year forced sports leagues at all levels to temporarily shutter play in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. 

Leagues like the NBA, MLB and NHL have laid out plans to begin resuming normal operations amid the pandemic, which has recorded 2,510,092 confirmed cases and 125,539 deaths.

The month-long Challenge Cup is being played without fans at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.

'Today, hopefully, it was a powerful statement,' Courage midfielder Sam Mewis said after her team defeated the Thorns 2-1.

 'It was an emotional time and I hope that both teams' message comes through clearly.'

Thorns defender Becky Sauerbrunn said: 'The (players' association) has been about collaborating with teams on what we can do to maintain and sustain the conversation around racial injustice in this country.

'We made a strong statement and we wanted to kind of maintain that momentum that has been happening and to show official commitment to the cause,' she added.

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Pictured: Seating is taped off to meet social distancing needs before the start of the NWSL Challenge Cup soccer match between the Portland Thorns FC and the North Carolina Courage

In response, U.S. Soccer adopted a rule that required players to stand. But that rule was repealed earlier this month amid continued nationwide protests. 

Tennis legend Billie Jean King lauded the NWSL's efforts, saying: 'As the #NWSL becomes the first professional sports league to return to play, both teams kneel during the anthem in solidarity with [Black Lives Matter].

'This is how you use your platform for change. Well done.'

But not everyone was impressed by the decision. 

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Tennis legend Billie Jean King: 'As the #NWSL becomes the first professional sports league to return to play, both teams kneel during the anthem in solidarity with [Black Lives Matter]'

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Toronto FC player Jozy Altidore blasted former men's national player Alexis Lalas for saying it took 'courage' to stand for the National Anthem in a jab against the women' s teams 

'Now it takes courage to actually stand for the national anthem,' former men’s national player Alexis Lalas wrote on Twitter. 

He's since deleted the tweet after Jozy Altidore of the Toronto FC and others pushed back.

'No. Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe had real courage,' wrote Altidore.

Spirit Coach Richie Burke joined his players in kneeling before the late game.

'I´m grateful for everything this country has given me, but I feel the need to support the Black Lives Matter movement because I know this privilege isn´t the same for everyone. This is just the start. There is much more work to be done,' Burke said.

Mewis said the teams will continue to call attention to racial injustice throughout the Challenge Cup.

'I think we want to keep this momentum and keep the attention on the Black Lives Matter movement throughout this tournament,' she said.