Category: Articles

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.



  

Who Should Make the NWSL All Decade Team?

Posted on by Backline Soccer

As we head toward the end of the seventh season of the NWSL we happen to also be heading to the end of this decade. And who doesn’t like a ceremonial team to celebrate that passage of time?

Ceremonial teams are tricky things to construct. Do you pick the very best in each category? Do you try to create the ultimate team out of the players offered? Do you go with who you think of personally, or do you gather other people’s ideas of who should make it? Do you list just the starting XI or do you select the full team?

After thinking about the possibilities for this team in just the midfield alone I decided I needed some help. And help I was thankfully able to find. I managed to convince 18 women’s soccer writers and media folks to take a survey. I offered them the cloak of anonymity with the option to speak up if they wanted to out themselves as having participated.

To decide who would be on the survey I went back to the history books. I took players who were voted Player of the Week and Month, players who made the first and second XI at the end of each NWSL season and anyone else I thought should be included. I also left a space for my helpers to submit anyone I’d forgotten. There was a vote for the starting player in any position and then another spot for a backup. Players were awarded two points for a starting vote and one point for a vote as a backup. And before I get comments, they had to have played at least three seasons in the NWSL to be included.

I was fully ready to override the group if I felt someone wasn’t included that I felt worthy. But it turns out after I tallied all the votes I agreed with them without having to use any executive overrides. Always a good place to be.

As for the team itself, I decided to break NWSL roster rules and go with 23 instead of the current max of 22. I am always going to include an extra goalkeeper when I can and there was a tie for second place in the goalkeeping ranks anyway. So, why not?

The Goalkeepers

         Starting goalkeeper: Nicole Barnhart

         Backup goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher and Michelle Betos

         Goalkeeper that just missed the cut: Hope Solo

Nicole Barnhart is arguably the greatest goalkeeper in NWSL history. With her two NWSL titles (2014, 2015 – both with FCKC) and her work for the Utah Royals FC it’s hard to argue against her being the net-minder on an All Decade Team. Since she won Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013 she has been a force in the back for both FCKC and The Royals.

Behind her in the depth chart, Alyssa Naeher and Michelle Betos tied on points with eight each. Naeher did have more first place votes for what that’s worth, three to two.

Both Naeher and Betos have seen significant minutes in the league over the nearly seven year history of the league. Both have been solid to exceptional during those years. Both players also have NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year awards under their belts as well. They are solid, what moer can I say?

Overall the goalkeeping is locked down with these three on the roster.

The Defenders

         Starting defenders: Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Erceg, Lauren Barnes, Steph Catley

         Back up defenders: Ali Krieger, Emily Menges, Abby Dahlkemper

         Defender(s) that just missed the cut: Casey Short and Christie Pearce

I did not plan to have two center backs and two outside backs in the starting four. That was just a happy accident of voting and of who was selected. Have to love it when things come together like that.

Let’s get this out of the way first and foremost. Becky Sauerbrunn is the best defender the league has seen, questionable Defender of the Year award in 2015 not withstanding. She might be the very best center back the US has ever produced and in the conversation for the top center back ever in the women’s game. Abby Erceg has been consistently one of the top defenders in the league and, based on countless hours of watching her play with Dahlkemper who is much closer to Sauerbrunn’s style than people give her credit for, would be a well suited partner in central defense for Sauerbrunn.

Lauren Barnes gets the call as an outside back that can play center back or a center back that can play outside back depending on when you last watched (Seattle) Reign FC. Steph Catley has graced the pitch for Portland, Orlando and the Reign over her time in the NWSL. And when healthy, sometimes a bigger question than others, she might be the most dynamic outside back in the league.

We need to talk about Emily Menges. She is the only field player on this roster that doesn’t have a cap with their national team. She has been one of the very best in the league since she entered it in 2014 and really should be in the McCall Zerboni/Jess McDonald category of NWSL players who played themselves into national team contention.

Ali Krieger and Abby Dahlkemper round out the defense. Krieger has been consistently one of the top outside backs in the league, and can play center back in a pinch. Dahlkemper has only been in the league since 2015 but in that time she has helped her team win two league titles, one shield and been to the NWSL finals three straight times.

The Attackers

          Starting attackers: Sam Kerr, Kim Little, Lauren Holiday, Christine Sinclair, Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn

          Back up attackers: Jessica McDonald, Jess Fishlock, McCall Zerboni, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Rodriguez, Lindsey Horan, Christen Press

          Attackers that just missed the cut: Allie Long and Lynn Williams

I’m going to level with you. As I was putting this together I ran into the age old problem of “is Tobin Heath or Megan Rapinoe or (insert player here that you have a question about) a forward or a midfielder” and that problem drives me a little crazy. So I decided to put attackers together and I think it still came out with a good mix between the true forwards, the wide forwards/midfielders and the central midfielders. These attackers are some of the best players to play soccer in the last 15 years, let alone just in a single league.

Do I really need to explain why Sam Kerr is on the league’s All Decade Team? Kerr has been the strongest attacking force in the league over the last three years. Hat tricks, four goal games and back flips are all in Kerr’s toolbox and she seems to be able to bust out the incredible at will.

Every active player to make this 23 player roster is still in the NWSL except Kim Little. Little is still playing for Arsenal over in England. While her first World Cup surely didn’t go the way she wanted it to, Little can still show off her skills. Skills that made her one of the most entertaining players in the NWSL back in 2014 – 2016. Netting 32 goals in 63 games in a league as competitive as the NWSL is an incredible work rate. Little was part of a Reign midfield that dominated for two years. And while she never lifted the NWSL Championship trophy, she left deep marks on the league even three plus years later.

Lauren Holiday is the only retired player on this list. I don’t know if I am capable of putting into words how good she was. She spent large amounts of her national team career being consistently one of the very best players on the field while not playing in her best position. But in the NWSL for FC Kansas City? She was able to take the league by the horns and win back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 against a Seattle Reign team that dominated the regular season. Her skill at making others better while always being three steps ahead made her undeniable when she was on the field. And unforgettable when she finally stepped off of it for the last time.

Is there really anything to be said about Christine Sinclair that hasn’t already been written? Smart, strong on the ball, ruthless in the pursuit of her team finding a way to win, she is a player’s player. A captain’s captain. She has lead the Thorns since the day she reported to Portland, and I can’t imagine the team without her leading them out on the field. A double league champion who is just class all the way with her skill at finding a sliver of space or an open teammate.

There is no player in the NWSL as adept at being frustrating to watch one moment while delighting fans the next like Tobin Heath. Heath can put in a cross like few others this league has seen, and this league has seem some wonderful crossers. And her free kicks and set pieces aren’t bad either. Her opening goal in the 2013 NWSL Championship Game was one of the most beautifully executed free kicks that also happened to be the winning goal.

2015 was the year that much of the league met Crystal Dunn for the first time. She had an MVP and Golden Boot year in 2015. Her performance in the 2016 NWSL final alone (where her two goals weren’t enough to hold off the Western New York Flash) would have kept her in everyone’s mind. But since heading to England to play for Chelsea, returning stateside and joining the North Carolina Courage she has looked like one of the very best players the league has had with a ball at her feet. Dunn can play anywhere you ask her, and in some games has lined up in three or four different spots. This league has helped a lot of players find out who they really are on the field and Dunn is no exception.

In 2013 it was the Chicago Red Stars and the Seattle Reign. In 2014 it was the Portland Thorns. In 2015 the Houston Dash. 2016 the Western New York Flash and then finally the North Carolina Courage. Jessica McDonald has spent her career going around the league and has now found a home in North Carolina. Assists, goals, defending on set pieces because of her size, she can do it all. The last three seasons we’ve seen her come into her own under Paul Riley’s style of coaching and the league is frankly better for having McDonald as a super star in it.

Jess Fishlock is the one Welsh player you may have heard of who isn’t Gareth Bale. She is a nightmare for other teams to play with the fire of a dragon hitting you with each tackle. She was a big reason for the domination that Seattle had during the regular season in 2014 and 2015. And consistently one of the hardest players to play against in league history.

A lot of what I said about Fishlock also applies to McCall Zerboni. A tough player who tackles hard and has willed her team on to greatness. One of the very toughest players to have played in the NWSL. Since 2016 she has bloomed into one of the very top defensive midfielders the league has ever had.

Megan Rapinoe can ball. When healthy – and in the last few years there have been questions around that during her time with the Reign – she has helped the Reign become one of the most successful teams in the league. A skillful mix of creative and tough with flashes of brilliance that can knock the socks off of any defender, Rapinoe keeps making her mark on the league every time she steps on the pitch.

When it comes to the post season Amy Rodriguez is perhaps the most dangerous forward the NWSL has ever seen. And during the regular season she’s no lightweight either. With her unpredictable style on the ball, her lightning quick speed and her ability to find a way to get the ball in the back of the net more often than not, Rodriguez has gathered two NWSL titles in her time playing for FC Kansas City. And she is still scoring goals as she plays for Utah.

I am not sure that any other player has shown up in the NWSL and said “this is my league now” the way that Lindsey Horan has. When Horan came over from Paris Saint-Germain in 2016 to the Thorns there was a level of excitement. And in her roughly 70 matches for the Thorns she has shown she deserves to stand with the giants of the NWSL midfield already. Horan became the first NWSL MVP that was not also the Golden Boot winner after a spectacular 2018 season. Give her another decade in the league and she is going to jump even higher on lists like this.

While she’s never been to an NWSL final there have been few forwards in league history more deadly when the ball is at their feet than Christen Press. She demands respect from anywhere south of the midfield point as she can, and will, take shots from distance. Averaging about a goal every two games during her time in the NWSL is going to get defenders paying attention. And even still it is rare Press has a prolonged scoring drought.

The Lineup

For the starting XI I decided to go with the top point getters in each category. Thankfully it does make a pretty convincing lineup.

Though I will admit if I were to take a look at the full 23 I might have a slightly different group as my starting XI in order the make the best version of it.

What did I get right? What did I get wrong? Who did I forget to add to the 23? Who would you take out? Who might end up on the team for the next decade? Comment below with your thoughts.

The Game Changers: Week 14

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.

In Week 14 of NWSL action, many of the U.S. Women’s National Team stars returned to their NWSL teams after a week of celebrating their fourth Women’s World Cup title. The return of these players brought record crowds around the league, including sellouts for the Washington Spirit and the Chicago Red Stars. And under the spotlight these teams did not disappoint. Here is a full list of results from Week 14. 

Utah Royals vs. Portland Thorns (2-2)

Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue (1-0)

Washington Spirit vs. Houston Dash (1-2)

Chicago Red Stars vs. North Carolina Courage (2-1)

Portland Thorns continue a strong run. 

The Portland Thorns have just two losses this season. This week, they traveled to Utah looking for another victory to keep them on top of the NWSL Standings. After Christine Sinclair opened scoring with a screamer of a goal against the Utah Royals, the Thorns benefited in the end from a bit of a scramble in the box and a shot off the foot of Lindsey Horan that ended up counting as a Becky Sauerbrunn own-goal. Three minutes later, the Thorns would concede again, but they still managed to earn a point on the road and stay in the No. 1 spot in the NWSL Standings. 

The Portland Thorns have been in the NWSL Final for the last two years. They don’t look as intimidating this season as they have in years past, but they continue to find results even in games where they under perform. They look like the strongest team in the league right now, and if they can continue to get these kinds of results as the national team players settle back into their club teams, they have what it takes to go all the way.

 Chicago Red Stars win in front of a sellout crowd.

This week was a big week for the Chicago Red Stars both on the field and with the fans. They faced off against the North Carolina Courage, currently the No. 2 team in the NWSL Standings. And they did it in front of a sellout crowd; in a game that was aired on ESPN2. The Red Stars did exactly what they needed to — they got a win. This pushed them up to the No. 3 team in the league and hopefully provided their fans with the show they were looking for.

Chicago actually conceded first with a goal from Lynn Williams in the 30th minute. But it took them just seven minutes to equalize. Arin Wright sent a ball into the box and the North Carolina defense was nowhere to be seen. Vanessa DiBernardo tapped it past Stephanie Labbé for their first goal of the game. They went into halftime with a 1-1 scoreline, but early in the first half, Sam Kerr found the back of the net with a nutmeg and a shot.  The Red Stars won the game 2-1, and hopefully enticed a lot more fans to tune into their next game.

The North Carolina Courage are handed their third loss of the season.

The Courage should have benefited this week from the return of Jess McDonald, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, and Crsytal Dunn. But despite having more shots, crosses, and corners, the Courage still dropped points on the road. Lynn Williams scored first, putting one away for the Courage in the 30th minute. But in the end, her goal wasn’t enough. The North Carolina defense got owned on both of the goals from Chicago, which is not what we’ve come to expect from the likes of Dahlkemper, Erceg, Hinkle, and Mathias. 

The North Carolina Courage are still No. 2 in the league, only one point behind the Portland Thorns. And the national team players still need some time to settle into their roles. Unfortunately, that cost the Courage points this week. It’s been clear for awhile now that this is not the Courage of 2018. The loss this week makes them vulnerable in the standings, but if one thing is clear, it’s that this playoff race is going to be a lot tighter than in years past. 

Staying on Cloud 9

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Sky Blue FC made headlines in 2018. Everyone was talking about them for the rest of the season, tuning in to their games, tweeting and re-tweeting articles and comments. They were all anyone could talk about.

For all the wrong reasons.

Sky Blue FC, out of Piscataway Township, NJ, has certainly had its ups and down. As the only club still left standing since women’s professional soccer began, it has quite a history. I was fortune enough to interview Jennifer Muller, the current pack leader of Cloud 9 – the supporters’ group for Sky Blue FC. Not an easy task the last two years or so, Jen and other members of Cloud 9 have continued to show up and show out for their club, through the wins, the draws and the losses. Through Sam Kerr’s comments about conditions; through exposes, articles and the tweets. Through players unwilling to play there. Through owner and Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, promising to make things better. Through Sky Blue FC finally finding its feet and winning games. Cloud 9 is comprised of people who are loyal, want to see success and love this team beyond reproach. Pretty much everything you could ask for from a Supporters Group. 

Muller gave me a little overview of how she became interested in the club and ultimately ended up helping get the club’s SG off the ground officially in 2015.

Like any new SG, it wasn’t a smooth road. “It was pretty hap hazard. We were in the bleachers near the beer garden, and we’re thinking maybe we would be able to get people interested in joining, but it was hard to get off the ground.” A rough beginning saw some light at the end of the tunnel with the 2015 Women’s World Cup. “That first game back, with all the national team players back, there was a huge boost. They sold out that game and were able to get people to move in and it was great.” Muller’s love for Cloud 9 shone through as we discussed her role with the club and how things came about. In 2016, Cloud 9 saw membership numbers go up as people became more and more interested in Sky Blue FC. “New members are typically people who are already soccer fans but are the person in their friends group who likes soccer, so they don’t have anyone to go to games with.”

One of the great things about supporters groups is the instant access to people who are open and friendly and welcoming to anyone who is coming to their first game, 10thgame, or 100thgame. Cloud 9 doesn’t just have NWSL fans; they also have a crossover smattering of MLS fans from the New York Redbulls, New York City FC and even the Philadelphia Union. Because Sky Blue FC is nestled in such a small but unique location, they’re able to get those different types of members, who in turn tell their friends. “It’s a lot of word of mouth, boots on the ground, kind of thing.” Muller tells me when I asked what their marketing looked like. “Social media plays a big role in letting people know about the club.” With 12 games left in the season, Cloud 9 will continue to support their club and do everything they can to attract new fans.

And that starts with letting people know what it’s like to be a part of Cloud 9. I posed a few questions to some members of Cloud 9 about their experience in the group. They provided their answers below.

Danny Kane:

When did you first hear about the club?

1) I started watching women’s soccer a decent amount around the 2012 Olympics, but had no clue who the club teams were. Around 2014/15, Jen Muller started telling me about Sky Blue. I went to my first game after the World Cup (Yurcak is inconvenient as hell for me, so it took a bit to convince me), got season tickets in 2016. On the one hand, it’s great that supporters bring their friends. On the other hand, how the hell can a pro team rely on that? I’ve never seen Sky Blue advertised. Cloud 9 members have brought in a ton of fans, including many new members, but we shouldn’t be the team’s best advertisement.

What made you want to become involved?

2) I support women’s soccer. The 2015 World Cup got me sufficiently hooked I wanted to make as many games as possible. At some point when things went to hell last year, I was loyal to my friends in the section, and especially our players, so I was gonna make it as much as I could, even if it wasn’t fun, which is where I’m at now (though the last 2 games have me a little optimistic)

How has your experience been, being in a Supporters’ Group?

3) The SG is great. We pump each other up, we keep it as fun as we can, and there’s no feeling like leading the support, especially after a tough win. I can’t imagine watching a game anywhere else. 

What is the ABSOLUTE one thing you want people to know/understand about being a Sky Blue fan?

4) It often sucks. Ownership doesn’t care (remember, the progress we made this year brought us back to the status quo that Sam Kerr actively tried to leave). Our field is in the middle of nowhere. We haven’t had a decent chance at playoffs in at least 2 years, and haven’t made playoffs since I’ve been watching. I love our players, and I often love going to games. But it’s a weird feeling to be okay with one of your favorite players leaving, because she’s in a better place. I didn’t renew my season tickets this year, because I don’t trust the ownership. I think Alyse is a huge upgrade over Tony, but I don’t think she was put in a position to succeed. So I go to basically every game, but I don’t trust the team enough to commit to them. And I don’t know exactly what I want. A field with adequate facilities would certainly be a start. The feeling that our organization is as professional as our players (and that our players are treated like world class professionals) would be ideal. When I feel optimistic, it’s always tempered, because I don’t think we’re anywhere near that ideal.

Michelle Fowler, who is one of the new members this season.

When did you first hear about the club?

I’ve been following NWSL since its inception, so I was made aware of Sky Blue through watching NWSL YouTube streams. 

What made you want to become involved?

When former players started speaking out, and articles written, about the conditions players were being subjected to, I saw how much Cloud 9 fought for the players. I admired the commitment of the SG to keep the story at the forefront and demand change. I wanted to be a part of that support, even in some small way. Joining Cloud 9 and showing up was the best way for me to do that. 

How has your experience been, being in a Supporters’ Group?

It’s been an awesome experience, better than I thought it could be.  I was very nervous to go to the first tailgate/game alone. But, I didn’t have to be worried. I was greeted right away by Jen. Several others came over, introduced themselves and made me feel very welcome. It’s a very accepting group and you can just be who you are. Most of all we have FUN, no matter the result on the field. You feel like an active participant when you are singing and chanting and you see the players appreciating it. 

What is the ABSOLUTE one thing you want people to know/understand about being a Sky Blue fan?

Our players come to do battle every game and they do it with a lot less than most other teams in the league. They appreciate every fan in the stands and fight for you. It makes you want to cheer a little harder for them and makes every win just a little sweeter. It’s more than worth the price of admission!

Margaret Ligouri

When did you first hear about the club?

I first heard of Sky Blue and the NWSL one night when I was watching old USWNT videos when I was in college. All of a sudden, I saw a video for a league game, and I did a little digging and saw there was a team that played practically in my backyard. I could see all my favorite players, in person, so close to home. It seemed too good to be true.

What made you want to become involved?

I became involved in supporters groups and with Cloud 9 because I didn’t want to go to games alone and I want to be as involved in supporting the league and the players as I could.

How has your experience been, being in a Supporters’ Group?

I could not have imagined then, what a greater impact being in an SG would have on me. In Cloud 9 I’ve found my soccer family, people who get me and accept me and share my passion for soccer. I came into the WoSo community right around the time I graduated college and being a part of a group like Cloud 9 helped me transition away from college life and not feel so intimidated by suddenly being out in the world, with no idea what to do.

What is the ABSOLUTE one thing you want people to know/understand about being a Sky Blue fan?

The absolute one thing I want people to understand about being a Sky Blue fan, is that we know things suck, we know we’re the butt of a lot of the jokes around the league, but we don’t care. Our club has the richest WoSo history of any club currently in the league, we’ve been around from the very beginning and that’s why we fight so hard for it. Yeah, we want the players to have the environment and support they deserve, and we want to win, but we also want to preserve the legacy of women’s professional soccer in America, and that means doing what we can to keep this club from falling apart. And that’s what it is to be a Sky Blue fan.

Jen Muller, Cloud 9 President

When did you first hear about the club?

My first exposure to the team was in 2008 at a post-Olympics USWNT game at Giants Stadium. That week was the initial allocation for the WPS and Sky Blue acquired Rampone, HAO, and Tasha Kai. I remember Kai wearing a Sky Blue scarf as she signed autographs after the game. I was (embarrassingly) only a casual fan in the WPS days and didn’t really start going to games until 2014.

What made you want to become involved?

I went to a few games in the 2014 season and noticed there wasn’t much of a supporters’ presence. I met Melissa Correa, who was basically carrying the torch for Cloud 9, at the WC Qualifiers in Philly and asked if she wanted help in getting the club off the ground as a proper SG. I tried to bring in some of the things I learned being a board member for the Empire Supporters Club (RBNY SG) and this whole thing has snowballed from there. 

How has your experience been, being in a Supporters’ Group?

Being a part of Cloud 9 and watching it grow over the past few years is something very special for me. When I was first introduced to supporter culture it changed my life. Seeing that happen for people in Cloud 9 warms my heart. 

What is the ABSOLUTE one thing you want people to know/understand about being a Sky Blue fan?

It’s not always easy being a fan of Sky Blue. Between having a less than optimal record, a less than professional stadium, and owners who still have not convinced us that they are willing or able to raise this team out of the depths of this league, it can get draining. But, no matter how bad things are on or off the field, at the end of the day we are here for the players. They leave it all on the field every game until the final whistle. We do our best to do the same for them in the stands.

What more could you ask from a Supporters Group who continue to show up, game after game, loss after loss, and remain beyond proud of their club and their players. As fans, it’s easy to switch allegiances and root for clubs who consistently win. But for members of Cloud 9, it’s not about the records or what people think about them; it’s about the players and showing them that their Supporters’ Group will always be there to love and support them, even when everyone else has written them off. After all, every cloud has a silver lining. 

The Game Changers: Week 13

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 13 in the NWSL has come to pass, and as teams prepare to welcome back their U.S. Women’s National Team players, the NWSL standings are starting to look a little more familiar. Following this week’s action, the North Carolina Courage are back on top of the standings. They are tied in points with the No. 2 team, the Portland Thorns, who has arguably had one of the better runs during this World Cup. Nothing is surprising at the bottom of the table, as the Orlando Pride and Sky Blue are tied for the lowest amount of points. They are still five points behind the No. 7 Houston Dash, but in recent weeks, both teams have started to improve. Here is the full list of results from this week’s matches: 

Sky Blue vs. Utah Royals (1-0)

North Carolina Courage vs. Reign FC (2-0)

Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars (0-1)

Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride (4-3)

Sky Blue wins again

It’s kind of astonishing to think that Sky Blue has had more victories in the two weeks since Head Coach Denise Reddy’s departure than they did under her entire tenure as head coach. But, it’s true. Following their 2-1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars last week, Sky Blue earned a 1-0 victory at home over the Utah Royals. It was the opposite of what you usually expect from Sky Blue: instead of playing an even game and giving up a late goal, they played a fairly even game and found a way to win. And these two victories are against decent teams. 

While the Utah Royals dominated possession in this game, Sky Blue had twice as many shots and four shots on goal. They forced three saves from goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and only needed Kailen Sheridan to make a save once (probably a nice change of pace for a goalkeeper who usually is the only thing standing between her team and total annihilation). I think it’s a stretch to say this Sky Blue team is “good” but for once, they aren’t miles away from everyone else. In fact, I’m not even sure they’re the worst team in the NWSL. What kind of a run can they put together in the latter half of the season? 

The Utah Royals drop more points

The Utah Royals haven’t won a game since their 1-0 victory over Sky Blue on June 15th. Now, they find themselves outside of the playoff picture: granted, only five points behind the No. 1 North Carolina Courage. They are winless in their last three games and they have also failed to score in those three matches. They have never been a high-scoring team, but something has to change if they want to stay in the playoff picture. 

The Utah Royals will benefit from the return of players like Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Christen Press. But the points they dropped in this World Cup period may comeback to haunt them at the end of the season.

The Portland Thorns find a way

If the Utah Royals and others have been struggling without their national team players, the same cannot be said for the Portland Thorns. They have only two losses on the season and have had no problem picking up points even when they are missing most of their Starting XI. They are only going to get better when players like Lindsey Horan, Emily Sonnett, and Adriana Franch return to the team. 

The match on Sunday in Providence Park against the Orlando Pride was a back-and-forth thriller. While the Thorns dominated most of the first half, they only had one goal in the third minute from Hayley Raso to show for it. In the second half, the Thorns scored first in the 58th minute via Midge Purce. Then, three minutes later, Marta launched a rocket past Britt Eckerstrom. Five minutes after that, Christine Sinclair made it 3-1 for the Thorns, but just two minutes after that, Emily Menges scored an own goal that tightened the gap for the visitors. In the 90th minute, Erin Greening scored for the Pride and thought that might be enough to get the visiting team some desperately needed points on the road. But Tyler Lussi did not agree. In the waning final seconds of stoppage time Meghan Klingenberg sent the ball into the box on a corner kick, Lussi got her head on the end of it and sent the ball past Orlando Pride goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer. Despite the wildness of the match, Portland found a way to win.