Category: Opinion

To The Team That Stole My Heart

Posted on by Backline Soccer

I don’t get a lot of chances to watch my favorite soccer team.

I cheer for the French national team, a fact that usually catches people off guard. An American women’s soccer fan who doesn’t cheer for the U.S.? Unlike so many of my friends and co-workers, it wasn’t watching the United States play soccer that made me fall in love with the game. It wasn’t watching Abby Wambach take shots or Hope Solo make incredible saves, it wasn’t watching Amy Rodriguez with her crazy pace or Becky Sauerbrunn defending that backline.

I became a women’s soccer fan during the 2015 Women’s World Cup. I saw that FOX Sports was running the games on their stations, so I decided to turn on France vs. England in the group stage. And I fell in love. It was watching Wendie Renard defend the backline and Amandine Henry dominate the midfield that made me fall in love with women’s soccer. It was Eugénie Le Sommer and Louisa Nécib and Claire Lavogez and my first favorite soccer player, Laure Boulleau. I didn’t care if I was “supposed” to cheer for the U.S., France stole my heart and they would always be my squad.

When I watched France take on Germany in the Quarterfinals, it didn’t feel fair. This should have been a final, but life isn’t fair. These women were warriors. We played through 90 minutes, and then 120, until finally we stepped up for penalties. In the end, it was 21-year-old Claire Lavogez, a player I had identified with deeply in that tournament, who missed the penalty for France. Germany went on and we went home.

It was one of the most painful matches of my life. And I think I cried a little bit, but I knew that this was only the start of my relationship with this team.

I didn’t know that it was gonna be my last time watching Laure Boulleau play. I didn’t fully understand at the time how much effort was gonna be required to keep up with France, how few chances I’d get to see them. I tried to make the most of it. In 2016, I got to watch them in the Olympics. During the first She Believes Cup, I went to Tampa to see them play in person for the first time. I followed them through the Euros, but really it was all building towards this moment.

I couldn’t wait to see these women take the world’s biggest stage in their own country.

A lot of people thought we could win this World Cup. I hate to be a pessimist, but I didn’t. I wanted them to with all my heart, but I didn’t think the French women had made the necessary changes to win on this stage. We had seen a lot of retirements, brought in a lot of youngsters, and had a head coach who had not yet proved she could win on this level.

They did everything they could to prove me wrong.

And I’m so god damn proud of this team.

They couldn’t avoid a quarterfinal collision with the U.S. Like 2015, it felt unfair. Why was this in the quarterfinals? But there was no time to dwell on that.

The U.S. came out swinging and in the 5th minute, they took the lead. Megan Rapinoe launched a free kick that I knew instantly was going in. The cluster of players blocked Sarah Bouhaddi’s vision. The ball went right through Amandine Henry’s legs and past an outstretched Bouhaddi. 1-0 USA.

The French fell into a familiar rhythm. They dominated possession, but they couldn’t finish. They didn’t even get a lot of great shots off. You don’t usually see the U.S. allowing possession and defending like they did, but it worked. The French out possessed the US, they took more shots, they had more corners. But it wasn’t enough.

In the 65th minute, Rapinoe got her second goal. The French defenders scrambled to stop Sam Mewis and somehow left Rapinoe wide open. She took her shot and it sailed past Bouhaddi. I broke down in tears because I knew that was the end.

I was messaging my friends and family, telling them that the game was over, that there was no way France could score two goals in 25 minutes. Just as I started to accept our fate, Wendie Renard found the back of the net. She seemed to be flying across the field, both in actually scoring the goal and in the celebration.

I screamed and cried again.

The Renard goal was one of those moments. It felt like a personal reminder not to give up. It was the French team’s way of reminding me why I fell in love with them. And even though we didn’t win, and I cried for a third time as I watched the French players shake hands with the U.S. team after the final whistle, it didn’t feel like the world was collapsing around me anymore.

The French will be back.

Last week, I said thank you to Marta. This week, I say thank you to France. You didn’t win it all, but you played your hearts out. You reminded me why I love this team, why they are my favorite soccer team in the world. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Sky Blue Fire Head Coach Denise Reddy

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The season only gets darker for Sky Blue FC as they have announced on Twitter the firing of head coach Denise Reddy. The team will begin an external search for a replacement.

Reddy joined Sky Blue in 2017 and has been at the helm for two of the worst professional seasons in recent American soccer history. Last year Sky Blue grabbed just one win, coming on the last day of the season, and finished with a record of 1-17-6. This year they have started equally bad with no wins through the first nine games.

All of this has happened despite bringing in US Women’s National team legend Carli Lloyd. While her contributions have certainly diminished when compared to her earlier work, she was meant to be a mentor to younger players such as Julie James and Raquel Rodriguez. Instead frustration has boiled over with ownership and off-the-field issues such as poor training conditions taking over most of the discussion.

Reddy herself had quite a resume before joining the team. She coached in the W-League with Jersey Sky Blue and the Chicago Red Stars before jumping to Europe with Vittsjo GIK and Linkopings FC in Sweden. She returned to the newer NWSL in 2016 as an assistant coach with the Washington Spirit and then as the head coach with Sky Blue in 2017. 

What may have appeared to be a chance to get in on the ground floor with a young team quickly turned sour with little hope of getting better. Reddy coached through the diminishing fan base, awful press and lack of resources. In the end, the results weren’t just bad but some of the worst possible. Now she steps aside with little news on who will be the replacement.

Interest in the job is more than likely at an all-time low. The team will more than likely look within the league for an option but there is a possibility that more news is imminent that could involve far more than just changes to the coaching staff.

How Did It Get So Late So Soon?

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Time is a funny thing. We always think we’re going to have more of it. That we can do more with what time we have. In sports time is everything. American football, basketball, hockey, soccer, they all have clocks controlling when it’s time to end the game and declare an outcome.

When it comes to players’ careers the clock is still there, tick, tick, ticking away. We just can’t look up at the top left of our screens and see the seconds passing. We don’t know if Alex Morgan is in the 41st minute of her career or the 65th. There is no clock over Lucy Bronze’s head that ticks slowly by to tell us when she might take her final turn on the pitch.

But sometimes the writing is on the wall. While there is no clock over their heads there is a sense that we’re getting close to the 90 minute mark. Will they get one minute of stoppage time or seven? Will there be last minute heroics or an uneventful whining down to the final whistle?

I wish we had more time with some players. It doesn’t feel like we should already be nearing the end.

I wish Christine Sinclair had more time. I wish she was nearing her halftime mark and not inching ever closer to the full time’s three whistle blasts. But we thought we had more time. We’re human and she is an all-time great. We let what we wanted cloud over to what we may otherwise have seen. We took for granted that Christine Sinclair would break the all-time goal scoring record at the World Cup. We assumed without looking at the clock, without knowing how much time there was left that there was more of it. And we were wrong.

I don’t know if Sinclair will play in another World Cup for Canada. If she is fit and able to contribute in 2023 I would love to see her out there. But Father Time? He’s undefeated and his sense of timing is not always one we can understand. And like it or not he is coming in on Sinclair before any of us are ready to see the collision.

Every World Cup this happens. And every World Cup we feet a little sting at what it means to never to see Lauren Holiday play again or Célia Šašić lace up her boots or Abby Wambach to put in another header. Win or not we see players who use the World Cup as their last bow; that last moment to turn their face toward the sun and just try to stand in the warming rays. We see the tears from players in federations that have not supported them who know they may never return to this stage. We see giants in the game know their time has come and they must go from a player on the field to a supporter in the stands as those who came before them did.

Time moves on if we’re ready for it to or not. Players go from the next big time to elder stateswomen of the game. Marta goes from lighting the world on fire to impassioned pleas to the next generation. Sinclair goes from being in the shadow of those who have come before her to the giant who supports the next generation on her shoulders. Why did time have to move so fast?

The World Cup is the greatest event in sports. Every four years like clockwork it shows up and puts on a show for us. The truth is the clock has already started ticking on players who haven’t gotten their first senior cap yet who will play in 2023 or 2027. Time does not work on our schedule but on one we cannot control or predict.

“How did it get so late so soon?” Dr. Seuss once asked.

That’s a very good question.

The USWNT vs Spain: Is This Your King?

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You know that scene in Black Panther when Killmonger and T’Challa fight for the first time and at the end, Killmonger points down at a bloody and beaten T’Challa and shouts “IS THIS YOUR KING?”

That’s what Spain did to the United States of America in front of 19,663 fans. They pulled the USWNT apart at the seams and exposed them for the whole world to see.

Defense?

Where.

Offense?

The only two USA goals that happened in this game came off PKs.

According to the official stats, the USA registered 12 shots, with only 3 on goal. 3 shots on goal. Spain came into this match the immediate underdogs and were expected to be handled by the Americans, only to turn the tables on them very early in the game, making a play in the box in the first two minutes.

Already we were seeing the cracks of the defensive foundation that escaped scrutiny in the group stage. In the knock-out round the USA found themselves in a bad position that took almost the entire game to get out of. Spain had a game plan going into this match and they stuck to it. They were physical, yes, but they were also smart. Almost all of their fouls were getting the ball so they wouldn’t get carded along with the foul. Alex Morgan is going to be a walking bruise for the quarter final, something France will be keeping in the back of their minds.

First off, let’s talk about the FIFA Player of the Match, Megan Rapinoe. She was awarded this for her pair of PKs and not anything she did on the pitch. If I can say this, I feel comfortable saying that Rapinoe was one of the worst players on the pitch. She constantly lost the ball, she got herself in bad positions and when she did take a shot, the ball was sent to the parking lot. She hasn’t been the Megan Rapinoe everyone knows since the slaughter against Thailand and that has been evident for some time now. She will no doubt continue to get the start, but I think a real discussion needs to be had about her role as a starter.

Now to look on the bright side! Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis were an absolute joy to watch. Lavelle has really come into her own since this tournament began and has continued to surprise me with how much better she gets with each game played. I was worried about her when she picked up all those injuries in 2018, but they seem to be a thing of the past. Mewis was equally incredible to watch, showing everyone (including her coach) why she should have been starting this whole time. She and Lavelle together in the midfield has been one of the best pairings since Lauren Holiday and Carli Lloyd and Heather O’Reilly.

With that being said, we need to talk about the defense. I’m not sure where all the disconnect and miscommunication was coming from, but that defense looked like they had never played a game together in their lives. Crystal Dunn, who is normally such a bright spot, was getting beaten again and again on the flank. I think I heard Kelley O’Hara’s name called three times. Abby Dahlkemper was doing her best and Becky Sauerbrunn found herself playing every role to keep the peace. I don’t know what kind of pep talk Alyssa Naeher was given, but it needs to never happen again. Spain’s only goal of the game came off a horrendous back-pass to Sauerbrunn who was caught off guard and couldn’t clear it out quickly enough. Jenni Hermoso took that ball off her feet, whipped around and shot the ball past Naeher, who could do nothing but watch it happen. Spain showed everyone what La Roja are made of and almost knocked the USA out of the World Cup in the Round of 16.

At the end of the day, the USA is advancing to play France thanks to two PK goals and Spain is going home, heads held high and asking just one question: is this your king? Is this your 2019 World Cup Champion?

Only time will tell.

Nigeria threaten sit-in protest over unpaid bonuses

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Nigeria’s tournament came to an end on Saturday, but they weren’t eager to leave France. Instead, the players threatened to stage a sit-in protest at the hotel, claiming they were owed unpaid bonuses dating as far back as 2016. 

The players told ESPN that they were owed two bonuses from games against Gambia and Senegal. They were owed two million naira, about $5,600 USD, and had only been paid about half that amount. 

“They paid us 1 million [naira] and said that is all,” one player said. “We want them to pay the balance.”

“Before the World Cup, we asked them for a meeting so that we could discuss our World Cup bonuses, like they did with the men’s team last year. They ignored the letter and nobody said anything about it until now.”

At first, the Nigerian federation claimed that they had paid the players everything they were owed. But according to the BBC, the players succeeded in getting a meeting at their Grenoble hotel with Aisha Falode, the president of the Nigeria Women Football League. 

After hours of deliberation, the federation agreed to pay the money owed. Five players have been given their bonuses, and more money will be released in bits. They will also receive their money from FIFA for this tournament later this year. 

Nigeria has appeared at every edition of the Women’s World Cup. This year, they qualified for the Round of 16 despite being put in a difficult Group A. Cameroon also qualified for the Round of 16, marking the first time two African teams were in the Round of 16. Nigeria exited the tournament after suffering a 3-0 loss to Germany. 

This is not the first time Nigeria has had to protest for their wages. After winning the 2016 Africa Cup of Nations, they staged a public protest in the city of Abuja over unpaid allowances. In 2004, following another Africa Cup of Nations win, they staged a sit-in at their hotel for three days in South Africa to settle their allowances. 

Cameroon’s legacy is already cemented

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Emotions ran high during Sunday’s meeting between England and Cameroon. Cameroon qualified for the Round of 16 thanks to a stoppage time goal from Ajara Nchout that lifted them to a 2-1 win over New Zealand in their final match of the Group Stage. It was their second time qualifying for their Round of 16 in their second-ever Women’s World Cup. 

Cameroon was frustrated early. In the 4th minute, Leuko was booked for a yellow card after elbowing Nikita Parris in the face. About ten minutes later, Annette Ngo Ndom, the goalkeeper for Cameroon, picked up an intentional back pass and England was given an indirect free kick inside the box. Toni Duggan rolled the ball for captain Steph Houghton, who sent the ball into the back of the net. 

During stoppage time in the first half, Ellen White put away another goal for England. The goal was initially ruled offside, but after consulting VAR, the referee allowed the goal. The Cameroon players were furious and they didn’t hide their emotions. After a few moments, the players set up for the last few kicks of the first half. 

At the start of the second half, Cameroon scored a goal very similar to the one England had scored at the end of the first half. But this time, the referee consulted VAR and decided the goal was offside. Cameroon was outraged and again, it took a bit of time for them to regain their composure and return to the pitch. 

Cameroon ultimately lost the match 3-0. After the loss, England Head Coach Phil Neville spoke to the media and he was livid about the emotion the Cameroon players showed. “There are young girls that are playing all over the world seeing that behavior. For me, it’s not right.” 

There is a lot to dissect in Phil Neville’s comments. But what I want to emphasize is that Cameroon’s legacy in the world of women’s football has already been solidified. 

During the match, Al Jazeera published an article titled “FIFA World Cup: The Cameroonian girls who dream of football.” The article talks about Rails Football Academy, the first football academy for girls in Cameroon. It is the project of Gaelle Enganamouit, the star of the Cameroon side. 

The academy trains around 70 girls, who have all had to fight sexism and poverty to get here. 

“Here they have everything: coaches, jerseys, training equipment, a physiotherapist, and the guidance we give them all the time,” said coach Emmanuel Biolo. “Gaelle Enganamouit really wants these kids to be the next generation.”

Al Jazeera talked to two teens who dream of playing professional football. For them, Enganamouit is a hero.

“I’ve seen Gaelle [Enganamouit] play on TV. I’ve never missed one of her matches,” one girl said. “She plays so well, I want to be like her.” 

That’s the example this Cameroon team sets for girls. And that will be their legacy. 

 

Top Three Matchups in the Round of 16

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The Group Stage of the Women’s World Cup is over and the Round of 16 is set. The Group Stage featured some difficult goodbyes and some surprise teams going onto the Round of 16. Italy won Group D, topping both Brazil and Australia in the standings. They will go on to face China in the Round of 16. Nigeria and Cameroon both qualified for the Round of 16, marking the first time two African teams will compete in the Round of 16 in a Women’s World Cup. There are lots of great matchups coming up, but here are the top three games I think you should watch.

France vs. Brazil: Sunday, June 23rd at 3:00pm ET

All Americans should be keeping their eye on France, since the two teams are currently on course to meet in the Quarterfinals. I think France will beat Brazil, but this is definitely going to be an interesting game. Coming into this tournament, Brazil had lost their past nine games. But they seem to have found some of their lost rhythm in the Group Stage, defeating Jamaica and Italy. They only lost to Australia because of a Monica own-goal. 

While Barbara is a fantastic keeper, I don’t think Brazil’s backline will be able to stand up to the likes of Diani, Le Sommer, and Thiney. If France can win the battles in the midfield and maintain possession, they should be able to comfortably control this match. But I also think Brazil will be able to test France’s backline. Don’t be surprised if Cristiane, Marta, or Debinha puts one past Sarah Bouhaddi. If they can disrupt France’s possession, they could make this an interesting match. 

There weren’t very high expectations for Brazil coming into this tournament. But if there is one thing they have shown in the Group Stage, it’s that they won’t be packing their bags without a fight. This might be the last World Cup match for Marta, Cristiane, Formiga, and other Brazilian stars. They will definitely make it count.

Sweden vs. Canada: June 24th at 3:00pm ET

Sweden and Canada both finished in second place in their groups, meaning they will go head-to-head in the Round of 16. Sweden finished their group with six points, earning wins over Thailand and Chile, but losing 2-0 to the United States. Canada also finished with six points, earning wins over Cameroon and New Zealand, but ultimately losing 2-1 in their final match against the Netherlands. 

These are two of the most equally matched teams in the Round of 16. Sweden had an easier group than Canada, but also earned more commanding wins and scored more goals. Canada struggled in their first match against Cameroon, but certainly went toe-to-toe with the Netherlands and earned a convincing 2-0 win over New Zealand. Canada might have a slight edge over Sweden in the attack, especially considering the motivation of Christine Sinclair, but Sweden’s attack will surely test the Canadian backline as well. 

Losing both Christine Sinclair and Marta in the Round of 16 would be sad. I think Canada has a slight edge over Sweden, but this game could genuinely go either way. Don’t be surprised if this one goes to extra time or even penalties. 

Netherlands vs. Japan: June 25th at 3:00pm ET

The Netherlands vs. Japan feels like the old guard versus the new. The Netherlands won all three matches in their group: 1-0 over New Zealand, 3-1 over Cameroon, and 2-1 over Canada. Japan, on the other hand, struggled a bit more in Group D: they played to a scoreless draw against Argentina, beat Scotland 2-1, and lost 2-0 to England. They have featured in the last two Women’s World Cup finals, winning it all in 2011. Could they really be packing their bags in the Round of 16? 

I think the Netherlands will likely win this match. Their first match against New Zealand was a bit shaky, but they seem to have settled into this tournament. They’ve scored 6 goals in three games compared to just two from Japan. Scoring on the Japanese defense won’t be easy, but if the last fifteen minutes of their match against England is any indication, I think the Japanese will really struggle to get that final touch against the Dutch.

In these three matches, I think France and the Netherlands have a clear advantage. But all six of these teams will have to be 100% locked in. Any slip up will be capitalized on by their opponents, and even one bad move could send any of these teams home. 

The Game Changers: Week 9

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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.

This weekend, NWSL action resumed after a two-week break. All of the teams were still playing without their Women’s World Cup players, but that only provided more opportunities for the non-national team players to step up to the plate. While every team except for Sky Blue scored, every game also resulted in a draw, except for the Utah Royals 1-0 victory over Sky Blue. Here is a full breakdown of the results:

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

Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride (2-2)

Utah Royals vs. Sky Blue (1-0)

Seattle Reign vs. Washington Spirit (1-1)

Orlando Pride get another point (and score!). 

The Orlando Pride traveled to Houston on Saturday to face the Houston Dash and earned just their second point of the 2019 campaign. Joanna Boyles opened scoring for the visitors in the 13th minute with her first NWSL goal. The Pride went to the half with a 1-0 lead, after scoring just their second goal of the season. But two minutes into the second half, Sofia Huerta equalized for the Dash, and in the 67th minute, Kristie Mewis gave the home team a 2-1 lead. It was Danica Evans, a Pride player who has gotten limited minutes since she was drafted in 2017, who was able to score the equalizer and earn Orlando their second point of the year. 

The result was important for many reasons. It is Orlando’s first multi-goal game of 2019. The two goals scored marked only their second and third goals of the season. They also had to come from behind, something they have not been able to do so far this season. Orlando is missing a lot of their normal starters at the World Cup, but Boyles and Evans were able to do something that Alex Morgan and Marta have not been able to do so far this year: find the back of the net. The game marked a rare moment of hope for a team that has struggled in every possible way this season. 

Utah Royals get another win at home.

The Utah Royals were the only team to get a positive result this week, thanks to a screamer goal from Amy Rodriguez. In the 16th minute, Rodriguez launched a rocket from about 30 yards out that slammed into the back of the net. Sky Blue out-possessed and out-shot Utah, but the Royals were still able to walk away with a result. 

With three points, the Royals bounce back up to second place, just one point behind No. 1 Washington Spirit. With games coming up against Portland and Seattle, it was important for the Royals to get a result against Sky Blue at home. They will also be getting at least some of their World Cup stars back soon, with group stage exits for Rachel Corsie’s Scotland and Katie Bowen’s New Zealand. Utah showed they were able to get a critical three points without their superstars, which could be very important as the playoff race heats up. 

Washington Spirit get a point on the road to stay on top of the standings. 

The Washington Spirit traveled to Tacoma this week to face Reign FC. The Reign had 24 shots compared to the Spirit’s ten, nine shots on goal compared to the Spirit’s four, and barely out-possessed the Spirit at 50.9%. Still, after taking the lead in the 62nd minute with a goal from Andi Sullivan, the Spirit’s defense was able to hold onto a point, thanks in part to eight saves from goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe. 

If anyone is waiting for this Spirit team to collapse… well, they don’t seem to be doing that. The Spirit are proving to be one of the best teams in the NWSL, a fact complicated by their controversial head coach Richie Burke. They remain in the No. 1 spot after Week 9, four points ahead of last year’s champions, North Carolina Courage. The Spirit have proved that they can get results on the road and at home, against strong teams and weaker sides. They have just one loss this season, to the Utah Royals nearly two months ago. I think it’s time we all agreed: the Washington Spirit are here to stay.