Category: Opinion

The Greatest Team to Never Win; How the 2014-2015 Reign captured everything but a championship

Posted on by Backline Soccer

The 1990 Italian national men’s team.

The 2014 Argentinean national men’s team.

The 2015 French national women’s team.

What do these three teams have in common? They were the greatest teams of their time…to never win.

Joining this list? The 2014-2015 Seattle Reign. The greatest team to ever play in the NWSL. Led by Head Coach Laura Harvey, captained by midfielder Keelin Winters and powered by Kim Little, the Reign ran roughshod over everyone in their path. Right up until they got to the finish line.

In 2014, Reign scored 51 goals combined in both the regular and post season. Scottish international Kim Little, first of her name, destroyer of teams and scorer of goals, put 16 of those in the back of the net herself, confounding defenders and keepers alike. Standing at 5’3, Little would speed around the field, finding empty pockets of space and exploiting them, getting the ball between every defender and slamming it home, wham bam thank you ma’am. By the time players realized what had happened, she was already gone, looking for her next victim. She won the Golden Boot for her 16 goals and league MVP for 16 goals and 7 assists.

However, a player like Little is only as good as her team, and what a team she had behind her. Though she was a midfielder, her team had no problem treating her as a forward. Naho Kawasumi and Sydney Leroux had their fair shares of goals, adding to the impressive tally of the team overall.

The backline was nothing to sniff at either. Lauren Barnes, Steph Cox, Elli Reed and Kendall Fletcher were everything you could want. The communication between them was flawless. So flawless that Hope Solo barely needed to raise her voice. Then again, when you have the greatest female keeper at your back, it’s hard to give anything but your best.

But arguably the very best part of this team? The midfield. Keelin Winters. Beverly Yanez. Jess Fishlock. Megan Rapinoe. Those four horse riders of the apocalypse struck fear in the heart of every team they played. Jess Fishlock was one of the few internationals in the league that year and she made a NAME for herself. Tough, hard-working, not afraid to make the risky plays. She ended the season with eight assists. She was the player you wanted in your midfield and she never ever quit on any play.

Beverly Goebel (now Yanez) was already a talented veteran by the time she signed with Seattle. She was drafted back in the WPS days, playing for the Washington Freedom and then Western New York Flash before signing with a Finnish team in 2011. She would really come into her own as a star player whilst playing overseas in Japan where she scored 13 goals and won the league’s Golden Boot. She was the perfect fit for Seattle. Watching her play is nothing short of majestic. She’s sneaky in all the right ways, roaming the field while seeming to mind her own business before stripping her opponent of the ball and sending it down the field to whoever was ready to put it away. The way she is able to read the play and intercept passes is a gift bestowed upon her by the soccer gods. She played one of the biggest roles that year and still does here in 2019.

And leading this group of superstars? The Mighty Keelin Winters. I won’t wax poetic about her because I’m capped at a certain amount of words. But before Becky Sauerbrunn, there was Keelin. A captain’s captain. She led by example, knowing her position so perfectly, you often wouldn’t notice her, that’s how good she was. She had perfect command of the midfield and her players. She was the most well-respected captain in 2014.

Seattle feared no one, going into every game confident they could win but playing like they were about to lose and needed one last-ditch goal. Their pace and playing style were never frantic, but carefully controlled chaos. Every player knew exactly what was expected of them and never strayed away from their game plan, even on the rare occasions they were losing. They clinched the #1 seed in the playoffs and the coveted NWSL Shield, with 54 points. They only lost two games the entire regular season. Racking up numerous Player of the Week and Month awards, the only thing missing for this club’s trophy case was THE trophy itself. And the only thing standing between them and that trophy? FC Kansas City.

John Lennon once wrote, “life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”

FCKC walked into Seattle’s stadium and smacked them right in the mouth with two goals, stunning the greatest team and NWSL fans everywhere by winning the whole kit and caboodle.

2015 was a World Cup year. Losing Solo and Rapinoe wasn’t a big deal for a team still stacked to the gills. Adding Merritt Mathias, Amber Brooks, Rachel Corsie and Michelle Cruz, the Reign were more than ready to weather the World Cup storm. They stayed top of the table for 18 of the 21 weeks, winning several Player of the Week and Month awards. More players stepped up that season as well; Yanez would score nine (!) goals and Fishlock racked up eight of her own. Little would continue being the play maker but Winters really deserved a lot of the credit of keeping this team together. Little would score 10 goals, but ultimately was Golden Boot runner up to Crystal Dunn and her 15 ‘cut me from the world cup roster will you’ goals.

They once again rose to the top, winning the NWSL Shield a second time with 40 points and again facing FCKC in the final. FCKC had been having a bit of a rough year, barely scraping into the playoffs. Maybe even more so than the previous year, Seattle felt this was their chance to rid themselves of their demons and hoist the Championship trophy, capping it off with what would truly be the gaudiest looking rings.

It’s truly something to behold, watching a team realizing that for a second time in a row…they have failed. It defies logic. This team had it all: a stacked roster, explosive offense, a great coach and (almost) all the awards. They had come out the other side of the World Cup tunnel with minor bruising, they had scored all the goals. Even Superman managed to defeat Lex Luthor! So why couldn’t they win when it really mattered? FCKC was truly Seattle’s kryptonite, foiling them at every turn and robbing the NWSL’s superstar team back to back. A curse was born this year. Whoever won the shield was destined to lose the championship. It’s been broken at the time of this writing, but for a while there…it was real.

The team looks different these days. They are now coached by the very same man who robbed them of glory and most of the old guard are long gone. But still, we will always wonder what went wrong. Ms. Ariana Grande said it herself, “Almost is never enough.”

Kristen Hamilton Is Not Throwing Away Her Shot

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Not many people have quite the auspicious start to their professional career like Hamilton. Orphaned as a child in the Caribbean – wait wrong Hamilton.

Let me start over.

Her name is Kristen Hamilton and just like her team, she’s lean, mean with high esteem.

Hamilton was a star forward at University of Denver, starting almost every game. She earned a number of accolades, including NSCAA First Team All-American, Summit League Offensive Player of the Year and a MAC Hermann Semifinalist. She left Denver as the all-time leader in goals with a staggering 51. She entered the 2014 NWSL draft and was picked dead last by the Flash, but you know what they say.

In New York, you can be a new woman.

Hamilton didn’t have the smooth start to her professional career that she hoped. In a preseason game in March, she tore her ACL and MCL, beginning the first of a series of setbacks. Tearing your ACL is almost every athlete’s worse nightmare. You can either make a full recovery or fall short and have to make some serious decisions you weren’t prepared for. In interview given to the YouTube channel ‘theACLclub’ in 2016, Hamilton talks about her injury and what her recovery process was like, mentioning how the hardest part was not being able to walk six weeks before and after her surgery.

In the eye of a hurricane, there is quiet. And in that quiet, Hamilton found the strength to go through her recovery, trusting the process and her faith in God. She made a full recovery, impressing Flash Head Coach Aaran Lines, who was all too happy to have Hamilton back on the squad. She would come on as a sub in extra time during the 2016 NWSL Championship and exit as a Champion.

Hard work and determination – they get the job done.

After working her back up to full fitness and biding her time on the bench, Hamilton would get her first start in June 2017 against the Boston Breaker. With both Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald out due to injury, new head coach Paul Riley had to pick a new right-hand man. Looking over his bench, thinking to himself he needed someone who would know what to do in the trench, someone who had such resilience and would match his tactical brilliance. And who better…. than Kristen Hamilton.

Hamilton stepped onto the pitch and scored a brace within 13 minutes. The first of many. Though she would continue to be a super sub, she would get another chance and replace the injured Debinha in the 2017 NWSL Semifinal game. She earned the start for the following Championship game before facing yet another setback in the form of an injury in the 39thminute. It was reported to be an MCL tear, something she know had experience in.

Playing her way out of her injury, Hamilton would have a quiet 2018, starting 8 games and super subbing for 15. She would sub on in the second of the NWSL final, gaining another Championship ring.

But in 2019, Kristen Hamilton would finally rise above her station. With the World Cup about to begin, she wouldn’t take a break or say no to this. Knowing that Jess McDonald would be gone, and Williams needed a strike partner, Hamilton was not throwing away her shot.

June would prove to be HER month as she piled the pain on the Orlando Pride and scored her first hat trick. Even though it hurt to watch Hamilton dismantle my team single handily, it was hard to deny how beautiful her goals were. A month later in July, Hamilton tied an NWSL record and scored four goals against the Houston Dash.

Man, the woman is nonstop.

As the World Cup raged on, Kristen Hamilton began collecting NWSL awards, winning Player of the Week three games in seven games. At the end of July, she was named Player of the Month after the way she destroyed Houston’s will to live and scored a breathtaking half volley against Utah.

Hamilton is now a powerhouse player in her own right, showing the world just who is she and overcoming injury after injury. As it stands right now, Hamilton has 8 goals, 3 assists and 17 shots on goal.

And now, a very well deserved spot on the senior squad for their friendly against Portugal. Granted it is only because of injuries, but even still… history now has its eye on her. 

Hamilton is truly a dynamic player to watch. The way she’s able to get behind any backline, outplay any defender and stay with the ball is a site to behold. Hamilton is one of those rare players who actually stay with a play and find a way to score, when some other forwards to give up. And not only can she score, but she’s a team player in every sense of the word, setting her teammates up and creating chance after chance to secure the win.

Kristen Hamilton may not have had the greatest start as a professional soccer player, but she never backed down, she took her time and believe it or not, there’s a million things she hasn’t done.

Just you wait  

The NWSL Story: When Your Best Could Be Better

Posted on by Backline Soccer

I attended a very small, private Christian university just 45 minutes outside of Dallas, Texas. It is a well-known and respected school within the Christian faith that I belong to. And yet, there were businesses and residents within the town and its neighboring city who had no idea the university was there. The administration constantly wondered, “why don’t people know about the university?” When I graduated in Spring 2019, they were still pondering that question.

It’s Fall 2019 now and that very same question is being asked, albeit a little differently.

“Why don’t people know about the NWSL?”

The National Women’s Soccer League is entering its 7th season, already lasting longer than its predecessors, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA). It is the only league in North America to feature the USA national team players. 

Last Sunday, NWSL had a historic game between Sky Blue FC and Reign FC take place in Red Bull Arena. For the first time in Sky Blue history, they saw 9,415 fans, with many more watching the game on ESPNews. This is not only great news for the small club out of New Jersey, but for a league that at times seems to struggle with attendance.

Competitive in its own right, some big international names have played for or currently play in the league. Brazilian legend Marta plays for the Orlando Pride; Australian wonder-kid Sam Kerr plays for the Chicago Red Stars; Canada’s golden girl and captain Christine Sinclair is with the Portland Thorns and French captain Amandine Henry also played a season with Portland.

With each of these names come fans from both overseas and domestically, watching the games on whatever streaming service is available (hands up if you’re a real one and remember Youtube) and through the NWSL website for international fans.

And yet, even after two World Cup boosts, plus the Olympics, we still have players like Carli Lloyd telling NPR reporter Tom Goldman “There are a lot of people out there that don’t even know there’s a league that exists. That’s a problem.”

Part of the lack of awareness problem?

The NWSL itself.

During the World Cup, the league’s official Twitter account had no problem highlighting its national team players. Game day stats, reminders, lineups, highlight reels were all tweeted out while the league was on a break. Why not also talk about the clubs they play for? Why not also highlight other players?

Having scored 8 goals this season Kristen Hamilton has become a star for a North Carolina team stacked with national team players. Midge Purce, who has really come into her own for Portland Thorns, has 6 goals. Bethany Balcer has 31 shots for Reign FC and Aubrey Bledsoe has 6 shout-outs for the Washington Spirit.

The NWSL seems to be depending on its national team players and big-name internationals to boost attendance in a league that…nobody is aware of. So, where should the NWSL go from here?

I had some ideas.

  1. Promotion. The NWSL should promote more than Sam Kerr, Sam Mewis, Rose Lavelle and Alyssa Naeher. It’s time to show off Emily Menges, Haley Hanson, Imani Dorsey and Katie Johnson. Videos or interviews of those players can show the fans there’s more to the NWSL than the superstars of the national teams so they become interested in the whole team and not just its star(s).
  2. Reaching New Fans. Reach out to teams and do some collaborating on give-away prizes for new fans. “Are you a new fan going to your first NWSL game? Take a picture, tweet it out and we’ll give you a team scarf or shirt! Tag NWSL and your team so you can receive your prize at half time!” The league wants people excited to come to games and be a part of the fan base and have fun. Part of that territory is getting free gear. If there’s a new fan attending a game who hasn’t yet chosen a team, by giving them free team merchandise they now have something to represent that experience and a team to connect to. 
  3. Promote the NWSL website more. I really like the NWSL’s actual website. It has all the information I immediately need on the homepage, as well as articles, videos, and highlight reels. The different areas are well done and easy to find. The NWSL should be posting once a week reminding people that they can use the site to check scores, the schedules and watch anything they missed. The app is okay but can be frustrating to use sometimes, with some rosters not updated or having it buffer every time I check the schedule. The website is way better.
  4. Better streaming services. Having a different streaming service almost every year is one of the single most annoying things about the league. Youtube was good for its time period, but after that we had to suffer through the disastrous days of Go90, the well-intentioned Lifetime era and currently Yahoo!Sports with select games on ESPNews. Recently the women’s English league just announced their new streaming app that will allow fans from all over the world the chance to watch all their games. And it’s for free. If the NWSL would chill on one year streaming contracts only and just use a single streaming service that allows both domestic fans and international fans to watch the games, it would be a game changer. 
  5. Someone who is paying attention. When Andi Sullivan scored for the Washington Spirit against Portland, the graphic that popped up on the screen said “17-KYAH SIMON.” Kyah Simon plays for the Houston Dash. Kyah Simon has never played for the Spirit. And for the love of all that is holy, can they please stop putting up SEA for Reign FC? Is it really too much trouble to change it to RFC? It feels borderline disrespectful and lazy when they mess up player names or don’t bother to change team letters for game days.
  6. Newsletter. MLS sends out newsletters every week, with game recaps, the current schedule and where to watch them. Individual clubs send them as well, including links to articles, player profiles, short videos, and even a place where you can buy tickets for games. The newsletter itself isn’t taking the place of social media, it’s just one more avenue for getting information about the league out to more people.

Recently the league finalized an agreement with ESPN and are now offering NWSL games to international fans, since “an exclusive agreement for worldwide rights (excluding U.S.) to the league’s regular season and playoff matches” means USA fans still get to suffer through Yahoo!Sports. There’s no denying the league has come a long way since its humble beginnings, but that still doesn’t mean the journey is over. The league still has a lot it can improve on and I truly do believe that with time and more resources devoted, it can become more than an academy for the national team players; it can become THE national women’s soccer league.   

The Game Changers: Week 17

Posted on by Backline Soccer

The Game Changers is a weekly series looking at the most important results each week. Each section will look at one team and how its win, loss, or draw impacts the season.

Week 17 of the NWSL was packed with action, with a total of six matches spread across five days. The Utah Royals are finally showing signs of life after struggling through the last six weeks. Chicago extended their win streak and the Portland Thorns were dealt a rare loss before handing a loss to another powerhouse team, the North Carolina Courage. Here is a full breakdown of the Week 17 action.

Utah Royals vs. Sky Blue FC (3-0)

Reign FC vs. Portland Thorns (1-0)

Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars (0-1)

Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash (0-1)

Portland Thorns vs. North Carolina Courage (2-1)

Reign FC vs. Utah Royals (1-3)

Utah Royals bounce back.

The Utah Royals have been struggling since mid-June. They started the season hot, undefeated through their first three matches. But going into Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory over Sky Blue, Utah hadn’t won a match since June 15th — also a victory over Sky Blue. It is significant not only that they earned two victories in Week 17, but that they scored three goals in both games, the most goals they have scored in a single-match this season. 

With six points in Week 17, the Utah Royals now sit in the No. 5 spot on the NWSL table, two points off of No. 4 Reign FC. They will be hit by the U.S. victory tour — Christen Press scored two of the team’s six goals this week and having Sauerbrunn and O’Hara on the backline is critically important. But for the first time in weeks, we’re again talking about the possibility of the Royals making the playoffs. They’ll have to fight for it, but at least this week, they were able to shake-off the winless streak. 

Reign FC take down Portland Thorns for the second time. 

It has been a mixed-bag this season for Reign FC. While they have definitely had their bright moments, they have also been plagued by injuries and struggled in some important matches. But in one of their most important areas — beating Portland — they have had a fantastic season. On Wednesday, they won their second match against the Thorns this season. The difference-maker in the 1-0 victory was a goal in the 55th minute by Rosie White, who finished off a scramble in front of the goal. 

The three points against Portland also keeps the race for playoff spots tight. Currently, Portland sits at No. 1 with 30 points in 17 matches, followed by No. 2 Chicago Red Stars with 29 points in 16 matches. The North Carolina Courage occupy the No. 3 spot with 28 points in 16 matches and then Reign FC finishes things off at No. 4 with 26 points in 16 matches. Even with Utah right on their tails, this week Reign FC managed to keep themselves in a playoff spot and within four points of the No.1  spot. 

The Chicago Red Stars extend their win streak.

The Chicago Red Stars are the hottest team in the NWSL right now. They have won their last five games in a row, including a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit on Saturday night. Yuki Nagasato scored the lone goal of the game, heading a beautiful cross from Casey Short past goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe in the 65th minute. 

The Red Stars are getting hot at the right time. They’ve won five in a row, with victories over the No. 3 North Carolina Courage and No. 4 Reign FC. Now, they will travel to face No. 9 Sky Blue FC before hosting No. 8 Orlando Pride. Chicago is building up momentum, with the post-season starting to appear in their sights. Is this the team that can go all the way? It wouldn’t surprise me.

 

 

The Game Changers: Week 16

Posted on by Backline Soccer

The Game Changers is a weekly series looking at the most important results each week. Each section will look at one team and how its win, loss, or draw impacts the season.

With Week 16 of the NWSL in the books, there is someone new sitting in the No. 1 spot. This week featured a lot of close, but critical matches, with all the matches featuring two goals or less overall. The Chicago Red Stars were the only team to score two goals, defeating the Utah Royals at home. Sky Blue managed a tie with the Portland Thorns, who dropped to No. 2 after the North Carolina Courage got a victory at home over the Washington Spirit. And Reign FC earned their first victory since their 1-0 win over Portland at the start of July. Here is a full breakdown of the results:

Houston Dash vs. Reign FC (0-1)

North Carolina Courage vs. Washington Spirit (1-0)

Chicago Red Stars vs. Utah Royals (2-0)

Portland Thorns vs. Sky Blue (1-1)

North Carolina Courage climb to the top of the standings. 

The North Carolina Courage jumped the Portland Thorns in the NWSL Standings this week with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit. The Spirit went down to ten players just 24 minutes into the match, and the Courage were able to capitalize with a goal from Debinha in the 64th minute. Overall, the Courage dominated in almost every statistic, with 20 shots and 60.6% possession. Obviously, the red card changes everything about this game. But without Jess McDonald, Crsytal Dunn, Abby Dalhkemper, or Sam Mewis, the Courage were still able to put this one away and pick up a critical three points.

The Courage are not as dominate this season as they were in 2018. But they are clearly one of the best teams in the NWSL. The competition in the top four is tight right now — the Courage are just one point ahead of the Portland Thorns and two points ahead of the Chicago Red Stars. That makes this victory all the more critical. Not only did they jump to first place, but they’re keeping the race between these three teams neck-and-neck. 

Chicago Red Stars cruise to another victory.

The Chicago Red Stars have had nothing but wins since the end of the Women’s World Cup. They continued that trend on Saturday, despite missing Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz, Tierna Davidson, and Morgan Brian due to the U.S. Victory Tour. The game started with a goal in the fifth minute from Sam Kerr. Casey Short sent a ball into the box and Kerr headed the ball towards goal. Nicole Barnhart was able to make the initial save, but Kerr followed it up with her foot and made sure the ball found the back of the net. The rest of the match was pretty even, but an 85th minute goal from Brooke Elby secured the win for the Red Stars. 

The Red Stars are getting good at just the right time. Some fans were worried about the U.S. Victory Tour disrupting their chemistry, but this week, they were able to do it without their U.S. superstars. The Red Stars sit just one point behind No. 2 Portland and two points behind No. 1 North Carolina. And they show no signs of slowing down.

Utah Royals make playoffs even harder.

The Utah Royals haven’t won a game since their 1-0 defeat of Sky Blue on June 15th. With this loss to the Chicago Red Stars, it’s hard to see how the Royals are going to qualify for the playoffs. They sit in the No. 7 spot, ahead of only the Orlando Pride and Sky Blue. They are five points behind No. 4 Seattle Reign and eight points behind the No. 3 Chicago Red Stars. Yes, they were missing Christen Press, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Kelley O’Hara this week. But even when those players were present after the World Cup, the team still couldn’t win. 

The Utah Royals started off the year so well, but July was a horrible month for them and August isn’t off to a good start. If they are still hoping to salvage something from their season, they will need to put together a fantastic run and hope some other clubs slip up. 

 

The Game Changers: Week 15

Posted on by Backline Soccer

The Game Changers is a weekly series looking at the most important results each week. Each section will look at one team and how its win, loss, or draw impacts the season.

Week 15 of the 2019 NWSL season was a weak of dominant wins and heartbreaking losses. In the first set of midweek games, the Portland Thorns scored an astonishing five goals against the Houston Dash, including four goals in the first 25 minutes. The Chicago Red Stars earned a dominant 4-0 win of their own on Sunday afternoon, handing Reign FC their first home loss this season. And while Sky Blue thought they were bouncing back after the departure of Denise Reddy, this week they were handed two scoreless losses. Here is a full breakdown of the scores from Week 15:

Sky Blue vs. Washington Spirit (0-1)

Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash (5-0)

Utah Royals vs. North Carolina Courage (1-2)

Reign FC vs. Chicago Red Stars (0-4)

Houston Dash vs. Sky Blue (1-0)

Portland Thorns dominate the Houston Dash.

The Portland Thorns won in style in their midweek match against the Houston Dash. They started scoring in the seventh minute, when Lindsey Horan put away a Tobin Heath shot that rebounded off a Houston Dash defender. Just five minutes later, Heath sent a cross into the box that Hayley Raso was able to tap in for the Thorns second goal of the match. Six minutes later, Amber Brooks took down Midge Purce inside the box and Portland was awarded a penalty kick. Christine Sinclair stepped up to the spot and didn’t miss. Five minutes after that, Midge Purce took the ball into the box drawing out the Houston defenders and goalkeeper Jane Campbell. Once Purce had drawn out the defenders, she passed the ball off to Raso, who sent the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the night. The Thorns would tack on one more goal in the 71st minute, after a scramble in the box following a free kick. It was Tyler Lussi’s shot that went into the back of the net, but it was counted as a Jane Campbell own goal. 

The Dash were able to create some opportunities against the Thorns — they totaled nine shots and called on Adriana Franch to make four saves. But Portland still walked away with a five-goal win and a clean sheet. This Portland side looks dangerous — they have scored at least two goals in four of their last five matches. And due to the earlier construction work at Providence Park, the Thorns will have a long string of home games to finish out the season. This win keeps them at No. 1 in the standings and makes them seem even more unstoppable. 

The Utah Royals give up points at home.

The Utah Royals started off the season strong, but even with the return of Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, and Becky Sauerbrunn the team is still in a slump. They are winless in their last five matches, including three matches at home. On Saturday, the Royals opened up scoring with a goal from Christen Press in the 13th minute. It felt like they were dominating North Carolina for much of that first half, but then Kristen Hamilton scored her eighth goal of the season and evened things up for North Carolina. After that, it felt like the Courage took firm control of the game. Jess McDonald scored the game-winning goal in the 54th minute and the Royals were unable to come back. 

The Royals now sit in the No. 7 spot in the NWSL standings. They haven’t won since a 1-0 victory over Sky Blue on June 15th. And four of their next five matches are on the road. The Royals were in talks earlier this season to be a playoff contender– if they still see themselves being one in the postseason, they desperately need to make some adjustments and turn their ship around.

The Chicago Red Stars find chemistry in 4-0 victory.

The Portland Thorns weren’t the only team winning in style this week. On Sunday, the Chicago Red Stars went to Tacoma for a match against Reign FC and completely dominated the scoreboard. Arin Wright opened up scoring in the fourth minute, tapping in a rebounded shot from Yuki Nagasato. Just ten minutes later, Vanessa DiBernardo made it 2-0. And while Reign FC had strong moments after that, they were unable to capitalize on their opportunities. Sometimes, that was thanks to create goalkeeping from Alyssa Naeher, such as her goal-line save in the sixth minute, but other times it was just Reign FC’s inability to finish. In the second half, Yuki Nagasato finally got her goal. Casey Short sent a cross into the box and Nagasato got her foot on the end of it, sending it past Casey Murphy for her first goal of the night. At 3-0, the Chicago Red Stars’ win was pretty much cemented. But Sam Kerr earned another tally for her team in the 81st minute, finishing off a pass from Katie Johnson. 

The Chicago Red Stars are finding a rhythm. They sit in the No. 3 spot in the NWSL standings, just two points behind the North Carolina Courage and three points behind the Portland Thorns. But some are worried about the impact that the U.S. national team victory tour could have on this side. Things finally seem to be clicking for Chicago . . . will the victory tour take all of that away?

 

Optimizing the Pride: What Is The Best Starting XI?

Posted on by Backline Soccer

 

As the 2019 season of the National Women’s Soccer League shifts into high gear, the playoff push begins for most teams. Languishing at the bottom of the table are the usual suspects of Sky Blue FC and the Orlando Pride. Rounding into form from a brutal run since the start of the season, Orlando has managed three wins in the last five matches with ten left to play.  Building momentum is key. And being blessed with two weeks off in a row, Pride players now have an opportunity to further integrate themselves into the culture and system Marc Skinner is establishing.

If the Orlando Pride want to climb up the league table, the team will need to claim as many points as possible now that the squad is at the fullest strength it can be (barring any further injuries). Coach Skinner’s next challenge will require him to find his best starting XI moving forward; a lineup that will collect the most points while continuing the development of his culture, style of play, and growth for next year. Not accounting for specific team match-ups, the Pride starting lineup should be something along this graphic.

 

 

The netminder for the Pride, while she is available, should be Ashlyn Harris. Haley Kopmeyer served admirably when called upon to step in while Harris was with the national team, but Harris gives Orlando the best chance to win with her reliable play stemming from her ability to play with her feet, the organizational skills to command the back line and a better distribution to start the attack. Both keepers are similar, and from a statistical perspective Harris edges Kopmeyer in goals against per 90 minutes 2.00 to 2.30. Her save success rate is higher, and she earned the first clean sheet for Orlando in over a year. 

The Pride defense has been porous having allowed thirty-one goals so far this season, the most in the league. The next worst team for this stat is the Houston Dash with twenty-five goals allowed in the same number of matches. Once all the players returned from the World Cup, Coach Skinner was tasked with blending his best players who have developed while in Orlando with those whose talents are at the international level. Starting both Erin Greening and Ali Krieger versus Sky Blue FC paid off. Greening’s play has merited her a starting spot in the XI. She has lead the team in touches multiple times, and if she can improve her passing Krieger is one of the best full backs in the league. Going forward, having the ability to bring on Carson Pickett as a late game tactical substitution to change the course of the game should have a strong impact. If the Pride are protecting a lead, why not have that fifth defender on the pitch?

Tony Pressley is a player that stepped up while the World Cup players were gone. She has the ability to play multiple positions on the field; in addition to center back, she can act as a defensive mid, or full back. Her pairing with Shelina Zadorsky should be given the remainder of the season to form a solid partnership going forward, perhaps carrying into next season. Zadorsky has been a consistent player for the Pride since her arrival from the Washington Spirit. She’s a natural partner with Krieger to have communication on defense.

At full strength, the Pride midfield poses a variety of options, and there isn’t one perfect setup. Coach Skinner will have to minimize the flaws by putting each player in a position to be successful. For that reason, the most success for Orlando has come from utilizing a double pivot since the defense can have some coverage with the space taken up in a double pivot, plus offensively the midfield is less predictable since the players acting as the number six and eight can be interchanging between one another. The selection for the double pivot should be veteran international Alanna Kennedy along with Joanna Boyles. Kennedy has quality defensively, but can transition into an attacking role smoothly plus she has proven herself as another option on free kicks. Boyles has the potential to develop into something special; however, sometimes she aggressively goes to ground too often which can lead to her being out of position. Having players like Emily van Egmond, Dani Weatherholt, and Marisa Viggiano allows flexibility to adapt to specific match situations. 

On the attacking foot, the Pride should have Chioma Ubogagu, Marta, and new arrival Claire Emslie. This summer Ubogagu has stepped up her level of play to be someone Skinner can count on. There is still the occasional gaff or not quite the right decision in a timely matter, but it seems those errors are popping up less often. Marta seems to have found renewed energy since her return from France. Her ability both on and off the ball is on another level. In the short amount of time Emslie has had on the pitch she immediately proved the level of quality she brings to the squad. Additionally, her versatility allows her to play on both the left and right wing. She displaces Rachel Hill from the starters, but allows Hill to be more of a super sub for Orlando. 

When the Pride first joined the league, former head coach Tom Sermanni originally played Alex Morgan in a lone striker role, which wasn’t successful and isolated Morgan for the majority of the season. The difference of having her as the single attacker with Marc Skinner’s scheme involves the amount of movement from the rest of the attack, both with and without the ball, as the team looks to attack space created plus the quality of the squad has improved each year to potentially create better opportunities. As far as having Morgan start up top, that is a no-brainer; however, she has received her share of criticism for not performing at the same level for club as she has for country and whether or not she is giving maximum effort to Orlando since her husband, Servando Carrasco, no longer plays in Orlando as the men’s side of the club parted ways with him and he now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Morgan is a professional and a competitor, and it is ludicrous to think otherwise. She isn’t being shown southern hospitality and skeptics think she has different area codes in mind.

Overall, the Orlando Pride will keep pushing to work itself out of the hole the lack of early season results buried the team in. Realistically, seventh place in the standings should be an achievement as Orlando looks to collect the most points from the last ten matches. However, the USWNT Victory Tour and other impending national team matches running through the end of the season may keep Coach Skinner from fielding this lineup. Let us know what your best starting XI for the Orlando Pride is in the comments below.