Tag: NWSL

Too Cool For School: 5 Reasons Mallory Pugh Needs a New Narrative

Posted on by RJ Allen
Kelley Piper

Sports media is a lot of things – inspiring, biased, challenging, thought provoking … I could go on. But every once in a while it is just plain repetitive. Case in point: Mallory Pugh. If you have watched a single match that Mallory Pugh has played in this season, whether it was for the Washington Spirit or for the U.S. Women’s National Team, I can pretty much guarantee that you heard about how the 19-year-old dropped out of UCLA to start her professional career before even playing a game for the Bruins. Sound familiar? Absolutely. And for some reason the media just cannot let go of this story line. I’ll be honest, I’m quite sick of it. And in my opinion, there is no longer a need for it.

So here it is – five reasons the media needs to find something else to talk about with regards to Mallory Pugh:

The Story’s Been Told

Sure, this story was pretty big when it came through. No one is denying that. But her decision to leave UCLA was made in April. It’s now August. How are we still having Lifetime pregame specials on this? Why does it have to be brought up by the commentators for every single match she has played in, both for club and country? The story keeps being told, but nothing is added to it. Day after day, match after match–by this point, the viewer could recite it themselves, it’s so overdone. Because after Mallory Pugh decided to begin her pro career that was it. That is the end of the story. It has nothing to build upon. But somehow, every week, the audience sits down in front of their TV or computer screen and are reminded for the fiftieth time that Pugh decided to leave college. And I know, at least for me, every time I care a little bit less.

She Made An Adult Decision

Part of the reason that the media can’t let this go is that Pugh is so young. Still in her teenage years but playing at the level of women in their athletic prime. And the media likes to slightly hint toward her potential naivety every time the narrative is told. Have you ever noticed how many times her age is commented on? I bet you will now. But the thing that everyone fails to notice is that the decision that she made, whether she was naive or not, was an adult decision. An adult decision that she couldn’t take back even if she wanted to. She chose what she wanted her career to be. She chose how she wanted to start it. Just like every other kid that goes to college and declares a major, or decides to enlist in the military, or drops out and decides that maybe trade school is a better fit for them. But no matter what, in all of those instances, including Pugh’s, an adult decision is made. And we never second-guess anyone else to the level that the media has seemed to second-guess Pugh. But thankfully, it doesn’t seem that Pugh has second-guessed herself, or her decision.

She Plays At A Professional Level

Along with her adult decision came adult consequences. If she was going to start her professional career then she was going to have to play at a professional level. And that is exactly what she did. And the fact that she knew with full confidence that she could succeed in doing so obviously helped her in deciding that this is was the right path for her. Mallory Pugh is better than what her NCAA competition would have been. Substantially better. It’s why she got to play with the USWNT at 17 years of age. It’s why backlines always keep an eye out for her when she is on the pitch. Because she is good. And if she keeps playing and progressing at the level that she has been then one day she will be great. She could even be the next gold standard for what U.S. Women’s Soccer should be. But somehow the media are still obsessed with the fact that she decided to leave a system that grooms players into professional athletes, to be the powerhouse professional athlete that she already was.

No One Else Is Talking About It

The media may drag this out for the rest of the season but the players and coaches could seem to care less. They do care that they now have to defender her, but her decision to leave college to go pro probably isn’t keeping them up at nights. And that seems to be the status quo around the league. They don’t comment on Pugh as this rebellious college dropout that has bit off more than she can chew. They regard her, and they prepare for her, as the threat that she is in the attacking half. But sadly, Pugh has to talk about it, because it seems to be the only thing she is questioned about these days. And she has handled it like a professional athlete too. She hasn’t given the media a sound bite they could exploit yet. But she has revealed that she spoke with Jill Ellis before making her decision. Ellis’ response–she would support Pugh’s decision no matter what. Wouldn’t it be nice if the media could do that too?

There Are So Many Other Stories

Mallory Pugh could one day be the best female player in the world. She is that good. So why aren’t we talking about that? There are so many things that could be written about her. She is such a dynamic player, and that is why the repetitiveness of this narrative so infuriating. The media isn’t on a shortage of material with regards to this woman. They could write a different story about her every day of the year and not hit a repeat. But still, soccer fans have to sit there, week after week (including international breaks), and hear about how 19-year-old Mallory Pugh decided to leave UCLA and begin her professional career.

This is the last that you will hear from me on this matter. Because ironically, this article defeats its own purpose. It talks about the one thing that it wishes wasn’t talked about. So I suppose this is more of a plea. A request that this be the end of this narrative. That we can close the book and put it back on the shelf, only to be revisited years from now when Pugh has been put her mark on the sport. And hopefully, if the U.S. fans are lucky enough, she will play the beautiful game in such a way that she begins her own narrative. One that she controls. And one that is just as dynamic as the player she is.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 17

Posted on by RJ Allen

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Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 16 Game Previews:

We are getting a battle now for the fourth place spot for the playoffs and also seeing some top teams face some surprising defeats. Let’s dive in to this weekend’s games. 

Game 1: North Carolina vs. Washington Spirit 

North Carolina record: 12-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 36

Washington Spirit record: 4-9-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

The Courage have pulled five points away from the second place team coming into this weekend. They will look to build on that and continue to solidify their spot at the top. They’ve had some bumps along the way, but just keep pulling out wins, even if they are not so pretty. And it’s been a full team effort. The two players who did so much for them last year–Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald–have really not done a lot this year. Instead, we’ve seen players like Sam Mewis stepping up. This week, with the Spirit struggling, the Courage should not have many issues. But as we have seen from recent games, the table only tells us so much. The Spirit may be in last, but the Courage will still need to be on top of their game. Look for Mewis to continue her hot streak.

The Spirit need work and time but their young players are settling in, and may be setting up for a decent 2018 season. This season, while they could end up playing spoiler, at this point there’s no realistic hope for the playoffs. Against the Courage they just need to focus on their basics. Expect to continue to see a solid shift from Steph Labbé, Mal Pugh to try to get herself on the scoreboard, and a defense led by Estelle Johnson to try to hold off the Courage attack. 

Game 2: Boston Breakers vs. Orlando Pride 

Boston Breakers record: 3-8-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16

Orlando Pride record: 7-6-5
Position: 5th
Total Points: 26

Boston has been bitten by the injury bug for several games now.

With several key players out, facing off against a red-hot Pride will be a test. They might still pull off a win, but the chances don’t look good. To get anything, they’ll need to stay organized on defense and find a way to split or shut down the Alex Morgan and Marta connection. Their attack has also been lacking, especially without someone spurring it from the midfield. Orlando will leave them some space to operate; the only question is whether they can find their way through the pockets.

Orlando is hitting its stride and from now to the end of the season, their biggest test will be themselves. They must remain consistent, and keep turning in solid performances. This week, the key is to take Boston seriously. On form, this one should be easy, but underestimate Boston and they can cause problems if Orlando takes the foot off of the pedal. The Pride attacking duo of Alex Morgan and Marta seems to be firing on all cylinders right now and they are looking dangerous. Both have 3 goals each in the last 2 games. The Pride defense, led by Ali Krieger, has also looked much better over this recent run, but has been shaky in the past. With the always vocal Ashlyn Harris back in goal, the Pride have to like their chances. 

Game 3: Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign

Sky Blue FC record: 7-9-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 23

Seattle Reign record: 7-5-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 27

This is the first match for Sky Blue since coach Christy Holly stepped down from the position. It will be tough going to rise up from the problems of the past month and push themselves back into playoff contention. Sam Kerr has saved the team many times this year, but couldn’t get much going against Orlando last week, but that is because no one was getting her the ball. The absence of Kelley O’Hara is a big part of that. They’ll need to sort out their distribution if they want to have a chance here. Christie Pearce has been a workhorse all season in the backline for Sky Blue, especially with such a young line set up around her. But she had some issues shutting down the Pride last week as she had very little help to do so. Sky Blue need to make some changes this week at home to try and right the ship against the Reign. 

Seattle is coming in after a last minute comeback midweek against the Red Stars. They will also continue to be without Megan Rapinoe. They gritted out the win against Chicago but really did not look that great throughout the match. If not for a stand-out game for Haley Kopmeyer, there wouldn’t have been a chance of getting back into it in those final minutes. Seattle will need to shut down Sam Kerr; she is hungry to get her team back on track. They will also need to diversify their attack to deal with Rapinoe’s continued absence. While the Sky Blue defense has its struggles, the Reign will still have their hands full getting past the likes of Christie Pearce in the middle. A little creativity will go a long way here.

And if last match was any indication, this game may very well be another one for the books. 

Game 4: Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash 

Portland Thorns record: 9-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 31

Houston Dash record: 7-9-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 23

Portland had been riding a hot streak going into the midweek, but then suffered a surprising defeat to FC Kansas City. Which is another lesson to not underestimate any team in this league. They will look to bounce back against the Dash, who will be riding high after a great midweek performance of their own. The key for Portland is to get some more players involved in the run of play. With Allie Long back in the picture this week, they’ll look to bolster their passing game. But I would like to see more from players like Amandine Henry and Christine Sinclair. Additionally, Nadia Nadim has had limited minutes since coming back from the Euros; if she can get back up to playing a full 90, it would help the attack a lot. 

When Carli Lloyd went down, many expected that it would be the death knell for their playoff push. But the team has set out to prove everyone (including me) wrong. Without Lloyd, they made a great showing during their midweek game, with other players step up to the plate, with Sarah Hagen scoring twice and Rachel Daly turning in one of her best performances in a while. It was against an injury-ravaged Boston side, which means it has to come with a grain of salt. But still, it was an indication.  If the Dash can consistently put out this product, even without Lloyd, they still have a shot for that fourth spot. This week though, especially on the road at Portland, they will have a tough challenge.  

Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. FC Kansas City

Chicago Red Stars record: 8-5-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 29

FC Kansas City record: 5-8-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 20

The Red Stars have lost their last two games at home and will be looking to reverse course and get the much-needed three points from FCKC. Even with the recent difficulties, I do not think there is a whole lot to be concerned about with the Red Stars. They will have to take a look at their personnel, identify what is working and what’s not, and make a few adjustments. But the players are good and should pull through. Alyssa Naeher missed the game against Seattle (another USWNT player who picked up a knock at the Tournament of Nations…which is a conversation for another day) but hopefully will be back in goal soon. 

Many of the Red Stars stalwarts did not look great against the Reign, including Christen Press. But one theme of the season is that when Press turns in a subpar performance she usually comes back that next week and grinds out a great one, so I fully expect to see her right back on her train and leading the Red Stars past FCKC. If Press is on this Sunday and we see the defense shift back to the starters, I think the Red Stars will be fine. Even with their 3 minute meltdown midweek, this defense is the best in the league and has enough to stifle the FCKC attack. 

FCKC is coming into this weekend after a big win against the Thorns at home. After everyone had pretty much written them off, they turned on the jets the last two games, reminding us that they’ve still got some fighting spirit. They still have a lot of work to do and still need to figure out how to provide more help to Sydney Leroux, but they’ve done well to find alternate avenues for scoring–like those wonderful free kicks from Yael Averbuch–and are starting to look a little more like a classic FCKC team. The biggest test this weekend will be penetrating that Chicago defense. They’ll need to get service into their forwards, but also need players like Leroux and Shea Groom to come back to help build the attack. Look for FCKC to try and contain Christen Press as much as they can to keep Chicago off of the board early. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR and Thursday night with our recap of the midweek NWSL games. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the two episodes, catch up here:

Breaking News: Christie Pearce to Miss Remainder of Season

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sky Blue FC has announced that defender Christie Pearce will miss the remainder of the 2017 season due to accumulating injuries.

“I’ve always had a really good awareness of my body and the ability to recover,” Pearce said in the Sky Blue press release. “I feel that I started the season off strong, but I’ve been consistently fighting through injuries, and I’m not able to give to the team what I consider to be my 100%. This decision, while it is hard to swallow, I know is the right thing for me and the team because I just can’t leave it all on the field every day. Something I must do is personally thank all of the fans. I feel so privileged to have their unwavering support, and they have always stood by me through thick and thin.”

Pearce, who earned 311 caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team between 1997 and 2015, has played for Sky Blue FC since the founding of the NWSL in 2013.

In 2009 she was the player coach of the Sky Blue FC team that won the WPS championship title.

A two-time world cup champion (1999 and 2015) and three-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, and 2012), Pearce announced in June 2017 that her retirement would likely come at the end of the 2017 season.

The Unused Sub: Holly, We Hardly Knew Ye

Posted on by RJ Allen

I am going to miss Christy Holly. He was a sharp-dressed man and built something good with Sky Blue FC and I think was on the cusp of something great with them.

ON THE TYLER LUSSI SUSPENSION & MORE
The NWSL DisCo’s decision to suspend Tyler Lussi of the Portland Thorns three matches and an undisclosed fine for pulling Chicago Red Stars’ Dani Colaprico last Saturday is fair. Tyler Lussi doesn’t have an ill-reputation, either as a rookie nor one from her college playing days. Could it have played a factor in say maybe she should have only received 2 matches? Probably, but the DisCo is at least consistent with making it loud and clear for everyone in the league – DO NOT PULL HAIR. Simple enough of a rule, right? That said, Tyler Lussi is not a dirty thug with anger issues. Merritt Mathias of the Seattle Reign FC is also not a dirty thug with anger issues, who also got suspended for three matches and an undisclosed fine for the same thing. Yes, shit just does happen on the field during the height of competition. No one is naive enough to think professional athletes are cordial for every single second of competition. There’s probably going to be another instance of this happening in the near future and yes we’ll all get angry about it. IT DOESN’T MEAN people can get on their social media and direct messages to the culprit and bully them about it. Empathy, kindness, respect. Look up what those words mean and try to live by their definitions. You just might enjoy the escapism of sports a little bit better that way.

Dom Dwyer said he hopes Sydney Leroux will be in Orlando with him soon. In other statements from the Department of DUH, the guy that’s in the White House isn’t popular nor good at his job.

The FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year top 10 nominees were released this week. – Lesson to the kids out there playing soccer: With hard work and persistence comes recognition of your contributions on the field, like elbowing people in the head. Just ask Carli Lloyd.

WEEK 19 PREDICTIONS
Playoff races are fun.

North Carolina Courage OVER Washington Spirit

  • The Courage continue to pad their lead atop the table. Next.

Boston Breakers and Orlando Pride play to a DRAW

  • You read that right. Breakers hold the Pride to a draw and every Orland Pride fan will direct their special brand of Mad Online at me for calling it.

Seattle Reign FC OVER Sky Blue FC

  • The Reign just got rid of one bugaboo and finally won in Chicago. I think they got their mojo back from the win and will keep it going against a Sky Blue FC that who really knows which version of them shows up.

Portland Thorns OVER Houston Dash

  • Mark Parsons remembers he can make up to three substitutions and really losing to FC Kansas City was inexcusable and they’ll take it out on Houston.

Chicago Red Stars OVER FC Kansas City

  • They shouldn’t lose to a Kansas City team that’s going nowhere. If they lose this one, it’ll be time to wonder out loud (and some here on this site might write about it) if they’re running out of gas and won’t have enough to get to the playoffs. They’re the superior team on paper and should rebound to show it on the field too.

And here’s your music video break. Enjoy.

Song: “Black & Gold” | Artist: Sam Sparro

Breaking News: Breakers’ Amanda DaCosta Announces Retirement

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Boston Breakers have announced that midfielder Amanda DaCosta will retire following their game against the Orlando Pride this Saturday.

Prior to being traded to the Breakers in 2016, DaCosta played for the Chicago Red Stars in 2016 – having 14 appearances, the Washington Spirit in 2015 – scoring three goals in 17 appearances, Liverpool Ladies FC in the FA WSL – scoring three goals in 40 appearances with the team from 2012 to 2014, and the Boston Breakers of the WPSL Elite.  In the 2017 season, DaCosta has played 10 games for the Breakers.

Internationally, DaCosta played for the Portuguese national team in the UEFA Women’s European Championship, where Portugal failed to make it past the group stage on tiebreakers.

DaCosta had this to say about her retirement in the Breakers press release:

“Making this decision to retire from soccer was never going to be an easy one, and I want to thank the Boston Breakers for supporting me in this choice. I have opportunities happening around me that I can’t pass up at this point in my life, and I am looking forward to seeing where life after soccer takes me. I have so much love for my fans, friends, family, coaches, and teammates that I can’t begin to put into words. I am simply so grateful for each and every one of you for inspiring me, believing in me, and challenging me to be a better person and athlete. I can’t wait to continue to be a fan and spectator of the NWSL as I close this chapter. I have seen so much growth in women’s soccer over the past seven years of my career, and I know big things are in the future for us all.”

Unsung Hero of the Week: Hip-Hip Horan Leads Portland

Posted on by RJ Allen
Kelley Piper

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win, lose or draw. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen Portland Thorns midfielder Lindsey Horan.

The Colorado Native may only be 23-years-old, but she already has plenty of experience having played four years with the French giant Paris Saint-Germain from 2012-2015. She was certainly a force in her time overseas, scoring 46 goals in 58 appearances. Horan really developed further as a technical player and one who is gifted with a strong passing ability. She has also earned time on the U.S. National Team, becoming a regular now and already has 37 appearances and three goals.

Both teams had quite the star power and her current club team is no different, spoiled with Christine Sinclair (CAN), Tobin Heath (USA), Amandine Henry (FRA) and Nadia Nadim (DEN, each who are successful veterans of their respective National teams. Horan has fit in well in Portland, appearing in 33 games over her two years and contributing nine goals.

Portland 3-2 Chicago:

This was an intriguing matchup for several reasons; the pure star power each team has on paper, two of the best defenses in the NWSL and two clubs who are poised to likely meet in the playoffs in less than two months. Prior to this game, Portland had only scored five goals on the road all season long but they almost matched that total at Toyota Park in front of 4,934 people.

Despite missing a handful of key players the last few weeks due to the European Championships, the Portland Thorns came into this game riding a three-game win streak. They set the tone early, with Horan leading the way and Aussie Hayley Raso as her speedy sidekick. Both were getting involved in the attack early and it paid off to stun a Chicago club and honestly, I wasn’t expecting that fast of a start by the Thorns.

In the third minute (told you it was early!) Horan found herself not being pressured at all and had time to look up and pick who she wanted to give the ball to. The Chicago backline somehow let Sinclair and Raso in behind and with a blink of an eye and lovely 30-yard pass from inside her own half, the Thorns were in business. Raso caught up to Horan’s pass and two touches later found the back of the net, despite a valiant effort from Chicago keeper Alyssa Naeher.

Like I mention earlier, Horan has become known for her passing and it was on full display. I think it’s the most valuable part of her game, to be able to make those gorgeous passes not only to switch field or spring an attack but in tight spaces as well. This Portland team has many technical players but Horan was the one who stood out the most on this day.

Just a few minutes later, Horan tapped into another a part of her game, one that I have not paid much attention to until lately, her ability to dispossess threats. Last week she did a fantastic job keeping tabs on Houston’s midfield and more importantly worked well to minimize the threat known as Carli Lloyd. This particular play versus Chicago was impressive again because of the opponent–Christen Press, a player with 33 goals across her NWSL career, the second-most in league history. Horan took the ball so effortlessly from Press at midfield, another thing we don’t see, Press actually losing possession.

In the eighth minute, Horan put herself into position to receive a ball and then earned a corner against her fellow National Team teammate, Casey Short. Horan made the extra effort to make the run to drive 20 yards to the end line, giving her team yet another strong play.

The first 10 minutes Horan was everywhere, working a double-team on defense, spraying passes out wide or over the top, earning corners and helping keep possession for a lengthy amount of time. The energy she brought not only created chances on goal but momentum as well. Throughout the first half she also was making several aerial challenges, getting in the passing lanes to disrupt Chicago, just had a really calming presence overall.

Portland added another in the ninth minute, and then Chicago scored a goal in the 15th thanks to Press and again in the 38th minute to equalize before the half, and to make for a wide-open game once the players returned to the field.

Horan was back at it again in the 48th minute, this time executing another part of her game that I’m sure opposing fans don’t care for: the keen ability to draw fouls. It brings me to my next point, Horan is so good at keeping the ball close to her, she’s really mastered that control and it shows just how much work she has put in over the years and continues to do so with Portland. In doing, opponents often do foul her, hacking at her shins or getting in a hip check every now and then. Doesn’t matter, the concentration Horan displays with the ball sure is fun to watch.

That’s become part of her craft, putting herself in positions to draw a foul. At times, it’s so hard for defenders to get the ball, that giving a foul is the last resort and the easy way to try to break up her rhythm. On the flip side of that, Horan is also a player who loves to tackle and go after the ball, and has no problem contesting for it.

Portland would get the eventual game-winner in the 55th minute by way of defender Emily Sonnett, who has recently caught fire as well.

In the 66th minute Horan got a shot off on her own and while it went a few feet wide, I have no problem with her taking a chance from distance. Even if the shot wasn’t quite on frame, getting the keeper on their toes is important and you never know when you might sneak one by. Ten minutes later and Horan showed her skill while juggling to keep the ball while at the same time create space to get away from a defender. She maintained control and volleyed it to a teammate, not letting the pressure distract her. She had a player in her back pocket and could’ve easily cleared it upfield but instead, Horan made the quick decision and kept possession for the Thorns.

While it may not seem like a big deal or one with minimal significance, this game was completely unpredictable, each team scoring goals very fast and in lovely fashion. So, to make that kind of smart play that deep into the game to me showed that Horan was still focused and making sure she didn’t make a mistake that would cost her team.

In a game where Portland was missing Allie Long due to an excused absence, continued to play with out the injured Tobin Heath, and with Amandine Henry and Dagny Brynjarsdottir not quite having their usual impact, Horan stepped up in all the right ways. These three points were vital in the Thorns’ quest to secure to the first trophy of this season’s two trophies, the Supporters Shield, and an important confidence booster as they set their sights on the Championship game itself.

With the loss, Chicago drops to third place while Portland leapfrog them into the second spot. With seven games left in the regular season, the race for the playoffs is on and Portland seems to be heating up at just the right time.

Breaking News: Christy Holly Steps Down as Sky Blue FC Coach

Posted on by RJ Allen

Christy Holly has announced that he will be stepping down from his position as Sky Blue FC Head Coach, effective immediately.

Sky Blue FC President and General Manager Tony Novo had this to say about Holly’s departure:

“First and foremost, we want to thank Christy Holly for everything he has done for Sky Blue FC. From the first day he came to our club as an assistant coach, Christy has always been committed to Sky Blue FC, and we wish him nothing but the greatest of successes in whatever he chooses to do going forward.”

Holly, who has been head coach for Sky Blue FC since January 2016, held an overall record of 14-7-17. In the current season, Sky Blue FC is 7-2-9 and aiming for a place in the NWSL playoffs.

There has been no news of a head coaching replacement at this time.

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 16

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week 16, where the table is starting to clarify, with three teams looking solid at the top and the middle of the pack in a desperate fight for that final spot. Where Portland continues to dominate Chicago on the road and the Orlando Pride have made a real case for their inclusion in this year’s postseason. Where injuries continue to plague the players, new and old. 

Read all about it in our takeaways this week!

Sonnett Leaves Past Behind, Makes an Impact for Portland – Alyssa Zajac

I’ll be the first to admit, Emily Sonnett has had some up-and-down moments this year for the Portland Thorns after a stellar first season as the No. 1 draft pick. I personally still cringe thinking about that one Rapinoe goal. Yikes.

However, Sonnett seems to have left the rough start to the season behind, as she has helped lift the Thorns into second place in the NWSL standings with two goals in two games–including the game-winner against a formidable Red Stars defense. As a center back, goal-scoring opportunities are extremely slim, so that goal-scoring record is not something to be taken lightly. Her ability to find the net is particularly important with a team like the Thorns, who can run hot and cold on set pieces. Only time will tell, but as we head into the final weeks of the season, Sonnett is looking like a key piece for the Thorns as both a defensive and offensive threat.

Spoiler Alert: The Final Stretch Is Key for Kansas City – Alyssa Zajac

FC Kansas City has had a rough season. Losing Amy Rodriguez to a season-ending injury in the first game of the season seems to have been a blow that couldn’t be overcome. Without her the offense has struggled, and despite a generally solid defense, they’ve suffered too many breakdowns (that 12-minute Sam Kerr hat-trick for a Sky Blue comeback win, anyone?) to sustain a realistic shot at the playoffs. But that doesn’t mean the end of the season won’t matter. They still have the chance to play a big role in the final playoff push, as a spoiler. Their next seven are all against teams in the playoff hunt (Portland, Chicago, Orlando, Sky Blue, Seattle, and Houston are currently in second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively, with just six points separating fourth through seventh). As teams make the final playoff push, every point counts. We saw evidence this weekend, when they stole three points from Houston in a road win that left the Dash further away from that final spot. With a win, Houston could have pulled to just three points away (with a game in hand). But thanks to a tough performance from FCKC, they’re now stuck six points off the playoff pace. The role of spoiler may not be what FCKC hoped for at this point, but they’ll certainly want to close the season strong. If they can do so, they can wreak havoc on the NWSL playoff standings. So hold on to your jerseys, kids – it’s going to be a wild race to the finish!

So, Orlando, What’s New – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

18 games into the season and the Orlando Pride are sitting in fourth place on the table, just above that playoff cutoff, and man, it’s gotta feel good. In just their second year in the league, and after last year’s dismal finish, Orlando has always been the kind of team that could have, should have, you know? Flush with talent–Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris to start, and then adding Ali Krieger and Marta this season, not to mention all the other playmakers on their roster–the Pride have never wavered from the belief that they should be one of the top teams in the league. And finally, finally, they’re starting to make good on that belief. Whether it was Marta who brought the spark to Orlando’s attack, or Krieger who firmed up the defense, or Morgan who fit the final puzzle piece into its spot, Orlando has been on run. And it’s come without their talismanic goalkeeper, Ashlyn Harris, who missed two months after an injury suffered earlier this season. Now, with six games left, they need to play better than they’ve ever played before to hold onto that playoff spot. And their journey to the postseason won’t be easy–they only have three home games left, and their road record is unimpressive. Their schedule is also tough, with games against the current top two (North Carolina and Portland) as well as one against the Seattle team who will be hoping to steal that final playoff spot from them. They do have a bit of luck, though, in their other games: two against Boston and one against Kansas City. On form, and barring any colossal mistakes, they should be able to count on at least 6 points from those games, if not all 9. They’ll certainly want to get as much as possible from their more difficult games, but those easier ones might end up being the difference between a chance at the playoffs and an early end to the season.

Ain’t No Call for That – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Last week I praised Tyler Lussi’s performance for the Portland Thorns. And, yes, I stand by that. But if you think that praise last week means overlooking this week’s card-worthy incident against Danielle Colaprico and the Chicago Red Stars, please step back and maybe put on your reading glasses.

Lussi was subbed in for Dagny Brynjarsdóttir in the 61’ (she took the field at 60:17, in fact). Less than 20 seconds later (60:32), she’d taken down Colaprico with a vicious hair-tug and stepped on her wrist. We saw a similar incident earlier in the season with Seattle Reign’s Merritt Mathias, who received a three-game suspension after a violent hair-pulling against Emily Sonnett of the Portland Thorns. She’d been caught on camera doing the same just the week before to Allysha Chapman of the Boston Breakers and received a yellow for it.

I’ve watched the scene from this weekend’s game time and time again, and I can think of no reason the referee didn’t call her for that misconduct. It wasn’t off on the sidelines away from the ball and it wasn’t covert; this was a flat-out yank of Colaprico’s hair that pulled her whole head and body back before she fell down. The stepping on her wrist after she’d fallen? Maybe you could write that off as unintentional, as the consequence of physics–a body in motion and all–but the two incidents together demanded an intervention from the referee. He briefly talked to Lussi, yes, but all that shows is that he saw what happened and still didn’t think it was worthy of a booking. And that’s unthinkable. I don’t care if she’d just come into the game–this isn’t the kind of contact that earns you a quick warning about keeping your play clean. This was the kind of contact that deserved a yellow, at minimum. And honestly, I’ve seen players commit less egregious fouls and be handed a straight red.

If it were up to me? Lussi’s earned herself a game or two suspension and a fine to go along with it.

It’s Time for PRO to Take a Look at NWSL Referees – Jordan Small

In Week 16 of Year 5 of the NWSL, we are somehow still having a conversation better suited for Year 1 or 2. The referees in the NWSL continue to put players at risk by not properly doing their job. Early in the season, it seemed as if penalty kicks were being handed out like candy. Now, we are seeing fouls being called all over the field, but no cards accompanying these foul calls.

While not every play calls for a card, repeated fouls by a single player or an excessive use of force absolutely should result in a card. There were two prominent examples this weekend of the referees seemed to have lost control of the game. First, Angela Salem of the Boston Breakers, who was shown a yellow card in the 94th minute for a foul on Tori Huster. But according to Spirit head coach Jim Gabarra this was too little, too late. Handing out the first booking of the game that far into the match effectively eliminates any possible deterrent effect. Then you have Tyler Lussi of the Portland Thorns, as discussed in the previous takeaway.

I understand that referees will not see everything all the time. And some calls will always be tough ones, with fans on both sides having a reasonable case. But this isn’t about individual tough decisions. It’s about a general lack of control over games. The spectacles we’ve seen in recent weeks are an embarrassment to the league and its players. The NWSL and PRO Referees need to take a serious look at how they are officiating these games before it becomes irreversibly dangerous.

Carli Lloyd Injury Could Break the Dash’s Playoff Hopes – Jordan Small

Carli Lloyd has had a huge impact on the Houston Dash since returning from Manchester City. After making her 2017 debut on June 18, Lloyd has played 89 or more minutes in 6 of her 8 appearances. And during that time, the Dash went on a tear, picking up the majority of their points on the season. In one particularly impressive run from the end of June and into July, they earned 11 points over a five game span.

After Lloyd was removed against Kansas City this week, the Dash looked lost. Not only is she a huge part of the midfield for Houston, she is their captain and has led this team since Kealia Ohai’s season-ending ACL injury. If Lloyd is unable to play for the next couple of weeks, Houston will have to try and replace a large piece of their midfield. With Morgan Brian out for an indefinite amount of time, Lloyd’s injury could really break the Houston Dash’s season.

 

Under the Radar: 5 Reasons Rachel Daly Is Underrated

Posted on by RJ Allen

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Rachel Daly isn’t the best player in the league. She isn’t even the best player on the Houston Dash. But she is everything that you would want a soccer player to be. She plays extremely hard, makes an impact, and is willing to play any hand she is dealt. Sure, she might not be the name that pours out of fans’ mouths when they talk about the Dash. She takes the back burner to the likes of Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, and Poliana. But she should be noticed more for the work she puts in.

Here are the five reasons why:

She Is All Over The Pitch

When Rachel Daly doesn’t have the ball in the attacking half it’s hard to not find her pressing some poor defender to try and win it back. She is everywhere, she is fast, and even though she is the kind of forward that likes to play high, she has no issue with dropping back in order to steal the ball in the midfield. And this makes her dangerous for opponents – they don’t see her coming. She is also the kind of player that didn’t bat an eye when placed at right back when injuries left Houston’s back line in need of some filling. And that is what anyone wants out of a soccer player – someone who is willing to put in the extra effort, no matter where that may be on the pitch, in order to create positive opportunities for the team.

 

She Comes In Like A Wrecking Ball

When the Houston Dash played Portland two weeks ago, the focal point of aggression was definitely coming from Carli Lloyd (which isn’t surprising). But day in and day out, Daly makes some really intense tackles that no one really seems to care about. She can be rough out there, and she doesn’t mind taking another player to ground if it can win her team the ball back. She just tends to be a little smarter about it than other players.

 

She Can Stretch A Back Line

Technically this reason is a team effort. But Rachel Daly plays a very intricate part in breaking down the opposing team’s defense. Because the Houston Dash have a rather impressive attacking side between Carlie Lloyd, Poliana, Kealia Ohai, and Rachel Daly, it can often be difficult for a defense to cover them all with ease. Choices have to be made, and with Poliana pushing up the wing, this often leaves Daly with room to move, collect, and drop a slip ball back into the box for Lloyd. And if that option isn’t available she can always shoot the ball, or look across the field to Ohai. So she has a lot of guns in the Dash arsenal to use in her attack, and she isn’t too selfish to only use her own. She also has the skillset and intelligence to make and execute this choice with ease. She can see the advantages of having Lloyd back on the pitch with her, and now that the Dash are beginning to turn a corner from the rough start they had at the beginning of the season, her role in this offense will only expand and become more dynamic.

 

She Owns Her Shortcomings

When Jane Campbell had her first NWSL start against the Seattle Reign on April 22 it didn’t really go her way. It was a 5-1 beating against Houston. And it would have been easy to point the finger at the rookie and just move on to the next match. But Rachel Daly acted like a true professional after the game. She acknowledged that she and the team could have played better, she acknowledged that it was a tough loss, and then she acknowledged that it was time to move on to the next game. That’s class, ladies and gentlemen. And that is something we all like out of our athletes.

 

She’ll Play Until She Literally Passes Out

Rachel Daly is tough, and she is passionate about the game that she plays. And she will work as hard as possible for all 90+ minutes of a match. And as many fans saw in May, she will literally play until she passes out from heat exhaustion, has to be taken out on a stretcher, and hospitalized. Then she would play in the immediate next match. Dedication is an understatement. She literally sacrificed her body to play at her top level on a day that was unsafe to play, and in a match that the league should have postponed. But if you ask Rachel Daly to do something, she will do it to the best of her abilities.

So, the next time you watch a Houston Dash game make sure to watch for Rachel Daly. Acknowledge her. Cheer for her. You’ll find it’s pretty easy. Because she is the type of player that will do everything you ask of her. She is what we all want in a soccer player. And she may not ask for the spotlight, but there are often times that she definitely deserves it.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 16

Posted on by RJ Allen

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Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 16 Game Previews:

As the NWSL season gets closer to the playoffs, we are seeing some distance between the top 3 and bottom 3, but movement in the middle. Let’s take a look at the upcoming games for the weekend. 

Game 1: Washington Spirit vs. Boston Breakers 

Washington Spirit record: 4-9-3
Position: 9th
Total Points: 15

Boston Breakers record: 3-7-6
Position: 8th
Total Points: 15

The Spirit are finally back at home after playing two games on the road and are looking to salvage the rest of their season. After a tough offseason, this is about where they were expected to end up, but they certainly won’t be satisfied and will want to tighten things up to close out the year. Their defense was in shambles against Orlando earlier this week so that will be the biggest thing to figure out with this quick turnaround. I don’t see a reason why their captain, Shelina Zadorsky, has been stuck on the bench. If she really has been worse in training than Kallman and Church, then the Spirit have bigger problems than we even knew.

Boston will be looking to pull out a win on the road and start another uptick in their season. They showed some good signs last week with a draw against FCKC but will need to get production from a broader range of players–last week it was pretty much Rosie White or bust–if they want to get more out of this match. If they can improve the attack, they should be able to get behind the Spirit backline, and hopefully, find some chances to finish. 

Game 2: Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue FC

Orlando Pride record: 6-6-5
Position: 5th
Total Points: 23

Sky Blue FC record: 7-8-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 23

The Pride are in must-win mode as they try to recover from a slow start and grab that fourth spot in the playoffs. They are coming off a dominating win against the Spirit and need to carry that momentum into this game. There weren’t major defensive problems against the Spirit midweek, but the floating right back position has caused distress, and with Sam Kerr back, they’ll need to get everything they’ve got to shut her down. Kristen Edmonds has been a liability for the Pride most of the season and if she can’t get her turnover ratio under control, Sky Blue will exploit it. The Pride attack, however, has seemed to find their groove, with Alex Morgan coming back into form and Marta staying on the top of her game. They’ll be facing a defense that has conceded the most goals in the league, and with their attack options ready, they should find the back of the net. 

Last week, Sky Blue was missing Sam Kerr (and Kelley O’Hara) and we saw a lot of cracks in their game. They’ve rescued plenty of results this year, thanks to some late match magic from Sam Kerr, but what is there to this team if she’s not around? She will be back this time, but they need to figure out the rest of the team and how they play because depending on Kerr can only get you so far. The defense is in trouble, and I’d like to see some changes. They’ve got injury problems, but what they’re doing now isn’t working and needs some tweaks. The big question marks this week will be the injury statuses of Kailen Sheridan, who was clearly in pain toward the end of the last game, and Kelley O’Hara, whose status has not been updated since the Tournament of Nations. If Kerr can get loose against the Pride and the defense can hold the strong Pride attack, we should be in for one exciting game. 

Game 3: Chicago Red Stars vs. Portland Thorns

Chicago Red Stars record: 8-3-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 29

Portland Thorns record: 8-4-4
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 28

The top three are quite compacted right now and so this is a must-win game for Chicago to hold on to that 2nd place spot. They should have all of their usual starters back after resting some of them last week against Orlando. With Sofia Huerta reminding people that she can score goals, expect to see even more link up between her and Christen Press this week against Portland. Chicago has a lot of luck at home and with probably the strongest defense in the league, they’ll like their chances of shutting Portland down. As long as Press or Huerta can get in behind, they should see success.

Portland is starting to come into their game, after quite a few struggles over the season. For a while, it seemed like they were just waiting for Tobin Heath to return. But as that looks increasingly less likely, they’ve finally started to make adjustments and pulled themselves back up toward relative playoff safety. Christine Sinclair has come into herself a bit more in the last few games, and that will need to continue if Portland wants to keep this run going. Nadia Nadim should also be back from the Euros, which will give the attack an extra boost. Overall, it will be hard to beat Chicago at home, but if they can shut down Press or Huerta, they may have a fighting chance. 

Game 4: Houston Dash vs. FC Kansas City

Houston Dash record: 6-8-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 20

FC Kansas City record: 3-8-5
Position: 10th
Total Points: 14

The Dash are back at home and ready to face FCKC after a disappointing result against Portland. The Dash struggled with their formation and had trouble making anything of the few chances they did create. Their sub choices also left a bit to be desired. FCKC is struggling, so this is a prime opportunity for the Dash. But in this league, anything can happen on a given week. Sometimes the Dash are their own biggest enemies, so if they can put some shots on frame, they will give themselves a good chance to pick up some points. 

I feel at this point I am spinning a broken record with FCKC but they just do not seem to be able to figure it out. Sydney Leroux is not the pure scorer/striker they need, and they don’t seem to have any other solutions available.  My colleague Jacob Cristobal has a piece on the coaching situation this week. It’s been a tough year, but KC just need to try to finish out the season on a positive note. Despite their struggles, they do have most of the pieces. If they can just figure out how to fill some of the void of Amy Rodriguez, there’s room to build. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. NC Courage

Seattle Reign record: 6-4-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 24

NC Courage record: 11-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 33

This is a back-to-back matchup. Last time, the Reign fell 1-0 away. This time, they’ll like their chances better–at home and with both Megan Rapinoe and Jess Fishlock (seriously, can I get her healing regimen? Because my goodness …) for the first time in a couple months. Their difficulties on the road may well cost them a playoff spot, so they’ll need to be even better than usual at home to compensate. This week, with Rapinoe working back into the fold, they will need to find a way to get past the Courage defense. If Rapinoe is shut down, they will need to find another option to get into the attack. Seattle are pushing for that playoff spot but will need consistency across the weeks to make that happen. 

The Courage will be looking to continue their reign at the top of the table. That may be tough since they’ll be coming off of short rest after the makeup game Thursday night, but if any team has the fitness to handle that run, it’s NC. Plus, unlike last weekend, this time they’ll have an in-form Rapinoe to deal with. The Courage attack has gotten the job done this year but needs a bit of a kickstart. Lynn Williams has been relatively quiet this season (at least compared to her performance in 2016) but was the difference maker last match. If they can ramp their attack and keep Rapinoe at bay, we should see another hard-fought game.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR and Sunday night with our USA vs. Japan recap. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the two episodes, catch up here: