This power ranking is not reactionary.
This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.
It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.
Enjoy it.
It will soon change.
Tag: NWSL
The World Cup is Over. Come Watch the NWSL!
The World Cup is a wonderful event. Once every four years, the whole world collectively watches the best players in the world compete. We watch their triumphs and their failures. And we share it with millions of others all watching together. There is nothing that can replicate that kind of communal experience.
But there’s actually something even better out there: club soccer.
It hasn’t always been true. For most of the history of women’s soccer, ‘clubs’ barely existed at all. They were amateur organizations at best, literally nonexistent at worst. That all changed in the United States in the early 2000s with the arrival of the Women’s United Soccer Association. For three shining years, the biggest stars in the world all played in America. But then the league folded. Things started up again in 2007 with Women’s Professional Soccer. Which also lasted for three years before folding.
So expectations were suitably low when the National Women’s Soccer League started up in 2013. But it has now outlasted the other two leagues combined, and is going strong.
The World Cup comes every four years, but the NWSL is here every week, and the quality is every bit as high as what you’ve been watching at the World Cup. It features all the very best American players, along with many other top players from across the world. Its teams draw big numbers—with Portland the shining jewel bringing in over 16,000 fans per game. The league just signed a sponsorship deal with Budweiser, and reportedly has more deals coming. That influx of cash will help them stabilize and develop. They also just signed a TV deal with ESPN, which will make the league more accessible to casual fans. And those fans will be primed to go, thanks to all the excitement over the World Cup.
And they’re going to get a great show. In terms of talent on the pitch, this is maybe the best league in the world. But for too long, these world class players have been surrounded by a league run on a shoestring budget—under-capitalized, under-marketed, under-supported. But that’s ready to change and you can be a part of it.
Here are five reasons why you should be pumped to watch the NWSL.
The players are world class
Every single player competing for the US in the World Cup plays in the NWSL. If you’ve been enjoying Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle, and Tobin Heath…they all play every week. Not to mention some incredible players who have barely seen minutes, like Jess McDonald, Mallory Pugh, and Morgan Brian.
But this is a truly international league. The NWSL also features Sam Kerr, maybe the best player in the world. And Marta, maybe the best player of all time. Christine Sinclair, who is also in that conversation for GOAT. Debinha, the rising star for Brazil. Abby Erceg from New Zealand. Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, and Ellie Carpenter from Australia. Yuki Nagasato from Japan. Rachel Daly and Jodie Taylor from England. Raquel Rodríguez from Costa Rica. And these are only a few of the names.
From top to bottom, this is the deepest, highest-quality league in the world. Turn on any random game, and you’re likely to see a genuine superstar, and plenty more players close to that level.
The talent pool is deep
Skim off all fifty-odd players that went to the World Cup, and you’ve still got an incredibly deep pool of talent. That’s a feature of a US developmental structure that generates tens of thousands of high-level players per year, hundreds of whom reach the end of their college careers with the plausible talent to play professionally. It produces a league full of players who have contributed years of high-level performances completely outside of the national team.
If you like Rose Lavelle, you’ll also love Vanessa DiBernardo, who plays for Chicago. Been enjoying Alex Morgan? Check out Lynn Williams on North Carolina. Or Kristen Hamilton, who just scored four goals last night. Or you might just remember Amy Rodriguez, who has been banging them in for Utah. Love Julie Ertz? Take a look at McCall Zerboni. Big fan of Sam Mewis? Andi Sullivan is right there with her. There’s Midge Purce, who’s been on a scoring tear. And Simone Charley who had to fight like mad to make it onto the field, and then delivered the goods when she got there. Like defenders? Take a look at Megan Oyster for Seattle or Amber Brooks for Houston.
Every one of these players has her own story, each of which is worth digging into. Think about how fun it has been to learn the backstories of the US national team players. Then multiply that by ten.
The league is balanced
In many leagues around the world, the talent is highly concentrated, leaving just a couple teams at the top competing with one another and running roughshod over everyone else. The NWSL isn’t like that. There certainly are better and worse teams—but just look at the table right now. Five teams are within four points at the top, with two more in touching distance.
And it’s not only about the teams at the top. Just last night, the two bottom teams in the league—Orlando Pride and Sky Blue FC—each managed wins over teams far above them in the table.
That’s the way this league goes. Every single game is a battle. There are no pushovers, no easy points. It’s part of why so many prominent international players choose to come here—because they know they’ll be tested in a way that just doesn’t exist anywhere else.
From a fan’s perspective, it’s also great. It means every game is tense. There might be a favorite and an underdog, but until the game is actually played you can never know if it will hold to form. It’s thrilling stuff, which is setting up to be one for the ages.
The fans are the best
There is something joyful and communal about following this league, even more than following international soccer–where allegiances always carry that weird tinge of nationalism. In the NWSL, there are obviously still fans of given teams, and certainly rivalries–as you would hope for in any good league. But there is a sense of togetherness as well. People are all rooting for each other, because we all know how fragile these things can be.
It can sometimes be daunting to jump into a new hobby or interest. Where do you begin? How do you get up to speed? Will the people who have already been there a long time be welcoming?
The NWSL community does a whole lot to ease those worries. Show up to a game, reach out on twitter, and you’ll get dozens, hundreds of folks who will be thrilled to welcome you in. Who will be happy to share inside jokes and explain references. Who will love nothing more than to share the history of their team, talk about favorite players, or anything else you’d care to discuss.
The NWSL is diverse, in all the best ways
The sports landscape is not especially welcoming to those who fall outside the traditional trope of the sports fan. It can feel alienating for those who aren’t in love with white, hetero, masculine tropes that dominate the sporting world.
The NWSL is a good home for anyone who feels that way. Which certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not a sports league. Despite the best efforts of many involved in marketing the league, this is not simply a home for young girls and their parents. It’s still a fun and raucous place. It’s just that the fun comes from a much wider range of sources.
Look at the crowd at an NWSL game and you’ll see queer people, trans people, men, women, children, people of all colors. And you’ll see supporters groups that work very hard to blend all these elements together to produce an inclusive, exciting environment which is genuinely fun for everyone.
There are very few places like this in our culture. Far too many of our social spaces are controlled by those who are loaded up with cultural advantage. Even if they try to be open and inclusive, the whole structure is still defined by white, male, cishet standards. But come to an NWSL game and you’ll experience what it’s like when those standards aren’t just taken for granted. It’s wonderful.
If you’ve been enjoying the authenticity of players like Megan Rapinoe, who express themselves in thoughtful and considered ways about complicated and important subjects, it’s worth seriously thinking about what kinds of structures make it possible for that sort of engagement. To think about what a difference it makes when many prominent players are queer. When many members of the media are people of color, women, gay, trans, etc. When many of the fans are as well. It all creates a support structure in which people can think about new ways to perform, discuss, and appreciate sports.
The culture of the NWSL–along with leagues like the WNBA and NWHL–is bringing something new and important to the sports landscape of this country. It’s a place where competition doesn’t have to mean abuse. Where tension and passion can flourish without having to be accompanied by exclusion. Where compassion adds to the thrill of victory and tempers the pain of loss.
How to watch
If you live anywhere near one of the markets, go and see a match live. Soccer is so much better in person. But if you’re not near a stadium, the league just announced a TV deal with ESPN, which will air 14 matches on ESPNEWS and ESPN2 over the rest of the season. If you don’t have those in your cable package, you might be able to get them through a streaming service like Sling or YoutubeTV, or you can simply pay for the ESPN+ service.
With matches on TV, you can also stop by your favorite local watering hole and ask them to put the game on. There’s no better way to find other fans and make new friends.
If none of those sound appealing, every other game streams for free at Yahoo Sports or on the Yahoo Sports App. If you live outside the US (or know how to convince your computer that you’re outside the US) you can also stream the games directly from nwslsoccer.com.
The national team players are expected to take a week or two after the conclusion of the World Cup to rejoin their teams. So if you’re excited for their return, you can target the games at the end of July. But every team in the league has plenty of exciting players, even without their US national teamers, so don’t worry too much about it.
Reign FC and the North Carolina Courage – 1st and 2nd in the league at the moment – meet on Saturday, July 14. It’s going to be a great game, and you should check it out.
Royals Lose: Tactics Are Pointless if You Don’t Execute
Utah Royals head coach Laura Harvey held nothing back when talking about her team’s 2-0 home loss to Reign FC on Friday. The frustrating performance drops the team into fourth place, allowing the Reign to leap over them in the standings.
“We weren’t good enough from minute one to minute 90,” said Harvey after the game. “We were slow, lethargic and we didn’t have any spark.
“Tactics are pointless if you don’t execute, and we didn’t even come close to executing.”
Reign FC seemed to have the game well in hand early in the game when they were freely taking shots at the Royals net. Passes out of the back from the Royals seemed lazy and the Seattle players leaped into action on nearly every turnover.
The first goal game in the 30th minute when Jessica Fishlock and Bethany Balcer put on a passing display that lead to a chance. Fishlock was the last one with the ball, shooting past Royals keeper Nicole Barnhart. Fishlock continued to torment the defense later in the half, dribbling through the defense and finding a wide open Ifeoma Onumonu for an easy double.
Royals did little to fight back with Reign FC nearly making it a three goal lead several times in the second half.
“I think, ultimately, we weren’t good enough,” said Royals midfielder Mandy Laddish. “We didn’t fight hard enough, we were spread out, we weren’t connecting passes at all.
“Sometimes you come out and you just are flat, and I think that’s something that we addressed at halftime, and unfortunately I don’t think we fixed it as well as we’d like.”
The loss is the Royals’ third of the season. Next they will travel to New Jersey to face a winless Sky Blue FC team. It could be the opportunity Harvey and the team need to get back on track heading into the remainder of the campaign.
Sky Blue Fire Head Coach Denise Reddy
The season only gets darker for Sky Blue FC as they have announced on Twitter the firing of head coach Denise Reddy. The team will begin an external search for a replacement.
Reddy joined Sky Blue in 2017 and has been at the helm for two of the worst professional seasons in recent American soccer history. Last year Sky Blue grabbed just one win, coming on the last day of the season, and finished with a record of 1-17-6. This year they have started equally bad with no wins through the first nine games.
All of this has happened despite bringing in US Women’s National team legend Carli Lloyd. While her contributions have certainly diminished when compared to her earlier work, she was meant to be a mentor to younger players such as Julie James and Raquel Rodriguez. Instead frustration has boiled over with ownership and off-the-field issues such as poor training conditions taking over most of the discussion.
Reddy herself had quite a resume before joining the team. She coached in the W-League with Jersey Sky Blue and the Chicago Red Stars before jumping to Europe with Vittsjo GIK and Linkopings FC in Sweden. She returned to the newer NWSL in 2016 as an assistant coach with the Washington Spirit and then as the head coach with Sky Blue in 2017.
What may have appeared to be a chance to get in on the ground floor with a young team quickly turned sour with little hope of getting better. Reddy coached through the diminishing fan base, awful press and lack of resources. In the end, the results weren’t just bad but some of the worst possible. Now she steps aside with little news on who will be the replacement.
Interest in the job is more than likely at an all-time low. The team will more than likely look within the league for an option but there is a possibility that more news is imminent that could involve far more than just changes to the coaching staff.
Sky Blue Continues Journey to Invisibility with Bumbling Loss to Orlando
It hasn’t been easy for Sky Blue FC and it got that much harder after a 2-1, self-inflicted, loss to Orlando City on Saturday. A handball and own-goal are how the Pride scored their goals, leaving the New Jersey crew to wonder if luck is also against them in yet another disastrous season.
“I’m going to give a lot of credit to Sky Blue,” said Orlando head coach Marc Skinner after the game. “I knew they were going to be dangerous, that’s why we paid them respect and sat deeper and didn’t let them have the spaces because I think they’re pretty good.”
Sky Blue wasn’t lifeless in this game. Jen Hoy had the game’s first opportunity in the ninth minute but Orlando goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer was more than up to the task. Later on in the game, when trailing, lazy defense opened up an opportunity for Hoy to feed Raquel Rodriguez at the top of the box. The shot was saved by Hopmeyer who all but kept Sky Blue from their first win of the season.
Both of Orlando’s goals came from defensive mistakes. The first in the 32nd minute when Elizabeth Eddy threw her body in front of a shot which deflected and hit her arm. The referee made the call, awarded a penalty kick and was converted by Chioma Ubogagu. The second came late in the contest when a cross from Marisa Viggano deflected off of Gina Lewandowski for an own-goal.
Orlando escaped New Brunswick with their first win of the season and leave Sky Blue in a darker place with no answers to their dismal play. Next is a trip to Chicago on July 6th where Sky Blue will play a Red Stars team that has their sights set on leaping into playoff contention.
The Game Changers: Week 9
The Game Changers is a weekly series looking at the most important results each week. Each section will look at one team and how its win, loss, or draw impacts the season.
This weekend, NWSL action resumed after a two-week break. All of the teams were still playing without their Women’s World Cup players, but that only provided more opportunities for the non-national team players to step up to the plate. While every team except for Sky Blue scored, every game also resulted in a draw, except for the Utah Royals 1-0 victory over Sky Blue. Here is a full breakdown of the results:
North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns (1-1)
Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride (2-2)
Utah Royals vs. Sky Blue (1-0)
Seattle Reign vs. Washington Spirit (1-1)
Orlando Pride get another point (and score!).
The Orlando Pride traveled to Houston on Saturday to face the Houston Dash and earned just their second point of the 2019 campaign. Joanna Boyles opened scoring for the visitors in the 13th minute with her first NWSL goal. The Pride went to the half with a 1-0 lead, after scoring just their second goal of the season. But two minutes into the second half, Sofia Huerta equalized for the Dash, and in the 67th minute, Kristie Mewis gave the home team a 2-1 lead. It was Danica Evans, a Pride player who has gotten limited minutes since she was drafted in 2017, who was able to score the equalizer and earn Orlando their second point of the year.
The result was important for many reasons. It is Orlando’s first multi-goal game of 2019. The two goals scored marked only their second and third goals of the season. They also had to come from behind, something they have not been able to do so far this season. Orlando is missing a lot of their normal starters at the World Cup, but Boyles and Evans were able to do something that Alex Morgan and Marta have not been able to do so far this year: find the back of the net. The game marked a rare moment of hope for a team that has struggled in every possible way this season.
Utah Royals get another win at home.
The Utah Royals were the only team to get a positive result this week, thanks to a screamer goal from Amy Rodriguez. In the 16th minute, Rodriguez launched a rocket from about 30 yards out that slammed into the back of the net. Sky Blue out-possessed and out-shot Utah, but the Royals were still able to walk away with a result.
With three points, the Royals bounce back up to second place, just one point behind No. 1 Washington Spirit. With games coming up against Portland and Seattle, it was important for the Royals to get a result against Sky Blue at home. They will also be getting at least some of their World Cup stars back soon, with group stage exits for Rachel Corsie’s Scotland and Katie Bowen’s New Zealand. Utah showed they were able to get a critical three points without their superstars, which could be very important as the playoff race heats up.
Washington Spirit get a point on the road to stay on top of the standings.
The Washington Spirit traveled to Tacoma this week to face Reign FC. The Reign had 24 shots compared to the Spirit’s ten, nine shots on goal compared to the Spirit’s four, and barely out-possessed the Spirit at 50.9%. Still, after taking the lead in the 62nd minute with a goal from Andi Sullivan, the Spirit’s defense was able to hold onto a point, thanks in part to eight saves from goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe.
If anyone is waiting for this Spirit team to collapse… well, they don’t seem to be doing that. The Spirit are proving to be one of the best teams in the NWSL, a fact complicated by their controversial head coach Richie Burke. They remain in the No. 1 spot after Week 9, four points ahead of last year’s champions, North Carolina Courage. The Spirit have proved that they can get results on the road and at home, against strong teams and weaker sides. They have just one loss this season, to the Utah Royals nearly two months ago. I think it’s time we all agreed: the Washington Spirit are here to stay.
Hot or Not: NWSL Power Rankings Week 9
This power ranking is not reactionary.
This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.
It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.
Enjoy it.
It will soon change.
Sky Blue Remain Dismal with Loss to Royals on the Road
All of the attention may be in France with the World Cup but NWSL’s regular season rolls on and Sky Blue FC continued their dismal play with a 1-0 loss to the Utah Royals on Saturday.
A long range shot from Amy Rodriguez in the 16th minute decided the contest for Utah. Rodriguez sprinted into a wide open midfield and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Didi Haracic who appeared to be surprised by the long-range power.
“I felt like the Jersey defense kinda set off me a little but,” said Rodriguez post-match. “I just took my space, head up, and thought I could go for it. I honestly didn’t think I could score from there.”
Haracic had a busy day in net, stopping an early free kick attempt by Vero Boquete and giving Sky Blue a chance to grab the momentum. They did put up a bit of a fight before the second half when Nicole Barnhart of the Royals was forced to make a tough save on Raquel Rodriguez’s free kick.
“For the most part our backline was very organized,” said Barnhart. “The chances they got were mostly from outside the 18, nothing too close to the goal. Our backline was willing to put their bodies on the line a couple of times and block a few dangerous chances that they did get.”
The loss drops Sky Blue to a woeful 0-6-2, 11 points off of the playoff pictures and no signs of improving this campaign. Despite signing Carli Lloyd last season, the team was only able to grab one win but it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to do much better in 2019.
Meanwhile, Utah is looking strong with their second win in three games and just one point back of the Washington Spirit for the top spot in the standings. They’ll have that form put to the test next week as they travel to Portland to play the Thorns.
Backline Chat: The World Cup Is Here!
Charles Olney (@olneyce): Hello, and welcome to our pre-World Cup Backline chat. Given time zones, this is probably the last of these I’ll be able to do for a while, but I’m excited to get some conversation in before the big event kicks off.
But, before we jump into the international talk, let’s cover the NWSL, since that gives us some actual results to work with. So, to open things up: everyone who had the Washington Spirit in first place at the World Cup break, raise your hand.
RJ Allen (@TheSoccerCritic): No one saw this coming. At all.
Charles Olney: I will admit that I have missed both of their recent victories, so I’m not in a good position to comment, but it sure seems like it hasn’t been a fluke. They really are playing very well.
Creating a lot of discomfort for those of us who are still angry about the lack of response to the abuse allegations from the offseason, which RJ discussed very compellingly in a recent piece.
RJ Allen: The league has to do something when it comes to Burke or that will become the media narrative around this team. Honestly part of the reason they haven’t is they are so under staffed. Which is just horrible.
Allison Cary (@findingallison): Yeah. But I agree that any success they have will be overshadowed by this until the NWSL and the Washington Spirit take some substantial action.
Charles Olney: I would love to be able to focus on the players, who deserve a lot of credit. And I’d love to be able to have a normal conversation about what Burke has brought as a coach (whatever it is, it seems to be working), but it’s hard to dig into either with all that floating over.
RJ Allen: It’s very ‘other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?’
Charles Olney: That said, does anyone have any insight into how they’ve turned things around? Is this just them waking up from a dream and forgetting all about 2018, and this is where they ‘should’ always have been given all the young talent they stockpiled?
RJ Allen: I think having so many young, hungry players who are willing to seemingly run through walls for each other really helps. They remind me a bit of the old Western New York Flash team in 2016.
Charles Olney: It certainly seems to help that Andi Sullivan is finally back playing really well. But there’s also a cohesion to the whole team that goes beyond any one player. I’ll absolutely be curious to see if they can sustain it. The WNY comparison is a great one. That team was also maybe a year ahead of schedule, but they didn’t care about timelines.
RJ Allen: Ashley Hatch looks really solid this year as well. And her having a big year is key.
Allison Cary: Yeah, Hatch has been a standout. And of course having Bledsoe in goal is a big help too.
Charles Olney: Elsewhere in the league, I feel like I’m getting some whiplash. Chicago looked like they were going to dominate the break, now they’re in crisis. Utah was flying high and now is stumbling badly. Houston and Seattle keep throwing away points…or maybe finding points. North Carolina look mortal. Is this just what we should expect for the whole break?
Allison Cary: It’s all chaos. Welcome to the NWSL.
RJ Allen: You know who are good soccer players? Christen Press and Sam Kerr. You know are away from their club teams right now? Christen Press and Sam Kerr. Oversimplification, yes. But when you pull so many starters out it is just brutal.
Allison Cary: But then isn’t it brutal for their opponents too?
RJ Allen: Some teams have lost bigger pieces and some teams have stepped up. We see it every World Cup and Olympic year. Some teams have deeper benches.
Charles Olney: At the moment, Portland feels like the exception. On paper, Chicago looked far stronger this weekend, but Portland just blew them away in the opening half hour and then held on nicely for the win. Was that just finally being back home in a great atmosphere? Are they set for a reversion to the mean, too? Or do they have something special?
RJ Allen: I think playing in Portland after such a long time not being able to was a huge boost, yes. But Purce and Charley were really fantastic that match.
Charles Olney: My gut says that with lower overall quality, there is just more room for wacky results and we shouldn’t read too much into anything. But maybe one team (Portland perhaps) just reels off five or six wins and opens up a huge lead.
RJ Allen: Right now chaos reigns.
Charles Olney: It certainly has been exciting seeing some of these marginal players get a chance and REALLY take advantage of it.
RJ Allen: Bethany Balcer, Rookie of the Year.
Allison Cary: Amen.
Charles Olney: DiBiasi, though! And Sam Staab!
Allison Cary: Yeah, DiBiasi was also a standout to me.
RJ Allen: They will be nominated, for sure.
Charles Olney: After a very down year for rookies in 2018, it’s been great seeing new faces doing so well this year.
Alright, what about the other side of the table. We’ve got seven teams within six points of each other at the top, and then two teams that have COMBINED for three points through fifteen games. Is there any hope at all?
Allison Cary: Nope.
RJ Allen: Nope.
Charles Olney: We’re missing Luis, our resident Orlando optimist, but I’m pretty sure he would say…”nope”
Allison Cary: Orlando hasn’t shown any signs of life. Sky Blue has had better flashes, but…
RJ Allen: I don’t know what you do with Orlando. They were bad ever when they had their full team.
Allison Cary: Yeah. I think there’s some deeper stuff going on there.
Charles Olney: One conclusion that could be drawn is that Tom Sermanni actually did a lot to hold them together as much as he did. Alternatively, he let things get so out of hand that they were unfixable even after they got someone new?
RJ Allen: I understand that you have to give Marc Skinner time but the team is just not playing well under him. Orlando once bet the farm on Morgan and there is a very real chance she nopes out when LAFC comes in and they will have nothing.
Charles Olney: But it’s weird how quickly Orlando went from having a solid roster that people insisted on calling a top-tier roster to having a mediocre roster that people think is pure garbage. Because, it’s not great, but it’s also not THAT bad.
RJ Allen: The roster is playing THAT bad though. The players themselves are mostly NWSL level.
Charles Olney: But they really did over-leverage themselves based on Morgan and Marta, and that’s really coming back to bite them now. There’s no denying that.
Allison Cary: There are a decent amount of international and national team players on that team. But no one was performing even before everyone left for the WC.
RJ Allen: And they aren’t getting butts in seats either. Which is why I think they did it partly in the first place.
Charles Olney: In conclusion: I hope they turn it around somehow. but ‘turn it around’ is relative. I just want them and Sky Blue to start pulling closer to the pack.
Charles Olney: Okay, let’s turn our attention to the World Cup, which is starting this week. It’s a huge event, obviously, and there’s a million pieces to unpack. But what are your top level thoughts about the tournament as a whole?
RJ Allen: I really hope it’s fun. The women’s game just needs a really fun world event where some wild shit happens and a lot of great goals are scored.
Allison Cary: Agreed.
Charles Olney: I think that this tournament has a chance to be a genuine turning point in a way that we’ve never quite seen. But I’m not going to demand that it be a revolution in order to call it a success. As you say, it will definitely be fun, and that will be enough even if that’s ‘all’ we get.
Allison Cary: It definitely feels special. It feels like the tournament we’re gonna look back on and say “that was it.”
RJ Allen: It feels like it may be 1999 but for more than just the US.
Allison Cary: That would be magical. I want all the new teams to do as well as possible, especially teams like Jamaica and Chile and Argentina. It will mean so much to even be able to go back with goals, even more if they can get a win or two.
Charles Olney: I got a chance to talk with Kieran Thievam for the podcast this week, and that’s the comparison he made. 1999 was a big deal here, but not really anywhere else. But this could be that tournament for five or six teams.
RJ Allen: I think having it in France helps. It’s close together with other countries who can reasonably just decide to show up. I understand not always having it in Europe but logistically it is really nice.
Charles Olney: Definitely. I was looking at the Dutch group schedule, for example, and they’ve got two games in the northeast of France. That’s just a 3-4 hour train ride from the Netherlands. I bet there is a LOT of orange in the crowd for those. And there’s potential there for a lot of teams. The English traveling contingent is going to be big. And if this is a breakthrough tournament for, say, Italy and Spain, there’s a LOT of folks nearby who might decide on a whim to make a trip.
RJ Allen: I love the idea of the Aussies hosting it in 2023 but it would be a travel struggle moving place to place and just getting there. Being able to just decide to go to a game the day of, tickets not withstanding, is amazing.
Charles Olney: One slightly negative thing is that there doesn’t seem to have been much marketing in France itself, which means there will probably be a major difference between games. Some with 50,000, others with 5000. That feels like a missed opportunity.
RJ Allen: It does. You would think they would want the money that having games with 50,000 people bring in if nothing else. But hey sexism is real.
Charles Olney: Alright, dialing in a little bit on the games themselves, who are we pulling for, outside of the obvious?
RJ Allen: I would like Scotland to win some games and get to the knocks outs. Please and thank you.
Charles Olney: I’m definitely on Team Jamaica, and if RJ doesn’t mind the company, I’ll join her on the Scotland bandwagon
Allison Cary: Yep, those were the two teams I was gonna mention.
RJ Allen: I would like Sarah Bouhaddi to do well and have a good World Cup.
Allison Cary: Please.
RJ Allen: I am invested in her journey.
Allison Cary: Me too, not necessarily by choice.
RJ Allen: I do not know why I enjoy her so much. She is everything that I dislike usually about goalkeepers but we stan who we stan. And yes, Charles, please join me on the Scotland bandwagon.
Allison Cary: I, too, am on the Scotland bandwagon. My sister goes to school there. That’s my connection.
Charles Olney: I’m also really excited to see Thailand. They’re maybe the most isolated of all the teams, with virtually no one that plays outside of Thailand. And they had a pretty easy road to get here. So they might get blown away. But the few times I’ve seen them, they’re one of those teams that manages to frustrate the opposition without completely backing into a shell. I really hope they find a result or two.
RJ Allen: If Scotland beats England I may have to move to Scotland like Allison is going to move to France if they win.
Allison Cary: Europe here we come!
RJ Allen: I am really excited to see Canada too. I want them to have one more least real shot at a title for Sinclair.
Allison Cary: I would love to see Thailand do well. I think it could mean a lot not just to them, but to that region.
Charles Olney: Some of the other bigger teams that I’d really like to see do well: France – because it would be incredible for the home nation to finally overcome their problems with the big games, Spain – because they’re ready to join the ranks of the very top nations in the world, and Australia – because Sam Kerr.
I mean, I love a lot of things about Australia, and would be thrilled to see them do well in any case. But after watching Marta spend a career as the best in the world with no trophies to show for it, I don’t want Kerr to go through the same.
Same logic applies for Canada and Sinclair.
RJ Allen: France vs Australia would be a fun match. Not for Allison, but still.
Allison Cary: I’m really hoping this is France’s year. But… I’ve cheered for teams that choke my whole life and it’s a hard thing to break out of. I’m starting to believe they could really win this thing and that’s just setting me up for complete and utter disappointment.
Charles Olney: One thing I’ve noticed is that most of the teams I’m pulling for are very likely to face the US: Thailand, Spain, and France. So I guess that sets me up for happiness no matter what happens?
Allison Cary: That’s soccer.
Charles Olney: Yep. The reality is that ALL these teams are interesting and fun, and there really aren’t any bad choices. But let’s try to quantify that: which team would you LEAST like to see win?
Allison Cary: Norway winning would be… complicated. But there are a lot of players I like on that team, so it might be worth it.
Charles Olney: That was my answer, too.
Charles Olney: They’ve also already won one, even if it was quite a while ago, in a very different game. But yeah, I’d be hard-pressed to be sad about that group of players winning it.
RJ Allen: Germany. I am petty.
Charles Olney: I am absolutely here for RJ’s pettiness re: Germany. But I would love to see them win. That team is wonderful.
Allison Cary: I have mixed feelings about England. I shouldn’t, it will be massive for that country if they do well. But the way they handled Mark Sampson and the Eni Aluko thing— and I mean the players, not the FA— rubbed me the wrong way.
RJ Allen: The problem is you can say that about almost any federation. Every federation, the smaller ones more than most, have huge issues. So I try not to count that against the players/coach if it’s changed.
Allison Cary: Well, but like I said I’m not talking about the FA side. I’m talking about individual comments from players.
RJ Allen: But I don’t deny I get why you feel like that.
Charles Olney: Okay, so it’s foolish to make predictions, but we’re all fools, so let’s make some predictions. I think we’re all on record already with some of these, but we can knock them out quickly.
First: who wins the tournament?
RJ Allen: France
Allison Cary: Do I say France? I don’t know what to say.
Charles Olney: You have to pick! It’s France for me, too.
Allison Cary: Damn it. I guess I’m committing. This definitely means they’ll choke.
RJ Allen: Or as Kim McCauley said, whoever wins the US vs France game.
Allison Cary: That’s a fair prediction.
Charles Olney: Okay, #2: golden ball and golden boot winner. I think Miedema wins the golden boot, and Henry wins the golden ball.
Allison Cary: Miedema for boot.
RJ Allen: Sam Kerr for Golden Boot, Amandine Henry for Golden Ball.
Allison Cary: I’ll go with Henry for Golden Ball.
Charles Olney: We all think very similarly, it turns out. We need more conflict here! Let’s try this one: who is the most surprising team in the semifinals.
RJ Allen: Canada.
Allison Cary: England.
Charles Olney: I’ll go Canada as well. But if it’s someone really wacky, I’ll take whoever finishes second in Group A (I’d bet on Norway, but SK or Nigeria could do it).
Charles Olney: Next: how many minutes do Morgan Brian, Ali Krieger, Ashlynn Harris, and Adi Franch play combined?
RJ Allen: I could see Brain or Krieger get time in the first two games so 47.
Allison Cary: I’m gonna go a bit higher and say 60. Taking risks.
Charles Olney: I think there’s a real chance that it’s zero, but just for the sake of differentiation, I’ll take the over on those. Maybe 90.
RJ Allen: Does Julie Ertz play more than 30 minutes at centerback by the end of the US’s time in the World Cup?
Allison Cary: Follow up— does Tobin play right back?
Charles Olney: Oh, that’s a good one. I think yes, and not for any particularly obvious reason, either. I think no on Heath at right back, unless it’s for like two minutes while they’re warming up a sub.
RJ Allen: I think at some point we see Tobin Heath slotted back. If she “plays” or not is another question.
RJ Allen: I think Ellis will want Mews in without taking anyone out. So Ertz will drop back sometimes.
Allison Cary: Yeah, that’s a good reason. I was kind of with Charles on the “yes but for no real reason.”
RJ Allen: Does Christen Press play in more than 3 games?
Charles Olney: Yes. I think she probably goes unused in one group stage game but plays in most or all of the rest.
Allison Cary: No.
Charles Olney: Leading goal-scorer for the US?
RJ Allen: Tobin Heath. I think she is doing things with the ball right now that are cheat mode.
Charles Olney: Morgan is the obvious answer, and probably is right, but given how weird these things can sometimes go, it genuinely could be someone really wild like Lloyd or something.
Allison Cary: Morgan. I’m gonna stick with predictable.
RJ Allen: In 2015 it was “we need a bitch, get Kelley”, who is the bitch in 2019?
Allison Cary: I definitely don’t know how to answer that question.
Charles Olney: I feel like that’s not the vibe of this team. For better and for worse.
RJ Allen: I think those are answers unto themselves.
Charles Olney: But they still have Kelley!
RJ Allen: They do. And she played like herself in New Jersey against Mexico. I think she and Becky Sauerbrunn are huge for the US. If they both don’t play 8/10 each game we’re in trouble.
Charles Olney: RJ and I already discussed this one on the podcast, but can rehash here: which US player(s) get suspended for yellow card accumulation?
RJ Allen: The Great Horan.
Allison Cary: Horan
RJ Allen: Or someone really funny like Rose Lavelle.
Charles Olney: If I remember correctly, we also mentioned Ertz and Heath as real possibilities.
RJ Allen: Heath called herself a psycho when she plays in a piece written by Richard Farley. And on the pitch, she is 100% right. She could get a few cards.
Allison Cary: I see Ertz as a solid possibility.
RJ Allen: I almost want it to be Becky Sauerbrunn but I also 100% do not want it to be Becky Sauerbrunn.
Allison Cary: I’m good with her getting suspended when the US plays France. Or her being suspended for that game, rather.
RJ Allen: Allison, I have a question for you. Would you rather see France win or Becky Sauerbrunn score a game winning goal?
Allison Cary: France win. They’re my TEAM. But I love Broon like all normal people do.
RJ Allen: All sane ones at least.
Charles Olney: Any final thoughts?
RJ Allen: Please @ Soccer Gods no ACL injuries, ok?
Allison Cary: One quick note: everyone should read the article by Shireen Ahmed in Time about the women who won’t be playing at the World Cup. It’s a must read.
Charles Olney: That is a great call. So, with that, let’s wrap up for the week. I hope everyone is excited for the World Cup, and will join along with all the coverage we’ll be providing over the course of the tournament. I’ll be posting something (almost) daily, and there should be plenty more coming from back home as well. It’s going to be a grand ride, and there will certainly be a lot to talk about along the way.
And don’t forget that the NWSL will be back on June 15 after a one-week break, so there will be plenty there to cover as well!
The Game Changers: Week Eight
The Game Changers is a weekly series looking at the most important results each week. Each section will look at one team and how its win, loss, or draw impacts the season.
It is the kickoff week for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but back in the United States, there is still plenty of NWSL action. On Saturday, the Washington Spirit earned a 2-0 victory over the Utah Royals, solidifying them in the No. 1 spot with 16 points in seven games. The North Carolina Courage went back to their winning ways in Orlando, and the Portland Thorns played at the newly refurbished Providence Park for the first time in 2019. Here is a full breakdown of this week’s results:
Washington Spirit vs. Utah Royals (2-0)
Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage (0-3)
Reign FC vs. Houston Dash (1-1)
Portland Thorns vs. Chicago Red Stars (3-0)
The Washington Spirit earn another win.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised at this point, since it seems to happen every week. But on Saturday, the Washington Spirit earned their fourth win in a row. Ashley Hatch scored the first goal, decimating the Utah Royals defense as she spun around them and placed her shot in the far corner. Hatch set up the second goal as well, when her shot bounced off the post and landed at the feet of Dorian Bailey. Hatch now leads the team with three goals on the year.
The Spirit have already earned more points this season than they did in all of 2018. Richie Burke seems to be working out as their head coach, although as RJ Allen pointed out in her article “We Need To Talk About Richie Burke,” that’s a complicated situation. They are playing teams who have lost many international players to the World Cup, but the Spirit have lost their fair share as well, including Mallory Pugh, Rose Lavelle, Chloe Lagarzo, and Chenya Matthews. It’s time to admit that the Spirit look legit.
The Portland Thorns reopen Providence Park in style.
After two months worth of road games, the Portland Thorns finally returned to Providence Park on Sunday following the stadium’s expansion. They started the scoring in the first half, with a 27th minute goal from Margaret Purce. Simone Charley sent her pass through the defenders and to the feet of Purce, who beat the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the net. That same combo scored again a few minutes later, when Charley sent a cross to Purce, who redirected the ball into the net. They went into halftime with a 2-0, and in the second half, Thorns added to their tally with a late goal from Marissa Everett.
The Thorns have been pretty consistent during this time on the road, but they haven’t wowed us. This weekend, the Thorns impressed in Portland. They are looking like a team to watch, even without Christine Sinclair or Tobin Heath.
Chicago Red Stars drop points on the road.
The Chicago Red Stars lost their second game in a row this weekend. They’re still 3-3-2, and the Portland Thorns are not easy opponents, so I’m not saying it’s time to panic for the Red Stars. They accumulated 28 shots against the Thorns, but weren’t able to find the back of the net. While the goals from the Thorns showed a good bit of skill, sometimes Chicago defense clearly just wasn’t sharp enough. It’s true that they are missing many important players, but they will have to collect points during this period if they expect to be in the playoff picture at the end of the year.
The Red Stars have conceded the same amount of goals that they have scored in 2019. They also only have one clean sheet. But their only losses have come from the top three teams in the league– Washington, Portland, and Utah. I think the Chicago Red Stars are good enough to make the playoffs, but they need to make sure they don’t drop points while they’re missing their World Cup stars.
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