Tag: HAO

Will the Stars Align for FCKC in 2017?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Heading into the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League’s fifth season, I think we can assure any FC Kansas City fans out there that they will have plenty to be excited about this season. For starters, two key playmakers will be returning to the offensive side while two important pieces on the defense will also be back in Blue. On the other hand, some of the departures from Vlatko Andonovski’s side could also have an impact on the club down the stretch.

Departures:

Heather O’Reilly (M) – Perhaps one of the most consistent players to ever grace a pitch has gone overseas in the off-season to play out her life-long dream of experiencing European soccer. She has suited up for Arsenal Ladies and has made public any plans on whether she’ll be returning to FCKC at this time. Simply known as HAO to fans and media alike, O’Reilly gave 1000% every game, running down the flanks and providing service to her teammates. O’Reilly was truly a fan-favorite, always up for a post-game chat, smiling for fans who eagerly awaited just a glimpse of her up close. The gap filled won’t ever be completely filled, but for FCKC’s hope to get back into the post-season this year, they will need to figure out a way to compensate for her absence.

Amanda Frisbie (D) – Having only played two games in 2016 before being let go, the absence of Frisbie shouldn’t have a major impact on the defense or the team as a whole. She was waived and signed to Stjarnan Women for nine games before returning to the NWSL, signing with Boston for the 2017 season as a discovery player.

Caroline Kastor (F) – Kastor had been with KC since 2015, playing in eight games that season and made 15 appearances in 2016. She wasn’t a player that would necessarily stand out or make the big plays, but she put in the work and helped earn KC’s first championship in 2015 by doing her small part. Earlier this year in March, the Wichita, Kansas native announced her retirement from the NWSL and professional soccer.

Tiffany McCarty (F) – Since turning pro in 2013, the speedy forward has been with the Washington Spirit, Houston Dash, Nadeshiko (Japan) and in 2016 played 15 games for FCKC. The 26-year-old has since signed with Medkila, a club in the Toppserien league for Norway. Much like Frisbie, her absence will have little impact overall.

Frances Silva (F) – The tiny Venezuelan played for FCKC from 2014-2016, playing 33 times and scoring two goals. In 2015 Silva led the league in assists per minute played, averaging an assist every 145 minutes. Silva was fun to watch in open spaces and will be missed for her ability to distribute and create. In November of last year, Silva announced her retirement from professional soccer to pursue other interests. She currently is the Social Media Specialist for FoxSoccer.

 

Additions:

Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez (F) – Two of the quickest players in the game have returned after each missing last season due to pregnancy. Syd and A-Rod each will be relied upon to be the offensive firepower that was heavily missing in 2016. Leroux has moved around a bit, playing for Boston in 2013, Seattle in 2014, and moved to Western New York in 2015. She was brought to KC in a deal that involved two other teams–Houston and WNYF.  Leroux got dealt to KC with Tiffany McCarty while WNYF acquired Jess McDonald in exchange for a 2016 and 2017 International roster spot and a 2017 second-round pick.  She signed with FCKC in January of 2016 and has the potential to fulfill the scoring needs of FCKC. Leroux has scored 18 goals in her NWSL career and when combined with A-Rod’s impressive goal-scoring ability, these two could pack a serious one-two punch.

A-Rod has been with FCKC since 2014, playing in 37 games and scoring 26 times. She brings incredible energy and literally never stops running on the field. Rodriguez loves to pressure opposing defenses and has a knack for scoring goals when it really counts (most recently the 2015 NWSL Championship where she scored the game-winning goal). I expect both of these players to be the center of the offense and to score at least a handful of goals.

Becca Moros (D) – Moros returns to the Blues after spending one season down in Houston. She previously played for FCKC in 2015, anchoring part of that incredible defense that won the title that season. Moros will bring stability to the backline as well as veteran experience.

Christina Gibbons (M) – The rookie out of Duke was selected fifth overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. Gibbons played 88 games at Duke, netting 10 goals and 19 assists. I would love to see her earn serious minutes this season, she is a strong player and if she does well, could be in the Rookie of the Year conversation come August.

 

Not So Bright in 2016:

In 2014 and 2015, FCKC were unstoppable and shined the brightest out of all teams in the NWSL. 2016 was a bit dimmer. FCKC had a less-than-ideal start to the season, not earning the first win until May 28; well under the expectations after winning back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 they earned just seven wins, eight losses, and grabbed five draws. FCKC did finish the season strong, winning three games in September and taking a draw.

FCKC struggled offensively, managing just 18 goals – no one player reached double digits in goals. It’s no secret that Vlatko is a defensive minded coach, but they just simply didn’t execute enough on the other end. The midfield last season had trouble combining with the forwards and when you add the lack of finishing when they did finally connect, Kansas City just wasn’t sharp enough offensively. The Blues had seven different goal-scorers but three players contributed just one goal in 20 games. It was an extreme drop-off in production from the previous year where they had 13 different goal-scorers and had the second-most goals with 32.

 

The Veterans Return:

The only two-star team in the league has several players returning who will be consistent starters: Becky Sauerbrunn, Nicole Barnhart, Yael Averbuch, Shea Groom, Erika Tymrak, Mandy Laddish, and Desiree Scott. On the defensive side with Broon, Barnie, Katie Bowen, and Averbuch, I expect them to continue to be solid this season but they also need to find which combination of personnel will work best. Last season they didn’t have a consistent backline. They added in Averbuch but technically she is best in the midfield. She should be someone who is in the attacking third, not sitting on the backline every game. We can expect polished work from Barnie and Broon, two players who are still under-appreciated in my opinion but deserve serious praise for the work they’ve put in. Yael is always a threat on set-pieces and can help FCKC in the scoring department occasionally.

Adding in Moros will help with finding the right chemistry. I think the more Bowen plays on the outside, the more she could be a factor for the offense. She scored in pre-season action against Missouri at the end of March and looked ready to do some lifting on the offensive side of the ball. FCKC do have one of the older backlines, so we will see how that comes into play later on in the season. All of these core veteran players need to have a bounce-back year after finishing sixth and missing the playoffs last season.

In the midfield, they have a talented bunch with Tymrak, Scott, and Laddish. These three are all under 25 years-old and have been playing very well since arriving in KC in 2014. Each will also need to step up their play from last season.

Tymrak had a very quiet year, scoring just one goal in 15 appearances compared to scoring eight goals combined the two previous seasons. She has the talent to take on a defense and make things happen. If she can find a way to tap into her potential a little bit more, she could be one of the top scorers for the Blues.

Scott is known for her ability to win the ball and is a physical player. She is another player who I feel is a bit underrated for the work she puts in. Between these three players, just one goal was scored, which will be unacceptable this season if they want to get back to winning ways.

Laddish has contributed one goal in 18 appearances for Kansas City but her stat sheet doesn’t need to be filled up for fans to appreciate the hustle she puts in every time she is called upon. She has the potential to add a few more if she can receive the ball in the right spaces for her to pull the trigger. The partnership of the midfield will be one to keep an eye on early on, to see who is clicking.

 

Groom’s The Way:

If you’re a fan of FCKC, you should be happy that Shea Groom is back for 2017. Groom was the top scorer for the Blues last season with eight goals, a career-high for her. She led the way for an offense that clearly was not what it used to be. But after adding a few key pieces in Syd and A-Rod I think the offense could return to the compelling threat it was in 2015.

Overall, I have Vlatko and company finishing fifth in the table but with this roster, I also would not be surprised if they managed to squeak their way back into the playoffs somehow.

2017 FC Kansas City Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart, Cat Parkhill

DEFENDERS (7): Alex Arlitt, Yael Averbuch, Katie Bowen (INTL-NZ), Becca Moros, Brianne Reed, Becky Sauerbrunn (FED-USA), Brittany Taylor

MIDFIELDERS (6): Christina Gibbons, Lo’eau LaBonta, Mandy Laddish, Alexa Newfield, Desiree Scott (FED-CAN), Erika Tymrak

FORWARDS (3): Shea Groom, Sydney Leroux (FED-USA), Amy Rodriguez (FED-USA)

Around the World of WoSo: Farewell to HAO

Posted on by RJ Allen

HAO Says Goodbye to the USWNT:

It was a bittersweet week for fans of the U.S. Women’s National team as midfielder Heather O’Reilly officially retired. While it is sad that she will be gone as a member of USWNT, the good news is that we get to remember all the amazing things she accomplished over her 15-year career at the National level. The other good news is that she is only retiring from International soccer but will continue to play for her NWSL club team, FC Kansas City. Simply known as HAO to her many fans, O’Reilly had a historic career–231 caps, 47 goals, 55 assists. These came along the way as she won the U-19 World Cup in 2002, three Olympic Gold medals (’04, ’08, and ’12), and most recently became a World Cup Champion in 2015. HAO also holds the record for most games played consecutively at 74. She was a crucial part of creating a new team image during the transition from the 99ers, even getting to wear the number nine that was passed down from Mia Hamm herself all those years ago. I’d be lying if I said seeing Mia on the field to honor HAO didn’t make me emotional, because it did.

In her last game in a U.S. jersey against Thailand last week, HAO scored one last goal and grabbed an assist to lead the gals to a 9-0 victory. It was certainly an emotional night for all; teammates, coaches, fans and any soccer fan who knew how special she was to the sport over the years. I think it’s safe to say she will be remembered for her iconic game face and record setting beep test numbers. She was the very definition of determination; every practice, every game, no matter if she was starting or on the bench, Heather O’Reilly gave it her all. Like many fans, I am forever grateful for her work and her dedication to make this team great for so long.

International Break for EURO 2017 Qualifying:

This past week, several NWSL players were off for their respective countries for European Qualifying. Countries that have made it and the NWSL players involved:

England- Rachel Daly (Houston Dash),

France- Amandine Henry (Portland Thorns FC)

Iceland- Dagny Brynjarsdottir (Portland Thorns FC),

Scotland- Kim Little & Rachel Corsie (Seattle Reign FC).

Other countries who have qualified are Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. 

Hoyas Continue to Impress:

Last week, Georgetown upset the number three team in the nation (Virginia); this week they managed one better. The Hoyas needed a double overtime goal (102nd minute) from Grace Damaska to best West Virginia, who are ranked number one. Another impressive outing, considering the Hoyas are ranked 16th, and will surely crack the top 10 when the latest rankings are released. With the win, they snapped a two-year streak of 30 games won at home by WVU. With huge wins like this on their resume, Georgetown is surely grabbing everyone’s attention. Up next, the Hoyas will host Providence on Sunday while WVU travel to Richmond on Friday.

FSU has a pair of Aces:

Florida State has two players who are playing very well and have grabbed my attention: Megan Connolly (M) and Deyna Castellanos (F). The two have combined for seven goals and two assist in eight games so far. Connolly had a breakout season last year and now as a sophomore, she is aiming to do even more damage. The 19 year-old Irish international is leading the Seminoles in shots with 24, one of which was a game winner against Middle Tennessee earlier this season. The other notable standout is 17 year-old Castellanos, who hails from Venezuela and is only a freshman. She already has three game winners in her catalog; against Texas A & M, UConn, and added another versus Miami on Sunday. Castellanos is second on the team in shots, with 23. The Seminoles have started the season strong with seven wins and one loss. Their next two opponents are Wake Forest and number three ranked Virginia after that. This team is worth keeping an eye on to see what they can do against other top ten teams. With Connolly and Castellanos engineering the offense for FSU, I think they could go very far into the College Cup.

USWNT Friendly with the Netherlands:

Sunday night proved to be a very competitive match between the United States and the Netherlands. Not that I wasn’t expecting one, but the Dutch really impressed me with how they executed their game plan. They started out fast and the Americans were exposed in the first two minutes when forward Shanice Van De Sanden pounced on a loose ball to give the Netherlands the lead. For most of the Dutch found ways to stretch our defense, which was interesting in itself considering we had three centerbacks on the backline.  Fielding Whitney Engen, Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn, the U.S. struggled to find a rhythm in the first half hour. Meghan Klingenberg was the only true outside back starting the game and she had a sub-par game to say the least. She got beat more than enough to count and for me was the worst player on the field in the first half. With ten minutes until halftime, the United States finally got on the board. Tobin Heath broke free on the right side and found Carli Lloyd alone, who tucked inside the eighteen to blast it top shelf for the equalizer.

 The second half was a little bit more organized than the first for the United States, but still the Dutch continued to win battles in the air and work through Van De Sanden and Danielle Van De Donk. In goal for the U.S. was Alyssa Naeher and in her 14th appearance, she was tested plenty. As the game went on, Naeher seemed to get settled in and that showed as the Dutch couldn’t get anything else past her. After an own goal in the 50th minute by the Netherlands, the United States tightened up on defense and brought on subs to push the match up a notch. Two of those included Crystal Dunn and Megan Rapinoe. On several occasions, Dunn blew past multiple defenders but couldn’t control in the final third to get any dangerous shot off. The third and final goal came by way of a Rapinoe cross that was headed back towards the Netherlands goal by Lloyd and Allie Long made sure it found the back of the net.

Overall, I really enjoyed this game by both teams. While the U.S. certainly have areas to improve, for a friendly it was solid effort. As for the Netherlands, I am excited to see what they can do next. They really impressed me with not only the style they perform with, but the physical nature they imposed. I was familiar with a few players before the match and now I am exposed to a handful of quality players. Nothing but respect and newfound love for the Netherlands, they have a solid foundation to build on.

Arkansas Shocks Florida:

The Razorbacks had yet another tremendous outing at home against a top five opponent; the first you may recall was beating number two Duke almost a month ago. This time they beat SEC rival Florida for the first time in program history. The Gators were ranked fourth and went into the game with a three game win streak in which they scored 13 goals over that span. Arkansas was more than up to the challenge, scoring twice in a three minute span in the first half. Junior Jessi Hartzler dominated Florida’s defense to give Arkansas the lead and never looked back. It was a brilliant individual effort and as the game went on, the rest of the Razorbacks started to believe they could once again pull off an upset. Florida managed to get a goal back early in the second half but that wasn’t enough to fully recover. Even with a two hour lightening delay, the crowd of 1,155 stayed until the end. Florida drop to six wins and two losses. They look to recover against Auburn on Thursday in Gainesville. Arkansas climbs to nine wins and one loss; the best start in program history. They face off against Alabama in Fayetteville on Thursday.