Tag: Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, Ada Hegerberg, and the Conundrum of Awards Voting

Posted on by RJ Allen

Ada Hegerberg doesn’t play for Norway. But this isn’t a piece about if she should or shouldn’t play for them.

Alex Morgan plays for the Orlando Pride and US women’s national team. But this is no more a piece on Morgan’s club choice than it is about Hegerberg’s choice to not play for her country.

This is a piece about how we see players and how we vote for awards.

The awards voting is larger than Hegerberg vs Morgan. But they do stand on different sides of a large gulf. On one you have Hegerberg who is in maybe the best club form in the world. On the other you have Morgan who has been excellent for country while having lingering questions about her club form. So for now we stand in the middle and look right and then left.

Awards are complicated when they span time and leagues and bring in factors that can be as complicated as league strength and the roles players play on different teams.

It is made all the more complex because of the way the calendar in soccer works. It is the four year cycle that reigns here and not a calendar that any non-soccer person would understand. It doesn’t matter if you count it as World Cup, Olympics then two off years or if you count it two off years, the World Cup and finally the Olympics. Either way you count you have two on years and two off. And in those years where there is a major international event that crosses from CONCACAF to UEFA to Oceania to the rest of the world we are often heavy handed with support for who scores the most goals in a month or few weeks long event. Because the World Cup and the Olympics are big deals. And they should be big deals.

When I look at Hegerberg’s body of work and the only thing that I am given is her work for Lyon it presents a mental hurdle for me. And that isn’t on her. Club is all she has elected to play and she is under no obligation to change that to make voters more comfortable. While one may quibble if she should or should not play for Norway, frankly that has nothing to do with her performance for Lyon. In the context of voting when judging someone, you can only judge them on what they have given you. On a report card for Hegerberg it would simply be listed as N/A under country.

For Morgan it becomes a little more complicated. She has elected to play club. Partly because the US women’s national team players all play in the NWSL. And in the choice to both play club and country, Morgan has opened herself up to having a larger body of work to judge and all that comes with the league she plays for. The NWSL is, at least in my estimation, more competitive than just about any league in the world. And that changes how we see some players and it changes what those players are able to accomplish on the field. Morgan for club and Morgan for country are often about as related as first cousins. They share a passing resemblance, sometimes strikingly so, but often you can tell they are two different people.

So the judging of Alex Morgan for awards becomes harder because the math is more complex.

It is not Alex Morgan > or < Ada Hegerberg > or < Sam Kerr > or < whoever else you want.

It becomes the much more complex and much less elegant (Alex Morgan for country + Alex Morgan for club / what you think should matter more or if one should matter at all) > or < (Ada Hegerberg for club) > or < (Sam Kerr for country + Sam Kerr for club / what you think should matter more or if one should matter at all) > or < so on and so on.

What I keep coming back to is how are we supposed to judge when all the factors become this complex? And is it fair to judge them based on what they’ve chosen to give us versus what we think they should have given us?

At the end of the day I believe that it is fair to judge more heavily if a player plays for their country in a year when country does take center stage. And in those years where there is no major international tournament that spans the globe I do believe giving more preference to club play is fair.

But I will add this, if you don’t value the fight or the choice Hegerberg has made then it really doesn’t matter if it’s a World Cup year or not, you wouldn’t vote for her. And if you think Morgan should be better at club before winning awards based on her performance for her country then a Golden Ball and/or Boot won’t change your mind.

Voting for awards ultimately comes down to what you value in a player and what you don’t. It is a reflecting glass aimed back at those who cast a ballot. 

Working Through The Break: 5 Things NWSL Players Did While On National Duty

Posted on by RJ Allen

Congratulations, NWSL fans: we got through the international break! And even though we didn’t get to see our favorite clubs play this past week, we did get to see some of our favorite NWSL players do some pretty great work on the national team level. In case you missed it, here is a quick recap of just five amazing things that happened this past week for our NWSL stars:

Estefanía Banini’s Free-Kick Goal

Washington Spirit’s Estefanía Banini may have had the greatest goal of the international break. The Argentinian forward had a free-kick opportunity from right outside the box in their match against Brazil, and she did not waste it. She hit a screamer to the top right corner of the net and it left the audience speechless. Unfortunately, Banini’s heroics were not enough to pull out a win for Argentina, but damn if I don’t want to watch this on repeat:

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Alex Morgan Did Alex Morgan Things

Four goals in two national team matches? I’ll take it. Alex Morgan was a woman on a mission this past week against Mexico, and that mission was dominance. Morgan played in what looked to be mid-season form as she was the constant threat for the US inside the box. On set pieces, in transition, and with the ball, she seemed to be unstoppable. Add in beautiful passes from Megan Rapinoe and what do we have? A confident striker that was a terror for Mexico’s defense. No doubt she will be taking some of that momentum with her back to Orlando. 

Katie Johnson’s Chip

It was a tough international break for Mexico, but for the NWSL fans out there, they got to see a nice, cheeky little shot from Katie Johnson, the Mexican and Sky Blue forward. Alyssa Naeher hit a bit of a rough patch in the first of the USA-Mexico friendly when coming off the line. Katie Johnson was there to capitalize on that, and it was quite a goal. She chipped Naeher as she came off her line, a decision I’m sure the goalkeeper wishes she could have back. Check it out below.

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Carli Lloyd Got 100

With a goal in the first and second of the US-Mexico friendlies, Carli Lloyd achieved the 100 goal milestone that everyone has been waiting for. It was only a matter of time before it happened, and I don’t think anyone was surprised when it did. Though the 100th goal was not a pretty one by any stretch of the imagination, a goal is a goal. And that one, my friends, was a big one. Even if Carli Lloyd likes to pretend that it was no big deal. If you want to watch it again (because who doesn’t?) here’s the clip:

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Jess Fishlock Flew Home in Style…Jodie Taylor Did Not.

When England and Wales played this past week in a World Cup qualifier, it made opponents out of Seattle Reign teammates Jess Fishlock and Jodie Taylor. The match was a hard-fought draw, with Wales (and Fishlock) coming out ahead of England. But the weirdest thing that happened was that Taylor and Fishlock both took the same flight back to the United Kingdom—only Fishlock got a business-class seat and Taylor was left in economy. And of course, as all good teammates would, Fishlock made sure Taylor was aware:

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Obviously, a lot more happened over the international break, but I only have five slots to fill, so go check out some recaps and brush up on your international soccer IQ. Just make sure you come on back and get ready for tomorrow and Sunday. The NWSL has returned to us, my friends. Let’s not miss a second of it.  

Head in the Game: Concussions in the NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL doesn’t do everything right. Being a newer league, it has limited funding in comparison to other sports and its business structure still needs a lot of fine tuning. They are learning, and growing, and making fantastic strides forward, but it would be unreasonable to expect the NWSL to be best-in-class in the sporting world.

Last Saturday, the NWSL and the Orlando Pride faced a decision when Alex Morgan collided with Abby Smith in the 45th minute. Given what happened, they did the best that any league or club could do. 

The knock to Morgan’s head was hard. Anyone in the stadium or watching at home could see it. She stayed down and the training staff immediately went to assess the potential head injury. After a few minutes she was taken to the locker room and then it was decided that she would not play the remaining of the game after being evaluated under a complete concussion protocol.

That was the most important call of the game. By far. And it’s an important precedent for not only this league but for sports in general.

Concussions are serious injuries that haven’t always been taken seriously. It is only lately that the long-term effects of head injuries—and the impact that contact sports plays on the brain—have come to light. For some sports, such as football and boxing, head injuries are finally becoming a major consideration when it comes to whether an athlete is allowed to compete, or how long he or she must sit out.

But they don’t always get it right. Money, league politics, and pending legal matters have all been factors in the debate of proper concussion protocol throughout all of sports. It’s inevitable, because professional sport is such a profitable business. Things are getting better, and awareness is being raised, but things are still far from perfect.

One example: in the discussion around head injuries, very little attention has thus far been paid to female athletes.  The focus generally seems to gear towards football, but according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, female soccer players suffer the highest rate of concussions in high school sports. Moreover, in gender-matched sports, girls experienced significantly higher concussion rates than boys. A consensus study by the NCAA from 2015 revealed that concussions are the second-most common injury in women’s soccer.

The numbers are staggering, and the long-term effects of these traumatic brain injuries (TBI) will only cause greater issues for players down the road. Years after a concussion, there can still be abnormal brain wave activity, which can lead to the deterioration of motor pathways and attention problems. In extreme cases, it can lead to Parkinson’s-like symptoms, or as a UCLA study found, manifest the tau proteins that are linked with Alzheimer’s. Repeated concussions could also force surgery on the occipital nerves in the neck to help alleviate some of the symptoms. Sadly, for Manya Makoski, a former NWSL midfielder, this was a reality. 

So the threat is real and the league needs to come up with a game plan for how to handle it. It currently follows the US Soccer Concussion Guidelines, which centers a lot on education and initiatives to bring awareness and promote safety. One of those initiatives is Recognize to Recover. This standard looks to train the athletes, coaches, and training staff on how to look for signs of possible head injuries, and steps on how to recover. That is a great start. And the example cited above—with Morgan being removed from the game due to risk of concussion—shows they’re taking the issues seriously. But just because something works, doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be improved upon. In fact, US Soccer and the NWSL have the opportunity to set the standard for concussion safety. They are on the right track, but there’s no such thing as being too far ahead of the curve on this point.

The current US Soccer Concussion Protocol starts at the the beginning of a player’s time at a US Soccer Development Academy. They receive a baseline test through the use of Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3) and an ImPACT neurological test. This baseline is retested every two years unless a concussion is detected. Then, when a concussion is suspected, they go through a four-step testing over the course of numerous days depending on how their symptoms progress. If a player is still symptomatic, they will not progress to the next step until they have achieved the baseline level of symptoms for that time frame. This is a great start. But one issue is that the four-step testing involves heading the ball—something that could potentially cause more trauma if certain symptoms are missed, or unrecognizable. 

So what more can the league and US Soccer do to help ensure the players’ safety and long-term health?

First, they could modify their policy on identifying concussions. Part of the current concussion protocol is that players must report if they suspect that they have a possible concussion. If the collision does not happen in the game, or does not appear problematic in practice or training, then often times the training staff does not have the opportunity to diagnose the issue. But putting that responsibility on players can lead to a lot of undiagnosed concussions. Most professional athletes will do everything in their power to stay in the game, and are unlikely to fully grasp the long-term health risks. Giving them the power to control that decision point is a bad idea. Discretion should be in the hands of a neutral party, not the players themselves. 

That relates to a second change: hiring unaffiliated doctors. This is a reality for a lot of leagues, and for US Soccer. But for the NWSL, this is a much greater feat. It wouldn’t be feasible today, but down the road once the league has more stability and wealth, it should be a priority. Currently, training staffs and doctors are set on a club-by-club basis. Being employed by the club, they have a certain stake in the result of the game, a problem that wouldn’t exist for unaffiliated doctors who are there to collect data, establish safety protocols, and provide unbiased healthcare and strategy regardless of the team. Other leagues like the NFL use this model, with positive results on treatment and research.

Finally, not necessarily another change, but a different utilization of assets, could come in handy for US Soccer and the NWSL in the long term. Yesterday it was announced that US Soccer is partnering with STATSports as the official on-field monitoring device. These devices will be able to stream in real-time, providing vital information for benchmarking, injury prevention, and improved performance. The best part is that these monitors will be distributed through the development academies, the NWSL, and the national teams, while all the information is compiled centrally and can be cross-referenced. And although this tool was not purchased to help track and monitor concussions, the NWSL and US Soccer could use it to help with the research that surrounds them: how an athlete performs before and after a TBI, how that potential concussion could have effected motor function in the long term, or even find trends to help identify different long-term symptoms of a head injury.

The NWSL should strive to be a leader on this issue. Although concussions can affect any athlete, the research is unequivocal that female soccer players are particularly high-risk. This isn’t something people talk about much. But they should. And that fact puts the NWSL in a great position to set the standard across the board. They can be the league that takes care of their players. They can be the league that others look to for guidance. They can be the league that takes this issue seriously.

It shouldn’t take a potential concussion by the biggest name in the sport to get us talking, and to create action. But hopefully this becomes a catalyst for real concussion reform in the league, and the game itself. They did things right this weekend—Morgan was assessed correctly and was pulled from the match—but that shouldn’t lead to complacency. The good start means that the league can start off from a point of positivity. They’re already on the right path, and should strive to stay ahead of the ball on this issue, not be forced to address it after a major crisis. 

Make changes now to prevent sadness down the road. Be the standard for others to follow. This issue is big. The consequences are huge. And the players’ lives are invaluable. It’s not enough to just sit around and hope for the best as the athlete checks back into the match. In fact, that’s the least that can be done.

NWSL: We’ll Cross That Bridge When We Get There

Posted on by RJ Allen

The fifth National Women’s Soccer League is well in the rearview mirror.  National team players are in camp, while overseas leagues like the Australian W-League and England’s FA WSL are underway.

Looking back on the NWSL, the excitement and action of the season was clearly memorable. We had  Sam Kerr scoring goals on her way to the Golden Boot and MVP awards, Marta elevating the play of the Pride and guiding them to the first playoff appearance for an expansion team, and Christine Sinclair leading the Portland Thorns to their second league title.

However, not all the action stayed on the pitch.

Those that followed the league closely will remember the nebulous NWSL disciplinary committee suspending Seattle Reign defender Merritt Mathias and Thorns forward Tyler Lussi. However, even those paying close attention would probably have a challenging time actually explaining the league policy and inner workings of the DisCo, and that’s a problem. As the league becomes more stable and mature, there should be a higher expectation for defined league policies and transparency on how those policies function.

To illustrate the point, it’s worth taking a moment to consider things on the men’s side. At Orlando this year, for example, a couple players had off-the-field issues involving the law. After their arrests, these players were placed into Major League Soccer’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (SABH) policy. This program covers a range of issues, including the codification of player suspensions, potential behavioral health assessments, and treatment for the player if required. The idea is to directly address the direct issue of player arrests, while taking a “whole person” approach that focuses on player wellness as well as simple punishment.

Thankfully, as far as we know, this type of program hasn’t been needed in the NWSL. But there have been some close cases, with one recent prominent example being the Alex Morgan alcohol-related incident at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park. The end result of that incident was Morgan and members of her group being escorted out after a day of drinking around the world. Nobody in the group was arrested.

Now, this incident is worth discussing not because of what actually happened. As far as we know, this was an isolated incident, with no reason to expect any recurring problem. The only reason the story received global attention is because of who Alex Morgan is. However, while there is no reason to think anything serious happened here, and no need to rehash the minor details, it did call attention to the question of underlying policy. Because, when asked whether they had a something similar to the MLS SABH policy, the NWSL responded that they did not have any set policy, and would handle any instance on a case-by-case basis.

The SABH policy also governs drug testing. Federated players compete in Olympic and international competitions, in which drug testing is normal, but we have no information about whether the league’s other players might fit into a league drug testing policy. It wouldn’t be shocking if the NWSL drug tested the players somehow–other women’s sporting organizations like the WNBA and LPGA have systems in place–but we have no information about whether it actually happens. And given the general bare bones standards set by the league, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if the non-federation players are not drug tested. The league is focusing on raising standards from bare-bones to merely acceptable. It’s possible that drug testing simply hasn’t made the cut.  Maybe, just like with the substance abuse policy, they’re operating on a case-by-case basis.

The question: is that the best approach for a growing league?

Back in May, Amanda Duffy was questioned on the NFL policy known as the Rooney Rule, which requires a team to interview a minority candidate for open positions like head coach. The thought here is to promote diversity within the coaching ranks, a point made now that Laura Harvey has stepped down as Seattle Reign head coach. Her response was not all that surprising.

Generally, as a society we prefer to establish policies that are clearly stated, in which actions are treated equally. Anything else risks creating awkward situations and double standards. Had the situation with Alex Morgan escalated into something worse would the league have taken any action or would U.S. Soccer have stepped in? What if the Morgan incident had also included non-federated players? What sort of actions would those players face, and would all the players be treated equally? Could an amateur player looking to make a team turn to performing enhancing drugs, knowing there is no system to prevent it and catch a potential culprit? If so, doesn’t that create an awful incentive for other players struggling to make the roster to engage in similar experiments?

It’s time the NWSL front office establish a formal policy, so that players, front offices, and coaches can understand the rules and play the game fairly. As a growing league, it’s understandable they’ve prioritized other things, but the time for creating policy on the fly is over.

The WNBA uses the NBA as a model for its policy. Is there a good reason why the NWSL couldn’t do the same, and adopt a variation of the MLS SABH policy? Surely, given how involved U.S. Soccer is in the league, it would be no difficult thing.

This would also be a perfect opportunity for the league to act in good faith, and engage with the newly formed NWSL Players Association. That could improve relations with the players, and help set the tone for productive arrangements when a union is eventually formed. 

The old patchwork system, where federated players operate under one set of rules set by the national team, and everyone else operates in a series of grey areas, is no longer acceptable. Players shouldn’t have to speculate about consequences. Fans and media shouldn’t have to speculate either. 

Just create a policy, NWSL. You’ve got a perfectly good guide available in the MLS policy. Don’t wait until a crisis happens. The league has spent a lot of time being reactive. It’s time to start being proactive.

Route Two Soccer – Portland and Orlando Fight Out an Interesting 0-0 Draw

Posted on by RJ Allen

Portland showed how to defend against Orlando, without doing much to threaten on the other end

The Orlando Pride entered Saturday’s match against Portland on an offensive tear, winning five of their previous six games and scoring 17 goals in the process. But that high-flying attack ground to a halt against the Thorns and raised some questions about whether Orlando might be a bit of a ‘flat-track bully’ – beating up on their weaker opposition but struggling to break down tougher teams.

After all, Orlando’s five-game winning streak came against the teams currently ranked 10th, 6th, 9th, 7th, and 9th in the table. Meanwhile, against the other playoff teams, they’ve only managed a single win – and scored just six goals – in seven games.

Of course, this narrative may only be as strong as the current week’s results. And they could easily turn the tide next week. But there are some reasons to think that Orlando is uniquely likely to devastate weaker teams while struggling against more organized opposition. And the signs were all in clear evidence against Portland.

Orlando attack with lethal quickness

The hallmark of the Orlando attack is the speed of their assaults. The ball pings back and forth in the backline, while they wait for a chance to open. And when it does, they pounce. Marta is the orchestrator, finding pockets of space to receive the ball and quickly pass it along. Morgan is the tip of the spear driven through the opposition’s backline when she can rush onto the ball and bury her chances in the back of the net. And the supporting cast has done excellent work to facilitate this process. Camila has come into her own as a driving attacker. Ubogagu has finally found a role that allows her skill on the ball and quick touches to flourish. Weatherholt and Kennedy have done strong work as the water carriers who keep things afloat while the attacking four get themselves into position to spring an attack.

They have made a wonderful show of it over the past several months and done more than enough to earn their spot in the playoffs. But they, as yet, haven’t really shown that there’s much of a Plan B here.

Writing about Orlando back in May, I argued that they had turned a corner and looked ready to make a run up the table (for once, I got one right!). But I also noted that this progress was more a function of doubling down on a strength than it was about having solved their weaknesses. Put simply: Orlando doesn’t have much of a midfield.

Now, they’ve excelled in spite of that fact by moving the ball with lightning pace out of the back: sending balls over the top, or relying on Marta and Camila to pick out through-balls for the strikers to run onto. They are explosive in the attack, and it can simply be overwhelming if you lack team speed, or if your defensive unit is even slightly ragged. Leave five extra feet of space between the center backs and Morgan will slip right through and score before you have a chance to realize your mistake.

However, without a more diverse range of attacking options, you run the risk of good teams counteracting your strengths. And that’s exactly what we saw happen on Saturday.

Orlando needs space to run into; Deny them that space and the goals will dry up

Portland appear to have come into the match with a clear, and fairly simple, game plan: defend compactly and starve Orlando of the space they need to thrive.

That’s not an easy task. It depends on a comprehensive performance by the entire defensive unit. Defending deep can limit the danger from through-balls, but it also puts your back against the wall. One mistake in defensive positioning, one missed tackle, one poor clearance, and you could find yourself down a goal. But if the team is well drilled and the individual performers are up to the task, it can be stultifying.

In the center, Sonnett and Menges put on a clinic, consistently stepping up to clear away crosses and long balls up the middle. On the wings, Klingenberg and Reynolds worked hard to close down on wide attacks, not giving them time to pick out a pass, and ushering them into less dangerous positions.

Their midfield setup was also designed to facilitate this work. Portland is often quite fluid tactically, shifting freely from 4-3-3 to 4-5-1 to 5-4-1 and even stopping in a traditional old 4-4-2 in the middle sometimes. They shifted a bit less this week, with Sykes occasionally dropping back as an auxiliary fullback on the right, allowing them to set up a seven-woman backfield, as the back five combined with Long and Horan in the middle. The idea of dropping back is to put quick pressure on Orlando anytime they advance into the final third; not necessarily to win the ball but simply to disrupt and frustrate the Pride’s attack. Close down their passing lanes and you force them to either retreat or play a low percentage pass.

It’s a setup that demands a lot of the central midfielders, and to the extent that there was a problem, this is where it manifested. Allie Long has never really been a true holding mid, and some of the reasons for that were all-too-apparent here. She is a pretty good ball-winner but isn’t really a ‘holding’ midfielder, in the sense of managing space and providing a defensive shield. She overcommits to challenges, which is dangerous if she misses and lets the opponent behind her. But it’s even more dangerous when she connects. She drew one yellow and easily could have had two more. It’s the NWSL, where most refs operate on the principle ‘if the leg isn’t broken it wasn’t a booking,’ but even so, she was living on the edge. It was no surprise, therefore, that Parsons made a switch relatively early, bringing on Amandine Henry for Long in the 60th minute. The difference was immediate and noticeable. Presumably, Henry was being given a rest after a cross-continental flight to play for France. But if Portland and Orlando meet again, one would expect her to play the full 90 and bring a bit more calm and coherence to the role.

The final piece of the puzzle is physicality. As I have often noted, the NWSL is notable for the amount of rough play that goes uncalled. And Portland certainly counted on that. They aren’t an especially physical team, but they did their best to act like one in this game. With a pliant referee, they were able to get pretty stuck in and make things exceptionally difficult for Orlando. Morgan, in particular, seemed to get increasingly (and understandably) frustrated with the physical play, which disrupted her touch and movement.

All in all, it was a nice bit of tactical suppression. Coach Mark Parsons deserves credit for identifying Orlando’s weakness and moving to exploit it. And his players deserve a lot of credit for executing the plan well. The center backs and Franch in goal deserve special plaudits for their quick reactions and careful attention to the Pride strikers.

And this has been a theme all year for Portland, who have secured a home playoff berth primarily on their ability to kill off games and frustrate the opposition. That’s certainly not what I expected going into the season, but it’s been interesting watching them adapt and manage games in this way.

Orlando needs a Plan B

The Pride have some devastating offensive pieces, but it’s possible that they aren’t quite the unstoppable force they seemed to be a couple weeks ago. This is a team built primarily around movement off the ball and use of open space. Deny them that space and they look far more human.

Portland, despite a lot of physical proximity to the goal, without the space in which to move quickly, they found little joy, often resorting to shots from distance or poor angles. All in all, they managed to get off 14 shots, but only two that were on target.

The problem is that they simply don’t have the resources to build attacks through intricate passing in tight spaces. Marta is, of course, one of the all-time greats under those conditions, and Ubogagu has her moments. But there isn’t much else. And with a limited set of options, the defense can over-commit to shepherding those players away from dangerous positions. As the saying goes: “you can’t stop Marta; you can only hope to contain her.” But without additional outlets to build intricate triangles around the defense, ‘containment’ will often be enough to get the job done.

We’ve seen a couple modest efforts at unlocking this problem, none of which have been developed fully enough to really work. First, you can push wide and send in crosses. The problem here is that Orlando isn’t particularly good in the air, and Portland (really) is. Second, you can shoot from distance and force them to come out to close you down. But this is problematic too because Orlando doesn’t have much in the way of good long shots, with Camila being the major exception. Third, you can turn defense into offense, pressing aggressively in your opponent’s half. Win the ball there, and you’ll have precisely the space that you were looking for.

This final approach was the most successful. For the opening 20-25 minutes, Orlando was pressing high and making things very difficult for Portland. This has been a consistent problem for the Thorns all season. It’s not entirely clear why they are still so listless playing out from the back, but it’s certainly an opportunity to be exploited. However, that sort of high press is exhausting, particularly in the Orlando afternoon sun. And it’s also dangerous. Orlando has made a lot of progress defensively from the early season problems, but that’s largely due to solidifying the shield in front of the backline. Press high and you risk opening up gaps there. Give a player like Sinclair space to operate, and you risk being hoist on your own petard. A quick outlet to Raso or Nadim could turn a broken press into a goal conceded in mere seconds.

Orlando have a very good team and will be very interesting to watch in the playoffs. But if they want to win the title, they would do well to think about how they will pierce this sort of deep defensive wall. After all, the three teams left for them to think about are far stronger defensively than the opponents they have been battering in recent weeks. A viable Plan B would go a long way toward making their dreams of winning a championship become reality.

Dear USSF: It’s Time for a Women’s Cup

Posted on by RJ Allen

Soccer is our beautiful game and we’ve been lucky to watch as the sport we love has grown across the United States. But there’s a big hole in the landscape, at least on the women’s side of the game.

One national soccer tradition which U.S. Soccer Federation has been able to establish over the years is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. For those not familiar with the Open Cup, it is the world’s third longest running open soccer tournament for men going back to 1914 and the US hasn’t missed a year since its inception. Considering U.S. Soccer was established in 1913, this tournament has been a part of soccer in the United States from the very beginning of its history.

What is an Open Cup?

As an open tournament, soccer teams from every level can enter the competition, meaning all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer can take part; as an example, this year’s tournament saw Christos FC, an amateur team named after a liquor store, take on DC United from Major League Soccer in the Fourth Round after beating professional teams from the lower divisions. The Round of 16 recently ended and Miami FC of the North American Soccer League (NASL) and FC Cincinnati of the United Soccer League (USL) both beat teams in MLS. The excitement and uniqueness of the Open Cup generate interest from the national soccer community, which is a key objective of the USSF. So much so that this is codified within the federation’s by-laws.

The purpose of U.S. Soccer’s existence is “to promote, govern, coordinate, and administer the growth and development of soccer in all its recognized forms in the United States for all persons …” and “to provide for national cup competitions.” Time to get on my soapbox now because that’s all fine and dandy for the men’s soccer, but why hasn’t U.S. Soccer created an open cup for women’s soccer if that’s been a proven way the federation has grown and developed soccer for the men’s side? The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is such a vital part of U.S. Soccer that it’s the second policy listed in the manual. USSF wouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel to create a women’s open cup; everything required to run the annual competition is already spelled out for them.

The closest thing in America to a women’s open cup was the National Women’s Open organized by United States Adult Soccer Association, an affiliate of U.S. Soccer, since 1996 played mostly by amateur or semi-pro teams, but the USSF plays no role in this tournament. The event was a part of USASA’s Adult Soccer Fest. However, 2016 was the last year of the competition; there will be no National Women’s Open in 2017 because of the lack of participation. Last year, only four women’s teams competed in this national tournament. Full disclosure, it wasn’t until I did research for this story that I had ever heard of that tournament, so not getting participation may be blamed on a lack of awareness. In comparison, there was a modern era record of 99 teams taking part in this year’s U.S. Open Cup.

Are There Enough Women’s Soccer Teams to Hold an Open Cup?

So, is that the reason? Has the Federation chosen not to hold a women’s competition because there’s only the small group of ten NWSL teams able to qualify to participate if there was a women’s USOC? 

The short answer is no.

Of course not. There are plenty of teams available and qualified to partake in this kind of tournament.

Women’s soccer is comprised of far more than just the NWSL in the United States. There are actually three major women’s soccer leagues in the U.S. The professional league is the NWSL, but the other two operate on a mixed professional/amateur level. Currently, the oldest active women’s soccer league is the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), which was formed in 1998. According to the WPSL website there are 112 teams in the league. Some NWSL teams such as the Breakers and Red Stars have reserve teams that play in the WPSL. The second women’s league is United Women’s Soccer (UWS), which was formed in 2016 after the W-League (yes, there was a W-League in the U.S.) ceased operation in 2015. UWS has 20 teams in the 2017 season and includes the Western New York Flash, which joined the league after their NWSL team was moved to North Carolina and rebranded as the NC Courage. (Imagine a competition where Western NY Flash could face the North Carolina Courage!) Both WPSL and UWS are sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through USASA.

With just these three leagues, there are a potential 142 teams that could participate in an Open Cup format tournament for women, and that’s not including the rec teams that could also throw their boots into the ring. Yet the USSF still hasn’t set up an open cup for women.

Would a US Women’s Open Cup Be the First in the World?

Historically, U.S. Soccer has been forward-thinking in the women’s competition. But if they established a Women’s Cup, would they be the first? Would there be other similar competitions for women’s soccer teams they could model one after? 

In fact, there are several women’s cup competitions across the globe in a similar format of different leagues competing for a trophy. One of the better-known competitions is held in England. Created in 1970, the FA Women’s Cup is an equivalent to the FA Cup for men. Our own Carli Lloyd scored a goal in the final as Manchester City beat Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium. On the Continent, Germany holds the Frauen DFB-Pokal which pits clubs from the first two divisions of the Bundesliga and has existed since 1981. Even countries like Brazil have women’s cup tournaments like the Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino, founded in 2007. And Alex Morgan’s French team, Olympique Lyon, won the Coupe de France Féminine in May. That competition in France was first played in 2001. Other women’s cup tournaments include ones established in Russia (1992), New Zealand (1994), and Japan (1979) to name a few.

The Time is Now

The federation has an Open Cup committee which is responsible “for conducting the Open Cup, and for the direction of the Open Cup.” According to the U.S. Soccer website, the six-person committee has one female member, Siri Mullinix. At this point, it’s almost fairer to state that U.S. Soccer is more neglectful to club soccer for women because we don’t realize that more can be done. Establishing a competitive Open Cup for women’s soccer should have been included on the USSF’s yearly agenda by now, but it has failed to follow its own by-laws.

I’ll get off my soapbox in a second, but U.S. Soccer, do better. How about creating a competition that doesn’t just involve the national team like SheBelieves or the Tournament of Nations, and join the rest of the world in holding an annual event for women’s clubs in the U.S.? You can’t even imagine what this will inspire in the fans of the beautiful game.

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 11

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 11 brought us a double scoop of NWSL action with most teams playing a midweek match on top of all the action from the weekend. There were highlight reel goals, penalty kicks awarded, and referee controversy. That was just the beginning, so let’s buckle in as we offer up our top takeaways of the week.

Alex Morgan Returns But Too Late? – Luis Hernandez

It was the moment most Orlando Pride fans had been waiting for, the return of Alex Morgan from her stint in France. Entering the match against Chicago in the 65th minute, the home crowd roared to life hoping to see the returning hero score in her debut. However, two minutes after she entered the match Christen Press put away what would be the game winner from the spot.

The disjointed Orlando side couldn’t come away with anything on Saturday, once again dropping three points at home. In the presser after the match, Morgan stated, “But, maybe when Chi came in, I didn’t know what we were playing, who was playing what position. Because Camila was the 10 and then I wasn’t sure where she was and I wasn’t sure where Chi was so there was a little bit of confusion. I wish the communication was better. I think we can work on that a lot more.” You can’t fault Tom Sermanni for playing Morgan as soon as she was able, without better incorporating her into the rhythm her teammates have started to create, especially in a week with multiple matches. Needed fresh legs and wanting to see what her fitness level, Sermanni put her in, hoping she could boost the offense.

Certainly, the Pride will be able to work it out and improve. However, it’s the defensive errors which have caused them to drop 13 points so far this year, and each of the top four teams have more than a one-match cushion on Orlando. A trip to the playoffs may soon be out of reach.

Mid-Season Discipline (Is that Another Yellow Card?) – Luis Hernandez

As we reach the halfway point of the season, we tend to start taking a count of how it’s going, who’s leading the pack, how many cards have been issued, that sort of thing. This week actually brought out a high number of yellow cards; there were two matches that saw four yellows thrown on the weekend and one astonishing six yellow card match in the midweek between Portland and Kansas City. Looking at the numbers, the NWSL stats site tells us that 132 yellow cards have been shown so far this season, and on top of that, five red cards. This is out of the 60 matches so far this year. That’s an average of 2.2 yellow cards per match. To put it in perspective, the 2016 season had 174 yellow cards (1.74 yellows/match) with five red cards in the 100 matches. Heck, this was the first season, I even heard of the NWSL disciplinary committee.

It’s hard to find a reason for the steep increase. Has there been a shift in the style of play? Has the league or PRO changed the points of emphasis without putting out a public statement? Has the Lifetime partnership caused this somehow? I don’t believe we’ll figure out the why, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the second half of the season, and the league has no “good behavior” incentive like Major League Soccer.

MVPinoe – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Halfway through the season, it’s time to start talking seriously about this year’s MVP.

With nine goals (four scored in the past week alone), including three successful PKs, and one assist, I don’t think anyone has to look further than the Seattle Reign’s five-season veteran Megan Rapinoe. She’s on-track to take home the Golden Boot this year, and with it, MVP, because the two always seem to go hand-in-hand. (That, I think, is a discussion for another day, however.) But whether Rapinoe ultimately wins the Golden Boot or not (at three goals ahead of the pack, surpassing her would be a challenge but not impossible) if anyone else takes home MVP this year it would be an injustice.

The reason? You really don’t need to look further than her numbers so far this season. Numbers which include far more than just her nine goals.

Rapinoe has been carrying Seattle on her back this year, determined to get back into the playoffs after missing them by a hair last season. Leading the league in goals, but with just one assist, when Seattle hasn’t been able to find the net on their own, Rapinoe has been chasing down every possible chance, creating opportunities when seemingly none exist, and basically, to mix my sports metaphors for a moment, crashing into the boards time and time again. Of her 40 shots so far this year (2nd in the standings), 22 (3rd) have been on goal, giving her a SOG percentage of 55%. If this were baseball, her batting average wouldn’t just be considered good, it’d be considered one of the best in the sport. Christen Press currently has the same SOG percentage, but four fewer goals to her name this season.

With 58 corner kicks, she’s second in the league so far this season, with only Abby Dahlkemper ahead of her, which means that those nine goals don’t come from set-piece opportunities, but the run-of-play. From Rapinoe moving the ball down-field or maneuvering into the right place at the right time to receive a cross and send it home. But maybe the most important stat to consider in her case for 2017 MVP are her PKs. Three of her nine goals this year have come from PKs. Why are PKs to important? Because they’re the “extra-point” or “free throw” of soccer. They’re guaranteed scoring opportunities, and missing them is unacceptable. It happens, yes. And, yes, there’s the added element of the GK, who might jump in the right direction and make a save, but for an experienced, professional soccer player to miss a PK–send it far left or right of the goal, over the crossbar, etc.–is unacceptable. A PK is a just about the easiest chance to score a player can get, and a team needs to be able to rely on their player’s ability to earn that point. Because at the end of the 90’, the game might literally come down to whether they were able to capitalize in that moment or not.

Megan Rapinoe this year has had three opportunities to score a PK for her team.

She has completed each and every one.

When you’re that clutch, you deserve to take home that “Most Valuable Player” trophy at the end of the year.

Houston Dash Undefeated in Kansas City – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

No, really. I’m not joking.

The team that has been on or near the bottom for its three seasons in the NWSL has never lost to the two-time (back to back) NWSL Championship winners, FCKC on the road in Kansas City.

Of the four times the Houston Dash have taken on FCKC at Swope Soccer Stadium (or the Durwood Stadium FCKC played at in 2014), they have never failed to come away with at least a draw, and as of last night, have won (2-1) twice.  Surreal, no?

In 2014, Houston left Kansas City with a 2-2 draw–only their seventh game ever. Lauren Holiday (we miss you) opened the scoring in the 2’ but the young Dash team responded with a goal from Jordan Jackson in the 20’. The first-half ended 2-1 after Erika Tymrak scored in the 36’, but after a halftime break, Tiffany McCarty evened the score in the 78’. And the Houston team took home their first draw in team history. They would end the season in 9th (last) place, but at that moment, 1-5-1 into the season and coming off a four-game losing streak, a draw against the eventual NWSL champions had to feel like the promise of good things to come.

2015 saw another draw between the two teams, 1-1, but the scoreline hides the fact that FCKC didn’t manage to score at all that game. In fact, if not for an own goal from Toni Pressley in the 55’, Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 45’ would have given the Houston Dash the win. The Dash finished 5th that season, and by the time of the away game in Kansas City, they had been doing fairly well, with a 3-4-4 record in the season when they took the field that night. But that night they could have had a win against the 2014 Champions, the same team that would go on to beat Seattle for the second year in a row in the final.

The Dash took home their first road win against FCKC in 2016, just their fourth game of the season. Playing without Amy Rodriguez (pregnancy), Lauren Holiday (retirement), and newcomer Sydney Leroux (pregnancy), FCKC’s season got off to a rough start, and they came into the match against the Dash with two losses and a draw under their belt already. When Houston opened the scoring in the 56’ with a goal from Irish international Denise O’Sullivan, and Chioma Ubogagu gave them a second just 15 minutes later, Kansas City had already lost the game. Despite their valiant efforts, and a late goal from Yael Averbuch in the 87’, they couldn’t pull out a draw against the Dash, who would end up finishing just one position ahead of them at 7th in the final 2016 standings.

And then last night, the Dash pulled out what, at least according to history, isn’t such an improbable win after all, despite the belief of many (including myself). Granted, they were assisted by a second-half yellow card accumulation that sent one of FCKC’s most creative players, Lo’eau LaBonta to the locker room, but the Houston Dash came out determined to turn their season around. Though Kansas City seemed to have the advantage at first, especially after a stoppage time goal from Shea Groom in the first half, a 55’ goal from Rachel Daly and then a 64’ goal from Nichelle Prince as FCKC were struggling to recover themselves after LaBonta’s ejection gave the Dash the win and kept this odd streak alive.

Go Dash, I guess?

Mid-Week Off Comes Back to Hurt Spirit and Courage – Jordan Small

While eight teams spent their Wednesday night playing their second game in four days or less, the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit were sitting at home. Both teams had the night off and were able to prepare for the weekend matchups that awaited them. However, come Saturday, those two teams found them on the wrong side of the scoresheet.

North Carolina hosted Sky Blue on Saturday afternoon and were featured as July’s first Lifetime Game of the Week. By the 80th minute, neither team had scored, but one team looked to be gassed and ready for the match to be over. The other was racing down the field looking for a goal and the three points. Believe it or not, Sky Blue was the one with more life towards the end of the game. The team that had played three games in six days, two of which were on the road, won on a goal from Sam Kerr in the 84th minute.

Then you have the Washington Spirit. After beating the Portland Thorns at home last Saturday, the Spirit made the short trip up to Boston to take on the Breakers. The Spirit dominated the first half but were unable to finish their chances. Boston pounced on the opportunity in the 72nd minute when Midge Purce put away a goal off of lazy defending from Washington.

Both teams that had off during the week lost on the weekend. Is this just a coincidence? It might be, but to think that having too much time to think about your next opponent isn’t all that crazy to believe. It also could just be that those two teams were outplayed.

The Power of the Backup Goalkeeper – Jordan Small

Three goalkeepers who didn’t come into the season expecting to see much game time have ended up with significant minutes in recent weeks due to injuries to their teams’ starters. For Katelyn Rowland of the North Carolina Courage and Aubrey Bledsoe of the Orlando Pride, these have become long term assignments over the past several weeks. In Boston, Sammy Jo Prudhomme is just three games into her starting career.

Rowland and Bledsoe have won over half of their games since taking over. All three have picked up at least one shutout in their time as the number one. This is the first time for all three as the starter for a significant period of time and they have not disappointed. Each is making the case to be the starter for the foreseeable future which will make it fun down the stretch. Who doesn’t love a little competition?

Those are the takeaways that stood out to us. Did you take something else away from this extra long week of matches? Let us know your thoughts, and come back next week for more takeaways.

The Excused Absence

Posted on by RJ Allen

If you’re even just a casual NWSL fan, you’ll notice that every now and again, a player isn’t on the game-day lineup.  Not for injury, at least not that you’re aware of, and not for a disciplinary reason as far as you can remember (and in my experience, red cards tend to stick out in your memory).

But if you’re a die-hard NWSL fan, the kind who can remember off the top of their head just how many yellows a favorite player is sitting on heading into the upcoming week, you’ll probably notice the “Excused Absence” designation that’s popped up on Weekly Injury Reports this season.

The new addition to the report this year came at the behest of the NWSL’s Media Association, who asked for some sort of clarification on player absences when not out for an injury or illness. But what this additional information has done is highlighted an interesting element of NWSL play and player management this season. And so I’d like to take some time to talk about Excused Absences, the NWSL, and professional sports in general.

Those who have been around the NWSL since at least the end of the third season, after the US players rejoined their teams riding their World Cup glory, might remember a bit of drama in the 2015 post-season, when fan-favorite Ali Krieger decided to attend her father’s wedding instead of playing in Washington’s semi-final against the Seattle Reign. Krieger took a lot of heat from league fans for choosing to put her family above her team, and eventually put out a heartfelt message on her website, where she shared her regret that she couldn’t be in two places at once.

My family has come second to football for many, many years and I feel that in my heart it was time I put them first. I would regret not being there for the rest of my life, and I’m extremely happy to be in my Dad’s wedding. I have full confidence in my teammates and I can’t wait to congratulate them in person when they return to DC.

I honestly hadn’t thought of Krieger’s absence since that day, until I noticed, and kept noticing, the Excused Absence qualifiers on the weekly injury reports this season. Some teams offered additional information, revealing that a player was away to attend an award ceremony in her home country (Sam Kerr, Week 3), or graduate from college (Raquel Rodriguez, Week 4). Others were to take an entrance exam for medical school (Daphne Corboz, Week 4) or to attend a family wedding (Kelley O’Hara, Week 5). Still others offered no other information, just that a player would not be in attendance for the week’s game and that it was not due to any injury, illness, or discipline.

(And then there was Carli Lloyd’s entire 2016 season, which seemed to be one gigantic excused absence, at least as far as the people who love to hate her and those who hate to love her saw it.)

To be fair, I probably wouldn’t have paid attention if not for a few players I enjoy watching week to week appearing on the list as excused. But it got me thinking and it made me wonder, what is the effect of these Excused Absences on the league? Does the Excused Absence policy (is there one?) negatively impact or affect the NWSL? Either the play and performance of teams and players, or the perception of the league by others?

Because here’s what my first and initial thought about Excused Absences was:

Excusing players to attend a wedding, to take an exam, etc, reflects and affirms the opinion of those outside the sport who feel that a women’s soccer league is not something to be taken seriously. 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not judging individual players for their non-soccer priorities or family commitments. But I do wonder how the NWSL looks in comparison to other sports–women’s and men’s leagues–where this is concerned.

So, after an entirely non-scientific research process, here’s what I found for “Excused Absence” across the American professional sports landscape.

NFL

Players in the NFL have been listed with “Excused Absences,” yes, but how, and for what, and when, reveals a marked difference from the NWSL. In most cases I came across, players had received an excused absence from a training camp, practice, or exhibition game.

In 2016, Tom Brady was excused from a pre-season game in order to attend memorial services for a family member (he was allowed to play in pre-season games before having to serve a multiple game suspension beginning Opening Weekend of the regular season). Doug Martin was given an excused absence from practice the same year, but this was in anticipation of being disciplined for violating the league’s drug policy.

Kayvon Webster was excused from practice in 2014 for a personal family matter, CJ Spiller from a pre-season game in 2013 after his step-grandfather shot four people and killed two, and then himself. That same year, Riley Cooper was given an “excused absence” to seek counseling after making a racial slur, and Brandon Marshall was excused from four days of camp in the pre-season for a previously scheduled follow-up appointment regarding surgery he’d had earlier that year.

In the case of the NFL, an excused absence is sometimes given, but in cases where the stakes are not particularly high. A pre-season game that means little for the outcome of the season, a day or two of practice, or a late arrival to a weeks-long pre-season training camp.

 

NBA

In the NBA, excused absences aren’t infrequent, but there aren’t many either. In 2017 Ricky Rubio has been excused for “personal reasons” no details provided. In 2016, LaMarcus Aldridge was given an excused absence from a pre-season game to receive a Hall of Honor award from his college, while long-time player Udonis Haslem received one so he could see his son play in a state football final. Kemba Walker was given an excused absence from a December game “to tend to a personal matter,” and Lou Williams was excused from a practice late in the year.

2014 saw Tony Parker excused from the start of preseason camp to recover after a long flight home from France and a delayed flight in Chicago. Before that, excused absences included Derrick Rose, excused from an in-season practice for personal reasons (2011);  Delonte West, excused from a pre-season match-up to “handle personal business” that some suggest was related to “mental sickness and legal troubles” (2009); and Shawn Kemp, listed with an excused absence in 2001, just prior to checking into a drug rehabilitation program.

Unlike the NFL, the NBA (and several other sports leagues) has a number of international players who compete for their national teams, as well as some players (domestic or international) who join leagues overseas during the off-season. In some cases, these players are given excused absences to accommodate their time away or even just to help account for recovery time after long and tiring travel. But like the NFL, the NBA’s absences, in the majority of the cases I came across, were for non-competitive events. Players were excused from camps, practices, or pre-season games for the most part, and only rarely from in-season games.

 

NHL

As for the NHL, the excused absences include Kyle Okposo’s 2017 absence from practice the day after the All-Star game, Robin Lehner, who was excused from a Friday practice before starting in his third straight game, and Anders Nilsson, who was excused from a practice in order to travel back from Sweden where he was tending to a personal matter.

In 2016, nine members of the Detroit Red Wings were excused from training camp for national team duties at the World Cup that year, and in 2012, three players on the Capitals were excused from practice sessions in order to “avoid overtaxing them” during one of the busier parts of the season. One of those three, Alex Ovechkin, was “given the day off” in 2009, after suffering a big hit during a game the day before, though reports stressed that the two factors were unrelated.

The situation for the NHL is fairly similar to the NBA, though I saw more instances of players being given excused absences for recovery or rest during the season in this league. Or, at least, an openness to admitting that this is what the excused absences were for. And, like the NBA, the NHL has an 82-game regular season. That’s 82 games per team per season. By comparison, the NFL’s regular season is only 16 games, and missing one means missing a sixteenth (6.25%) of the season. Missing a single game of the NBA or NHL? Less than 1.5% of the total games. So it’s a little easier to see why a player might be granted an excused absence from an in-season game. He’s got 81 others to play.

 

MLB

Probably the most interesting excused absence I’ve seen reported is that of Leonys Martin in 2017, who was allowed to report late to training camp after being called to testify in a federal criminal conspiracy and alien smuggling trial.  This same year, Dellin Betances was designated as having an excused absence from training camp until a contract dispute was successfully arbitrated.

In 2016, Chase Headley was given an unexpected excused absence to attend to his family after complications in his son’s surgery necessitated further medical intervention, and Aroldis Chapman missed two days of spring training for a family matter, which was suspected to be related to an investigation into accusations of domestic violence. Then, in 2007, Barry Bonds was given three days off during spring training to return home and spend time with his family. That same year, Manny Ramirez was allowed to report late to training, possibly to attend to a sick mother. Ramirez was also given an excused absence to miss his first game with the Red Sox in the 2004 season when he returned to Miami to become a citizen of the United States.  As the team’s manager said at the time, “If he didn’t do it today, we’re not talking about (a delay of) weeks or months. It’s like, maybe, a year.”

But remember how many games the NBA and NHL play a season? MLB players have twice that. The MLB season is 162 games long. Missing a day of training camp, a practice, or even a single game for a personal reason? In total it counts for a tiny fraction of their contractual commitments.

Most notably, MLB offers its players a three-day excused paternity leave for the birth of a child. To date, it’s the only men’s professional league in the States to have that built into the players’ CBA; in the NFL, NBA, and NHL, the decision to excuse a player for the birth of a child is made on a team by team, and case by case, basis. (The league also has an official bereavement list as well, for when a player’s spouse or an immediate family member has a serious illness or passes away.) A player on paternity leave can request between one and three consecutive days away when placed on the paternity list, and many have utilized the benefit since its inception. The policy probably came to the notice of the general public when, in 2014, Daniel Murphy (NY Mets) missed the first two games of the season in order to see his first child born. He was widely criticized by sports radio hosts and others, but received the support of his teammates, his front office, and the league for his decision.

 

MLS

Finally, at least for the men’s leagues, there’s the MLS.  Kei Kamara began 2016 with an excused absence from the start of training camp, but while the team cited his family as the reason for the delayed arrival, others suspected a budding contract dispute might be the real reason. In 2015, Kenny Coopers had a similar excused absence from his team, missing the first four weeks of training “with what was described as an ‘excused absence.” He was then waived by the team, however, suggesting that in this case, “excused absence” was code for the contract dispute he was engaged in with the team at the time.

In 2014, Matt Pickens was excused from a portion of preseason to try out for another team, after an injury in 2013 saw his starting spot go to Clint Irwin. Obafemi Martins was excused from practice in 2013 in order to deal with a family matter; this came after he’d been given a longer (and excused) break mid-season in recognition of his play in Europe before the season started and his efforts in recent practices and games. Before that, in 2012, Javier Morales received an excused absence for the birth of his second son. Like most of the American athletic leagues, the MLS does not have a paternity leave policy, and decisions are left up to individual clubs.

2011 saw Real Salt Lake excuse absences for three players to join national teams before international matches. The players missed part of a pre-season trip to Phoenix where the team was scheduled to play a few matches. The February 9th games were official FIFA friendlies, and players were required to be released by their clubs for 48 hours according to the International Match Calendar policy. That same year, David Beckham was excused by his club in Week 10 of the season for Gary Neville’s testimonial match, a decision which saw no small amount of criticism from fans and sportswriters. This absence came after Beckham missed portions of preseason and left the club in order to attend the wedding of Prince William. Steve Davis suggested in a Sports Illustrated article, in fact, that Beckham’s absence, and the team’s acquiescence to Beckham’s requests, was “alerting the world that MLS is just a little plaything, not a competition to be taken seriously.”

But men’s leagues aren’t the only professional sports organizations, and so I looked into the women’s side as well.

Okay, to be honest, I looked, but the NWHL is only in its second year and I didn’t find anything for them. The NWSL is the league that prompted this article, and so I don’t need to list it again, which … thanks to the dearth of professional women’s athletic leagues in the US … leaves me with the WNBA.

 

WNBA

From what I’ve seen, in 2011, Monica Wright was given an excused absence from a game for a family emergency (no additional details were given). Nakia Sanford had an excused absence from a “Bowling with the Mystics” team event in 2007 after taking “an elbow to the mouth during practice earlier in the day.” (Yes, not exactly the kind of excused absence I mean to talk about, but it’s not like there were tons from me to choose from in the WNBA–more on that later.)

Then, in 2006, Tanisha Wright was given an excused absence from a practice in order to attend her graduation ceremony from Penn State, and Janeth Arcain was excused from most of preseason camp each season from 1998-2001. The reason? The Brazilian national team player also plays professionally in her home country, and the seasons overlap each other.

Now, unlike their male counterpart, the WNBA only plays 34 regular season games. (The NWSL, at least this season, plays 22). But you might notice two things from the WNBA list above. First, excused absences seem more limited than the male leagues–and this might be because missing even a single game is a bigger issue in leagues with shorter seasons. And second, most of the links for the WNBA information came not from team releases or sports journalists, but blogs. But don’t get me started on the absence of women’s athletics and performances in sports journalism. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

 

So, you might be wondering why I put you through that summary of excused absences across the professional sports leagues in America.

(And before I explain, I need to point out the obvious flaws in my “research,” such that it was–I didn’t bother to look up how each league or team defined “excused absence.” I literally just did google searches for “[League Abbreviation] and ‘excused absence,'” which doesn’t even pass the lowest test of academic rigor. And when the results appeared, I only looked as far as–maybe–page three. So it’s not a comprehensive survey, sure, but I think I found enough to be able to make some speculative conclusions. Still, if you object to my research process, feel free to report me to the official department of Who Gives a Fuck; I’m sure you have them on speed-dial.)

Let me be the first to assure you that it’s not because I want to shame the players in the NWSL for their absences. I’m also not here to commiserate that you bought a ticket to a game just to see Christine Nairn and she wasn’t with the team that day. I’m not here to entertain complaints about Alex Morgan being your favorite player and travelling all the way to Orlando to see Alex Morgan play and Alex Morgan being away from the team because her grandma broke her hip or something (Alex Morgan’s grandmother is fine, to my knowledge, please don’t ask me about Alex Morgan’s grandmother). And honestly, I don’t care if Daphne Corboz took the MCAT or if Kelley O’Hara went to a cousin’s wedding (okay, I care enough to hope that Corboz did well and that O’Hara danced the funky chicken, obviously) but my interest in talking about this is not about individual players and instead about perception and progress.

My first question is whether absences suggest to the outside world that the NWSL doesn’t have to be taken seriously because it doesn’t take itself seriously. (A question akin to Steve Davis’ worry over Beckham in 2011.)

In the NFL, player absences are so rare because each game counts. When you only have 16 chances to climb to the top of the standings, every game means something. Writing in the aftermath of the Daniel Murphy/Boomer Esiason MLB paternity blow-out in 2014, a columnist at XOJane wrote that

I can’t imagine a single situation in which a starting player would voluntarily miss an NFL game. With only 16 regular season games, there’s too much on the line. One loss can mean a team misses the playoffs. And with pro careers that only last an average of three years, that’s just not a risk I can imagine any of those guys taking.

Even missing practice, for most in the NFL would be verboten. Because practice is where you make your case to be out there under the lights on game day. And there are so few opportunities to make it to the top. In 2016, Ben Roethlisberger took a few days away from practice during the week for the birth of his third child, and Landry Jones got to step into the coveted role of “first-team QB” for a little while, just long enough to get a feel for the position he’s been working toward his entire life. The next week, when Landry’s own wife gave birth, he took a few hours, his wife reportedly telling him not to miss a day of practice. Rookie QB Cardale Jones almost missed the birth of his child in 2016; he was literally on his way to practice when coach Rex Ryan told him to go back, that he’d regret missing the birth for the rest of his life.

By in comparison, in a season only six games longer than the NFL’s, what does it say to miss a practice? To miss a game? If the NWSL and its players want the sport to be taken seriously–as it should be–by fans, by non-fans, by the general public? When you’ve got players in the NFL literally missing the births of children just for the chance to make an impression in a mid-week practice, what does it say about the NWSL’s intensity, it’s drive, to release players from their duties seemingly so easily?

But.

But. But.

On the other hand.

What if it’s not about the number of games at all? What if it’s not about intensity or drive or any of that.

What if it’s about the players? About a change in the culture of American sports franchises?

In 2011, the MLB Players Association negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that included paternity leave.

Paternity leave.

For baseball players.

In a nation known for being one of the worst for paid maternity leave for new mothers.

And I’m not slamming the baseball players or the MLBPA (get it, slamming them). I think it’s great.

Even more than great, maybe it’s a sign of a more progressive sports league, of a more humanitarian, person-centered approach to the management of players and teams. MLB’s policy reminds fans and foes alike that at the end of the day, the players and their well-rounded lives are a priority.

Yes, it may be easier to accomplish with a sport that seems to play more games than there are days in the season (or actually do, I’m tired of Googling at the moment and that seems like it might involve more math than I’m comfortable with) but, also, maybe it’s just worth it?

The NBA renegotiated their CBA in late-2016, and it doesn’t appear that something like paternity leave was on the players’ radar, or at least not an issue with enough support to make it to the negotiating table. The NFL and NHL’s current CBAs are scheduled to expire in 2020/2021, so between now and then, they, too, could see a more person-focused CBA.

In the meantime, as far as the NWSL is concerned, (on a team-by-team, player-by-player basis, anyway), the off-the-pitch development and priorities of its players seem to be recognized as important and essential elements of their talent management protocols.

So, in the end, I’m still left with questions. Is this a good thing for the NWSL? Or does it do more harm to teams and the league than is worth standing for?

Honestly, I don’t know.

What I do know is that I’m afraid it does more harm than good.

And maybe that’s something to think about?

Around the World of WoSo: Marta Arrives, Rapinoe Still Has It, Boston Impress

Posted on by RJ Allen

A New Pasture for the G.O.A.T.:

Marta, regarded as one of the greatest women’s players of all time, has arrived in America … for the fourth time. This time she can be found in the National Women’s Soccer League, playing with the Orlando Pride. Marta Vieira da Silva comes to Orlando from Brazil via Sweden, where she has played with FC Rosengard since 2014. Simply known as Marta to many supporters and fans around the globe, she has well-earned her nickname of G.O.A.T. Marta has won the FIFA Player of the Year 5 times (2006-2010), won Silver at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics while representing Brazil, and holds the record for most goals scored in Women’s World Cup play with 15.

The 31-year-old striker and native of Dois Riachos, Alagoas, Brazil certainly has a recognizable name and a superb set of skills to match that. Marta is known for her flair, her blazing speed and her ability to score magnificent goals in the blink of an eye. But she also brings a variety of championship experience, having won at the club level just about every year: Umea IK (Sweden, 2005-2008), Santos (Brazil, 2009), FC Gold Pride (USA, 2010), Western New York Flash (USA, 2011), Tyreso FF (Sweden, 2012), and FC Rosengard (Sweden, 2014-2015). Her remarkable accomplishments may be enough for some but it’s clear Marta wants more trophies.

Marta came on as a substitute for Orlando in their season opener this past weekend against Washington. She may not have gotten on the score sheet but her presence alone had a slight effect on the game; the crowd roared to life when she stepped on the field and eventually Orlando did manage to grab a point out of the 1-1 draw.  It will take a bit of time to adjust to her new city and new teammates, but I am not worried one bit that Marta will find her footing soon enough with Orlando.

 

Rapinoe Scorcher Helps Seattle Win:

Megan Rapinoe has returned to form! Also known as 2012 when she had a standout year for the National team during their run to gold …. Ok, maybe not completely 100% returned, but we certainly saw a flash or two of it on Saturday when Seattle beat Houston at Memorial Stadium. In the Reign’s 5-1 thrashing of the Dash, Rapinoe’s goal was perhaps the most electric. It was the second goal of the night for the Bois of Seattle and it was assisted by another blonde playmaker in Jess Fishlock. The Tiny Dragon placed a neat ball over the top of the Houston defense for Rapinoe to run onto and from 18 yards out she hit a stunning volley into the back of the net.

Rapinoe now has scored in consecutive games for the first time since 2014 when she also netted goals in the first two weeks of the season. Rapinoe has the ability to turn a game around with either a goal or an assist, and in this game we saw a little glimpse of what kind of season she is set to have. She obviously got her name on the score sheet but Rapinoe was active all game up and down the flanks, providing service and creating opportunities for her teammates. It really did seem like I was watching a game from 2012 and that is a good feeling to have as a Reign Supporter.

In front of an underwhelming crowd of 2,727, the Reign certainly put on a satisfying performance, came away with everyone somewhat healthy (Merritt Mathias left the game with a good size bump on her forehead after colliding with Bruna Benites in the 37th minute), and three big points to their name.

 

Lyon Run This City:

In the first leg of the semi-final blockbuster Champions League match between Lyon and Manchester City, it was the French powerhouse that earned a 3-1 victory. Leading up to it, many media outlets tagged it as the Carli Lloyd vs Alex Morgan showdown, but it was bigger than just the Americans playing overseas. The match included a penalty given in the second minute off a Lloyd handball, and continued with Lyon dominating large portions of the game. But maybe, most of all, the game was about Dzsenifer Marozsan and Eugenie Le Sommer dazzling the fans while each scoring a goal in front of a crowd of 3,614.

While the penalty was caused by Lloyd to give Lyon the lead early on, it won’t define her Champions League experience if City can turn it around in the second leg on April 29th. This was Manchester’s first loss since October of 2015. Morgan, on the other hand, had a quiet outing, but it’s her Lyon team who now have the advantage for the next game. To be fair, while both teams are clearly rich with talent, I do think Lyon have the better overall team and should finish off them in the second leg with no problem.

 

Boston Breaks Through:

The Boston Breakers have already won a game and it’s only week two. Not only did they grab the convincing victory, they saw Natasha Dowie earn her fist goal on the season and rookie Rose Lavelle got her first assist as a pro. With the home opener and a 1-0 win over Sky Blue in the books, they showed potential all across the board for the future.

Midfielder Lavelle has brought a dose of trickery and silky-smooth passing, goalkeeper Abby Smith was up for the challenge, making four crucial saves, and Margaret Purce brought insane energy in the 26 minutes she grabbed in the second half. The backline of Megan Oyster, Julie King, Christen Westphal and Allysha Chapman had a bounce-back game after a rough week one in KC. This team showed serious potential and I think they could surprise many people this season if they can put in that kind of effort consistently.

 

PFA Awards Handed Out:

The Professional Footballers Association gave out its annual hardware on Sunday and plenty of big names were recognized in the women’s game. Commonly referred to as PFA, it is an England-based event and this year was no different. Three winners that stood out were Kelly Smith, Lucy Bronze, and Jess Carter.

Smith, who recently retired, was honored with the Special Achievement Award for her lifetime commitment to the game. She brought attention to England that no other had done before and she was an exceptional player throughout her long career. Another player honored was Bronze, who received the Player of the Year award, the first player to do so for consecutive years in the PFA’s 44 years of existence. Quite a remarkable notion and Bronze is deserving of it as her play for club and country have been so enjoyable to watch. The last woman to be honored was Jess Carter, who plays her club ball for Birmingham City LFC and was awarded the Young Player of the Year.

 

NWSL Championship Location Announced:

Get your plans in motion, your friends on notice, and your bank account ready. The 2017 NWSL Championship game will be played in Orlando, Florida at Orlando City Stadium. The date is set for Saturday, October 14th with the time to be determined. The brand-new stadium recently debuted and it can hold over 25k, which will surely be enough seats for the final.

The age-old question soon crept into my mind after it was announced, will this put more pressure on the Pride to do well and make it to the final in just their second season? To answer my own question, I don’t think it puts any added pressure that they don’t have on themselves for this season. They’ve got a talented roster with some key veterans (Ali Krieger, Laura Alleway, Ashlyn Harris) and young kids who can contribute (Danica Evans, Steph Catley, Chioma Ubogagu) and just added the world best player in Marta. They don’t need to worry about the NWSL championship just yet.

Predicting the Pride: Year Two Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

The inaugural season for the Orlando Pride didn’t go according to plan. Attempting to piggyback on the club’s MLS team slogan of Defy Expectations, the Pride had a stated objective of reaching the playoffs in its first year in existence. Getting a big name talent was only one piece of the plan; Orlando City diligently strives to treat the Pride as equals to its first team.  The team started out respectable enough, with big name signings, but with the departure of national team players for the Olympics in Rio, the lack of depth on the roster was exposed. The expansion team failed to win another match after mid-July, and finished in ninth place on the table, just above Boston. It was apparent at the end of the expansion team’s inaugural season that there was much to be done going into 2017 to improve the squad. Head coach Tom Sermanni and the Orlando front office have diligently worked on deals this off-season, even though the team has very few assets to barter with in the drag left by the export of resources in order to secure the famous Alex Morgan trade. Betting heavily on these off-season transactions, the Pride traded away Sam Witteman to North Carolina Courage and currently dealt away the remaining 2018 draft picks. Subsequently, Orlando is “all in” for the historic fifth NWSL season, and their second.

The team began the off-season by trading for Ali Krieger to shore up the defense, sending the Washington Spirit what amounted to a pack of gum. Seriously, before the trade, most fans would not have known about NWSL’s distribution rank order or the fact that Orlando was second on the list and the Spirit moved up to take that spot. On the day the trade took place Washington had nothing to show for getting rid of its team captain. But the biggest movement, and perhaps the most challenging, was Alex Morgan’s decision to head to France for the first part of the NWSL season; she isn’t expected to be back until June. Orlando tried to make the most of the transactions it managed to complete, but is it going to be enough to rise up the standings, and push into the playoffs in year two? How will the team line up during the season?

Let’s break down the Pride in its sophomore season. But, keep in mind, as of this writing, the final roster hasn’t been announced.

GOALKEEPERS

Going into the 2017 season, goalkeeping looks to be stable. Ashlyn Harris will once again command the defense in front of her. She’ll be looking to improve her 1.33 goals against per game with the Pride’s revamped defensive line. Backup keeper, Aubrey Bledsoe looks like she’s made a full recovery from breaking a leg which prematurely ended her season last year. If the back line can relieve some of the pressure that allowed 112 shots on goal last year, it will be a better year for the Harris who is motivated to prove for club and country that she is the best keeper. Keeping herself fit and injury-free should be a priority as last year the rough style of coaching from Marcos Machado (who coached women for the first time last season) was rough on both keepers. The Pride decided to make a change both keepers seem to have benefited from with new Pride Goalkeeper coach, Lloyd Yaxley, who used to coach Harris when she was a member of the Washington Spirit.

 

DEFENDERS

The focus of the off-season was a major upgrade to the defensive line which had been ravaged by a combination of international duty absences, injuries, and overall lack of cohesiveness. Added to the Pride were U.S. women’s national team player, Ali Krieger, and Brazilian international Camila. Australian international Alanna Kennedy also joined the team, reuniting with fellow Matildas Steph Catley and Laura Alleway. 

These additions join returning players like Cami Levin, Toni Pressley, and Monica. Sermanni appears hopeful the back line will become a strength with so many talented players available since the lack of international tournaments outside of the Euro minimize player absences. He’s also spoken of the benefit of having players with ties together translating on the pitch. The Pride appear to have found the solution to its porous defense. 

Last season, Coach Sermanni tinkered with the three-back formation but determined he didn’t have the players to execute it properly. This preseason the Pride have spent an extensive amount of time with a three back system. The key to a successful three back formation requires tall, strong players who are great in 1v1 situations and can stay compact. With so many skilled defenders, Sermanni will need to shift some players into the midfield to have as much talent out on the pitch while supplementing the lack of depth in the midfield roster. Look for Krieger to anchor the line as Kennedy and Alleway flank her left and right sides respectively. The versatility of Catley and Camila will allow them to play out wide, while still able to track back and defend if need be. 

 

MIDFIELDERS

On paper, the midfield appears to be an area of concern, with less than a handful of players officially on the roster. Fan-favorite Kaylyn Kyle was released once the Canadian Federation chose not to maintain her allocated status. Breakout-player Kristen Edmonds returns having been able to translate last season’s strong performance into a couple of national team camp call-ups. Maddy Evans spent the off-season playing in the W-league with the Brisbane Roar, and it seems the time on the pitch there has developed her game. Her overall physical conditioning, passing, and defensive play in the preseason have illustrated what spending extra hours on the pitch can do. Dani Weatherholt’s development in the off-season, including her time with the U-23 team, has impressed the coaches during preseason. Weatherholt continues to prove that she is the fittest player on the roster, winning the beep test this year reaching level 53 which, combined with her improved focus on her hold up play, should get her more minutes than the 786 from last season. 

Orlando looked to reinforced the midfield by drafting Nickolette Driesse in the fourth round of the draft. While Evans and Weatherholt are more defensive-minded, Driesse will look to go forward more to create scoring opportunities with the team’s forwards. But the lack of depth in the midfield could quickly be cause for alarm if the team fails to stay healthy. The team may continue to look to add depth as the season goes by.

The competition for playing time in the midfield is going to be a challenge as Sermanni adds defenders into that portion of the pitch. Someone on the roster will need to step up as the play-maker who can get the ball forward to the strikers. Driesse displayed the type of passing skill Sermanni is hoping will translate to the pro game, but as an unproven rookie that’s still a question mark going into the season.

 

FORWARDS

The issues with the Pride last season were two-fold: they couldn’t keep goals out of their net, and they couldn’t get goals into the opponent’s.  Alex Morgan who isn’t going to be with the team until the summer, took 44 shots last season, 20 on goal, and converted four for goals. Proving how anemic the Orlando attack was in 2016, the team’s leading scorer last season was midfielder Kristen Edmonds with six goals. Sermanni played Edmonds in multiple positions on the pitch, finally settling for the midfield where her strength from free kicks allowed her to find the back of the net even when the Pride struggled to provide service to the forwards. The Pride are bringing back Jasmyne Spencer, Christina Burkenroad, and Jamia Fields. Spencer returns after a loan to Canberra United in the off-season. She is at full health after suffering a lower leg injury during the W-league season. Look for her to contribute this season with at least four goals like she did last season. I expect the Pride will be searching for the combination of strikers who can provide goals, with Spencer I believe her role would be better suited off the bench and run at tired defenders late in the match. Burkenroad has looked a step faster than her rookie season, and if she can maintain her fitness her role will expand from the seven appearances she made last year. The expectation for Fields is to contribute more.

Additionally, the Pride acted on their search for more goal scorers by drafting Danica Evans (Colorado Buffalos) in the third round. Evans scored 11 goals in her senior season and notched six assists. The team also acquired the rights to Rachel Hill from Portland after the draft; however, the UConn Huskies star will not join the team until after she finishes with school this summer. The most under the radar move of the Pride off-season has been the trade of Chioma Ubogagu from the Houston Dash for a 2018 third round pick. Her addition to the roster went through with very little fanfare; however, Ubogagu has put some time in the gym which added more muscle to her frame and has scored in each of the preseason matches so far. Her addition to the squad should help make up for the absence of Morgan, and she could become a mainstay on Sermanni’s starting XI come gameday. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict Ubogagu scores double digit goals.

 

THE MARTA FACTOR

On April 7th, the Orlando Pride made the biggest signing in NWSL history bringing to the City Beautiful five-time Women’s World Player of the Year, Marta. How will her signing affect the Pride in 2017? I’ve always felt the Pride would be a better team who could fight into the playoff picture this year. Marta has yet to even practice with her new teammates, so right away there are questions on team chemistry and where she’ll be slotted into the formation, coming onto the team listed as a forward. But as Coach Sermanni stated in a team video from Twitter, “It’s really a question about just making the best use of her as we possibly can, and using her skills the best way we can.”

Last year, one of the challenges for the Pride was creating service opportunities for Alex Morgan and the other forwards on top. Because of this, I feel Marta would be better suited in the midfield as the central attack behind two forwards. She would be the creative playmaker that runs the offense, and Marta is able to create her own shot. The defensive players would have to play closer to her, so there could be more room for the forwards to work, as well as the outside wingers.  But if they can manage this? Orlando has some serious post-season potential this year.

 

FORMATION

With the U.S. women’s national team prominently playing with a three-back formation, some have wondered if any coaches in the league would attempt to use it this year. In each of the four preseason matches Orlando has played so far, the team began with a three-back line either in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation. A three back system has to stay compact to be successful. However, there were times when the Pride would shift to a more conventional four-back system and either utilize a lone striker or have a pair of forwards on top. Expect the Pride to play compact in the back while working the ball out wide before putting pressure around the 18. The test will be when an opponent high presses the Pride, and we can see how the revamped defense handles when there’s a turnover in the defensive third. The backline will need to stay compact and have the wingers come back to help on defense when called upon giving Orlando a five-person line at times then when the danger is taken care of shift forward to keep numbers in the midfield. So far in preseason, the team has been able to pull it off against college teams. Ball distribution from the back from Harris or Kennedy will allow the fast pace style of play Sermanni wants the team to execute.

 

PREDICTION

Look for the Pride to improve from its ninth-place finish last year. The team has chosen to once again gamble the future and focus on the now by trading all its picks for the 2018 draft. The front office doesn’t shy away from making deals, and for Coach Sermanni there is added pressure to get results. However, that being said, I still don’t feel like Coach Sermanni will be in the hot seat even with the front office approach. I expect that to change for year three based on this year’s results. The relationships he’s been able to create with players make Orlando an attractive option. Players want to play for him again, just look at the willingness of the Australians to come to Florida to be reunited with the former Matildas gaffer. The ownership ties to Brazil also opens the door to those national team players. More players from the inaugural roster will be let go to make room for upgrades and a better quality squad. Out of respect to the players, I’m not going to speculate on any possible cuts. With a bit of luck, this team can avoid the injury bug since there are still depth issues. More obviously in the midfield, but an injury in the back line could cause a formation change if the three back line can’t be maintained. The home crowd in the new stadium should create an advantage in Orlando, and with lessons learned from last season – such as an extra travel day to west coast matches and better management of vegan players dietary needs affecting performance – should improve results.  Personally, I’m going to be optimistic and predict a fourth place finish and sneaking into the playoffs in year two. Here’s my crack at the opening day starting XI.

 

That’s how I see the Pride heading into the second season. Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

2017 Orlando Pride Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Aubrey Bledsoe, Ashlyn Harris (FED-USA)

DEFENDERS (8): Laura Alleway (INTL-AUS), Mackenzie Berryhill (SEI), Steph Catley (INTL-AUS), Monica Hickmann Alves (INTL-BRA), Alanna Kennedy (INTL-AUS), Ali Krieger (FED-USA), Cami Levin, Toni Pressley

MIDFIELDERS (5): Nickolette Driesse, Kristen Edmonds, Maddy Evans, Camila Martins Pereira (INTL-BRA), Dani Weatherholt,

FORWARDS (7): Christina Burkenroad, Danica Evans, Jamia Fields, Alex Morgan (FED-USA, OOM), Jasmyne Spencer, Chioma Ubogagu, Marta Vieira da Silva (INTL-BRA, OOM)