Euro Roundup: UWCL, Millwall and FA Cup

Posted on by RJ Allen

UWCL Finalists

The finalists of the UWCL have been confirmed and it will be Lyon taking on Wolfsburg yet again. These two last met in 2016, when Lyon lifted the trophy in Italy.

Lyon had a tough task against Manchester City in the semifinal. In the away leg, Lyon were held scoreless, leaving things in some doubt. In the second leg, however, they called on a former City player to put her old team out. A great volley from Lucy Bronze in the 17th minute was enough to put Lyon through.

In the other semifinal, Wolfsburg faced Chelsea–for the third time in recent years. They entered the tie as favorites, but Chelsea gave them a shock by taking an early lead in the first leg when Fran Kirby crossed the ball in for Ji to put in. The tide turned pretty quickly, though, with Wolfsburg coming back though with 3 goals of their own. A 3-1 win in the first leg left them in good shape to close things out at home, which they did fairly easily, winning 2-0 to go through 5-1 on aggregate, though it did take them a while to get the first goal. Chelsea will be disappointed to be knocked out, but they’ve made history, beating Bayern Munich, Rosengard and Montpellier to get to this stage. It’s been over a decade since we’ve seen an English team in the final–a feat last accomplished back in 2006 when Arsenal won the Champions League final 1-0 on aggregate against Umea–but it surely won’t be long until someone breaks that streak.

The Champions League final between Lyon and Wolfsburg will take place in Kiev, Ukraine on May 24.

Management Changes

There have been some significant management changes happening at the international level in Europe. Back in March, Steffi Jones was sacked as Germany manager and Horst Hrubesch as her temporary replacement. Now, they have finally appointed a permanent manager. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who is currently the Switzerland manager, will take over after World Cup qualifying. She’s been the Swiss boss since 2012 and has experience in Germany through her playing and coaching career. She was capped 125 times for Germany from 1984 to 2000. Of course, this means the Swiss team will soon be without a manager. They look likely to qualify, so it will be an important decision who they bring in.

FA Cup Finalists

The second piece of silverware in England this year is up for grabs this weekend, at the FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea. The last time these two met at Wembley Arsenal were victors with Danielle Carter scoring the all important goal.

Arsenal faced fellow WSL1 side Yeovil Town on February 4, and managed to get a good 3-0 win with Jordan Nobbs and Beth Mead both on the scoresheet. The next round saw them take on WSL2 side Millwall Lionesses. Despite the difference in league levels, it was a tough game, with Beth Mead scoring the only goal to put the Gunners through. Goals came easier in the quarterfinal match against WPL South side Charlton Athletic, as Arsenal scored five goals from five different players.  The semifinal was against WSL1 side Everton. It was a tough game, with Carter opening the scoring 25 minutes in but Chloe Kelly leveling things. In the end, Arsenal did just enough to get through, thanks to a deciding goal from Louise Quinn.

Chelsea had a solid run and goals galore in their route. They thrashed London Bees 10-0. This is a side that had previously knocked Chelsea out of the Conti Cup on penalties, but the Blues made sure to not underestimate them this time around.  Yet another thrashing followed with a 6-0 win against Doncaster. The quarter final saw them face Liverpool, where Chelsea earned a good win, thanks to goals from Jonna Andersson, Katie Chapman and Maren Mjelde. Their toughest game came in the semifinals, against Manchester City. Like Arsenal and Charlton, these two have some history in FA Cups. The last time these two met at this stage, Chelsea got a 2-1 win with Fran Kirby scoring in the last seconds of the game in extra time to put Chelsea through. This time around, history repeated itself a bit, with Kirby once again making the difference as her two goals were enough to send Chelsea through. The first came from a defensive error by Steph Houghton, but the second was an impressive effort started by a long pass by Erin Cuthbert which Kirby ran onto, cut inside, sent the defender the wrong way and put it past the keeper.

The final will take place on Saturday 5th May at Wembley. The match kicks off at 5:30pm BST and will be shown live on BBC1. Recent reports suggest there will be a huge crowd, with over 40,000 tickets already sold. They should be in for a good game, and there could be a fair few goals in it if previous matchups are anything to go by.

Millwall Lionesses need your help

It’s never good to hear about another team folding or financially struggling. It’s happened in England with Fulham, Charlton and Notts County–who were ultimately forced to fold right before the start of the season. Of course, there’s been such foldings in the US as well.

This time, it’s Millwall on the chopping block. This has nothing to do with performance, with Millwall currently sitting in 2nd place in the WSL driven by an exceptional yearlong unbeaten run that only recently came to an end. Despite that success, the club recently put out a statement saying that all funding channels had been exhausted and they could be forced into administration, and potentially failing to fulfill future fixture obligations.  The immediate crisis was averted, however, after the team put out a crowd funding page, looking to raise £10,000 to secure their short term future. The women’s football community responded with force, managing to raise the funds in the first 24 hours. With more funds still coming into that page, Millwall have set a new target of £30,000 to stabilize the situation. If you want to contribute to the effort, you can donate here. Millwall are also looking for a sponsor to help secure the club’s future. Hopefully this will be a club saved and not another lost.

The Turning Tide: 5 Reasons Utah Could End Up On Top

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Utah Royals FC have had a bit of a rough start to their inaugural season. They haven’t been able to win a game yet, they have been the victim of some rather questionable officiating, and they have some key players coming off injuries. But that doesn’t mean that they haven’t had their moments of greatness either—they opened Rio Tinto Stadium to over 16,000 fans for their home opener, they’ve had many hard-fought draws against major competitors, and we have seen flashes of brilliance from their individual players. What the Royals need to do now is make all of their fabulous moving parts fit together. And they will. The tide will turn in their favor. The wheel will spin. And they just might end up on top when all is said and done.

Here are just five reasons why:

1. Their Roster Is Pretty Great

When looking at the Royals’ roster there aren’t a lot of holes that need filling. Unlike other teams, who may need to look to acquire more support in their midfield or defense, Utah is pretty solid all the way around. Sure, they don’t have as many ‘big’ names as some other teams, but they have quality position players that know what their roles are for the team. Of course they have Becky Sauerbrunn and Kelley O’Hara from the USWNT, but they also have players like Desiree Scott who will gladly provide a tough tackle, or Gunny Jónsdóttir who adds creativity to their attack. So a team like Utah does not have to hang their hat on a few individual players for its success. It is the collective whole that will allow them to be a force going forward into the season. And that is something that only a few teams are able to say this season.

2. Their Draws Have Been Heartbreaking But Promising

So it’s true that Utah has not won a match yet this season. But they have only lost one. And the four draws that they do have on their record have been real heartbreakers. But they have also shown every other team in the league that the Royals are a force to be reckoned with. And let’s not lie to ourselves—the match against Orlando should have been a win, because Becky Sauerbrunn’s face is definitely not a hand. But another thing to consider when evaluating these draws is who they have been against. Sure, the second one against Houston was unexpected. But they also drew against North Carolina and Portland, who have arguably two of the strongest rosters in the league. Honestly, not having a win yet can be discouraging, but their draws haven’t been the worst.

3. Some Players Still Getting Back To Full Health/Form

Although the majority of Utah’s players are able to take the field, that does not necessarily mean they are up to full form yet. For example, Kelley O’Hara is currently battling a bit of a hamstring issue. She has still been performing decently, but she hasn’t been playing a full 90 minutes. She is getting back up to that, but there is still reason to play her cautiously. Another example is Amy Rodriguez. She is just now getting up to form after tearing her ACL in Kansas City FC’s season opener last season. She had a marvelous goal in Utah’s last match against Portland, but she still has a little ways to go until she is in top form again. She will undoubtedly get there. And once that happens—once key players are fully healthy and up to form—well, Utah is going to be something to shake a stick at.

4. Harvey Will Not Let Them Lose

Laura Harvey is the NWSL’s most winningest coach. She is great at what she does. She is involved. She is focused. And damn if she isn’t the kind of coach that players want to win for. But Laura Harvey is also more than just a coach. She is an orchestrator. And the thing that she likes to orchestrate most is greatness. We can see it when a call or a result doesn’t go her way. She is never satisfied. And she will look at all her options available to change the outcome the next time around. So Laura Harvey is not just going to sit around a allow a team with the talent that Utah has lose. Sure, some losses are unavoidable. Sometimes teams just get outplayed. But Laura Harvey will look to ensure that she produces the best version that her team can be.

5. Time Is On Their Side

It’s early. And that is a great thing for the Utah Royals. They have time to figure it out. They have time to tweak their game. They have time to make this season truly historic. While other teams could peak a bit too soon, Utah is on the uphill trajectory that allows them to strengthen throughout the climb. They are only five matches in. They have 19 left. And a lot can happen in 19 matches, not just for Utah, but for other teams too.

So I am of the belief that Utah just needs to keep calm and carry on. They are on the right path. The pendulum will begin to swing their way. And when it does, they are primed to take it into their hands and not let it go. Their players will get up to full form, their draws will become wins, and with Laura Harvey at the helm of the ship, the team has little to fear. Sure, it has been a slow start, but this still very well may be Utah’s season.

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances in Week 5

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. It was another week of tight score lines in the NWSL, with three of the four matches ending in a 1-1 draw. The North Carolina Courage remain undefeated, with one draw and five wins in their six matches so far this season. The Utah Royals found their first goal at Rio Tinto Stadium, although Utah, Sky Blue, and Houston are still searching for their first win of the season. The NWSL table is starting to take shape, but it’s hard to ignore the domination of the North Carolina Courage, with seven points more than the second place Chicago Red Stars.  Here is how the Week 5 matches finished:

Houston Dash vs. North Carolina Courage (0-2)

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

Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign (1-1)

Utah Royals vs. Portland Thorns (1-1)

Top Three Goalkeepers

1. Aubrey Bledsoe— Bledsoe has always been a quality goalkeeper, and this year she is getting the chance to shine as the starter for the Washington Spirit. Her performance on Saturday was stellar. She faced 17 shots from the Chicago Red Stars and made three saves, keeping her team level against one of the best offenses in the leagues. She had a couple of good moments, but her best save of the night came in the 41st minute. Danielle Colaprico sent a corner into the box, which was then headed by Samantha Johnson. Bledsoe made a diving save and the ball bounced off her fingertips. It was enough to earn her the NWSL Save of the Week for the second week in a row.

2. Abby Smith— Facing a Portland Thorns offense that includes Lindsey Horan, Christine Sinclair, and Tobin Heath is daunting for any defense. But Smith made a few impressive stops, helping her team get a point in front of their home crowd. In the 18th minute, Smith punched a shot from Midge Purce out of the 18-yard box. Her lone save came in the 50th minute, when she blocked a shot off a Portland free kick that was heading for goal. She hit the ball into the air on the initial save, but was able to follow the ball and catch it. Overall, the Utah Royals put together a solid performance against the Portland Thorns, with the only moment of weakness coming when Smith was bested one-on-one with Tobin Heath.

3. Sabrina D’Angelo— D’Angelo was the only NWSL goalkeeper to walk away with a clean sheet this weekend, her fourth of six matches so far this season. While the North Carolina Courage definitely dominated possession, D’Angelo was able to shut down the chances that Houston created. In the 26th minute, Amber Brooks launched a header towards goal, but D’Angelo stretched out her hand and was able to deflect it. As she came down, the ball continued to bounce in the box and she had to dive right back in, blocking Nichelle Prince. D’Angelo had three saves in the match.

Top Three Defenders

1. Janine Van Wyk— While the Houston defense definitely struggled against the North Carolina Courage, Van Wyk and her teammates still had some good moments. Van Wyk had a particularly nice double-save in the 6th minute, where she made a sliding stop to keep McDonald from getting the ball. The ball deflected off her leg and to the feet of Lynn Williams, but before Van Wyk had even fully stood, she slid to stop Williams from getting a shot off. She had another good stop in the 74th minute, when she headed away a shot from Crystal Dunn. The shot bounced off her head and she fell to the ground, but still, she was able to make the save. Houston faced 27 shots from North Carolina, and the talent of Van Wyk and others on the Houston defense kept that score line from being worse than it was. 

2. Becky Sauerbrunn— Sauerbrunn is one of the top defenders in the NWSL, and her talents showed as she faced off against the Portland offense this week. In the 20th minute, a bad giveaway in the box led to Christine Sinclair finding her first look at goal. But a sliding block from Sauerbrunn sent the ball flying into the stands. She also helped her teammate take on Sinclair in the 75th minute, when Sinclair was once again setting up her shot. 

3. Kristen McNabb— McNabb played the full 90 minutes for the Seattle Reign this weekend in Orlando, and had a few solid defensive moments. It isn’t easy to hold back the likes of Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, and Marta, but the Seattle Reign defense held back all but one of the Pride’s 18 shots. McNabb tracked Morgan in the 14th minute, and made a sliding tackle that stripped Morgan of the ball. The Seattle defense did a good job of positioning themselves throughout the night in a way that made it difficult for the Pride to take clear shots. 

Top Three Attackers 

1. Amy Rodriguez— Rodriguez has been plagued by injuries the last two NWSL seasons, and everyone was excited to see what she would do this year when she took the pitch for the Utah Royals. On Saturday, she brought that spark of magic to the pitch. In the 53rd minute of the game, Rodriguez was able to strip the Portland defender of the ball and calmly place it into the back of the net. The goal marked the first for Rodriguez this season and the first-ever goal in Rio Tinto Stadium for the Utah Royals. She also had a fabulous defensive moment in the 36th minute– a save on the goal line that kept the Portland Thorns from pulling ahead. 

2. Marta— The Orlando Pride definitely missed their legendary midfielder, and she made her presence known on the field this weekend at Orlando City Stadium. She had a total of four shots on goal, and found the back of the net in the 61st minute to give Orlando the equalizer. Her goal came off a free kick. She got her foot under the ball, sent it over the Seattle Reign wall and into the top-right corner of the net. The goal was a beauty, and reminded Orlando Pride fans why, despite all their offensive talent, they missed having Marta on the pitch.

3. Francisca Ordega— This weekend against the Chicago Red Stars, Francisca Ordega found her third goal in five matches for the Washington Spirit. Ordega put the Spirit ahead early in the match, finishing off a cross from Mallory Pugh in the 4th minute. It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but it gave the Spirit an early lead. Ordega is hoping to score more goals this season so she can continue showing off her dance moves to the Spirit fans.

 

QuickLook Week 6: The Golden Boot for a Six Goal Season?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Chicago Red Stars v. Orlando Pride
2-1-3/1-2-2
Wednesday May 2 7:30PM ET

I love when the games aren’t all clustered in a narrow block, but it’s a pain to try to turn out a column when injury reports and player notes are trickling in. So fortunately we start with a game featuring a ton of marquee stars that even casual fans know about and are anxiously awaiting news. So I’ll just make stuff up. Just kidding. There’s enough of that going on in the non-sports news.

McCaffrey and Ertz both have thier injury woes continue, which is sad. Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris are both maybes for Orlando, but Haley Kopmeyer is more than solid if Harris can’t go and Leroux/Marta/Edmonds are a solid group.

Portland Thorns v. Seattle Reign FC
2-1-2/2-1-1
Saturday May 5 3:30PM ET (Lifetime Game of the Week)

Okay, I’m done making up things, even if there’s not much to report this far out. Portland has talent and depth that belies their record, so it’s always a safe bet that Horan/Sinclair/Purce will put chances together. Britt Eckerstrom should get the start again and has had some good saves and some bad gaffes. Michele Betos will face her former team for the first time and will probably get a lot of work. Seattle’s offense has been pretty solely Rapinoe-based but a Long score last week and a slight decapitation for Jodie Taylor might help them build going forward. Steph Catley returning to help shore up the defense will also lend some flex to their forward press.

Sky Blue (Association) Football Club of the State of New Jersey, Inc., Co, LTD v. Houston Dash
0-2-1/0-3-2
Saturday May 5, 7:30PM ET

One of these teams should walk away with a first win. In theory, that should be Sky Blue, who has actual offensive players, a passable defense and an up-and-coming international GK. Once they hit the field? Who knows. Houston’s Kealia Ohai should be returning to form and the young Hanson/Keever midfield has potential to keep the ball moving to their star or Nichelle Prince. Kyah Simon’s return will also provide depth up front. The backline that looked solid against Orlando was torched against North Carolina, so Jeanine Van Wyk and crew are probably hoping to face the disorganized rabble version of SBFC. Sky Blue still has Carli Lloyd, Raquel Rodriguez, Janine Beckie, Shea Groom…basically, in any other year, what would look like the starting forward lineup for an all-star game and they’ve scored 1 entire goal in three games.

Utah Royals FC v. Washington Spirit
0-1-4/1-1-2
Saturday May 5, 9:00 PM ET

Remember Ashley Hatch? 1 goal, 1 assist, 12 shots in five games so far. After her rookie season, I thought she might be a feature forward in a Pugh/Sullivan/Lavelle service-fest. With the lack of any other information to back it up, I’ll declare this her break out game. Utah’s Becky Sauerbrunn and Rachel Corsie have been carrying the team to draws all season and eventually there will be an error. Last week’s goal by Portland’s Tobin Heath, largely unguarded, hints at slight flaws that can be worked in the absence of a scoring punch. Washington has much greater potential on offense than defense, but Utah hasn’t been putting enough talent forward to require anything beyond capable marking from a veteran cast.

North Carolina Courage v. Chicago Red Stars
5-0-1/2-1-3
Sunday May 6, 3:00PM ET

Chicago must be so happy to have a second game this week against a resting and rehabbing North Carolina team. If Chicago can get their offense together against an Orlando team they should beat, enough may carry over to give some pushback against the North Carolina arsenal. Huerta and Mautz have scored legitimate goals this season and Kerr is basically the most super-powered Australian outside a Marvel movie. North Carolina isn’t unstoppable or flawless, but they certainly have more top-flight depth at each area than the competition so far this season. Sam Mewis provides a field general presence and scoring threat behind two other giants in Jessica McDonald and Lynn Williams and the Abby Erceg/Abby Dahlkemper central duo. It’s hard to do more than look at roster comparison this far out, but the edge goes to North Carolina unless they all get food poisoning from the truffles fed to them by the pool while the rest of the league grinds it out leading into Sunday.

How Well Did the NWSL Internationals Do in Week 5?

Posted on by RJ Allen

If you missed the games this week, we’ve got you covered! Now, a lot of internationals did not play this weekend, most of it due to the fact they just came off of World Cup Qualifiers. But here is a wrap up of how all your favorite international players did:

The Australians:

Kyah Simon (Houston Dash)
Rating: 8/10
Simon made her debut for Houston and played a full 90. She didn’t receive the ball very much in the first half as a striker, but she moved into the #10 role in the second half and got more touches on the ball. She did make a beautiful dribble and got a clear shot, but it went over the crossbar.  She also made a few good passes, but other than that nothing too spectacular.

Sam Kerr (Chicago Red Stars)
Rating: 9/10
Kerr was an impact player even in her debut, which is no surprise. She was on the same page as her teammates which made things a lot easier for everyone. Kerr made a wonderful opportunity late in the game in which she flicked the ball to herself over the defender and ripped a shot, but it was just over the bar.

Alanna Kennedy (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 7/10
Kennedy had great moments, but she didn’t seem completely in-sync with everyone. Of course, that should come with time. She still had an okay game. She took a few knocks during the game which isn’t exactly an ideal welcome, but she seemed to shake them off and kept playing. Kennedy had a clear opportunity on goal, but her first touch let her down and took the angle off. She did make up for it with a beautiful backheel that got Ali Krieger in a great crossing position.

Emily Van Egmond (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 8/10
Van Egmond was subbed on late in the match but inserted herself well. Got on the ball, seemed confident, and combined with her teammates well. She also had a few nice through balls to Alex Morgan.

Steph Catley (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 7.5/10
Catley is always great at getting in the attack, but also getting back to defend. She had a solid performance for her new club. Great crosses and passes down the flank. She also closed down the attack of Orlando, which isn’t an easy job. Great night for Catley!

Katrina Gorry (Utah Royals)
Rating: 9/10
“Mini” came in late as a sub and had a great showing. She was the player for Utah that could switch the point of attack, which got them in on goal a few times. She also showed us that she is very dynamic in her passing, dribbling, and just her comfortableness in possession.

 

The Brazilians:

Debinha (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 7/10
Came on as a sub late in the match. She did take a few shots, one was off target and the other one was handled easily by Campbell. She combined with her teammates well and gave them some good looks.

Marta (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 9.5/10
Marta was a magician as usual. Obviously, she had the stunning free-kick goal. She also did great at hustling to make something out of bad passes. She was calm on the ball and had lots of great combinations with the frontline of Orlando.

Mônica (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 7.5/10
Solid defending from Monica. There were several plays where she really stood her ground and got her team the ball back. Also, great play out of the back; she found the pocket of space and got it to the player every time.

Andressinha (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 6.5/10
Andressinha came on as a sub in the second half but just seemed to play simple tonight. We only saw one magical pass from her, whereas we are used to seeing lots of them from her. She got on the ball and seemed comfortable, now it’s just about being a little more creative.

 

The Canadians:

Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash)
Rating: 8.5/10
Outstanding match for Prince. She knew when to dribble, when to pass, and even when to shoot. Created plenty of opportunities for her teammates but they couldn’t get them on frame. Had a few key dribbles where she took on 2 or 3 players and came out of it still obtaining possession. Brilliant day for Prince!

 

Sabrina D’Angelo (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 8/10
She played a full 90 and kept a clean sheet. Was not called upon very often in the match, but she did make a few good saves. A normal day for her.

Shelina Zadorsky (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 8/10
Great play out of the back for Zadorsky, kept the Seattle attack locked down as well as giving Orlando a boost on the offensive side too. She did cover well when the outside backs got higher up the pitch, didn’t let anything get past her. Decent game from her.

Diana Matheson (Utah Royals)
Rating: 7/10
Not the usual performance from Matheson, but it was decent. Passed the ball well and knew when to go at defenses or calm the play down and pass it back. Got subbed out in the second half. She just didn’t make the impact she usually does.

Desiree Scott (Utah Royals)
Rating: 8.5/10
Scott is always so calm on the ball, she’s able to hold up the ball for Utah which they certainly needed. She did well to compensate for getting played the ball when her teammates weren’t open to receiving the ball. She did have the turnover that led to the Portland goal, but again that was due to her teammates not being open.

Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 9/10
Got an assist that got Portland the point away from home. She was able to hold the ball in the attack and play make after calming down the play. She was all over the pitch for Portland, dropped back in the midfield at times, then she’d be making runs in behind. Great energy!

 

The Japanese:

Yuki Nagasato (Chicago Red Stars)
Rating: 7/10
Nagasato played in a lower role than what she usually plays. She didn’t have quite the impact she usually does, probably due to being in a new position. If she was to be played at striker with Sam Kerr, they’d likely produce some lovely football.

Rumi Utsugi (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 9/10
Phenomenal game for Utsugi, she kept the ball for Seattle and allowed players to get forward. She was strong on the ball and confident. Utsugi had a great opportunity when the ball dropped perfectly for her off a cross, she hit it with the outside of her foot forcing a great save from Ashlyn Harris. She stamped her spot in a Seattle midfield with lots of depth.

Nahomi Kawasumi (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 8.5/10
Kawasumi always provides a great presence out wide and tonight she showed us that. She was unpredictable in her services. She’d play a lobbed cross, then she’d play a driven ground ball across which really asked a lot of Orlando’s defense to stop them. Great game for Naho.

The South Africans:

Janine Van Wyk (Houston Dash)
Rating: 9/10
A vital player in Houston’s backline, she blocked several shots that would’ve hit the back of the net if she wasn’t there to intervene. Provided cover for her teammates, as well as performing outstandingly in her own area. Amazing performance from Van Wyk.

Linda Motlhalo (Houston Dash)
Rating: 7/10
Started for Houston but taken off in the second half due to an apparent injury. She was the box to box midfielder today, she was found in the attack several times while also covering back in Houston’s own 18. Motlhalo plays way beyond her years. In my opinion she’s Houston’s best midfielder. She’s only going to get better from here!

The English:

Rachel Daly (Houston Dash)
Rating: 8.5/10
Excellent work as always from Daly, she plays extremely well wherever she’s needed. She looked very comfortable today, had some nice dribbles as well as great defensive moments.

Jodie Taylor (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 7/10
Great opportunity missed. It was a clear shot on goal inside the 6-yard box, she got it on target but not enough power or placement, Harris got an easy save. Other than that she didn’t have much support in the attack so she had a tall task to do. She’s had better games.

The New Zealanders:

Abby Erceg (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 6.5/10
Not Erceg’s best day on the pitch. Had several times she was beaten, and her teammates had to recover for her. Not a standout in today’s match, but hopefully she will return to her usual form next week.

 

The Irish:

Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 9/10
O’Sullivan had quite a game. She was the link between the defense and the attack, which created lots of opportunities for North Carolina. Her ability to transition so quickly is something special. She had a few shots on target that she could’ve done better with, but other than that she was top quality.

The Nigerian: 

Francisca Ordega (Washington Spirit)
Rating: 7.5/10
She scored a goal early in the game, due to her pace allowing her to get in front of the defender at the back post when the ball was played to her, and she tapped it in. She hustles day in and day out. Her pace is something Washington could definitely utilize in the long run. Other than that, she created some opportunities and got a few more shots off.

 

The Welsh:

Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 8/10
Also missed a great opportunity, she was in on goal with only Harris to beat and she put it over the bar. She did have a heck of a game in the midfield though. Lots of pressure on her but she was calm and composed on the ball. Had to exit early due to a hard knock on her leg, but hopefully, it’s not too serious.

The Dane:

Theresa Nielsen (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 7/10
Nielsen was subbed in way late in the game so she didn’t get a lot of touches. But the few she did have were completed passes. Didn’t get enough playing time to write more about.

The Norwegian:

Elise Thorsnes (Utah Royals)
Rating: 9/10
Outstanding game! Brilliant footwork and pace to get behind Portland’s backline. One instance in the game she had 2 defenders on her and she got out of the challenge with a brilliant move and got a cross off. An impact player for sure if they can feed her the ball more, but she made the most of her opportunities when she got them.

The Icelandic:

Gunny Jonsdottir (Utah Royals)
Rating: 9.5/10
The energy Gunny brings to a game is a thing of beauty. She is a pure box to box midfielder. You’d see her in the opposing box to get on the end of a cross, then back in her own box to block a cross. She really put in the work this game and it sometimes goes unrecognized. She’s a good passer on top of all that, and she’s a link up player so when she gets the ball you know she’s going to do something with it! She’s in top form right now!

The Swiss:

Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 8/10
Only played in the first half for Portland, but she had bright moments. She didn’t receive the ball as much as she should, being the quality player she is. As Portland get all their starters in I’m sure she will get the ball more. But she did do well when she got on the ball, like the brilliant backheel pass to Sinclair!

The Scottish:

Rachel Corsie (Utah Royals)
Rating: 9/10
Solid performance from Corsie, solid passing and defending, all you ask from a defender. She goes unnoticed most of the time but she is a brilliant player. She makes defending look easy with the way she goes about her tackles and just everything she does. Consistent player!

QuickCap: Week Five is Alive

Posted on by RJ Allen

Houston 0-2 North Carolina
0-3-2/5-0-1

In the 132nd Mewis Derby (caused, not by longevity, but by Kristie Mewis playing for 15 teams per season), North Carolina prevailed. Crystal A. Dunn scored at 3’ with an assist to Jessica McDonald and at 3’ into the second half (48’) Kristen Hamilton scored with an assist from former Dash castoff Denise O’Sullivan. Samantha Mewis came on as a sub at 61’, working back cautiously from injury in a way that is so totally not normal for USWNT/NWSL stars, and Debhina made her return (which is unfortunately still less newsworthy than her departure) at 62’. Kristie Mewis led the Dash in shots, playing from the defender role, which may also tie with the 64% Courage possession stat to give the tale of this game.

Washington 1-1 Chicago
1-2-2/2-1-3

GK Aubrey Bledsoe, despite last week’s game, returned to Platinum Glove contention with some quality work to preserve a tie. Francesca Ordega continued the early-in-the-half trend from the afternoon game with a 4’ marker (Pugh Pugh Pugh assist) and Chicago’s leading scorer Alyssa Mautz equalized in the twentieth minute. Mautz ended the day with a yellow at 86’ but no assist so no McCall Zerboni hat trick for her, but a good effort. The biggest Chicago news was the returns, with Sam Kerr starting after returning from a backpacking tour of Asia to find herself and Julie Ertz finally coming back from the Superbowl parade to enter at 74’. Kerr makes the box score for a yellow at 90+1’ but did not rain fire upon the unsuspecting Spirit.

Orlando 1-1 Seattle
1-2-2/2-1-1

Maybe Seattle can sign Rachel Rapinoe and a bottle of bleach to fake the rest of the team into scoring some goals. Allie Long scored at 33’ from Megan Oyster for Seattle and that held up until Marta did a Marta-level play off a set piece at 61’. Michele Betos earned a yellow at 89’ and I’m so glad she’s back in the league with her combination of skill and attitude. Emily Van Egmond returned from six months in a Tibetan monastery with a 46’ entry for her Orlando season debut, both teams had five SOG and, overall, this one surprised no one.

Utah 1-1 Portland
0-1-4/2-1-2

From the warm and accepting shores of Utah, we feature Amy Rodriguez scoring at 53’ after her first start of the season and Tobin Heath coming in at 57’ to tie the game at 67’ with a Sinclair assist. Midge Purce took a yellow card like some kind of common Yalie ruffian, which will no doubt be discussed (quietly, out of the presence of the servants) at Harvard this coming week. Portland started GK Britt Eckerstrom again, with Franch injured, and Utah had key saves from Becky Sauerbrunn, who is probably about five minutes from either going to Portland to work at Powell’s or dribbling the entire length of the field to set up her own goals.

Sky Blue did not play, because the other kids took their ball and went home.

The 123rd Minute: All-Time NWSL Draft

Posted on by RJ Allen

Charles and RJ are joined by Luis Hernandez and Tyler Nguyen for a big draft of our all-time NWSL teams. Imagine a frontline of Kerr, Morgan, and Pugh. Or a backline of Stephanie Cox, Rachel Van Hollebecke, Christie Pearce, and Lou Barnes. Listen to the show and then come tell us who you think built the best XI.

Follow us on Twitter: @123rdminute

Intro music: Those Better Days by Mimi Page

Hot or Not: Week Five NWSL Powers 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.

Ranking note: With so many draws this week it was difficult to move teams all that much. As the season progresses we’ll see more movement.