[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

• The Unknown International: Natasha Dowie – Allison Cary highlights Natasha Dowie in this weeks unknown international. 
• MVA: 5 Reasons Tobin Heath Is The Thorns’ Most Valuable Asset – Tobin Heath has returned from injury. Lindsay Schwarz breaks down why she is the most valuable asset for the Thorns. 
• The View from the Sideline: Washington Spirit vs Boston Breakers – Kelly Piper shows off her photo skills again in this set from the Spirit and Breakers game. 
• Route Two Soccer – Portland and Orlando Fight Out an Interesting 0-0 Draw – Charles Olney breaks down the draw between Orlando and Portland. 
• The View from the Sideline: Orlando Pride vs Portland Thorns – Kat Farris took some amazing shots at the Orlando and Portland game. 
• 6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 21 – Elizabeth Wawryzniak, Alyssa Zajac, and Luis Hernandez break down their takeaways from last weekend’s matches. 
• Soccer Takes From Jake: End Of The Line – Jacob Cristobal makes some NWSL predictions and shares his thoughts on the final weekend. 

Quick Fire Week 22 Game Previews:

We have arrived in the final week of the 2017 NWSL season before the playoffs arrive and what a season it has been! The four playoff teams are set: North Carolina, Portland, Chicago, and Orlando have all secured their spot. Let’s take a look at how the final regular season weekend matches up. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Chicago Red Stars

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 44

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 39

With second place securely locked up in the playoffs, I assume that Head Coach Mark Parsons will be looking at resting some starters to prepare for the home semi-final match the next weekend. Then again, this may be their semi-final matchup so they may want to test some things before that. With one of the best defenses in the league, they will look to contain the Red Stars attacking push. But the struggle they had last week against Orlando was spending so much time defending they were unable to get much going on the offensive end. This worked against Orlando but may not work against Chicago who will exploit the width that Orlando didn’t. So their task this week, if they want to win, will be to spur their offensive attack a lot more than they have been. 

Chicago will need a draw or win to secure the third place spot in the playoffs or for Orlando to draw or lose. This week will be interesting if they decide to go the resting route to prepare for the semi-finals or go all out as this environment and team may be who their semi-final opponent is. By the end of last weeks match the Red Stars looked exhausted as their starters have been put through the ringer this season. If we assume no one rests this should be quite the matchup. While Chicago’s defense has suffered a bit over the last several games, Vanessa DiBernardo coming back to the field will help settle everyone around her and get Chicago clicking better. Chicago will also be without Yuki Nagasato this week due to red-card suspension. Chicago will need the offensive prowess of Christen Press and Sofia Huerta to make something happen for them up top. And the defense will need to make sure to not let Portland get any pockets of space to allow the likes of Hayley Raso to speed past them.

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Seattle Reign

Washington Spirit record: 5-15-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 19

Seattle Reign record: 8-8-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

Washington was only able to put two field substitutes on the field last week due to injury and by the end, the team just looked exhausted. I expect this week to see them put up a good fight in their last home match but that will entirely depend on what Seattle team shows up to play. Washington has some great pieces, save for the offside calls, Mal Pugh netted two goals last game for the Spirit. I expect her to be just as involved this week in sparking the offense. It will be up to the defense, which has struggled especially since Estelle Johnson went out, to stave off the Seattle attack.

Megan Rapinoe is out for the final match of the Reign 2017 season due to yellow card accumulation. With nothing left to play for but pride, I expect Seattle to come out blazing and playing a lot more free. This will also be the final match of her career for Elli Reed, who is retiring. Combine those two and I expect Seattle to not have too many issues this week with a depleted Spirit side. 

Game 3: Boston Breakers vs. Sky Blue FC

Boston Breakers record: 4-12-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 30

Boston has had pockets of good throughout the season but find themselves in a very similar predicament to last year. Progress has been made but they still are not winning very much. With their big road win last week against the Spirit, they carry that momentum into their final match of the season to their house. This week Boston’s biggest task will be shutting down Sam Kerr and letting her capitalize on any opportunities because if they’re there, she’s taking them. Sky Blue’s defensive struggles have been apparent this season and Boston is starting to see a bit of a spark in their offensive. If they can take advantage of that weakness and the opportunities it will inevitably produce, we could see this game go either way.

Sky Blue will be looking to end their season on a high note after fighting to a good draw with the first-place Courage last weekend. Sky Blue saw a lot of opportunities last week against a tough team but could not finish their chances. But this week, with Boston on the struggling end of things as well, if they can capitalize on mistakes and opportunities from the Boston defense, Sam Kerr just might get that goal record this weekend. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Orlando Pride 

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-7
Position: 4th
Total Points: 37

The Courage are coming into this game on short rest and with the shield locked up, I would not be surprised to see some starters resting. Both Jaelene Hinkle and Katelyn Rowland were completely rested and Taylor Smith saw limited minutes. This may have been in part to save players for this weekend’s match as it is also a potential match we will see in the semi-finals if current standings hold. This will be a deciding factor I think it what we may see in the outcome of the weekend. Overall, the Courage have not scored the most goals this season but enough to firmly cement their place at the top. Sam Mewis has been stellar and will be a threat both offensively and defensively this weekend. The Courage will be tasked with making sure that Marta and Alex Morgan are not given many chances to connect as the Pride engine relies on that a lot. 

The Pride are coming in this weekend with a lot less pressure as they were able to clinch the final playoff spot thanks to the result of the FCKC and Seattle game last weekend. The Pride would be pressed to treat this match like a playoff as this could very well be who they are facing in the semi-final but I can also see Head Coach Tom Sermanni giving some players a rest who may be dealing with slight injuries or fatigue. If I was a betting woman, I do not think we will see Steph Catley this weekend due to the small knock she took last week against Portland. The Pride need to make sure they are exploiting the wide areas against the Courage this week as Portland was able to shut down their entire offensive game last week by making them play too tight. While the Pride defense has gotten a lot better in the last several games, the Courage attack can give them fits if they do not keep their line tight and organized. 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Houston Dash

FC Kansas City record: 8-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 30

Houston Dash record: 7-14-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

FCKC put a dagger in the playoff hopes of the Seattle Reign last week and have been on a successful run for their last several games. With the Dash clearly struggling on and off the field, I expect to see FCKC finish their season on a positive note. Look this week for them to exploit the defensive scramble that the Courage were able to mid-week. And if Becky Sauerbrunn plays like she did against Seattle, Houston will have a very hard time getting anything through the defensive line. 

Houston is coming into this game after a 4-0 loss and short rest. We saw a few players rest on Wednesday but I do not expect much of that today, seeing as it is the final game of their season. On Wednesday, their defensive struggled mightily against everything the Courage were throwing at them. This match they will face similar with Shea Groom and Sydney Leroux both springing the offensive attack. Amber Brooks has been a stalwart in defense but she is only one person and if Houston hops to make it out of this match unscathed, she and Jane Campbell will need a lot more help.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

• The View from the Sideline: Orlando Pride vs Seattle Reign – Check out these shots from the thriller from Kat Farris. 
• Kicks & Gigs: 5 Reasons to be Stoked for the USA/NZL Friendlies – Lindsay Schwarz broke down 5 reasons we should have been stoked for the USA/NZL friendlies. 
• The Ali Krieger Conundrum – An analysis of the Krieger USWNT situation from RJ Allen.
• The View from the Sideline: Orlando Pride vs Boston Breakers – Kat Farris took some amazing shots at the Pride and Breakers game. Check them out!
• Soccer Takes From Jake: Oh, England – Thoughts on the situation with the England Women’s National Team from Jacob Cristobal. 

Quick Fire Week 21 Game Previews:

We have just two games left (three for North Carolina and Houston) in the 2017 NWSL season and what a season it has been. We seen more parity between the upper part of the table than years before, which should make an exciting playoff setup. There are three teams competing for the final two playoff positions, Seattle, Orlando, and Chicago. If Orlando and Chicago win this weekend or Seattle loses, both will secure the playoff positions. Let’s break down what to look forward to this weekend. 

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 36

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 43

Orlando’s final home game of the season has serious implications. A win puts them into the playoffs. They would already be there if not for a crazy last second goal by Jess Fishlock last week, but they’ll hope to put it to bed this time around. They’ll need to be careful about the minutes of their returning players who were on national team duty. Six of the eleven starters were with their national teams, Marta, Monica, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Alex Morgan, and Ashlyn Harris, but only four of them saw minutes. Hopefully they are prepared and recovered enough to put in a solid shift. Alex Morgan is on a tear, with three goals in the two games for the USWNT. If she takes this form into Saturday, Portland will be hard-pressed to shut her down. The Pride’s biggest task will be their defense. Ali Krieger is their leader in the back but she cannot be expected to cover everyone. Portland will put up a big test and it will be up to the backline to shut them down.

Portland also has players returning from international duty, including Allie Long, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Hayley Raso, Amandine Henry, and Nadia Nadim, all of whom saw minutes. Tobin Heath played about fifteen minutes for the USWNT on Tuesday night so I would expect her to maybe get 20-30 minutes in this match as a sub. They will not want to push her too much.  Portland started the season slow, looking unable to make much happen with top players not producing and the loss of Heath. But in recent games, they’re starting to look much better. That said, their last game against Boston wasn’t great, and if they come out in the same way this time, it could make for a long and difficult game. 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Boston Breakers

Washington Spirit record: 5-13-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Boston Breakers record: 3-12-7
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Washington has had a very tough season. They have few healthy players on the bench to sub in. This week they take on the Breakers, who have also been seriously struggling, in what seems to be a race for the number one draft pick. The Spirit were able to pull off a great win against Sky Blue last time out, and will hope to build on that performance. The biggest thing for them at this point in their season is just to take care of their players and keep them healthy and motivated for next year.

Boston is currently sitting in last place. If you had said that would be the case after the first few weeks of the season, I would have called you a liar. But here they are. Boston is in a similar position as the Spirit in terms of needing good draft picks next season to help build their team. This week, with Mal Pugh looking to start to hit a bit of a stride, they will want to work to contain her and work their way through the Spirit defense. 

Game 3: Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars

Houston Dash record: 7-12-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

The Dash are out of the playoffs but have the opportunity to play spoiler a bit for the Red Stars if they can pull off the win. Houston really has nothing to lose at this point so it will be interesting to see how they come out. If that’s going to happen, I think it starts with Rachel Daly finally getting in more on the attack and another big game from Jane Campbell. She was away on national team duty but did not see any minutes so should be fresh. The Dash have looked decent at times, but often just do not seem to have a clear game plan. Lack of a real head coach might have something to do with that. Against the Red Stars, they will have a lot to handle, with plenty of big names like Yuki Nagasato and Julie Ertz coming at them. But the Chicago defense has been shakier of late, so there is room for Houston to make a mark here. 

Chicago are in a similar position to Orlando: win, and they’re in. They also had six players with the USWNT, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, Sofia Huerta, Casey Short, and Morgan Brian. All six saw minutes, with both Ertz and Naeher seeing significant time. The team has seemed a bit sluggish and off their mark for several games now but have managed to pull together enough positive results to keep things afloat.  Christen Press has dipped a bit in form, but I expect her to step up this weekend and push her team into the playoffs. Julie Ertz is coming off a hot two games with the USWNT, and should be able to bring that energy to Chicago as well. Overall, if their big players produce as they should, the Red Stars should not have much trouble this week against the Dash.

Game 4: Sky Blue FC vs. North Carolina Courage

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 45

Sky Blue is officially out of the playoffs which may afford them the opportunity to play more freely this week, and with Sam Kerr on the prowl, that could end up being deadly. Facing the Courage will be a tough challenge, but we have seen them pull off some big wins this year, and if anyone is going to give the Carolina defense a rough time, it’s Kerr and company. Defensively, things look dicier, so they’ll try to keep things as tight as possible, but victory is most likely going to be a matter of outscoring the opposition.  

The Courage are still sitting atop the standings and will be looking to stay there through the end. They also had players off on national team duty. Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, Denise O’Sullivan, and Debinha all saw minutes. I don’t expect much experimentation here – they know what works, and will want to focus on locking things in for the playoffs. That said, they have a lot of depth, so we might see them do a bit of minute-management for those who were busy with their national teams. Whoever they run out, North Carolina’s attack will be strong, and will definitely look to exploit a fragile Sky blue backline. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. FC Kansas City

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 27

Seattle needs a win (and a Orlando and Chicago loss) to stay in the playoff hunt. It is no small task but they have the fight to make it happen. FCKC has been officially eliminated, but are playing some of their best soccer of the year, so could pose a serious challenge to the Reign. Defense has been an issue all season for the Reign but signing Lydia Williams has locked up the back a bit as she has saved their butts quite a few times already. However, she will be on short rest and long travel, after playing every minute for Australia in both games. FCKC have finally started to click and have made a lot of hay from pressuring the opposition and poaching goals, so Seattle will need to be careful as they press the attack to not get caught.  

FCKC’s playoff hopes were dashed with their draw against the Red Stars. However they have been a very good string of positive results and with Seattle’s defensive woes, KC will like their chances of finding the net. They are returning Becky Sauerbrunn and Katie Bowen from national team duty, both seeing significant minutes, but should otherwise be fresh. Seattle’s range of attacking options will pose a real test for the FCKC backline. Hopefully, both sides stay in form and we get a great match. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday and Wednesday night with two special TSR’s to cover the U.S.A vs. New Zealand matches. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episodes, catch up here:

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

• The View from the Sideline: North Carolina vs Washington – Kelly Piper was out at the Spirit and Courage game and took some great shots!
• Child’s Play: 5 Reasons The NWSL Will Shape The Future Of Women’s Sports – Lindsay Schwarz on how the NWSL will shape the future of women’s sports.
• The Unknown International: Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez – Allison Cary with a look at Sky Blue FC’s Rocky Rodriguez.
• 6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 19 – Alyssa Zajac, Elizabeth Wawrzyniak, and Luis Hernandez with their takeaways from Week 19 in the NWSL. 
• Soccer Takes From Jake: Stay Strong Orlando – Jacob Cristobal is back with his thoughts on NWSL news this week plus some predictions for this weekend’s games. 

Quick Fire Week 20 Game Previews:

The playoff race could be decided this weekend as some big matches are taking place to decide the fate of some teams. Let’s take a look.

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

This game was moved to Thursday to better prepare for Hurricane Irma and get the players to safety before the storm was scheduled to hit Florida. It was a relatively back and forth game until literally the last seconds. Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time in what was sure to be their playoff winning berth. But Jess Fishlock said, not so fast, and scored just seconds later to close an exciting 1-1 draw. 

Game 2: FC Kansas City vs. Chicago Red Stars

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-5
Position: 7th
Total Points: 26

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 35

FCKC has hit on a nice hot streak save for the Orlando loss. They are really hitting their form this late in the season and could spell spoiler to a few potential playoff teams. Heck, they are technically still in contention as well. They have the potential to run away with this game at home if they can capitalize. This week they need to really center their game plan around Shea Groom, who has had a hand in quite a few different runs this season. The Chicago defense has had issues over the last several games so FCKC would do well to take advantage of those pockets of breakdown and capitalize. If FCKC can continue the path they took against Sky Blue last week they may see this one out. 

Chicago finally pulled out a win last week against the Courage in dramatic fashion but still have a bit to go in getting back to their full strength and form. Their defense has been shaky and looked out of sorts so that will be one thing they will need to shore up and lock in against an offensive FCKC. There were some bright spots starting with newcomer Yuki Nagasato last week she should be starting this weekend to give Chicago some good spots right out the gate. I would also like to see more involvement throughout the match from Christen Press as I know she has a lot more to contribute. Overall Chicago will have its work cut out against a surging FCKC and will need to be in top form to compete all 90 minutes. 

Game 3: North Carolina Courage vs. Houston Dash

North Carolina Courage record: 14-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 42

Houston Dash record: 7-11-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

The Courage will be disappointed with last week’s match against Chicago so they will be coming in this week looking to rebound and take all three points. They really should not have much trouble against the Dash. Their biggest problem last week was that they just could not finish their chances. With more hustle and work in the final third, North Carolina should be on the board early. 

Houston is looking to finish the season strong even if it is without some key players, namely Carli Lloyd. As it looks like she will continue to be out this weekend, the Dash will need to see great production from the returning Rachel Daly. The Dash have some great pieces but really need help on the defensive end and that will most likely show this weekend with the offensive firepower of the Courage. Overall, there is a lot of work to do as an organization for the Dash in the off-season but this week, they just need to stick to the basics and stay in the game. 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. Portland Thorns 

Boston Breakers record: 3-11-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16

Portland Thorns record: 12-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 40

Boston is officially eliminated from playoff contention but with just a few games left, they can still set some groundwork for next season. Rose Lavelle saw limited minutes last weekend which is a positive step for them and will most likely see some time this weekend as well. Boston has the pieces but just have not been able to string together enough. The biggest thing they can do this week against the Thorns is to capitalize on any potential mistakes they see. This would include defensive lapses or breakdowns, which is how they capitalized last week against Orlando. 

Portland sits just two points behind the Courage for first place and honestly, I am a bit surprised. I did not expect this to be their outcome this season considering how the season started and how out of sync they looked. The most surprising thing about this season I think, for me, is the drop off in the play of Allie Long, who quite frankly has been hard pressed to break back into the starting lineup as of late.  Portland has just been clicking together the last several games and is showing no signs of a slow down. This week though they have to be careful to not let up as the Breakers still have the fight in them to win some games. Hayley Raso will also be back after serving her yellow card accumulation suspension which will be another thorn in the Breakers side. 

Game 5: Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Spirit

Sky Blue FC record: 9-10-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

Washington Spirit record: 4-13-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Sky Blue is still in playoff contention but needs some help from teams above them to make that happen. After last week’s loss to FCKC they will look to bounce back this week against the Spirit. It has been hard to really pinpoint the exact reason for the decline but to simplify it, the team just seems to be missing an identity outside of “Sam Kerr will score all of the goals and save us each week.” Last week she did not really look at the top of her game and I think in some ways she was playing a bit down to the opponent, which ultimately hurt them. But one of the bigger problems is the incredibly young backline and their inability to stop the attack of many bigger teams. The Spirit may not pose too big of a challenge this week but as with any game, anything can happen if you are not prepared. 

You have to feel for the Spirit players this season. A lot of core leadership was traded (or left) in the off-season and I am not sure anyone really stepped up to fill those voids, especially off of the field. Add on the many injuries they have accumulated and being eliminated from the playoffs, I am sure they just want to get to the end of the season and regroup. This week also brought the news that goalkeeper Steph Labbé would be sitting out the rest of the season for medical reasons. I wish her all of the best for whatever she is going through. Last game saw Estefania Banini looking to be dealing with a hamstring issue and also Mal Pugh limping a bit after a play. While there is no official word, the injury report this week will be the deciding factor. Ultimately, the Spirit are having trouble fielding players. This week, their biggest hope is to make sure they can stave off any further injuries and spur enough of an attack against Sky Blue and put some goals away.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Tuesday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here: