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Kelley Piper was once again at the Plex to take some great shots as the Washington Spirit took on the Chicago Red Stars.
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Backline Soccer Recap:
Quick Fire Week 16 Game Previews:
The playoff picture is getting tighter and tighter but as evidenced by last weeks results, anything can happen! Let’s dive in to this weekend’s games.
Game 1: FC Kansas City vs. Orlando Pride
FC Kansas City record: 6-8-5
Position: 7th
Total Points: 23
Orlando Pride record: 8-6-5
Position: 4th
Total Points: 29
A month ago this match would not have had many implications but it has some pretty serious ones now.
Let’s just imagine where FCKC would be with a healthy Amy Rodriguez and a few more games left the schedule….ok are we there? Now let us come back to the present. KC don’t have Rodriguez but they’re starting to put it together anything. If FCKC can continue their path, they will make it tough for Orlando. While we have seen some miscues from Becky Sauerbrunn this season, she is still their best option in the back to clean up a lot of mess. Sydney Leroux has seemed to hit herself a bit of a streak. Their focus this week will be to find a way to shut down the firing duo of Alex Morgan and Marta. Nicole Barnhart can expect to see a lot of work unless the FCKC defense can compact themselves a little better.
Orlando is playing some of their best soccer in their short team history and that is a good thing. They are in the middle of the playoff hunt, and going strong. Their early season struggles with finishing made a bit of a reappearance in their match last week against the Breakers, and without Alex Morgan, the game would have been much different. But they do have Morgan and Orlando fans everywhere should be rejoicing. With her and Marta working well together, they’ll put some real pressure on KC. The defense will also need to hold strong against KC’s renewed attack. But this is Orlando’s game to lose. If Morgan and Marta can continue on the same path, they’ll be in good shape.
Game 2: Seattle Reign vs. Portland Thorns
Seattle Reign record: 7-6-6
Position: 5th
Total Points: 27
Portland Thorns record: 10-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 34
The Reign will be out for revenge this week, against their old rivals. After blowing a 3-0 lead to Sky Blue, they really need to pick up all 3 points here. Their defense once again let them down and it will be put to the test again, with Portland coming to town. It will be a tough few weeks for the Reign without Megan Rapinoe, but they should be able to get through it if they can just figure out the defense issue.
The Thorns have hit their stride, and have some good news on the horizon with Tobin Heath close to a return. But will she fit in right now? And should she? They may try to ease her in slowly, but we can save further speculation for when she’s actually back. For now, it’s about Seattle, where the Thorns will hope to capitalize on their defensive woes. Expect them to keep up constant pressure as they push the ball up and keep it on throughout the final third. The Thorns are still not playing at their fullest potential to me, especially some of their bigger players, but it goes to show how deep they are that even playing below their potential they’re still solidly in second place.
Game 3: Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars
Washington Spirit record: 4-10-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16
Chicago Red Stars record: 8-6-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 29
The Spirit just traded away Kristie Mewis, but got a nice deal in return. A top pick next year will help set them up, and they also picked up Morgan Proffitt who might be able to contribute now, maybe shoring up a defense suffering from some injuries. The Spirit backline has been their best hope for salvaging some points this season, but it will depend on formation. Last weeks lineup was able to hold the Courage pretty tough for a while before the breakaway and an own goal. But there is just not much happening with the Spirit attack. And while we all praise a good defense, you still need to score goals to win. Look for the Spirit to try to hold their own against Chicago, who is also having its struggles. If we see a similar defensive lineup this week, they may just be able to hold Chicago.
Chicago, what can we say? After a very successful run through the middle of the season, the Red Stars are sputtering. The biggest issues seem to stem from personnel choices, which have been compounded by some nagging injuries to star players. Christen Press, after admitting to having ankle issues since the early season match against Portland, has not been herself for a few games. Alyssa Naeher is also dealing with a groin strain from the Tournament of Nations and has had her struggles in goal.We have seen a drop off from the otherwise stalwart defense and Casey Short can only take on so much herself without someone else stepping up to help. Overall, Chicago needs to keep stringing their passes together and find their attack again. Look for them to try to right the ship this week and get back to their winning ways.
Game 4: Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers
Sky Blue FC record: 8-9-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 26
Boston Breakers record: 3-9-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16
Seriously, where would Sky Blue be without Sam Kerr? Nowhere close to contention, certainly. It showed in the pure dominant performance she put in last week to bring Sky Blue out of a hole to win. But she will not always be able to score three or four goals every single game to dig her team out. No player can produce at that level every game. So we will see which Kerr comes out this week. And even with Kerr, Sky Blue can’t survive if they keep conceding four or five goals a game. They’ll have to do something about their defensive problems and the goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s struggles, too. But if they’re looking for a confidence boost, a struggling Boston side might be a good place to look.
After starting strong, Boston have drifted down the table over the season. Their biggest hope now is to just try to salvage a bit of this season and maybe play spoiler to a few playoff hopeful teams. Maybe they could have been more with Rose Lavelle all season. She’s finally ready to return, but they will probably be careful with their young star as she eases her way back. This week, they need to capitalize on Sky Blue’s defense and figure out a way to shut down Sam Kerr. Orlando did a good job of it a few weeks ago, so the template is there. If they can follow it, Boston may be able to salvage some points in this match.
Game 5: Houston Dash vs. North Carolina
Houston Dash record: 7-10-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23
North Carolina record: 13-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 39
This game has been postponed, due to Hurricane Harvey bearing down on the Texas coast.No official date has been set for the game to be played.
The Scouting Report:
We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.
In case you missed the episode, catch up here:
THE TABLE IS SILLY, THE SEASON IS SILLY
Turnabout is fair play in the NWSL. Seattle beats Sky Blue in a bonkers 5-4 match because of a stoppage time winner, Sky Blue beats Seattle in a bonkers 5-4 match with a goal in stoppage time too. Look, can we just agree now that all regular season matches between the two just be scoreless draws in 2018? It will save a lot of aggravation for everyone, physically and mentally.
And yes I still miss the sharp-dressed man, Christy Holly.
Looking at every team’s position over the course of the season, a couple thoughts.
That moment in the sun where the Houston Dash were in first place. Also let’s pour some out for Boston Breakers and their two-week run of being in the top four.
No surprise that Seattle and Sky Blue have been hanging around the 4 to 6 neighborhoods all season long. That final spot in the playoffs is going to come down to the final week, I think so buckle the hell up for one crazy ride.
If the Chicago Red Stars keep this fall and finish level on points with Seattle, they are going to rue that midweek loss against Seattle. They should have closed the game out and for Seattle, if they get into the playoffs, that milestone win against Chicago is going to look back as the win that saved their season.
It’s spectacular that Orlando spent a month at the bottom, have been subpar for most of the season and are right in the mix for playoff spot. I can certainly understand why Tom Sermanni has a good case for Coach of the Year considerations.
WEEK 18 PREDICTIONS
Bottom line for this weekend’s predictions: nothing will get settled as far as painting a clearer picture of who is joining the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL Playoffs.
FC Kansas City OVER Orlando Pride.
The Fightin’ Vlatkos will continue their hot streak and jack up the road to the playoffs to make everyone think louder and stronger, “HMMM…. Could they?!”
Seattle Reign FC and Portland Thorns play to a DRAW.
A win gives either team their 50th in league history. Seattle needs it more than Portland does. For one weekend, both Seattle and Portland soccer teams on the NWSL and MLS will be in Seattle for big ol’ derpy rivalry weekend and yeah, the ladies will play to a draw. Seattle Reign FC fans will continue to live in anxiety as to if this team can claim a playoff spot with four games left to go.
Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars play to a DRAW.
Spirit get the lead and will carry the lead long enough to make us think yep Chicago is falling off the cliff but then will get some stoppage time equalizer and we’ll all go ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Boston Breakers OVER Sky Blue FC.
I hilariously called it right the first time at the start of the season and I’ll stick my neck out and say the Breakers do it again.
And honestly, with the forecast of Hurricane Harvey hitting land around Friday or Saturday, it’s probably fair to wonder if Houston Dash versus North Carolina Courage will even happen. Yes, the game is scheduled for Sunday. It’s hard to say at the time of writing this what the result of that match will be because we may not even get a match on Sunday. So for now, Houston Dash versus North Carolina Courage gets a ¯_(ツ)_/¯ prediction from me.
And here’s your tunes to send you into the weekend.
Song: “Shot At The Night” | Artist: The Killers
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Leanne Keator was at the Sky Blue and Seattle game to take some photos for us. Check them out below.
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It’s not even December, but it still felt like Christmas as the National Women’s Soccer League Week 17 came to an end. As soccer fans, we have been treated to some fantastic matches so far. The word historic has been tossed around to describe this season, and honestly, that’s almost an understatement. As most teams have only a handful of games left for the 2017 season and the playoff race continues to heat up, we outline some of the takeaways for the week which saw eight matches played.
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Orlando Needs to Make Turnovers Count – Luis Hernandez
This past weekend the Orlando Pride traveled to Jordan Field, and took all three points from the Boston Breakers. The performance was marred by a late foul in the box by Jamia Fields leading to the penalty kick which allowed Amanda Da Costa–retiring from professional soccer after the match–to pull one back for the Breakers for a final score of 2-1. Once Head Coach Tom Sermanni views the tape of the match, he should note that the Pride caused Boston to turn the ball over multiple times, but Sermanni’s side could not make the Breakers pay for those takeaways.
As potent as the Pride attack was prior to the match against Boston, the score line should have been worse from this past weekend. The top teams in the league force their opponents into turning the ball over and punish them by scoring. Case in point, the Chicago Red Stars have faced Orlando several times this season, and had been able to quickly pounce on the Pride to score once an Orlando player made a mistake. For the Pride to continue their push to the playoffs, the team will have to convert the mistakes into goals like Camila did versus Sky Blue when Kailen Sheridan misplayed a ball in their most recent meeting. As Orlando goes into Kansas City to face the Blues, both teams riding a three match winning streak, the team who takes advantage of the other errors will be the one to come out on top.
Roster Freeze Date Around the Corner – Luis Hernandez
As we have been focused on the action on the pitch and the excitement of the playoff race, everyone was quickly reminded by this Washington Spirit tweet that there was more going on behind the scenes.
Prior to the match, it was announced Kristie Mewis was not going to play for Washington due to an at the time pending trade. This wheeling and dealing is a good thing because it speaks to the level of competition in the league; as well as the pressure of the playoff push for teams to find any way to improve before the roster freeze date. This is what makes the offseason exciting, and during the season causes the fan base to buzz. The only negative on moves like this is the roster limit forces a team like Chicago, who carried a full roster, to cut a player like Morgan Proffitt who needed more time to develop since she wasn’t getting minutes on match day.
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Washington’s Starting Backline Could Be a Temporary Fix to a Major Problem – Jordan Small
Just when things seemed like they couldn’t get any worse for the Washington Spirit, they left North Carolina with zero points, a defender who has a possible illness and two more who have possible injuries from the match. While a team like Sky Blue has all the luck in the world right now, the Spirit definitely do not have any remaining. Despite all of that, the Spirit finally put together a backline that could possibly hold its own for the rest of the season.
With Whitney Church out with an injury sustained in practice this week, head coach Jim Gabarra was forced to put Kassey Kallman in alongside Shelina Zadorsky. Along with Caprice Dydasco and Estelle Johnson on the outside, the backline of Washington seemed to be doing a lot better. Against a very quick front line for North Carolina, Washington held their own in the first half. If Kallman does not have an injury from the own goal against the Courage and Johnson is able to recover from illness, the Spirit’s backline will see a major improvement going forward. The only question is: will Gabarra put Church back in the lineup once she is healthy again?
Zerboni Joins the 100 Appearance Club – Jordan Small
When talking about the North Carolina Courage midfield, Sam Mewis is usually the first name to come up. One of the players that does not get as much credit as she is due is McCall Zerboni. On Saturday, Zerboni became the fourth NWSL player to reach 100 appearances in the league. Whether it was in Portland, Western New York or North Carolina, Zerboni has always been a stud in the midfield. The tough nosed midfielder has an incredible soccer IQ that has really helped her team’s midfield. This season she has taken a leadership presence both on and off the field that has helped the rookies really grow. Courage head coach Paul Riley said after the game that she isn’t too old to make the national team. While Zerboni’s talent in the midfield could be a nice addition, it’s hard to see Jill Ellis calling up a 30-year-old into camp, especially with a major competition still two years away.
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An Elegy for Sky Blue – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak
We’ve all heard by now–Christy Holly is out as Sky Blue’s head coach and Christie Pearce is out for the rest of the season (and presumably has ended her career) with “accumulative injuries.”
In the end, we don’t know why Holly is gone. Whatever happened behind the scenes hasn’t been made public. In the end, doesn’t really matter since it’s done. He’s gone.
But what does matter is how the fuck Sky Blue is going to have any chance at the post-season now. Sure, they have Sam Kerr. But Sam Kerr cannot continue to drag this team kicking and screaming across the goal line each week. She is good, yes. No, she is great. But she is not yet consistent in a way that can guarantee Sky Blue’s continued success.
Not only can they not rely on Kerr to win every game for them, but Sky Blue now has a leadership problem because the two guiding forces on the team are gone. Christy Holly and Christie Pearce, between the two of them, formed this team, molded it, and created the burgeoning positive culture that it had become over the past two seasons–a far cry from its initial “poor little sister” status of the league. The leadership on a backline that was already in dire need of support is gone.
As much as I can hope for SBFC to make that final miracle run to the playoffs, I don’t think it’s going to happen. And so I’m already thinking about next season and what the team needs to even have a chance. As always, it’s the backline that has me most concerned. First off, they need an experienced center back. Mandy Freeman, when paired with Pearce, has been doing okay, but she needs help. Second, I love me some Kayla Mills but she either needs to figure out how to defend or she needs to take her seat on the bench. Plus, she needs to stop looking like she’s ready to pass out in the last, crucial, ten minutes of the game. And, for real, either they need to play O’Hara as a winger or force her to stay in her defensive position because fast as she is, she has made some brutal, game-ending mistakes this past season tracking back.
Right now, they have four picks in the 2018 draft. They’re going to need to use them wisely. And they’re going to need to do some negotiating because this team can’t survive on Kerr’s nose for goal, O’Hara’s drive to win, and youthful energy alone. They need to explore some trade options and expand the depth of their bench.
I hate to admit it, but they need to start thinking like Washington now, and making next year their priority.
(Come on, Sky Blue, prove me wrong. Please?)
Sam Kerr – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak
Just.
Sam Kerr.
Edub is still recovering from that game. She practically had a heart attack that second-half.
Backline Soccer would like to apologize for the Twitter account incident that occurred this morning. Told that the Off the Post account would be changed into a personal account by one of our joint members, we asked the individual to consider letting us take over the account to continue to provide in-the-moment soccer coverage to followers and fans. We saw it as a way to both continue the legacy of what Off the Post (OTP) had started, as well as to broaden our own existing base.
We were mislead by this individual, who assured us that she had received permission to transfer the account to us, and were excited to expand our coverage. However, we were quickly made aware that what we had been told was not true, and that OTP had neither been informed nor given their permission.
In a panic, we attempted to remedy the situation, but a subsequent misjudgment resulted in the account being deleted.
We know that there are some who believe it was deleted deliberately out of spite. And we understand why. We can only assure you that it was not, that it was an accident. And we would like to extend our deepest apologies to the wonderful staff of OTP. First for the misinformation that led us to take the account, and second for destroying your work as we panicked over what had happened and how to make it right.
We have turned the account back over to the members of OTP that brought the transgression to our attention.
We hope that you can forgive our mistakes. And we would like to rectify them in whatever ways we can.
First, we have let the individual whose actions led to this situation go. There is no place for lies and deception here.
Second, we would like to begin a series of promotional tweets urging our followers and listeners to check out OTP if they are not already fans.
Third, after some time to heal has happened we’d be more than happy to have a member of OTP work with Backline on a podcast, written work or another project.
Again we are deeply sorry for the actions we took today.
Backline Soccer is committed to lifting the voices of those in the LGBT community, people of color and those who have thoughts on the beautiful game.
The majority of the Backline Soccer staff is made up of those in the LGBT community and the issues that effect that community are important to everyone here.
The LGBT community is a diverse and complex community that houses within it a plethora of diverse and complex opinions. We endeavor to try and bring a thoughtful perspective to the table.
We want to make it clear that in no uncertain terms we do not support homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, or any other ideology of hate connected to the LGBT community or toward people of color, those with disabilities or any other targeted group.
I’m gay.
I’m a big fat lesbian.
Before anyone misinterprets who I am or what I’m about to say, know that.
Earlier this year, a member of Backline Soccer’s staff wrote an opinion piece about Jaelene Hinkle. The article was neither supportive of Hinkle’s views nor homophobic. It was immediately received as such, though, and knowing what a light trigger some communities of US women’s soccer fans have about Hinkle, some members of staff and I did express hesitation about publishing it.
But we value our writers’ opinions, and we value their work. Our writer had something she wanted to say, and we support her. We continue to support her.
The backlash has been interesting, coming and going in waves. Now, every time someone doesn’t like what a member of staff says in an article or on one of our social media accounts, they’ll throw “homophobic” at us, or re-share that piece, reigniting the conflict they see in it.
But what was actually in that piece?
What was actually expressed?
One of our writers explained that having been raised in a conservative Christian household herself, she could understand how Hinkle had come to believe what has been inferred from her social media posts. She could put herself in Hinkle’s shoes because she had once been in them herself. She knows the growth and the journey it takes to become an open-minded person who accepts and celebrates people of all identities into her life. Because she has taken that journey herself.
Our writer then said she didn’t support Hinkle’s beliefs but believed that in certain ways, with certain criteria, she could respect Hinkle: her skill as a football player, her dedication to her sport, and the part that most of you seem to have misunderstood, her loyalty to her convictions. Not her convictions, but how strongly she believes in them. To our writer, that is admirable.
This, from what I can tell, is what people have objected to and misinterpreted. I get that. When Hinkle was mysteriously absent in Europe, I ugly-laughed (the ugly-side of me did, anyway, the side that is small and bitter and petty; the side I’m never proud of). Because as an out and proud queer woman, I’m pretty much not a fan of those who don’t believe I should be able to live as I live and love as I love. And the thing is, we would never ask anyone to respect someone or something that goes against their own convictions.
The sad fact of life is that there are people in the nation who believe that LGBTQIA+ folk don’t deserve equal rights or respect or even human decency. They exist, and would that I could, I’d wave my magic wand and change that, make the world a better place for all of us. But it seems that I was probably daydreaming when the announcement for wand distribution went out because I still don’t have one.
What I have, and what our writer was trying to get at, is a love of soccer. An international sport that transcends boundaries, languages, political ideologies, and all of the things that get in the way of human beings loving and celebrating each other.
Soccer is a common ground where people come together. We’ve all seen the pictures–the young boys comforting a grown man after their team won against his, the child in Afghanistan whose homemade Messi jersey made us all “awww” a little (or a lot) on the inside. Soccer, football, our love for it, it makes the world smaller. It makes friends of strangers.
And this was our writer’s purpose, to remind us of the power of soccer.
We live in a time unimaginable once. When there are men and women who are willing and able to come out as LGBTQIA+ publicly and live openly. They are role models and inspirational and heroes, all of them. Every time an athlete takes that brave step (every time anyone takes that brave step) a big gay rainbow sparkles inside my heart. And though the world is becoming more and more open, more and more accepting, there is still work to be done. Our world isn’t finished yet.
And neither is our work.
I could tell you the percentage of Backline Soccer members who identify as LGBTQIA+, but for those who have already made up their minds that we’re homophobic, that we believe in injustice and inequality, I don’t think it would matter.
I could tell you that the writer of the article, the editor, haven’t a homophobic bone in their bodies, but those who have already made up their minds wouldn’t care.
What I can tell you is this.
We love soccer. We love soccer fans. We love what we do.
We don’t ask that anyone agree with us. We encourage debate–with our articles, with our opinions.
Because we want Women’s Soccer to grow. And we know it’s a platform for change, for progress.
Because we love the beautiful game.
Which is why we need to talk about this:
This was sent to a member of our staff today, on her personal account.
I don’t care what you believe. I don’t care what you think.
This is unacceptable.
The kind of person who does this doesn’t get to call themselves a fan of the beautiful game. Bullying isn’t a strong enough word for what this is, but whatever you call it, whoever sent it should take a step back and think long and hard about what kind of person they want to be in this world.
Take it from me, this kind of negativity, this kind of hatred? It’s a poison.
In the end, I can’t change your mind, no more than I could change Hinkle’s. But I wish I could.
But if you’re going to spread that kind of hatred around? If there’s something that dark inside of you?
Send your poison my way.
I can take it.
Backline Soccer is aggrieved to know that members of our staff are being bullied and threatened on social media for their affiliation with our site.
We condemn, in the strongest of terms, bullying, bigotry, and threats. There is never a call to tell someone to kill themselves. Ever.
We will continue to put out quality articles, interviews, galleries, podcasts, and, yes, opinion pieces. Because we value discourse in the world of Women’s Soccer, and we know that bonds and communities are formed through civil, respectful discourse.
Passion breeds both unity and division, but we are not afraid to take on topics that not everyone may be willing to hear with an open mind. And we will not bow down to the intimidation of our wonderful writers, editors, and staff-at-large by those who would see us cower, anonymous or not.
This is the beautiful game, and we will not let the negativity of a few soil what we love so much.
Chances are if you follow the Chicago Red Stars and are reading this after watching the last home loss against Kansas City, you’re about FourFive seconds from wildin’. Or if you’re ever the optimist, you’re possibly looking forward to the playoff positioning race.
Whichever, here are some words to either help lift you up about of the abyss of a 3-game losing streak you didn’t think was possible, or to help you look ahead to possible brighter days for Summertime Chi.
Let’s be real. You are. At least a little bit. The team with the shaky slow start this season went on a tear and made you feel invincible, and now? They’re having a pretty rough August. Some injuries have come up, along with a 3-game losing streak. All losses coming at home in Toyota Park. The Red Stars are 1-3-1 in their last five games, with five games remaining in the season. While their last three losses might have some positives, it was the fashion in which they lost that probably have you most concerned.
“Down 2 goals in the first 10 minutes against Portland?!”
“Colaprico got her hair pulled?!”
“Blow the lead by 2 goals in the last 2 minutes against Seattle?!”
“What is defense?!”
“KANSAS CITY?!”
I get it. But so does Christen Press. The season is winding down and this is the time where you want to build on your games down the stretch. No one knows that better than the Red Stars captain, and she spoke briefly about the disappointing stretch of games and the importance of having a playoff mentality into the playoffs and potentially beyond:
“That was really disappointing, obviously. We’ve dropped three games at home. I think that as a team, emotionally, we’ve been through a lot trying to pick ourselves back up and understand what’s going on. It just keeps seeming to slip through the cracks and that’s disappointing. But as an athlete and a soccer player you kind of just have to grind through these hard times and it’s so important to just stay present and not think about the past and not think about the fact that it’s three games or if we’re down, and just keep doing what we’re doing because we have a great team. I think that we have a really good chance at winning the championship. It’s hard to see in moments like this but I think we’ll continue to believe in ourselves and will our way there.”
This season the Red Stars have put together an impressive run of undefeated games at home in Toyota Park. While many thought a 3-match homestead would go in favor of Chicago, the Red Stars find themselves having to try to pick their game up on the road against Washington Spirit. With one regular season home game left, Press understands the importance of a home field advantage and its significance to fans. When asked about what the team could do to get back on track she says:
“Just a little more pride in playing here. We only have one game left so we’re going to have to take a lot of pride in winning away as well. I think the fans have been fantastic. They always have our back through thick and thin. So, thanks to them. And we promise we’re going to defend our house to the best of our abilities, and [through] every game.”
Julie Ertz echoed similar sentiments when she expressed the importance of playing for points and for pride down the stretch, saying:
“To drop 9 points at home, it’s where we need to take more pride in home games. We only have one more home game, so it’s super frustrating, but I think it’s really one thing [finishing] we need to focus on fixing.”
It’s going to be hard to feel any kind of Jedi Force type of Zen after these three games. But here is some perspective.
No matter what happened over the course of the last three games, Chicago is still in third place. Even if they stay in a close race with Orlando for the third and fourth seed, they hold a tie-breaker over Orlando in their head-to-head series this season with two wins over the Pride. 3 points currently separate the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th seeds, where Seattle (5th) and Sky Blue (6th) currently sit. Chicago holds series head-to-head tie-breakers over both Orlando and Sky Blue.
There are worse situations to be in, like not being in contention at all. Don’t get it twisted, down the stretch Chicago can either be its own worst enemy, or its best homegirl. Truth is, their fate is entirely in their hands.
Julie Ertz expressed as much discussing the importance of the final five games of the season saying: “We’re not far off, we’re still in our playoff hunt, which is excellent. But you know what? It kind of comes down to us. These are big games to lose.” Ertz also knows the team is capable of pushing through, simply saying: “At this point, it’s kind of do or die … At the end of the day we need a win, and we need three points. So that’s got to be our main focus.”
Christen Press elaborated on the importance of not losing focus on the ultimate goal at hand, bringing a championship back to Chicago. Press is preaching the importance of entering their potential playoff destiny with a winning mindset, period. When asked about the narrative of playoff seeding versus just getting into the semi-finals, she says:
“I don’t think either. So, in past years I’ve felt like our team around this time starts worrying about getting into the playoffs. And at this point my concern as a leader on the team is more just about the feeling going into the playoffs. We have five games left and if we play five great games then that will be a great way to go into a semifinal. So, it’s not really about taking points, we obviously need the points, but for me, it’s about preparing ourselves for that semifinal. Because if we can’t get a cushion enough to prepare for a semifinal, and we fail again? That’s not something i think this team is interested in. So, it’s no longer about the glory of getting to the playoffs. It’s about winning.”
Despite the losses, this season Chicago has been a team that can still surprise you, even with five games left. Press believes the team can lock in, and get back to the mission at hand, saying:
“We have five games now. We’re going to learn our lessons from the last three games. We’re going to have to go [away] and we’re going to have to win games on the road, which is exactly what we’re going to have to do if we go to a final. I think we’re going to have to emotionally, physically, mentally – everything – to turn this around so that the last five games we go into October feeling like we can win.”
Backline Soccer Archive 