On Thursday, the 2017 Women’s Euro played their two quarterfinal matches. It was Denmark vs. Austria in the first match and the Netherlands vs. England was the second match. Here is how your Euro’s 2017 Finalists were decided.
Denmark vs. Austria
As was typical of the 2016 Men’s Euro’s, this match ended in a penalty kicks. Both sides had good opportunities, including a close shot for Austria in the first half that fired just over the goal and a good second half chance for Denmark’s Sanne Troelsgaard. In the end, they would play scoreless through extra time and it would come down to a penalty shootout. Austria claimed victory over Spain in a penalty shootout, but this went disasteriously wrong for them. Denmark advanced to the Euro’s final 3-0 after Austria missed their first three penalty kicks. It will be their first ever Euro’s final appearance, and will feature the only remaining NWSL player in the tournament, Nadia Nadim of the Portland Thorns.
The Netherlands vs. England
This was a difficult match for both teams going in. England had scored the most goals of any team so far in the tournament, dominating their opponents in the first stages of the competition. But the Netherlands had the advantage of a home crowd behind them. The Netherlands opened scoring in the 22nd minute when Miedema scored off a header, and the halftime score was 1-0. No one had been able to hold England scoreless in this tournament, but the Netherlands tacked on two more goals in the second half to earn a solid 3-0 victory and a ticket to the finals. It will also be their first Euro’s finals appearance. And Europe will have a new champion for the first time in over twenty years.
The Euro’s final will take place on Sunday, August 6th. Kickoff is set for 11:00am ET.
It’s Time to Start Letting Women Be Athletes – Charles Olney on why it is time to start letting women be athletes first and not held to certain stereotypes or separate set of rules.
After an international break and the Tournament of Nations, the NWSL is back with five matches to kick start the later part of the season. Let’s dive into some thoughts on this weeks games.
Game 1: Boston Breakers vs. FC Kansas City
Boston Breakers record: 3-7-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 14
FC Kansas City record: 3-7-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 13
The first game back after the international break may be without a few notable players.
For the Breakers, they will most likely be without starting goalkeeper, Abby Smith, and also Margaret Purce. Both players did not see minutes in the Tournament of Nations but with a game the night before across the country, the Breakers will probably not see them in action. This may be ok as Sammy Jo Prudhomme did a fine job filling in for Smith while she was injured. Boston will have some keys to look out for against FCKC but may have the advantage here as FCKC will also be without notable starters. The Breakers have some work to do for the rest of this season but there have been some positives the last few weeks. Hopefully, with Rose Lavelle most likely coming back, that will be the boost they need.
FC Kansas City will most likely be missing two key components, Becky Sauerbrunn and Sydney Leroux. Both have seen minutes in the Tournament of Nations, with Sauerbrunn playing every minute. This could pose a big problem for an FCKC team that is already struggling to find itself and right the ship as the season progresses. Without these two, FCKC will have to find another person to pair with Shea Groom to create an attacking threat. While Sauerbrunn is not really replaceable, FCKC will have to find someone to pair with Yael Averbuch in the back to stop the Boston attack.
Game 2: Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Spirit
Sky Blue FC record: 7-7-2
Position: 5th
Total Points: 23
Washington Spirit record: 3-8-3
Position: 10th Total Points: 12
After a crazy almost comeback win against the Reign last week, Sky Blue are hopeful for some more positive news this week. While they are playing the Spirit, who have problems of their own, Sky Blue will be without Sam Kerr and Kelley O’Hara, both key pieces for the team’s success this season. With their defense in a bit of a hard spot with the injury to Mandy Freeman, losing their biggest scoring asset for a game, no matter the opponent, is a problem. Add in Kelley O’Hara, who has played about everywhere but goalkeeper this season, and Sky Blue will need to put some quick pieces together. Sky Blue will be looking to overcome those obstacles and gain crucial points.
The Spirit have been hurting a bit as they sit in last place. Steph Labbé can only do so much with the team she has in front of her. This test against Sky Blue will probably be one of their biggest of the season. Up for grabs is a hopeful chance for the Spirit to get out of last place. They will have Mal Pugh back but on short rest. The Spirit are having issues closing out games. They seem to be struggling in more than just one key place, but mainly, they need to find a way to bolster their attack. Without Franny Ordega currently, and not as much production from Mal Pugh as they would probably like, the Spirit will be hard-pressed to get past a surging Sky Blue even without Kerr and O’Hara. But if they can find a way to exploit the backline of Sky Blue, they may give themselves a solid chance.
Game 3: Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash
Portland Thorns record: 7-4-4
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 25
Houston Dash record: 6-7-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 20
Portland is still struggling a bit to click together as a team, but somehow are still sitting in third place in the standings. The status of Amandine Henry and Dagny Brynjarsdottir after their Euro’s ousting is not known for these games but they will be without Nadia Nadim. And while Lindsay Horan, Allie Long, and Hayley Raso will be back after the Tournament of Nations, it will be on short rest. The keys for the Thorns this week will be fixing some of their inconsistencies of chemistry together and trying to find a way past a surging Dash team. With players on short rest, they will be relying on their bench to help them through.
The Dash have quite a few players that participated in the Tournament of Nations. While not all of them are playing, they will be on short rest as well. This includes both keepers, Jane Campbell and Lydia Williams, as well as Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Andressinha, and Bruna Benites. With the hard task of trying to get past Portland on their home turf, they Dash will need to see more activity from Rachel Daly up top as well as the expectation of their defense covering for both keepers on short rest.
Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Seattle Reign
North Carolina Courage record: 9-5-0
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 27
Seattle Reign record: 6-3-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 24
The Courage did not get to play their last game due to weather interruptions so the team has been out of game time for a bit longer than the Reign. This week, they will see short rest from Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, and Debinha. All but Williams have seen significant minutes in the Tournament of Nations. The Courage will look to get players like Ashley Hatch and Jess McDonald to bolster the attack. But the defense will be the biggest key against a strong Reign attack.
The Reign will have Megan Rapinoe and Rumi Utsugi back but both will be on short rest. They will also be without Jess Fishlock again, though Larissa Crummer may finally get back in a game for the first time this season. Rapinoe is their biggest attacking asset and while she will most likely be playing, how much she physically can handle will be determined on game day. The Reign will look fot the attack to come from other players on top of Rapinoe to make sure they can get past the Courage.
Game 5: Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars
Orlando Pride record: 5-6-4
Position: 7th
Total Points: 19
Chicago Red Stars record: 8-3-4
Position: 1st
Total Points: 28
Coming back from short rest are Marta, Camila, Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger, Alanna Kennedy, and Steph Catley, all starters. All will most likely need to start on Saturday to have a shot to get past the surging Red Stars this week but this will be a game time decision. Orlando’s key this week and really what has been a big problem most of the season is consistency. They have the tools and the training to get past the Red Stars, but the little mistakes have cost them many games this season. The key will be to find a way behind Chicago’s backline, which boasts some of the best defenders in the league. Alex Morgan has only seen two 90′ games for the Pride this season, but with just a touch more from her, the gear should click to begin the surefire connection up top and produce some goals. Additionally, expect Marta to continue her season tear and produce a much-needed bolster in the attack. While needing to find a way to score, the Pride will also need to make sure they can contain Christen Press and prevent needless goals from happening.
Chicago will also have some key players back from short rest; Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, Casey Short, and Sofia Huerta (who could not play). Chicago has been on a tear and will look to continue their streak and hold onto the top spot. Chicago will work to contain Marta and Alex Morgan to stifle the biggest threats in the Pride attack. They will also need to get Christen Press involved as much as she can, finding pockets in behind the backline and getting on the board early. In their previous contest, Orlando left Chicago and particularly Press plenty of room to move and do what she does best, so if the same space is available again, expect Press to take full advantage. In their last matchup, Orlando was able to run most of their plays through the Chicago midfield as Ertz had not started the game. If she is unable to start against the Pride, they will need to make sure their midfield is up to the task to help out as needed.
The Scouting Report:
We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR as well as last Friday night with a special TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.
In case you missed the two episodes, catch up here:
Backline Soccer is officially one-year-old today and as I sit back and try to reflect on the last year (ten months for me) from a social media perspective, I think of where we have come from and where I believe this site has the ability to go.
I was initially approached by our Editor-in-Chief, RJ Allen, to perhaps start writing for the site but even just ten months ago, I did not feel my overall knowledge was nearly as good as it needed to be to write regularly about women’s soccer. I had followed the major events and pretty much any USWNT I could for years but had not followed much else outside of that. Now, I am happy to say that is not the case.
From there we diverted off about how I felt about running social media for the site and ten months later here I am in charge of social media and seeing all of the trial and error pay off in dividends for Backline Soccer.
Initially, I was the sole person running our social media accounts. But as we started to expand, put out more great content, and brought on more people it became harder to manage all of the intricate tasks of running social media without help. Additionally, at the time, and up until May of this year, I was a full-time graduate student getting my Master’s in Music Industry Administration, commuting twice a week 130 miles round trip to school, and spending a bulk of my time drowning in group projects or attending networking events.
So we set out to expand our social media team and I now manage a great four women team. Alyssa Zajac, Becca Kimble, and Caitlin de Souza help me collectively run this social media machine and have been an asset to Backline Soccer. Without all of them, I could not make this run as successful as it does.
Alyssa handles our Facebook page while covering Twitter in the mornings as well. She has been a huge help in covering and handling any task I ask of her and doing so efficiently.
Becca handles our Scouting Report media side, handling all things from scheduling tweets about the show, live-tweeting TSR every single week, and more. This was a side that we were lacking in initially and she has been irreplaceable in helping get our separate TSR Twitter off of the ground and running.
Caitlin runs our Instagram and is our graphic extraordinaire. Any graphic or table or image or quote I needed to look amazing, she has been up for the task. She’s added a flair and visual likability to all of our great content.
Each and every person on the social media team is so important. As most of our work happens behind the scenes and sometimes it can feel like a thankless job but I appreciate their help so much.
Let’s jump back to my hiring. In the beginning, Backline Soccer was a small group trying to get the site off of the ground and make our name in the world of women’s soccer. With social media being a new aspect we were looking to use to get more people involved in the site, the beginning months were a lot of trial and error, frustrations, finding what was working and what wasn’t, and a lot of discussion on the best way to do it all. While it was not always an easy or simple road, the end result has been rewarding. To see our Twitter start from about 320 followers when I took over as Social Media Director, to over 1300 has been a great joy for me because it shows the hard work my colleagues and I have been putting in has been working.
The road to get to that 1300, though, as I mentioned, was not an easy one. On the positive side, my knowledge of women’s soccer, in general, has expanded more than it ever would have if I had not been working for Backline Soccer and around these amazing individuals. But there were many days for the first few months or so, on the other side of the token, that I wasn’t sure I had made the right decision and that I should be continuing on.
As social media is the current and future way to market and promote your business, the pressure to make sure almost every single thing coming out on social media is almost perfect can become a bit overwhelming. And that pressure and some frustration at points became a little too much for me. But I have learned more ways to compromise, let things go, and handle things over the last year that have helped me in other aspects of my life as well.
In dealing with social media, there has to be a fun element and joy to the job of promoting my colleague’s great work the right way, while making sure our social media stays on the brand that we have set out for it to be. I have worked very hard to make sure I understood all I could about how my colleagues operated and how their pieces came across because, at the end of the day, social media is what is promoting their work and putting it out for the world to see. Then there is the daily flow to pay attention to and make sure it is continually working.
For me, handling social media took up more time initially than I had thought it would at the beginning but I enjoy what I do and I enjoy getting to see all of the great engagement from the work our site continues to put out each and every day. Handling the day-to-day I see a different side of how everything works and how our followers respond. And I have learned a lot in the last ten months that I do not think I could have learned anywhere else.
I’ve also learned that TweetDeck is woman’s best friend if you run social media, not to take myself so seriously sometimes, and how to work continually on making myself the best colleague, social media director, and human being that I can be. The perspective I get from my fellow Backline Soccer colleagues, even if we do not always agree on the same things, is something I value a lot and has helped frame some aspects of my life in my late 20s that as a teen or even a 21-year old I do not think I could have learned.
As we reach one year I can’t help but look to the future and hope for the continued success of the site and of all of my amazing colleagues. I hope that one day, the people who work so tirelessly to cover women’s soccer will be compensated for their work. And I hope one day that the women’s game gets the full respect it deserves. I believe it is coming in the future, as we have made strides to make it happen, but we still have a long way to go. We have truly built something great here at Backline Soccer and it has been a privilege over the last ten months to manage the social media for this company.
If you want to follow my ramblings about women’s soccer, the WNBA, music, and everything in between, you can find me on Twitter at @AdrianaHoop.
For now, I end here:
“Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not clichés but real tools you need no matter what you do in life to stay focused on your path.” –Phillip Sweet
And the song that was the inspiration for my first tattoo, from a country artist who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries, with a message that can speak to anyone if you just believe in yourself and the power you have to decide your own future. “Follow your arrow wherever it points.”
As I write this, the Pacific Northwest is in the middle of a crazy heat wave. It’s hot in the room I am typing this and my brain has melted.
NWSL ALL-STAR GAME? SURE WHY NOT I just finished watching the 2017 MLS All-Star Game in which the league’s best players took on Real Madrid – maybe you’ve heard of that upstart team from Spain. Yes, the game had the significance of navel lint and I’m sure I could have spent the time better continuing watching GLOW or something. However, it did give thought to maybe someday the NWSL could have an All-Star Game.
I recall asking Megan Rapinoe about the idea for the league to have one after the Reign picked up the win in a bonkers, nine-goal game against Sky Blue FC before the league went on international break. She said she’d like the league to have it and yeah, who wouldn’t? Of course, entertaining the idea of an All-Star Game is a really, REALLY long ways away. There are so many other things the league needs to do in terms of ensuring sustainability, we know this. But let’s say in the distant future, if/when the conditions are met, how could a NWSL All-Star Game look like?
There have been some suggestions that it could be the best of the NWSL taking on a women’s club team from Europe, much like the format the MLS has. It’s not a bad idea. Another suggestion is NWSL East versus NWSL West. Again, not a bad idea. I’m sure what I’m about to say is not an original idea as I’m sure it’s been proposed on Twitter or (shudders) the black hole of WoSo fandom, Tumblr, but what about one team made up of NWSL players from the United States, Canada, and Mexico versus NWSL players from the rest of the world. Being that the league started off with the federations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States – there’s enough talent there to field a starting eleven with adequate subs. Then with the NWSL Internationals, I think we can safely assume that by the time anything All-Star Game related is actually materialized, the league will have grown and be sustainable enough that there are just as many international players in the league as there are from North America. Schedule it around a mid-season FIFA break and in addition to the game, you can have NWSL Skills competition like a free kick competition, have fans vote for say team captains or the final roster spots for each team, and make it a day or weekend of festivities. It could work, right?
So, NWSL North America versus NWSL International. Thoughts?
WEEK 15 PREDICTIONS I’m glad the break is over and the league resumes. Here are this weekend’s predictions.
Boston Breakers OVER FC Kansas City. I don’t know if the break has given Vlatko Andonovski the time to come up with something new so the ball gets to Sydney Leroux or Shea Groom and they’re actually putting shots on target. That’s Kansas City’s problem and I have my doubts they can find the trick. I said before that Boston is going to be a problem for some teams as the push for the playoffs heats up and I think a win here starts that momentum that enables them to look at the playoff contenders with bad intentions.
Sky Blue FC OVER Washington Spirit. Sky Blue will look to avenge that bonkers game against Seattle before the break, and they will take it out on Washington.
Portland Thorns FC and Houston Dash play to a DRAW. I have no idea if moving the kick-off time will play an advantage to either side. The extreme heat that’s blanketing the Pacific Northwest is going to result in a game where everyone moves like wet sponges.
North Carolina Courage OVER Seattle Reign FC. I’d like to be proven wrong in that Seattle will pick up a major win on the road with this one given North Carolina will have the make-up game against FC Kansas City after this before they travel to Seattle for the return leg of this series the following weekend. That said, the side that’s hosting does not lose in this league. Also, who knows if this one will kick-off on time.
Chicago Red Stars OVER Orlando Pride. Last time I said Chicago Red Stars would do good and win, Christen Press claimed a brace. So clearly she saw my predictions and went, “I like the cut of this guy’s jib.” Red Stars keep their hold at the top of the table.
A year ago today, Backline Soccer stepped on to the women’s soccer reporting landscape.
I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t think Backline Soccer would ever make it to one year. The move I made to an independent website, along with some current and some past staff, was made quickly and right before the 2016 Olympics. It was always something we talked about doing but it was never really something we covered the details on.
Until one day it just happened. The site was born as if it burst forward like Athena from Zeus’ head, formed quickly based on the idea, “if not now, when.” Articles were moved over, the podcast was renamed, and the editing and writing staff who knew they could work toward a common goal was reformed under a new name.
I’ve written in detail about how we were formed here, so I won’t rehash the story a second time. Needless to say, when we started, we were a little on the green side.
Over the last year, we have changed staff and changed game plans; changed how we handle breaking news and social media and editing. But at our core, we’re still the same site that emerged a year ago. To quote Chelsey Bush in Introducing Backline Soccer, “Backline Soccer is the perfect place for us to continue to provide insight, analysis, and conversations you can’t find anywhere else.”
It’s not easy starting a site. It’s not easy keeping a site running. We’ve had writers come and go, pieces go out that shouldn’t have, deep internal debates over big questions in the sport, and servers crash. But somehow, even through all of that, we have managed to keep the doors open and the lights on.
Now it’s time to thank those who have helped me, the site, and often both.
A giant thank you has to go out to Dan Lauletta. He was one of the first women’s soccer media people I was lucky enough to be able to speak with and over the last year he and I have had many conversations about many things. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t, but I can always bank on learning something new every time we have a conversation.
To my WoSo Fairy Godmother, Jen Cooper, thank you for all you’ve done for me. From a very long chat in Houston before the final to having me on your podcast to giving a standard for all of us to try for, you have been one of the best people I’ve met along the way. Thank you for everything.
To Susie Rantz, Jason Anderson, Stephanie Yang, all the staff at Sounder At Heart all the rest of the women’s soccer reporters I’ve learned from, debated with, and laughed about the FURT of it all with, thank you for always being up for a chat about the wonders of WoSo. Also thank you to teen wonder kid Caitlin Buckley, for always making me feel old.
To Chelsey Bush and Monica Esenwein, for helping to establish the site and for all of the amazing things we did together. Thank you. Without either of you, the site would never have gotten to see the light of day or been named the way it was.
To the readers and commenters and TSR viewers, thank you for supporting us and pushing us and sending in questions. Without you, none of this would have lasted a month let alone a year. We hope you stay with us for the future.
Now to those who make the site what it is. To all the writers, editors, photographers, and social media staff: Thank you. I could not run Backline Soccer without the truly amazing staff I have.
Thank you to Elizabeth Wawrzyniak. Without you this site would not run or look the way it does or be a thing on the internet at all. Thank you so much for all the work you do to keep me sane and make sure everything is prepared before it goes out.
Thank you to Sandra Herrera andJacob Cristobal. Without the two of you, there might be only 15 or 20 things posted. It’s your support and ideas and the debates and conversations we have that help me and the site become better all around.
Thank you to Alanna Fairbairn and Charles Olney for all you do in writing and editing. You both always go the extra mile to make sure things get looked over and edited. And your writing never fails to make me proud.
Thank you to Adriana Hooper for all of the hard work you put in to make sure things run the way they should. You work hard and it shows.
Thank you to Alyssa Zajac, Becca Kimble, and Caitlin de Souza for making our social media as fantastic as it is. You all do so much every day and I am so thankful for it.
The road to one year has not always been smooth. There have been lots of nights where I wasn’t sure the site would still be running by dawn. But somehow we’ve made it to a year. We’ve made it to our first of many years, I hope, and we are only getting stronger.
A date all long-time fans of women’s soccer have memorized. I was 10 years old, on a family vacation. I sat in my grandparent’s kitchen in their mountain home, the gorgeous views of trees and lake unable to compete with the beauty I saw on screen in front of me. My grandparents could have cared less about soccer – tennis was more their speed – but they knew that I played. My father was starting to get into the sport as well, so there we both sat, glued to their tiny TV in the kitchen (probably so my Grandpa could watch something “worthwhile” on the good TV).
I would like to say that I remember more of the game itself, but 18 years and a lack of understanding of what was really going on at the time will take its toll. YouTube and documentaries have filled in the missing spots in the interim. But what I do remember is sitting in that kitchen, watching that TV, when it went to penalties and I first experienced the absolute agony of watching a penalty shootout progress.
The other thing I remember is being absolutely stunned when Briana Scurry saved China’s third PK. Watching it later as an adult, I laugh because the commentators had just talked about how female keepers weren’t athletic enough to save most shots. As a 10-year-old kid who was just starting to think about goalkeeping as a position I could be interested in, I was entranced.
I looked at my father and whispered, “do they usually save those?” He shook his head and we watched the rest of the shootout, hearts in our throats until Chastain put the final ball in the back of the net and catapulted the USWNT into American sports mythology. After the game, my dad told me something I’ve remembered for 17 years: “People will say that the girl who scored the last goal is the hero, but that goal wouldn’t have meant anything if the keeper hadn’t saved one before the last kicker ever stepped up to the spot.”
This scene was brought back to me with the announcement today that Briana Scurry has finally been inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. I say finally because most of the other heroes of that tournament, and of the early years of the USWNT have already made it in. Overbeck, Fawcett, Chastain, MacMillan, and Lilly all preceded Scurry in getting on the list. They are all giants of the women’s game, to be sure. But as a former keeper and a lifelong fan of the game, it makes me extremely happy to see Scurry finally get her due.
The 1999 World Cup was certainly not her only heroic moment. She was the #1 for five major tournaments, helped found the first league in which women’s soccer players actually got paid to professionally play the game (even if WUSA was ill-fated), and inspired a short kid playing rec soccer in the Bay Area to check out a position that I had previously never considered.
So when you ask me who my hero was after the final whistle 18 years ago? I will answer Scurry 100% of the time. And she will deserve it 100% of the time.
Congratulations on your induction to history, Briana. Thanks for introducing me to the beauty of goalkeeping.
The USWNT’s final Tournament of Nations match will pit them against a familiar rival on August 3rd: Japan, the #7-ranked team in the world. The match will take place at 10pm ET on August 3 at the StubHub Center in Carson City, CA, where the US last faced Romania in November 2016 and netted an exciting 5-0 win. Fans can catch the game on ESPN2.
The Lineups
Jill Ellis has called up an interesting mix of veteran and new players for the Tournament. While she’s said that GK Alyssa Naeher will start all three matches, it might be nice to get Jane Campbell some minutes in a high-pressure game like this, especially as it seems like she’s being groomed for the #2 spot.
Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher, Jane Campbell, Abby Smith
Defenders: Becky Sauerbrunn, Ali Krieger, Kelley O’Hara, Julie Ertz, Abby Dahlkemper, Casey Short, Taylor Smith.
Midfielders: Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Morgan Brian, Allie Long, Samantha Mewis, Margaret Purce.
Forwards: Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Christen Press, Sydney Leroux, Mallory Pugh, Lindsey Horan, Lynn Williams.
Players who were not called up due to injury or other reasons include: Tobin Heath (back), Meghan Klingenberg (other), Rose Lavelle (hamstring), Ashlyn Harris (quadriceps).
Japan is a little bit of an unknown entity right now, which could work in the US’s favor as easily as it could work against them. They had a rough 2016, losing several long-term players and failing to qualify for the Olympics. But Coach Asako Takakura (hired in 2016) is confident in her team, especially in the four players who could potentially earn their first cap in this tournament: GK Saitoh, DF Sakamoto, MF Haji, and FW Tomari. “This time,” she said, “I want the matches to have two different main things: broaden the team’s capacity and improving the team’s strengths.” If Japan manages to succeed, they’ll be a formidable opponent, for sure.
Forwards: Shiho Tomari, Yuika Sugasawa, Kumi Yokoyama, Mina Tanaka, Yuka Momiki
Notable players out due to injury: Kaede Nakamura
The History
In the past five years, Japan has played a major role in the US’s drive for excellence, facing them in three major tournament finals: 2011’s WWC in Germany, 2012’s Summer Olympics in London, and the unforgettable 2015 WWC final in Canada, where Carli Lloyd dashed Japanese hopes of back-to-back World Cup victories in just sixteen short minutes. Overall, the US is 26-1-7 against Nadeshiko Japan and has scored 97 goals to Japan’s 25 against them.
The last time the US played the Japanese women was in June 2016, as they geared up for Rio. The Japanese did not qualify for the tournament but traveled to the United States for two summer friendlies in the last month before the US team headed down to Brazil. It was the first time they’d played each other since the WWC final in 2015, and Japan was eager to show that their absence from the Olympics was a fluke, and not due to a talent vacuum in the wake of several retirements. The teams drew 3-3 in the first of two friendlies, but just three days later in Cleveland, OH, the USWNT defeated Japan with a 2-0 victory.
The Match
The United States need to win this match–and win with a high goal differential–in order to have a chance at coming in on top in their home tournament. And even then, they’ll need Australia to lose to Brazil. Luckily for them, they’ll be coming in on a high note after a fabulous nine-minute and three-goal drive at the end of their match against Brazil. Unfortunately for them, however, coach Jill Ellis has continued to experiment with formations, and neither Japan nor the fans will have any idea what to expect when the Starting XI is announced on Thursday. (Becky Sauerbrunn at Defensive Mid? Really?) In order for the US to find any sort of rhythm in this game, they’re going to need to play fluidly and intelligently. And they’re going to need to get on the scoreboard as early as possible while keeping a tight defensive line. Both of these things have proven complicated for the team in their first two games of this tournament, so we’ll see how well they can adapt and regroup for their final match-up.
Japan will be coming in frustrated, held to a 1-1 draw against Brazil and a 2-4 loss to Australia. They set their defensive pressure too high against a volatile Australian offensive–i.e., Sam Kerr–and they paid for it. Kerr destroyed their backline, breaking through time and time again, and capitalizing three times. While the US’s offense hasn’t been as dynamic as Australia’s in this tournament, if Japan leave that much space between their pressure and their keeper, eventually the US will find a way to get behind and make a play for the net. This Japanese team is experiencing the same kind of transition to a new era as the US, and that can be painful. But experimentation can have unexpected (if sometimes irreproducible) results. In the end, all either team will need is a lucky break to build their confidence, and they’ll be off to the races.
US supporters will want to watch for Christen Press. Press has been on a roll for her club, the Chicago Red Stars, and once she came onto the field against Brazil the entire tone of the game changed. She found the net in the 80′ minute, just seconds after Brazil’s final goal of the match, and sparked a nine-minute scoring spree for the US that gave them the unexpected but not unwelcome win. Ideally, I’d like to see Press in the Starting XI, but even if she’s a second-half substitute, the dynamic will shift in the US’s favor the moment her boot hits the pitch.
Fans of the Seattle Reign will recognize midfielder Rumi Utsugi, of course, who signed with Laura Harvey’s team in 2016. But one player to watch will be veteran Aya Sameshima, who was a member of that 2011 Women’s World Cup winning team and scored a goal in the 2015 WWC in a match against Cameroon. Sameshima’s talent on the backline could spell disaster for a US attack that has struggled to find the net against upper-level opponents in recent memory. Combine that with the scoring potential of Japan’s Kumi Yokoyama, who’s scored 11 goals in 20 appearances for her national team, and the US’s final match could be their most difficult.
It was an exciting weekend in the Netherlands, with all four quarterfinal matches of Euro tournament kicking off over the two days. When the action came to an end on Sunday night, some new names had staked a place in the semifinals, and some of the biggest names in world soccer had seen their tournament brought to an end. Here is a breakdown of all the action from the Women’s Euro Quarterfinals.
Netherlands vs. Sweden
After a strong showing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sweden was hoping to lock down their status as one of the top teams in Europe. But going through the Netherlands would prove to be a more difficult task than anyone had anticipated. The two teams are relatively close in FIFA Women’s World Rankings—with Sweden at No. 9 just a few spots ahead of the Netherlands in 12th. But in the end, the host nation was too much for the Swedes to handle. The Dutch earned their third clean sheet of the tournament, with goals from Martens and Miedema that sent them on to the next round. With the home crowd urging them on, they’ve looked very tough so far. And things won’t get any easier for their opponents going forward. They have already sold-out their semi-final game and will be ready to take another step closer to taking the trophy on home turf.
Denmark vs. Germany
This should have been the second match on Saturday, but ended up being postponed due to heavy rain in Rotterdam. When the match did kick off the next morning, it didn’t start well for Denmark. Isabel Kerschowski found the first goal of the match in the 3rd minute, a good start for the defending champions looking for their seventh consecutive title. But it all fell apart for Germany in the second half, when Nadia Nadim of the Portland Thorns headed the equalizer in the 49th minute and Theresa Nielsen gave her team the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute. Many in Denmark called the win the biggest in their career. In a tournament with more than a few upsets, this is certainly one of the most exciting results so far.
Austria vs. Spain
Few would have expected this quarterfinal pairing going into the tournament. Austria are debutants in this competition, but after topping their group received a matchup against Spain–who were thoroughly inconsistent in their group matches. The Spanish hadn’t scored since their opening match against Portugal, and that stayed true in this match, where they dominated possession but failed to find the net. Austria’s defense was relentless, and Spain simply couldn’t find a way through. Eventually, it ended in a penalty shootout after neither team scored in 120 minutes. It ended when Sarah Puntigam made her shot. Silvia Meseguer’s miss provided the necessary margin to seal Austria’s ticket to the semi-final. They will go on to face Denmark on Thursday. August 3rd.
England vs. France
On Sunday night, England did the impossible. For the first time in 43 years, the Lionesses defeated France, riding a narrow 1-0 margin into the semifinals. Les Bleues hadn’t had the best tournament, but it still wasn’t an easy task for England. The game was defensive, with the lone goal coming from none other than Jodie Taylor. It was her fifth goal of the tournament, putting her in good position to win the Golden Boot, and maybe even to break the scoring record for the tournament. After beating France, and thanks to Germany’s exit earlier that day, England are now the highest ranked team remaining in the tournament. That makes them the closest thing there is to a favorite, but this hasn’t been a good tournament for the traditional favorites, and England certainly won’t be sanguine about their difficult semi-finals match against the host nation in front of a sold-out crowd.
The semi-final matches will take place on Thursday, August 3rd. Denmark vs. Austria will kickoff at 12:00 EDT, while the Netherlands vs. England will kickoff at 2:45.
The NWSL may be the American women’s soccer league, but some of their strongest players come from all around the world. This series will look at some of those internationals that you may not know a lot about. Each article will highlight their style of play, the role they play on their national team, and the role they play in their club.
This week we will be looking at Brazilian international Andressinha of the Houston Dash.
What Does She Do?
Andressinha is a 22-year-old attacking midfielder. She is one of the numerous Brazilian players in the NWSL. Among these include names like Marta, Camila, and Monica of the Orlando Pride; Debinha of the North Carolina Courage; and Poliana, Andressinha’s teammate on the Houston Dash. Andressinha is one of many young Brazilian players making a name for themselves in the NWSL.
Brazilian National Team
Andressinha has been with the Brazilian national team since 2012. She has nine goals in 23 caps with the team, and competed in both the 2015 Women’s World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is currently competing in the Tournament of Nations, where she played a full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Japan and scored two goals in Brazil’s 4-3 loss to the United States. The Brazilian national team, and Andressinha along with them, have been steadily improving since 2015. Their critical matches in recent tournaments have come against Australia. Australia knocked them out of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and they subsequently knocked them out of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Both teams are strong and on the rise, full of young talent and getting better with each match.
Houston Dash
Andressinha has made 25 starts in 27 appearances for the team over the past two years. This season she has already scored two goals and three assists. She is improving more and more as the season goes on and as she gets more playing time. Andressinha has played a crucial role in the Dash’s six-game undefeated streak, earning Player of the Week in Week 13 after scoring the game-winning goal against the Washington Spirit. She was credited with creating two goal-scoring opportunities in that game and had an 87% passing accuracy.
Andressinha is a player that is constantly improving with both her club and her country. At just 22-years-old, she has much more time to grow her game, especially as she continues to get more minutes with both Brazil and the Houston Dash.
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Backline Soccer Archive 