Category: Articles

Nothing is Guaranteed: 5 Reasons North Carolina Isn’t Untouchable

Posted on by RJ Allen

We all know that the North Carolina Courage are great. They are dynamic, driven, and talented. No one is denying that. In fact, it is the exact opposite. People are talking about them as though they are untouchable. This week on The Scouting Report it was even stated that they could have a chance at going undefeated this season. Whether that is true or not still remains to be seen, but there is something about this team that makes us hope that they could. Could this be the NWSL’s version of the 1972 Miami Dolphins? It could be, but it is likely not possible for any team—there are a lot of variables and factors that come into play throughout the course of the season. No team is untouchable.

Here are five simple reasons why North Carolina isn’t the exception:

1. Complacency

Like any great sports team, there will be moments when their guard will be down. When they are so confident in their abilities that what seems like the simplest of games can turn into a team’s worst nightmare. These are moments of complacency—when all the kinks are worked out, and the team is running like a well-oiled machine, but the issue becomes another team running faster. North Carolina has a fantastic mental game and outlook on the season. I mean, even their slogan for this year is #nofinishline. But anyone who has ever run a long-distance race will tell you that some miles will be better than others. You get into a groove, you grow content, you slow down, you recognize the change, and then you speed back up. The same will most likely happen for North Carolina. They will hit a rough patch at some point—even if for just a game—and then they will come back with the forcefulness we all know they possess.

2. Peak Too Soon

As can be seen with so many teams throughout the history of the game, sometimes teams just peak too soon. Look at the Chicago Red Stars last season. There was a moment when they looked so dominant that it was said that they would definitely win the NWSL Championship… and that didn’t happen. They peaked too soon. It may not happen to North Carolina. There are a lot of factors that come into play. But it can be said that they came into this season in much better form than any other team. They are working as a cohesive unit, while other teams are still trying to find all the parts.

3. The Injury Bug

No team is safe from the injury bug! North Carolina doesn’t have Sam Mewis right now because of it. And statistically speaking, Sam Mewis’s current injury probably will not be the last for the club this year, because things happen. Things that are outside of anyone’s control. It’s why no team can ever be considered untouchable. And when players have to sit out and are no longer an option, it can create holes that other teams are able to exploit. North Carolina doesn’t have a bad bench to replace from, but it isn’t necessarily Portland’s. And not all of the skillsets of players are interchangeable. No one else on the team can do what McCall Zerboni can do. No one else on the team can do what Crystal Dunn can do. So, if major a major injury occurs, that can sometimes mean a major change in playing strategy, and that can take some getting used to.

4. Rosters At Full Strength

I put forth earlier that North Carolina is playing considerably better than the other teams. They are a collective force, while other teams haven’t quite gotten there. But the other teams are working toward that, and they are getting better. They are also going to be getting a lot more talent once their rosters are at full strength. Take Chicago for example. They have won two games this season, but they have done so without Julie Ertz, Danielle Colaprico, and Sam Kerr. Orlando is currently missing Marta, Poliana, and Alanna Kennedy. So comparing North Carolina’s roster to that of other teams definitely bodes well for the Courage, but things may change once other teams have their complete arsenals at their disposal.

5. Self-Infliction

When a team is really good it is often said that something is “theirs to lose.” And for North Carolina, that certainly could be the case with regards to the potential punishment for not releasing Debinha back to Brazil for her international duty on time. The facts surrounding the situation are still a bit hazy, but the fact of the matter is that Debinha played in the March 31 match against Sky Blue when she should not have. No punishment has come down yet, but it would be a shame if North Carolina were to lose three points because of failure to follow the rules. It is these types of mistakes that are completely avoidable. It is what can take a spotless season and give it an asterisk.

There are plenty of scenarios in which North Carolina can be beaten—just like any team in this league can be beaten. Sure, they are stronger than most. They are focused, and headstrong, and extremely skilled. They are the complete package as of right now. But things can change in this league and in this game very quickly. That’s why it isn’t advised to count one team out, or to tally the win before the final whistle. Lots of things can occur, and the players are only human. No one is indestructible. No one is untouchable. Not even North Carolina.

Route Two Soccer: Bridging the Gap

Posted on by RJ Allen

Organizing a defense is hard, and the job gets even more difficult when you remember that preventing the other team from scoring is only half of the game. Today, I want to focus on the Washington Spirit, who got ripped apart by the North Carolina Courage last weekend. The problem for Washington is: there was no single actor at fault, no single point of contact to be addressed. Instead, their problems reflect a larger tactical dilemma.

Ultimately, the story is pretty simple. Having brought in a wealth of attacking talent, the team is overloaded up top without equivalent quality in the back. You can see from the back four against NC: Taylor Smith, Whitney Church, Estelle Johnson, and Caprice Dydasco. All quality players, but all players with severe limitations. In combination, this is a backline that can do a job but is never going to dominate the game. In particular, it’s a centerback pairing that is sorely lacking in pace.

Under those conditions, many teams will sit back, using their midfield as a secondary shield. The classic principle here is to establish ‘two banks of four’ spread across the field, with relatively little space in between the lines. The problem for Washington is: they don’t want to play a compact defensive game. Do so and you lose out on the value of those great attackers.

Unfortunately for them, there isn’t really a way to square this circle. Play your midfield further up, and you generate acres of space between the lines. That’s prime ground for the other team to attack. Observe:

Here, Sullivan is tracking a runner into that gap, but O’Sullivan, Dunn, and Mathias are all moving freely in open space. All it takes is one ball into that territory and the Spirit backline is put into an impossible decision. If a centerback steps forward to mark the ball carrier, she generates a gap behind her. If she drops back and tries to soak up the pressure, suddenly the whole team is trying to move backward at pace while holding their lines tight. That’s a tough job for anyone.

A few minutes later, we see another example of the problem. In this case, Washington is pushing high and its midfield has scattered. That’s fine if you have the ball, but once they lose possession, there’s no hope of resetting the defensive line. Therefore, in an effort to compress that open territory, the backline has also come high. The problem is: they are Not Fast—especially not the centerbacks. Meanwhile, the Carolina attackers have pace to burn. You can very much guess what happens next.

North Carolina breaks. A simple ball behind the defense, and everyone is off to the races. With most of the Spirit midfield effectively out of the equation, it’s now four Courage attackers against four defenders, with Sullivan hoping to catch up in time. NC is into the box within a few seconds, and attacking a defense that has not had time to set.

A nice touch from Williams takes Smith out of the equation. A slicing run from McDonald drags the centerbacks forward. Williams shoots, and the ball ricochets off Church (possibly a handball) right into the six-yard box. Sullivan has done her best to catch up to the play but is in no position to make a real clearance. Result: the ball falls to Dunn who buries her finish.

And this isn’t a one-time thing. Washington consistently faced this problem: big gaps that allowed Carolina to turn quickly and race into space—creating regular 4-on-4 breaks that were never going to end well.

Again, there’s no perfect solution to this problem. Washington doesn’t have the pace in back to sustain a high line, particularly not against a team like North Carolina. But if they sit back, they’ll concede possession and control, likely their best chance of turning the tables.

Ultimately, Washington is simply going to have to decide how they want to approach this topic. If they are committed to playing an expansive attacking game, they simply don’t have the personnel to fully cover their bases. That might be a sacrifice worth making, in which case the focus should be on developing techniques for limiting the damage.  One simple but necessary element: drilling the midfield to hold their lines more cleanly. That won’t resolve the problem, but could mitigate the effects.

At a deeper level, they should also seriously look into their team selection. Given the limitations of the backline, they would be best off using two true holding midfielders, whose job is to patrol that gap. In this game, they ostensibly played as a 4-3-3, which in reality was usually a 4-1-4-1. Committing more fully to the principle of a midfield shield and using a 4-2-3-1 would help a lot. That probably means using Tori Huster – who is a wizard at occupying space – but Rebecca Quinn could be another long-term solution, while Morgan Proffitt or Meggie Dougherty Howard might also fit the bill. Clearly, though, Joanna Lohman is not the answer. She is a national treasure, but was not well suited to this setup, and it showed on the night. Further back, Jim Gabarra has made very clear over the last several years that he trusts Church a great deal, and there are good reasons for that. Church is a smart player who extracts every possible measure of value out of her ability. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, her lack of pace is going to keep getting exposed unless they can find her a partner with the speed to cover those runs.

The Spirit have plenty of talent, but their naiveté showed against North Carolina. There’s no shame in losing to the Courage, of course, but they would do well to consider what went wrong, and to think seriously about how to organize this collection of excellent individual players into a sturdier defensive unit.

Climbing the Mountain: EJ Proctor’s Journey From Duke to Utah

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s safe to say that the Boston Breakers folding changed EJ Proctor’s life.

The newly drafted goalkeeper seemed to be entering a great situation—competing with and learning from Nicole Barnhart—but after Utah selected Abby Smith in the Boston dispersal draft, it shifted the deck significantly, leaving Proctor without a contract or any kind of certainty.

But Proctor is goalkeeper. And goalkeepers like challenges that most of us would shrink away from. She’s also no stranger to working hard for a starting spot. She came to Duke as a walk-on, only to win the starting job in a breakout sophomore season. Her career at Duke culminated in 2017, when she posted a school record 18 clean sheets. In that season, her goals against average was .379, good enough to be ranked sixth nationally.

Roscoe Myrick/Utah Royals FC

I spoke to Proctor recently, to get her perspective on that experience: “At first I was honestly just like, ‘okay, this is going to very much change my situation there,’ so it’s a little bit intimidating. But you know, I just look at it like my job is to make the coaches question who is one, two and three every day. And that was kind of the situation I went into my freshman year at Duke, I went in as a walk-on. There was a senior and a fifth-year so I was kind of always the young inexperienced one… But yeah, I mean, it obviously sucks. Had she not been drafted, I probably would have had a contract. But it’s good that she’s someone else to learn from who’s good, who’s different from Barnie (Nicole Barnhart) and myself, so I just try to look at the good things.”

When it comes to situations beyond an individual player’s control, it’s not just the Boston effect. The broader reality is that there just aren’t enough spots on NWSL rosters. With limited roster sizes, it’s only really been practical to carry two keepers. For Proctor, quite understandably, that’s not ideal.  “Honestly​, a lot of teams, you want three goalkeepers, because it opens up so many different drills, the flow of things. It helps a lot. Right now Barnie’s coming back. If Abby was to get hurt, how would that work?”

For keepers coming out of college, the options are limited. Obviously, NWSL squads want to have depth at the position, but given roster constrains and a glut of solid keepers already in the league, that doesn’t leave much space. Occasionally, a graduate will break through, but more often they’re put in the position of staying in market without a contract. Of course, no contract means no pay, which is a tough pill to swallow. “I graduated from Duke and I don’t have an income,” Proctor told me.

If Proctor was on contract she would make at least the league minimum, $15,750 for the season. That’s not a lot, but it’s a lot more than nothing. Still, Proctor said, “they pay for living expenses. So I don’t really have any expenses to worry about. It’s just more like how I know I need to save this amount of money a month… And so I do stress about it a lot.”

Even these limited benefits highlight another feature of the league: the different accommodations provided by different teams. As the Salt Lake Tribune’s Christopher Kamrani reported, Dell Loy Hansen has gone above and beyond existing standards. That’s partly because he was “allowed to spend an extra $100,000 on housing” due to the quick turnaround on establishing the team. Kamrani says that “Most of the team lives in fully furnished apartments near Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. Club sponsor Maverik donated $100 monthly gas cards, while Ford took a leap and gave 10 cars for the team to split this season.”

[media-credit name=”Roscoe Myrick/Utah Royals FC” align=”aligncenter” width=”735″][/media-credit]

Proctor, the youngest in the Royals pool at just 22, has been rooming with former Sky Blue and Portland Thorns player Kendall Johnson. At 26, Johnson has to be considered almost into middle age in NWSL terms. Proctor says that rooming with Johnson has been a good fit: “We actually get along really well so it’s been nice. Lucked out with that. I didn’t really know anything about her when I found out that she was going to be my roommate, but​ we balance out very well.”

For any player, moving across the country to a new environment is going to be tough. Proctor is no different in that regard. But while she certainly would like to be closer to her family, it’s not the two-legged ones that she misses the most. It’s her dogs. When she made a trip back to North Carolina a few weeks ago she was met at the airport with the two pups. “Oh my gosh, I was so thrilled, they were at the airport when I got home super late. They​ always make me feel so loved, one was jumping out of the car to get to me. So that was great. I sob whenever I have to say bye to them because my parents, my brother and my grandma will be out here this weekend for a home opener. So I see all of them, but the dogs, it’s like, ‘I don’t I know when I’ll see you again!’”

Transitions are difficult, but Proctor did say that she’s found it easy to fit into the keeper’s union she’s joined.  While she would obviously prefer to be starting, she says that working behind Smith and Barnhart has been a great experience. “Barnie’s  funny, you know she doesn’t say much. But she’s always just kind of laughs and she’s just fun to be around. And then Abby’s just kind of very lighthearted, always in a good mood. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, so we mix well personality-wise and goalkeeping-wise as well. I think there’s kind of a good variety to us.”

Proctor also confirmed what we all pretty much already knew: it’s good to have Becky Sauerbrunn as your captain—partly due to her leadership qualities, but also for her sense of humor.  “Becky is so funny and sarcastic. I honestly can say I respect her more than anyone I’ve ever played with, but she’s the most sarcastic person and I love it because I would’ve never thought that was there.”

Roscoe Myrick/Utah Royals FC

What is life like for a keeper trying to play her way into the team? Not very exciting most of the time, it turns out. For all that being a professional athlete implies moments of glory, the truth is that your average day is pretty mundane. According to Proctor, her day is organized around training. “So our trainings are either at 9:15 AM or 11 AM. Most of the time they’ve been at 11 so we usually have to be at the stadium around like 9:30 or 9:45, unless we have treatment. Have breakfast there, have our meetings, have​ band activation, and go to training until​ 12:30 or 12:45. Then come back to the stadium, shower or whatever, post-practice things you need to do, and then usually around 2:00 or so is when we get home. I would either do my extra workout stuff in the morning because I get up early, so I do that before training, or right after at the weight room. And then a couple of nights weekly I’ll coach kids.” 

When Proctor isn’t practicing, watching game tape, or coaching youth players, she can be found watching sports. But it isn’t always soccer that grabs her attention. “I probably watch just as much basketball as I do soccer, if not more. March Madness is one of my favorites. There’s just always some basketball to watch. That was always great for me to go to at Duke, because​ I didn’t care that our football team wasn’t that great, but basketball—always fun.”

As the Utah season rolls on, it’s still unknown whether Proctor will be put on a contract or be given a chance to step between the pipes for the Royals. But for now the young goalkeeper is working on what she can control. As Proctor put it, right now her job is to give her coaches a new perspective on their goalkeeping options. 

If Boston hadn’t folded, I don’t know what happens. Proctor might have found herself in goal on opening day. Maybe Barnhart is rushed back onto the field and Proctor is on the bench. Maybe a trade is made for someone else and Smith comes anyway. 

Things happen in the span of a heartbeat inside a game. If the NWSL sees Proctor in goal this year, she’ll be ready. Overcoming the odds, from walking on at Duke to taking her team to the final four more than once, is kind of her thing. 

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances in Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances is a weekly series looking at the top three goalkeeping, defensive, and attacking performances each week. In week three of the NWSL, it was the attacking power that shined. There were 11 goals scored across the four matches, including six goals in the match between the Washington Spirit and the North Carolina Courage. Defenses struggled this weekend, but there were a handful of shining moments, including a goal-line save by the Utah Royals. The North Carolina Courage continued to prove why they are the best team in the NWSL, and in all matches except one, the away teams walked away with a win. 

These were the week three matches: 

Utah Royals vs. Chicago Red Stars (0-1) 

Washington Spirit vs. North Carolina Courage (2-4)

Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign (0-1)

Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride (2-1) 

Top Three Goalkeepers 

1. Kailen Sheridan— While Sky Blue FC failed to walk away with the win, Sheridan had the best save percentage in the NWSL this weekend. She faced eight shots from the Seattle Reign and saved three of them, including Seattle Reign’s second penalty kick late in the match. Sheridan blocked the initial shot and the rebound before her team cleared the ball, and while Sky Blue ultimately weren’t able to come back, Sheridan’s save kept them in the match.

2. Ashlyn Harris— Yes, Harris let two goals in during the match against the Portland Thorns. But one of those goals was a defensive failure and the other was a beauty from Lindsey Horan. Similar to Sheridan, Harris’s saves towards the end of the match kept her team alive. Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic had a chance to put the match away in the 85th minute, with some help from Ifeoma Onumonu, but Harris stretched her entire body out and blocked it on the ground. She also had an impressive diving save off a shot from Tyler Lussi in the 17th minute. 

3. Michelle Betos— Statistically, Betos is the best goalkeeper in the league. She wasn’t tested too often in the Seattle Reign’s match against Sky Blue this weekend, facing only three shots. But her one save of the match came at a critical moment. In the 73rd minute, Shea Groom came charging down the field. Groom beat her defender and faced Betos with a chance for the equalizer, but Betos deflected the shot. The Reign maintained their lead and went on to win the match 1-0. 

Top Three Defenders

1. Katherine Reynolds— Reynolds is a veteran NWSL defender who often goes unnoticed. But Reynolds is a consistent presence on the backline for the Portland Thorns and had a solid match on Sunday against the Orlando Pride. The Pride were itching for more after Chioma Ubogagu scored their first goal in the 20th minute, and the Thorns only had a one-goal margin. But Reynolds, along with Emily Sonnett and Kelli Hubly, kept the Pride at bay. 

2. Lo’eau LaBonta— LaBonta is an attacking midfielder, but she had the nicest single moment of defense from the weekend. In the 48th minute, Chicago earned a corner kick. Danielle Colaprico sent the ball into the box. Eventually, Sofia Huerta headed the ball past Abby Smith, but LaBonta cleared the ball on the goal line. There weren’t many shining moments of defense this weekend, but this was one of them.

3. Ali Krieger— Krieger has an energy that is infectious on the field, and that came across in this weekend’s match against the Thorns. Krieger played on the right side in the Pride’s triple-center back formation, and kept her energy high the whole match. She even had a few shots of her own, but ultimately the Pride failed to get their second goal. 

Top Three Attackers 

1. McCall Zerboni— Zerboni had two goals in Saturday’s explosive 4-2 win for the North Carolina Courage over the Washington Spirit. Zerboni’s first goal came off a free kick in the 24th minute. After a tap from Lynn Williams, Zerboni snuck the ball just past Aubrey Bledsoe on the far left. Her second goal came in the 48th minute, off an assist from Kristen Hamilton. Hamilton kept the ball in play and drew Bledsoe towards her. She passed the ball to Zerboni, who turned and put it in the back of the net. 

2. Danielle Colaprico— Colaprico scored the lone goal in the match between the Utah Royals and the Chicago Red Stars, and it was arguably the best goal of the weekend. In the 24th minute, the Utah Royals defense attempted to clear the ball from their 18-yard box. Colaprico stood on the edge of the box and blocked the clearance. Before settling the ball, she threw her power behind the shot and nailed it in the top right corner. 

3. Lindsey Horan— Horan had another stellar goal from outside the box this weekend. The Thorns went down early on in their match against the Pride, but shortly after Chioma Ubogagu’s goal for the Pride, Christine Sinclair passed the ball to Horan just outside of the Pride’s 18-yard box. Horan dribbled a bit before setting up the shot on her left foot and finding the back of the net. The ball shot across the box, past goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, and into the far corner. Horan also assisted on Christine Sinclair’s game-winning goal about ten minutes later and was an attacking presence for Portland the entire match. 

QuickLook Week 4 Part I: The Phantom Schedule

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to NWSL Two-In-One, featuring twice the games and twice the marshmallow goodness per game. We’ll get one match week of three games Wednesday through Friday and another set of games Saturday and Sunday. Today I’ll look at the first half, since I’m sure there will be returns, absences, injuries and all the assorted coaching suspensions that moot advance drafting.

North Carolina Courage (3-0-0) vs. Seattle Reign (2-0-0)
Wednesday 4/18 7:00pm EST

The battle of the unbeaten. The tussle of the titans.

Samantha Mewis has made her way onto the questionable side of the injury report, which is a big step forward for the NCC midfield. They’ve been a powerhouse, with goals from a wealth of players (Zerboni, McDonald, Williams and Dunn) and a solid back line, but the Washington game is the only one they’ve looked loose and flying after two 1-0 wins. Debhina remains on international duty, while the NWSL bubbles about whether she was released later than requested, giving a potential advantage to NCC.

Seattle comes in with Megan Rapinoe (a league leading 13 shots, with two goals and an assist) out with a hamstring injury and Williams, Catley, Kawasumi, and Utsugi all on international duty. This is a depleted Seattle team will lean on Michele Betos in goal and Jodie Taylor up front, but there’s a risk of domination by the Courage. If you’re the betting type, now put everything on Seattle with five Fishlock-to-Long goals, because they certainly have talent that hasn’t shone through this season.

Chicago Red Stars (1-1-1) v. Houston Dash (0-0-2)
Wednesday 4/18 7:30PM EST

Chicago will still be without reigning MVP Sam Kerr (international duty) and Julie Ertz (injury), among others, and last weekend in Utah they looked like a team with some issues—merely offensive issues and defensive issues, though, so they’ll rebound at some point if the head coach didn’t lose everyone by calling out player(s) a few weeks ago. Taylor Mautz continues to lead the team in goals (2) and Sofia Huerta leads the league in assists (2) but they haven’t been producing in that end of the field.

Houston was expected to be a flaming dumpster fire this season and has been at least mildly competent in both of their games, with potential to be highly competitive. Their only scoring has been a Savannah Jordan to Kimberly Keever tally in the first game (and neither player has a profile image on the league site, still). The Dash are only scheduled to miss Kyah Simon (international duty) so the possibility of a Kealia Ohai/Rachel Daly/Kristie Mewis build-up could be quite promising in front of future All XI Jane Campbell.

Portland Thorns (2-1-0) vs. Washington Spirit (0-2-1)
Friday 4/20 10:30PM EST

In a diabolic move, the league has scheduled the Spirit to play after their young stars’ bedtimes. BAON’s Tobin Heath should get minutes opposite Skyline Chili’s Mallory Pugh in the sort of match that puts eyes onto screens.

Portland remains a superteam, with Christine Sinclair leading the league in scoring and Adriana Franch showing that she should be in the USWNT mix. Portland’s back line will probably still be missing Emily Menges, but has mostly gotten the job done without her so far. Washington, apart from Pugh, has had a solid start from less-heralded talents like Joanna Lohman.

Upcoming Games

Saturday:

North Carolina Courage vs. Utah Royals 3:30 PM/Lifetime

Chicago Red Stars vs. Sky Blue FC 8:30 PM

Sunday:

Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash 5:00 PM

Euro Roundup: World Cup Qualifying Special

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Euro Roundup! This edition will be a bit different: with European World Cup qualifying nearing the end, we will take a look at how recent qualifiers have gone as well as the state of play with future qualifiers.

While other federations have recently kicked off their qualifying campaigns, national teams in Europe have been in qualifying since September of last year. With the majority of it completed, some teams are close to booking their place in the World Cup in France in 2019.

Group 1

England took on Wales in what was to be the toughest test so far. A record crowd of 25,603 people watched the match at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton. Wales set themselves quite defensively and their game plan worked. The way they set up made them really hard to break down. The best chances were long-range ones but Laura O’Sullivan made some amazing saves on the day and Wales took away a well-deserved point.

While that was it for Wales, England had one more game this time against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia have been and were again a frustrating team to play against, but England came away with a 2-0 win this time and went to the top of the group.

Group 2

Group 2 saw some close matches again. It kicked off with Switzerland taking on Scotland. Switzerland had won all their previous matches in qualifying and looked to continue that here. It was closely contested, with the Swiss winning 1-0 with the winning goal scored by Lara Dickenmann.

The following day, Poland and Albania saw out a 1-1 draw with goals scored by Katarzyna Daleszczyk and Geldona Morina. The final day of matches had Albania taking on Belarus and Scotland taking on Poland. Albania beat bottom-of-the-table Belarus 1-0, but it wasn’t easy. Lucie Gijini scored just a couple of minutes from time to take all three points.

Scotland vs Poland was a close match as well but there were a couple of incidents that changed the game. First, Scottish goalkeeper Lee Alexander saved a penalty. Later on, Paulina Dudek was sent off after getting her second yellow and that opened the game. All three of Scotland’s goals were scored in 12 minutes. Zoe Ness scored her first international goal in the 79th minute, Claire Emslie scored seven minutes later, and Erin Cuthbert rounded off the scoring in extra time.

Group 3

The Netherlands had a double helping of the Irish in these qualifiers as they took on both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland were up first, and another record crowd of 30,000+ were in attendance—the Dutch European Championship win really has changed attitudes and opened up people’s mind to women’s football over there. They were in for a real treat as the Netherlands thrashed Northern Ireland 7-0. A few of the more notable names were in on the scoring. Lieke Martens opened the scoring and doubled the lead eight minutes after her first goal. Vivianne Miedema added another, and Sherida Spitse made it 4-0 when she put away a penalty before halftime. There wasn’t much let up after the break. Shanice van de Sanden made it 5-0, with Spitse getting her brace, and an own goal sealed the deal.

It was a tougher test in the next match, with just a 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland. The previous fixture between the two had ended in a draw, but the Orange Lionesses weren’t taking any chances with that this time. Lineth Beerensteyn and Sherida Spitse scoring the only goals in the game, with Spitse putting away yet another penalty.

Group 4

Sweden and Denmark look to be the teams that might be progressing from their group but the order is yet to be decided. Only one team can progress automatically, with the runner-up up having to see if they will be one of the four teams in the playoffs. Right now, Sweden are in the driver’s seat. They only played once but made it a good win.

Hungary were on the end of a 4-1 defeat with Fanni Vago getting at least something from the game. Caroline Seger, Sofia Jakobsson, Stina Blackstenius and Mimmi Larsson were all on target that day. Meanwhile, Denmark won as well, but it was quite tough. They came up against Ukraine who are trying to get into the playoff spot at least, and they won by only a goal which was scored by Sanne Troelsgaard.

Group 5

Group 5 could throw up surprises later on, but it was pretty much business as normal this time. After going through a tumultuous time, Germany’s interim coach guided them to a good 4-0 win over the Czech Republic. For one of the players, however, it was a great game. Lea Schuller got all four goals that match, scoring two goals in each half.

Iceland are keeping pace with the Germans and are only two points behind with a game in hand. They had two games and came away with two wins. First up was a trip to Slovenia. They came away from that game with a close 2-0 win with goals from Gunnhildur Jonsdottir and Rakel Honnudottir. The next away game was a bit easier. Faroe Islands did really well in the preliminary stage, winning all their games, but have struggled in qualifying. Iceland won quite comfortably with five goals from five different goalscorers. Jonsdottir and Honnudottir scored yet again, as well as Harpa Thorsteinsdottir, Agla Maria Albertsdottir, and Fanndis Fridriksdottir.

Group 6

Italy is absolutely flying in Group 6 and look to be one win away from booking their ticket to the World Cup. They are in a group with fellow Euro 2017 teams Belgium and Portugal, but have won all of their matches so far.  They faced bottom side Moldova and managed to win 3-1. Italy scored twice in the first half with the first goal coming in the eighth minute. Anastasia Toma got one back for Moldova just before halftime, but Valentina Giacinti got the final goal.

The Azzurre faced a tougher test in the next match against the Belgians. The Red Flames took the lead when Janice Cayman slotted home a penalty. Just a few minutes later, Martina Rosucci got the Italians back in it. Cristiana Girelli scored the winner 10 minutes from time and kept the winning run going.

Group 7

Spain is also flying through their group stage. They have won all of their games so far and are on 15 points with Austria in second with seven. With three games remaining for both, Spain aren’t quite mathematically there just yet, but they are very close.

First up, Austria faced Serbia and they were a tough test for them. Serbia took the lead just a few minutes in but undid that good work by conceding an own goal. They held on and drew 1-1 with Austria dropping crucial points. Next up, Austria faced Spain in what was a Euro 2017 rematch. Spain avenged the Euro defeat with Jennifer Hermoso scoring the only goal.

Predictions

So who looks to be qualifying, who will be in the playoffs, and who may just miss out? As previously mentioned, Spain and Italy look set to be qualifying automatically in their next games. Spain face Israel on June 7 and Italy face Portugal on June 8. Switzerland look firm favorites to qualify as well, but there is a small matter of a game against Scotland who are behind them with a game in hand. The deficit is only six points so a win for Scotland could change things up. The Netherlands could qualify yet again. The Republic of Ireland are three points behind, but luckily they have both played each other home and away. It’s more about who could get second and a possible playoff spot. Norway won’t want to miss out on a World Cup, and they have a game in hand over the Republic of Ireland, as well as being only one point behind. They do still have to face each other both home and away; Republic of Ireland will host on June 8th and Norway will host on June 12th.

As previously mentioned, Sweden and Denmark are fighting it out for that top spot in Group 4 with Sweden three points ahead. This is another group where the top two will face each other. They face each other on the final day of qualifying which is September 4. Points will be crucial for Denmark, as they may miss out on playoffs as the other results stand at the moment. The biggest shock of all could come from Group 5. Iceland are currently second but they are only two points behind Germany with a game in hand. They shocked everyone by beating the Germans in qualifying earlier on. If they repeated that feat, they could qualify automatically with the Germans quite likely to be in a playoff spot. The crucial match between the two will take place on September 1.

Ending up where we began the roundup, Group 1 could have an interesting ending, with England leading the group just two points ahead of Wales. The two face each other in what is likely to be another well-attended match on August 31. However, with how certain results could fall, this encounter may be more attacking. Either side of that game, England face Russia and Kazakhstan away with wins looking likely in both. Wales face Russia as well as the stubborn Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It’s shaping up to be quite some race for those all-important World Cup spots so keep your eyes open in a couple of months time and see just who will go and who will falter.

Hot and Not: NWSL Week Three Power Rankings

Posted on by RJ Allen

Warning:

This power ranking is not reactionary.

This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.

It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.

Enjoy it.

It will soon change.

Not many teams moved this week. Two games impacted by rain will do that. 

NWSL QuickCap 3: A Reign-y Weekend

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week three is in the books. Let’s get to it. 

Utah Royals 0-1 Chicago Red Stars

I thought about becoming a Utah fan, but then I remembered we can never be royals.

This game featured great defense by Utah, other than giving up a single goal to Danielle Colaprico in the 27th minute. It also featured no offense from Utah, meaning Chicago probably could have had at least a draw if they hadn’t shown up. Utah lead in fouls (10-6) and more notably in offsides (6-1).

Kelley O’Hara played the first half and Amy Rodriguez returned to the field in the 77th minute. Stephanie McCaffrey returned for Chicago, very late, which is something of note, I guess. I said a couple weeks ago that A-Rod couldn’t take over a game and I stand by that only because she didn’t, but with five more minutes I think she would have tied this one.

Washington Spirit 2-4 North Carolina Courage

Mallory Pugh opened the scoring at 3’ for Washington, then Crystal Dunn responded at 20’ and McCall Zerboni at 24’ and then everyone took a break on the scoring until the second half, just to toy with my prediction that this would be a high-scoring affair.

Zerboni scored again at 48’, Washington’s Francisca Ordega closed the gap in the 58th, and then Lynn Williams put it away at 66’. I think both teams could have scored more, but didn’t want to make the other franchises feel bad. I would have expected Zerboni to go for the Gordie Howe hat trick late in the second half.

Sky Blue FC 0-1 Seattle Reign

Seattle remained undefeated and very visible in uniforms that should have a sponsorship deal with Mountain Dew or toxic waste.

Megan Rapinoe converted a PK on an inexplicable hand ball in the early part of the first (6’ for the purists) but Kailen Sheridan saved a Jodie Taylor penalty in the 86th, plus a stunning stop on the follow up by Seattle’s Dallstream.

The majority of the stream, when not obscured by rain, featured Seattle possessing the ball and pounding away but never breaking through for a run-of-play goal. New Jersey put together some offense in streaky spurts but seems to be lacking cohesion at all areas of the pitch.

Portland Thorns 2-1 Orlando Pride

Chioma Ubogagu for the Pride at 20’, The Great Horan for the Thorns at 28’ and the ageless Christine Sinclair with the final scoring at 39’. Then they did a second half which featured the lack of an Orlando midfield, a lot of Thorns rolling around holding ankles (and laughing, if you’re Emily Sonnett), plus Sydney Leroux making a case for the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward.

Post-game stats say 54% possession for Portland but that is why statistics lie, because I watched the game and don’t think Orlando ever had the ball, apart from rebounding shots and passing them back out to Thorns players.

NWSL QuickLook Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

I’m starting to think Australians aren’t ever coming back.

Utah Royals vs. Chicago Red Stars – 4/14 @ 3:30pm ET

Utah: 0-0-2

Chicago: 0-1-1

The Lifetime Game of the Week Sandwiched Between Less Appealing Movies will feature perennial contender FCKC-Plus-O’Hara vs No-Really-We’re-Contenders-This-Time-Chicago.

Perhaps no game would benefit more from the return of Australians than this one, as Utah looks forward to improving markedly with the addition of Katrina Gorry. Chicago, meanwhile, is missing former savior of New Jersey Sam Kerr, too, I guess, if you’re into that sort of thing. ARod, Kelley O’Hara, Casey Short, and Julie Ertz, if they are still out, will have a majority of the payroll and the star power as spectators, but both teams have had unexpected scoring.

Chicago’s Sofia Huerta leads the league in assists (2) and Alyssa Mautz is tied for the league lead in goals (2).

Washington Spirit vs. NC Courage – 4/14 @ 7pm ET

Washington: 1-1-0

North Carolina: 2-0-0

Samantha Mewis and Rose Lavelle are still on the injury report, but if any team can survive a marquee player’s absence, it’s the Courage.

Washington’s Ashley Hatch is only one of two players in the league with a goal and an assist, and Washington is the only team with three different goal scorers. The young and balanced attack may balance a less notable defense, which has keeper Aubrey Bledsoe leading the league in saves with 14 (six more than the next.) North Carolina has two 1-0 wins but really should be putting more on frame from towers of power McDonald and Williams. This could be an offensive shootout that puts players from both teams ahead on the league leaders list, or Bledsoe and Sabrina D’Angelo could set saves records.

Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign – 4/15 @ 5pm ET

Sky Blue: 0-1-0

Seattle: 1-0-0

Megan Rapinoe leads the league in shots at 11, with the rest of the Reign adding eight more. Are they relying too much on her or is she a powerhouse that’s making a case for MVP again this year? Sky Blue only appears on the League Leaders list for yellow cards, but their young cast has to click and produce at some point, right? Keeper Michelle Betos has looked to be in standard form in her return to the NWSL, while Kailen Sheridan remains in the mix as one of Canada’s best young players.

Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride – 4/15 @ 6pm ET

Portland: 1-1-0

Orlando: 0-1-1

I have tickets to the Orlando game next week, so naturally, this game will be the one where everyone gets hurt and the league contracts the team. Ashlyn Harris and the defense have fueled stan attention (that puppy, though) and looked solid, but the Alex Morgan/Marta/Sydney Leroux powerhouse Cerberus of scoring has yet to melt other teams (and Marta is still on international duty, anyway). Portland, in front of future Best XI keeper Adrianna Franch, is still a massive collection of talent, with ageless Christine Sinclair tied for the league lead in goals—yet this roster needs more than Sinclair and Horan scoring.