Tag: NWSL

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 1

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to our first installment of “Off the Bench,” the latest Backline Soccer weekly series.

Backline Soccer Recap:

This last week on Backline Soccer, we posted all ten of our 2017 NWSL team previews. If you haven’t yet read them, please visit our site to check them out and let us know what you think!

NWSL Week One Game Recaps:

What a great first weekend back for the NWSL we had! Let’s dive straight into a recap of the five matches we had this past weekend.

 

Game 1: Houston Dash 2 vs Chicago Red Stars 0

Houston Dash record: 1-0-0
Chicago Red Stars record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 4,484

First up, to kick off the 2017 NWSL season, the Houston Dash took on the Chicago Red Stars at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Kealia Ohai opened up the scoring giving the 2017 season its first goal in the 15th minute. Alyssa Naeher stuck to her line a little too long and Ohai made her pay. Then, in the 80′ minute, Rachel Daly sent a rocket past Naeher, for goal number two, and was featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter for it!

 

Game 2: Portland Thorns 2 vs Orlando Pride 0

Portland Thorns record: 1-0-0
Orlando Pride record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 16,145

The first Lifetime Game of the Week started shortly after the Houston game, with the Portland Thorns taking on the Orlando Pride. It was a pretty even game for most of the match. The 24th minute saw a killer diving header from Ashlyn Harris to keep the Thorns from scoring but an unfortunate handball on Alanna Kennedy in the 32nd minute led to a converted PK by Nadia Nadim. Christine Sinclair netted home the final goal to seal the Thorns’ win in the 67th minute.

 

Game 3: Washington Spirit 0 vs North Carolina Courage 1

Washington Spirit record: 0-1-0
North Carolina Courage record: 1-0-0
Attendance : 2,400

Next up were the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage, in their inaugural match. McCall Zerboni scored the game’s lone goal–and the first in NC Courage history–in the 19th minute but it was Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé who put on a spectacular performance that kept the Courage from scoring any more after that. With one spectacular save after another, Labbé demonstrated to everyone just what an asset she will be for the Spirit this season. Unfortunately for the Spirit, Joanna Lohman went down in the first half with what was confirmed on Monday as a torn ACL in her left knee.

 

Game 4: Seattle Reign 1 vs Sky Blue FC 1

Seattle Reign record: 0-0-1
Sky Blue FC record: 0-0-1
Attendance : 3,521

The final match of the day was between the Seattle Reign and Sky Blue FC, which ended up being the game of PKs. A foul committed by a Sky Blue player saw Megan Rapinoe convert a PK in the 56nd minute. Then in the 62nd minute, a foul by a Reign player saw Sarah Killion bury a PK to level the game. Seattle Reign goalkeeper, Haley Kopmeyer, who had a player of the week worthy game as well on Saturday, almost stopped the PK taken by Killion.

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City 2 v. Boston Breakers 0

FC Kansas City record: 1-0-0
Boston Breakers record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 3,340

The final game of the first weekend back for the NWSL between FC Kansas City and the Boston Breakers saw the return of Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux to the pitch after maternity leave. Leroux kicked off the party early with her first goal in over a year in the 7th minute. Amy Rodriguez decided she wanted to be part of the goal scoring party too and netted herself one in the 48th minute. Then in the 58th minute, we all held our breath as Rodriguez went down with a non-contact injury and was stretchered off shortly after. Official confirmation has not been given but it was reported to be the left leg which was then immobilized with a brace.

The weekend ended with the Dash, Thorns, Courage, and FCKC all taking home 3 points, while Sky Blue and the Reign each left with a point. Held winless and pointless in the first weekend were the Red Stars, Pride, Spirit, and Breakers.

The Scouting Report:

The Scouting Report went live last night with the first official NWSL weekly TSR recap of all NWSL games from the weekend. Make sure to tune in every Monday at 8pm EST to catch our weekly series!

You can find last night’s TSR here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench!

The Unused Sub: And So It Begins

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Unused Sub is a weekly musings piece by Jacob Cristobal because he has fooled the world into thinking he has valuable opinions about soccer. So yeah.

You may remember me from being a contributor to Sounder At Heart’s Ride of the Valkyries. When I was asked to be a part of Backline Soccer, I thought it was a confirmation of the power of the bribe. If it’s worked for FIFA all these years, then why not for a women’s soccer blog? The next thought was, “Oh cool, I get to drop more silly thoughts about soccer because that’s what this world needs right? Another dude with opinions about soccer.” Alas here we are and once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more. I share the same amount of excitement that everyone else has. Who knows what this season will bring us, but surely there will be highlights and low lights or shall we say the preferred nomenclature, FURTlights.

WE ARE IN YEAR FIVE AND WE SHOULD ALL BE FEELING FINE
My experience in covering women’s soccer only goes as long as the NWSL has existed. I know plenty of others were here for the WUSA and WPS days and viewed last season as uncharted waters being the previous two leagues didn’t have a fourth season. However it was an exciting uncharted waters, because we knew there was a fourth season. Now we are entering a fifth season and with plenty of excitement now that the league has a full and proper TV deal. This partnership with A+E Networks with a NWSL Game of the Week being on Lifetime every Saturday is exactly what the NWSL needed. I’m of the belief that “if it’s on TV, people will watch.” And it’s not just a one and done. A+E invested in the league for multiple years and one can assume, considerable money on the table. For a league very much in its infancy, this is exactly what it needed. The idea of the NWSL celebrating a 10th year I think is no longer a pipe dream and its foundation is being made.

ABOUT THAT FOUNDATION – NO ONE SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY WORK
Yes the road to today’s announcement of the streaming platform was dumb and ugly but it shouldn’t be viewed as a deal breaker like some insinuations would have you think with the tone of their screaming from the hills. I have no idea how those meetings went when it came to finding a vendor, nor working out the logistics of the rollout and quality assurance. I can only safely assume that it wasn’t easy. Things take time. Could the league have been more transparent with that and say something to the effect? Possibly, but it could easily open up follow-up questions from the incredibly impatient. It’s easy to say should have, could have, would have, etc but I’d like to think the radio silence wasn’t intentional. Let’s not go Tin Foil Hat County (too much salt in the food, let’s be real) and weave a thread that the league is messing up on purpose because they want to make life harder for themselves and all parties interested in the growth of women’s soccer. The NWSL is entering it’s fifth year, still a lil’ one. Yes we live in a 24/7 world, but it’s not like it’s eradicated growing pains. We will see how the go90 streaming platform goes this weekend. Knock on wood it all goes smooth whether you’re a Sky Blue fan watching from New Jersey or a Houston Dash fan tuning in from England. And if there are problems, let’s have faith in the people behind the scenes on making the necessary fixes so week 2 of the 2017 NWSL season goes without a hitch as far as streaming a match.

BOSTON WILL BE BETTER AND NO I AM NOT HIGH
For the past two seasons, the Boston Breakers finished last in the league standings. This season I think they break that dubious streak. A full offseason and better college draft later and I think Matt Beard has identified his core players and how everything in the NWSL works. While I don’t think Boston is a playoff contender this year, I think they will do enough that they can influence the playoff picture. I think one NWSL team’s playoff hopes will be thwarted because of the Boston Breakers this season. Matt Beard’s squad will show growth on the field, likely led by NWSL Rookie of the Year contende Rose LaVelle and make considerable noise that come the 2018, this could be a dark horse pick of a playoff contender. Again, I am not under the influence of any narcotic at the time of writing this.

PAUL RILEY WILL GET TOSSED BECAUSE LIFE IS RICH LIKE THAT
The only question is, will it be because he twerked into the fourth official like last year in Orlando? WELL HOLY CRAP, THE NWSL IS A VENGEFUL GOD AND TOLD RILEY TO SIT DOWN FOR THE FIRST TWO GAMES of the season because of his tomfoolery in the playoffs last year. That said, I don’t think this will be the only time Paul gets a time out. I will never get tired of a twerking Paul Riley.

A NEW AMERICAN HEROINE WILL RISE & JILL ELLIS WILL NOTICE, ACTUALLY PLAY HER
If you were to tell me that say Beverly Yanez, Haley Kopmeyer, Sofia Huerta, or a Katie Naughton could have a banner 2017 for their respective NWSL club that US national team head coach Jill Ellis gives them a call-up, I would not be surprised. Any of these could do something special in 2017. Now would Ellis actually give them minutes in an international match is another topic of discussion for another time.

FURT WILL LIVE FOREVER & ALWAYS…
However I think with a new season there should be some new inside joke terminology to describe some schadenfreude. Not necessarily a word made up because of some hilarious coloring of half a word for a snazzy banner image, but maybe we bring back a word into popularity. I’m borrowing a word from a friend across the pond (hi Kieran Theivam) and going with gazump.

PREDICTIONS, SCHMEDICTIONS
The NWSL Media Association asked all members to fill out a poll as to where the teams will finish this season. At the risk of exposing myself to ridicule, I’ll share with you how I filled out the poll. Keep in mind this is where I think teams will be at the end of the regular season. Ask me about predicting the NWSL Playoffs when the field is set and then ridicule me for getting those wrong too.

  1. Chicago Red Stars
  2. Portland Thorns FC
  3. Sky Blue FC
  4. Seattle Reign FC
  5. Orlando Pride
  6. North Carolina Courage
  7. FC Kansas City
  8. Boston Breakers
  9. Houston Dash
  10. Washington Spirit

And with that, cheers to the new season ahead, try not to be Mad Online too much about your team, and remember salt kills snails & slugs. So unless you got some major beef with them, don’t be a monster and just pour salt on them for kicks.

Got a question, a reaction, something to say? Yes, I’m serious, @ me on Twitter: @jacobcristobal. Me answering a question or two only helps the word count in future posts and it’d be fun to answer them.

6 Takeaways From NWSL Week One

Posted on by RJ Allen

The first week of NWSL Season 5 is now complete, and life is good because of it. Hopefully your team managed to win in week one, but it is still early if your team fell in defeat (or a draw, shoutout to Sky Blue and Seattle fans). A lot of good came out of the first week with only a smattering of bad, so here are a few of our takeaways as we head into the second week.

The Thorns Mostly Sharp in Rose City – Luis Hernandez

The historic first nationally broadcast regular season NWSL game on Lifetime, saw the Portland Thorns cruise to victory in front of the Portland faithful over the Orlando Pride keeping its record of opening day wins perfect (5-0-0). Nadia Nadim converted from the spot after an uncharacteristic handball in the box from Pride defender Alanna Kennedy in 32nd minute and Christine Sinclair finished an Allie Long pass in the 67th minute to finish the scoring for the day.

The only worry Portland needs to settle down is the erratic play of Adrianna Franch who would have been made to pay by a better organized attack instead of the second year Pride. Franch stats would make her a lock in goal to replace the departing Michelle Betos; however, she displayed poor decision-making, and unspectacular distribution. Franch even fouled Chioma Ubogagu just outside the box in the 42nd minute. The Thorns managed to keep a clean sheet but if the team wants to bring the NWSL championship back to the Rose City. Franch can’t play as poorly as the first match. Britt Eckerstrom might see time sooner rather than later.

The League Pulls Off Television Broadcast and Match Streaming Mostly – Luis Hernandez

Within the first few moments of the go90 app streaming the first match of the season with the Houston Dash hosting the Chicago Red Stars, the production value dwarfed whatever was on YouTube from season’s past. Matches were available for replay fairly quickly on go90. Despite the commercial issues during Sunday’s game, all seemed pretty well. Unless you were an international fan using the NWSL website, in which case, we are sorry.

We all figured it wasn’t all going to go off without a hitch, but after all the Saturday matches were done, the league should be given credit the accomplishment of making most NWSL fans happy by producing on the statements made. The Lifetime broadcast was even more impressive. The broadcast teams provided an air of legitimacy. The inclusion of Julie Foudy with Dalen Cuff worked. Additionally, Jenn Hildreth working with Aly Wagner provided an entertaining and professional experience. Granted, I’m still waiting for the Lifetime replay, and there will always be a vocal group of negative experience, but the broadcast didn’t suck and the streams were clear. Nice job.

Labbé Saves the Day in Washington, Well Almost. – Jordan Small

Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the North Carolina Courage was not the ideal start for the Washington Spirit. In the first half alone, the Spirit conceded a goal to the courage and also lost two starters to injury. The one positive light in the game was the play of Canadian international Stephanie Labbé in net.

Labbé’s play in the back not only saved the Spirit from a disastrous opening weekend, but also proved that she was already in top form. North Carolina had 21 shots, 9 of which ended up on frame, but only one goal to show for it. It seemed as if every save that Labbé racked up was one for the highlight reel. There are many things that the Spirit must address heading into week 2 when they face Orlando, but the goalkeeping situation is not one of those.

Two Key Additions Make NC Courage Even Better – Jordan Small

With very little change in the lineup that won the 2016 NWSL Championship game as the Western New York Flash, it was not a surprise to see the North Carolina Courage come out firing on all cylinders. Two key offseason additions solidified a lineup that looks to bring the relocated franchise to the playoffs for the second consecutive years.

Brazilian midfielder Debinha came in to an already solid Courage midfield and made it even better. Her ability to create scoring chances and her strong presence on the ball made her a force to be reckoned with in the opening weekend match. The Courage also brought in Japanese centerback Yuri Kawamura to fill in for the departed Alanna Kennedy. With Kawamura adding a stable presence in the middle of the backline, leftback Jaelene Hinkle was more free to get up and down the outside flank. Both of these additions sured up a very good Courage lineup.

Haley Kopmeyer Is Good at Goalkeeping – Leigh Nieves

In a game where Seattle most likely should not have gained a point, the Reign’s keeper kept their squad above water in a match against a threatening Sky Blue FC. Seattle’s defensive line was no match for the attack of Sam Kerr & Co. and Kopmeyer ended up with 8 impressive saves by the end of the game.

Though it could be blamed on lack of playing time with the team from a few starters in the off season, it is troubling that the Reign is back to opening their season without a win at Memorial Stadium. On the other hand, it’s very encouraging to see such a strong showing from a Sky Blue team that has struggled in the past with having a relative mediocre season. It seems like moving Kelley O’Hara up in your formation to help lead on the attack actually can help your squad.

Leroux Makes a Comeback – Leigh Nieves

FCKC met the Boston Breakers for the final game of Week 1 on Sunday and walked away with a 2-0 win with goals from Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez. Despite Amy Rodriguez’s injury casting a rather dark shadow on the game, it was wonderful to see Sydney Leroux back in full form. Leroux not only scored a beautiful goal with a clinical finish early in the first half, but also could have bagged two more had it not been for the crossbar.

With the return of Syd the Kid and a solid showing from rookie Christina Gibbons, FC Kansas City seems to be on track to make a decent impression within the league this season. Even some outstanding footwork from Boston’s Rose Lavelle couldn’t stop the Blues from getting 3 points and a shutout. Now we can only hope that A-Rod makes a speedy recovery and can help with their run.

These are the things that stood out to us from week one in the NWSL. What stood out to you? Was there something we missed? Leave a comment below for your takeaways.

To Playoffs & Beyond? 2017 Houston Dash Preview

Posted on by RJ Allen

2016 Record: 6-10-4, 8th Place.

Coach: Randy Waldrum

Since joining the league in 2014, the Houston Dash have always had potential. For an expansion team, the first couple of seasons are more or less expected to be rough, but by 2016 (my first full-year as an NWSL and Dash fan) it seemed like the pieces were finally falling into place. They had filled holes in the defense and a stagnant attack, drafting or acquiring a host of dynamic forwards in Rachel Daly, Chioma Ubogagu, and Janine Beckie. They had Becca Moros and Ellie Brush anchoring a backline that also included the dangerous Poliana and Allysha Chapman on the wings. The midfield was to be anchored by Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd, who was finally training with the team ….

It was a dream off-season and Dash fans had every reason to be optimistic.

The Dash even started the season strong solidifying a 4-4-2 system that fit the personnel and gathered a good core of young players that seemed to have a chemistry together that previous rosters lacked. For a brief, shining moment the team was even on the top of the table (in Week One), and Dash fans looked at each other, and wondered, “is this real life?”

It wasn’t.

Injuries to Lloyd and Brian, international duty for seven of their players during the Olympics, and a let down of some of the players (like Ubogagu, Moros, and Brush) who failed to deliver on their promised potential left the Dash in a hole by the middle of the season that was impossible to climb back out of, even when Kealia Ohai went on her scoring tear in the last 10 games.

Now, looking ahead to the 2017 season the Dash have once again lost some key players–though not nearly as many as the last off-season–and signed some really exciting new pieces that they hope will provide a spark to propel them into a truly competitive position, and even a shot at the playoffs. Will 2017 be the year of the Dash? I have a couple of reasons to be optimistic that it will be.

 

Continuity Helps

One of the first pieces of news to come out of the off-season was that a huge chunk of core roster pieces were re-signed for the 2017 season. According to the press release, the Dash exercised second-year contract options on a large number of players, including: forwards Rachel Daly, Melissa Henderson, and Kealia Ohai; midfielders Amber Brooks, Caity Heap, and Denise O’Sullivan; defenders Poliana, Cami Privett, and Cari Roccaro; as well as goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Houston also offered new contracts to Andressa (M), and Stephanie Ochs (D). The Dash also have several players allocated by the Canadian and US Soccer federations returning to the pitch this year, as Morgan Brian, Janine Beckie, and Carli Lloyd (sort of–more on that later) will each don the team’s bright orange kits once again.

The biggest takeaway from that long list of names is that with such a significant number of players returning, the team can continue to build on the flow and communication they had finally established by the end of the 2016 season. Considering the team’s post-Rio performance was basically the polar opposite of the first half of the season, the potential for them to come out strong and persist throughout the season is definitely real.

Additionally, the Dash may be one of the teams that will benefit most from having no major international tournaments in the middle of the season. The Olympics were particularly rough, with over half the starting lineup out for the month leading up to Olympics (Williams for Australia, Beckie and Chapman for Canada, Poliana and Andressa for Brazil, and Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd for the US). By contrast, the Euros will have no impact on the lineup. Instead, they will have a chance to build on the chemistry that was established last season. I am especially excited to see many of the young players brought in last year grow together and start to gel.

 

New Signings & Draft Picks

The Dash also added a number of big names in the off-season, with both international players and draft picks. While the draft class for the Dash was small, with only three picks overall, Randy Waldrum and the team used those three picks to their advantage, acquiring the rights to Jane Campbell (GK), and Erin Smith (D).

Campbell has been in the US National Team conversation since she was 17–an impressive feat during the years of Hope Solo’s dominance when very few goalkeepers were even in consideration, much less called up for a look. She has been considered the future of National Team goalkeeping and has been consistently called up to train with Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride) and Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) in the camps after the Olympics when more spots opened up in the GK conversation for the US. In her career at Stanford, she was outstanding, with NCAA reported that by the end of her career, Campbell came in “first in goalkeeping minutes with 7,233, fourth in saves with 208, tied for second in shutouts with 34 and fifth in goals against average with a .66 per game.” She is more than capable as a backup to Australian international Lydia Williams.

There is some speculation that Campbell’s current position on the National Team will put pressure on Waldrum to start her over Williams. I honestly do not think that Waldrum would do that to Williams. Williams is one of the top international goalkeepers, and she has plenty of league experience – both in the NWSL and the W-League. While Campbell was a top-rated college player and has trained with the USWNT (getting her first cap and 15 minutes of play against Russia), she is still a rookie in the league. She doesn’t have the international experience. There is no reason, from a club perspective, to start her over Williams. She will still develop by training with one of the best keepers in the world. 

As far as new international players go, the Dash have acquired Janine van Wyk (D, South Africa) and Bruna Benites (D, Brazil), as well as American defender Claire Falknor who played for Germany’s Bayern Munich in 2016 after graduating from the University of Florida in 2015.  Van Wyk is perhaps the biggest name on this list last year July’s friendly pitted her South African side against the USWNT for the first time. In that match, Banyana Banyana held the powerful US team to only one goal, a feat that was led by van Wyk in her role as center defender and captain. She used that opportunity to display her skills to her advantage, revealing when she signed with the Dash that the process to bring her to Houston had started almost as soon as she stepped off the field from that display of defensive dominance.

It seems safe to assume that Houston is trying to fix some major holes that appeared in the defense, particularly in the late minutes of matches. Last year, despite moving past their scoring drought in definitive form, they couldn’t hold leads in the late minutes. This was a combination of their center backs slowing down late in the game, a lack of communication and chemistry with substitutes, and a tendency to watch the ball. This year, with the exception of Prince, all of their draft picks and signings have been focused on adding depth to the defense and hopefully building a backline that will be able to stay solid for a full 90 minutes. There is better communication between the backline, largely because of van Wyk’s experience, and the overall fitness of the line is improved, but their depth is still worrisome. If anyone gets injured, it may be another scramble requiring midfielders to be converted in a week’s time (as with Cami Privett last season).

 

Can Ohai Continue to Dominate?

One overwhelmingly bright spot of the second half of 2016 was Kealia Ohai’s scoring spree. She scored 11 goals in ten games and racked up four assists on the season, coming in second to Lynn Williams (WNY Flash) in the Golden Boot competition, who won with 11 goals, five assists.

Ohai also grew into her role as captain last season. After starting the year off as co-captain with Lloyd, she assumed sole possession of the armband after the National Team player’s early-season injury and extended international duty. She led the Dash out of the scoring drought and established herself as an offensive threat. Her late-season display earned her a call-up to the USWNT in October, which resulted in her first cap against Switzerland and a stunningly fast goal, 48 seconds after she stepped on the pitch.

However, Ohai has always struggled with consistency. She was one of the players who contributed (or rather, didn’t) to the scoring drought, and her numbers over the 2014-2015 seasons were not spectacular. It seemed she had turned over a new leaf at the end of 2016 that turned her into one of the top names in the league, but her preseason has been quiet and frustrating. The question Houston needs her to answer is whether she can continue her club dominance and effectively lead the team to bigger and better things in 2017.  I believe that she can. Over the past couple of years, she has shown that she can withstand tough times and come out stronger on the other side. While she was part of the scoring drought, it was also her leadership that helped lead them back into attacking dominance in the second half.

 

Life Without Lloyd

Finally, the question every Dash fan always seems to be asking: What about Carli Lloyd? Traded to the Dash in the 2014 offseason, Lloyd’s a player from whom great things are expected, no matter where she’s playing, and having her in Dash orange seems like it should spell great things for the club. The problem is that she is often just a name on the roster–not on the field–leaving fans to wonder if she will ever fully dedicate herself to the club.

Her play for the Dash in 2015 was hampered not only by the World Cup in Canada, but by the sheer amount of media she was expected to do in her role as World Cup Final Hero. In 2016, it was an injury and then the lead up to the Olympics (and an extended vacation after the end of the US Olympic run for recovery) that hampered her appearances on the pitch for Houston. For those who wondered if she would finally start to take her commitment to her NWSL team seriously in 2017, Lloyd once again seemed to defer, announcing that she had signed with Manchester City Women in the FAWSL as they compete in the UEFA Women’s Champion’s League tournament, on a contract that lasts until July 1st of this year.

This leaves two questions for Houston:

  1. What will they do without her for the first half of the season?
  2. Will she actually come back?

As to the former, I think that Houston will be just fine – and perhaps even better – without Lloyd on the field. Yes, Lloyd is dominant. Yes, she is an accomplished goal scorer, a top attacking midfielder, and the reigning two-time FIFA Player of the Year. However, Lloyd plays best in a system that is built entirely around her and her playing style. This is true with the National Team and it is true with her club teams. At the very least, she needs to know and be comfortable with the players on the field with her. Her extended absences have made any kind of on-field chemistry nearly impossible to establish with Houston. And it is difficult for a coach to train a team to be successful in two very systems, one for when Lloyd is there, and one for when she’s not.

The answer to the second question is little more than speculation. Based on her previous attitude towards the team–from her obvious disappointment at being traded to the Dash, to her choice to stay in New Jersey with her trainer while rehabbing in 2016 instead of remaining in Houston and with the Dash community–I really don’t think Lloyd wants to be on the Dash. Granted, players do not “technically” have control over the teams they play for. But NWSL fans know that if a big name National Team player wants to be somewhere, chances are they will end up there eventually (see: Alex Morgan’s move to the Orlando Pride, and Sydney LeRoux’s trade to FCKC). It’s entirely possible that she will lean on the front offices and USSF and make her move sooner, rather than later. Tellingly, the Dash have stopped including her in any marketing for the upcoming season, or even mentioning her in press releases about NT call-ups. Whether that’s because her rights are technically owned by Manchester City until July or not, it seems that Lloyd, in trying to find any way to not be in Houston, may have finally fallen out of Houston’s good graces.

 

Can Morgan Brian Stay Healthy?

Morgan Brian is another piece of the puzzle with a question mark currently. She’s been training with the team but has not played in preseason matches because of a knee injury. This week, the USWNT announced that she had been ruled out of the upcoming camp and friendlies because of that injury.

Brian has the potential to be a key piece in the midfield in both the attacking and defending roles. She has better chemistry on and off the field with her teammates and seems committed to making it work with Houston. When she’s there and healthy, she makes a distinct difference in the flow of the game and offensive presence, showing why she was a top draft pick in 2015. However, she has struggled with injuries off and on since the 2015 World Cup. This knee is only the most recent. Can Brian stay healthy, or will the Dash have to rely on Brooks and O’Sullivan in those roles?

 

Predictions

Going from their preseason play (some of which I’ve had the privilege of seeing in person), the Dash are raring to go the year. Their intensity is up across the field, their communication is vastly improved both within and between their lines. They are keeping their shape much better, and finding plenty of opportunities behind the lines with the combined speed of Daly, Beckie, and especially Ohai up top.

However, there are a few questions that will take regular season play to totally answer:

  1. How fast can their new defense gel? With a mostly new cast of characters, the Dash will live or die based on how well they handle the inevitable moments of miscommunication and move past them. Will they be able to finally defend for 90 minutes?
  2. Can their offense turn it on? Last season, the problem was with the offense for much of the first half. Their preseason games have shown no great offensive force, but they have shown a team who knows how to get the job done. Fans can hope this continues through the season.

As a fan, I am eager to see the Dash in 2017 as they develop their young talent and bring in veteran leadership from a larger international pool to solidify their defensive line. I really think that they have the potential to slot all the pieces together and turn into a true competitor for the top spots on the table.

It is going to be a great year to #DashOn!

2017 Houston Dash Roster

Goalkeepers (2): Jane Campbell, Lydia Williams

Defenders (6): Bruna Benites(INTL-BRA), Claire Falknor, Cami Privett, Poliana(INTL-BRA), Cari Roccaro, Janine Van Wyk (INTL-RSA),

Midfielders (6): Andressa (INTL-BRA), Morgan Brian (FED-USA), Amber Brooks, Caity Heap, Carli Lloyd (FED-USA, OOM), Denise O’Sullivan (INTL-IRE),

Forwards (7): Janine Beckie (FED-CAN), Rachel Daly (INTL-ENG), Sarah Hagen, Melissa Henderson, Kealia Ohai, Nichelle Prince (FED-CAN), Stephanie Ochs

Predicting the Pride: Year Two Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

GOALKEEPERS

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

 

DEFENDERS

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

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

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

 

MIDFIELDERS

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

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

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

 

FORWARDS

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

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

 

THE MARTA FACTOR

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

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

 

FORMATION

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

 

PREDICTION

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

 

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

2017 Orlando Pride Roster

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

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

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

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

NWSL Announces Streaming Partnership with go90

Posted on by RJ Allen

After what seems like forever, and with mere days until the opening match, the NWSL has announced that go90 will stream all non-televised games this year.

According to the Seattle Reign’s post regarding the news:

A fully ad-supported, mobile streaming service, go90 will feature 98 NWSL games accessible via live and on-demand streaming for the 2017 season. To access, visit go90.com or simply download the go90 app via the App Store or Google Play. Users with go90 version 3.0 and later can cast live games from the go90 app to Airplay and Chromecast. No registration or authentication is required.

The release today assured eager fans that the broadcasts would be high quality, with long-time Olympic broadcaster Michael Cohen serving as the digital broadcast executive producer.

According to yesterday’s conference call with NWSL leadership, and confirmed in today’s press release, games will be available to international audiences on the NWSL website or iOS app.
To summarize, fans will have all sorts of options for catching games this season.

US Audiences: 

  • Saturday Pre-Game show and Game of the Week:  Lifetime channel, mylifetime.com, Lifetime Apps
  • Non-Televised games: go90

International Audiences:

  • Saturday Game of the Week: NWSL website, NWSL app 
  • Non-Televised games:  NWSL website, NWSL app

They’re Gonna be Good, Just Trust Me: A Look at Sky Blue FC in 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sky Blue FC was a study in contradictions in 2016. They came out with a big win over the Seattle Reign at Memorial Stadium before a series of draws and losses that left them 2-3-2 by the end of May. Finishing in 7th place with a record of 7-8-5was obviously not what the team had in mind on opening day in 2016. But the team was able to grow during their first year under Head Coach Christy Holly in a way that flies partly under the radar given their 7th place finish. Add in some strong draft picks in the 2017 draft and the fifth season is pretty positive for the New Jersey team.

The Attack

The Sky Blue attack underwent some key upgrades during the off-season. First, Sky Blue welcomes midfielder Daphne Corboz back to their team after a stint in England where she played for Manchester City Women. The Georgetown Hoya was a top attacking player in college and actually drafted by SBFC in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. After gaining considerable experience in England, Corboz could be in for a big season as she makes her NWSL debut.

In a move some fans have been dying to see, US National Team defender Kelley O’Hara is finally being listed at forward on the Sky Blue roster. A top-scorer at Stanford, O’Hara will be able to step in and fill gaps in the defense when called upon, but having her attention more focused on the attack in 2017 is a big win for the team. While O’Hara is an accomplished defender, having won an Olympic gold as a starting left back for the USWNT, her talents have always lent themselves more toward the attack. With two first round draft picks added to the defense O’Hara is finally able to be moved higher up the pitch.

Then there’s Raquel Rodriguez, the sophomore star fresh off her 2016 NWSL Rookie of the Year award, who has the benefit of a full season under her belt. The young midfielder and Costa Rican international’s experience, both in the league and in international play, can only benefit the New Jersey team that came in closer to the bottom than anyone should be comfortable with. During the last international break before the NWSL season kicks off, Rodriguez will be with her national team in Japan. If the Japan WNT isn’t a great warm up for the NWSL season, I’m not sure what is. Her ability to keep on her feet and not be pushed off the ball is something from 2016 I am hoping to see improved in 2017. Some of that is adapting from a college game to the pros. If she can improve upon her 2016 play she could be a staple in the midfield for seasons to come. 

Perhaps the biggest element in Sky Blue’s 2017 attacking side is a healthy Sam Kerr. After the season Kerr had in the W-League during the NWSL’s off-season, it isn’t hard to see why she is regarded as one of the best forwards in the world with the ability to score from nearly anywhere and a fearless approach to taking shots. Her time in the W-League showed that she is finally fully fit and healthy after some foot issues over the last year or so, something that should strike fear into the hearts of defenders all over the NWSL. If she can stay healthy for the season, Kerr will likely be in the running for the NWSL Golden Boot with the way she managed five goals in only nine games while battling back from injury in 2016.

And still, these are just four of the attacking players Holly will have to pick from when putting together his XI. Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Nikki Stanton, Kim DeCesare, Leah Galton, Maya Hayes, and Tasha Kai–when she returns–could all see significant playing time, among others.

The Defense

One of the issues that plagued Sky Blue the most in 2016 was the way they continued to give up easy goals. And their lack of defensive cohesion meant that their attacking play could never quite count on having the breathing room necessary at times to make plays and find the net. 

But this year, Sky Blue’s back five will have a drastically different look. To start, Kristen Grubka is no longer with the team and Kelley O’Hara will be playing as a forward. The two holes will likely be filled with draft picks Mandy Freeman and Kayla Mills. With a backline composed of Mills, Rampone, Freeman, and Skroski, Sky Blue has a much better chance of staying in the game and giving the attack help when needed. 

Both Freeman and Mills won a NCAA title in 2016 with USC before being drafted to Sky Blue. Freeman has the ability to step into the midfield if needed to give Holly some flexibility in terms of depth while Mills is a top defender who is able to get forward when needed and help on the attack. Skroski had a very nice 2016, playing in 20 games and scoring once. I’ve written extensively on Rampone’s ability in the past and expect her to challenge, if not flat out win, NWSL Defender of the Year for 2017. Domi Richardson and Erin Simon will be the likely subs on defense leaving the team a bit thin there, which makes it likely that Holly will need O’Hara to step in if injuries happen. But on paper, the backline seems primed for success this year. The only question there seems to be how thin they are if the injury bug hits. 

The goalkeeping situation looks better in 2017 than it did in 2016. Kailen Sheridan, a Canadian international, was drafted by the team and made a Federation player, while Caroline Casey is back with the team for her sophomore season. Additionally, Caroline Stanley is no longer with the team.

In my estimation, Sheridan will win the goalkeeper battle. Sheridan has some limited international experience with Canada and has demonstrated good technique and solid skill both at the international level and the collegiate level, where she played for Clemson. Honestly, she gives Sky Blue what might be their best option since Brittany Cameron left after 2015. Casey, while serving as the backup so far this preseason, looks to have improved over her 2016 form. I don’t expect the goalkeeping fight to be a long one but for the first few games, there might be a little back and forth between the two keepers.

The Intangibles

Though admittedly biased, someone who follows the team as closely as Jen Muller – one of the leaders of Sky Blue’s Cloud 9 supporter group – has noticed a change from 2016 to 2017:

“I’m much more optimistic at this point as opposed to this time last year. With a full year under his belt, Holly has been able to continue the culture shift in and around the club. It’s obviously still a young team and there are some question marks, but the veteran leadership of Christie and Kelley combined with the talent that’s returning (plus off-season pickup Corboz) and a strong draft class, I think they have a legitimate shot at making a run for a playoff spot.”

Sky Blue is a team trying to build a brand new culture into their franchise. And while there is no statistic that can measure heart, no metric that can quantify how willing a player is to play for the person next to them, Coach Christy Holly is using his own measures to find a team that looks to leave nothing on the pitch and rallies around a sense of pride in each other’s accomplishments.

It’s hard to predict where SBFC will land come the end of the season this year. Harder than most because while they had turn over, they didn’t add or lose a ton of players. Additionally, the players they kept have suffered from cold streaks in the past. They could click and take off, landing themselves in the playoffs and shocking those who have decidedly lackluster expectations. Or they could persist as they have for the last few seasons, good but not great, able to hang with better-placed teams to a point but giving up a goal or two due to unforced errors and mental lapses.

For all the question marks with the team, for all the doubts as you might have and the team’s history of consistent effort that just quite misses the final mark, I only have one thing left to say.

They’re gonna be good, just trust me.

2017 Sky Blue FC

GOALKEEPERS (2): Caroline Casey, Kailen Sheridan (FED-CAN)

DEFENDERS (6): Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Christie Rampone, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski

MIDFIELDERS (6): Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez (INTL-CRC), Nikki Stanton, Madison Tiernan

FORWARDS (7): Kim DeCesare, Leah Galton (INTL-ENG), Maya Hayes, Tasha Kai (OOM, D45), Sam Kerr (INTL-AUS), McKenzie Meehan, Kelley O’Hara (FED-USA)

Will the Stars Align for FCKC in 2017?

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

Departures:

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

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

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

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

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

 

Additions:

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

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

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

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

 

Not So Bright in 2016:

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

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

 

The Veterans Return:

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Groom’s The Way:

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

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

2017 FC Kansas City Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart, Cat Parkhill

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

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

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

The Breakers Look to Make Wa…. Create a Significant Impression

Posted on by RJ Allen

With just a week to go until the start of the 2017 NWSL season, it’s time to meet the Boston Breakers. If you saw the Breakers play in 2016, the blue kit will look familiar, but most of the women wearing it will not. No more than eight players will return, and that number may drop even lower this week. Since last year’s squad struggled to find a way to win, the roster turnover was expected and necessary. The new-look team may take some time to coalesce, but they’ve looked sharp and dangerous in training. Jump on the bandwagon now, because this side is going to (no, I will not write “make waves” here) move up the table this season.

 

Best Laid Plans

Coach Matt Beard struggled last year to field a unit that could consistently play as a whole. His attack would look good, but the defense would surrender silly goals. The midfield would control the game, but his forwards couldn’t find the net. He played his exciting rookie keeper only to have her shred her knee in her second appearance. His first choice netminder Libby Stout, who he’d imported from his Liverpool Ladies squad, was injured off and on for much of the year, requiring him to sign an emergency option to play half the year. By the time Natasha Dowie arrived, the year was largely lost and her goal scoring only made one wonder what might have been if she’d been present all season. But with a year under his belt, Beard’s approach in 2017 looks to be very different.

 

Zero Non-Roster Invitees

Most teams in the league bring unsigned players into camp to compete for spots. Not this year’s Breakers. Beard hosted only the players he’d recruited, retained or drafted. He’s spent the spring getting players used to their roles and building their rapport with one another. From what I’ve seen in training, the strategy is working. It’s an attack-minded squad, skilled at connecting one-touch passes through the midfield and to the forwards. The defense was intentionally constructed of players Beard rated highly, and though many outside the team have questions about the defensive roster, it would be hard to be much worse than last year. The hope is that any questions about a suspect defense will be answered by out-scoring opponents.

 

Here’s the squad, line by line, at the moment.

Goal:

Abby Smith has recovered from the nasty knee injury suffered last year and looks like a solid number one during the preseason. She’ll initially be backed up by 2017 draft arrival from USC, Sammy Jo Prudhomme, who signed her first pro contract on April 4th. I’d thought that Prudhomme would likely to start the year with the reserve squad, but Libby Stout has been unable to do much in camp this spring due to injury. Stout carried a few injuries in 2016 and despite her history with Beard at Liverpool Ladies, she may end up without one of the initial 20 roster spots when push comes to shove. But, since teams can get roster relief at the GK position for injuries, I don’t expect Stout to be cut. Final rosters will be released on Monday, so we’ll know soon enough.

Defenders:

Boston started Julie King, Whitney Engen, Kassey Kallman, and Mollie Pathman / Brooke Elby across the back for much of the season last year. King is still here, but she’ll have new partners, and possibly a new defensive shape in 2017. I’d expect Canadian Allysha Chapman to start opposite King outside, with Megan Oyster and someone else in the center. This will probably be either Christen Westphal or Amanda Frisbie. But Beard will tinker with this line until something sticks, so it’s possible I know as much as Jon Snow about the Breakers defense: nothing.

Westphal didn’t get much of a chance at CB last year, but spent most of her Florida career there. Beard hasn’t had her spending much time at CB this preseason, so he may move some pieces around and keep her earmarked for the outside. Frisbie has bounced around a bit, but had a good season last year with Stjarnan in Iceland, winning the Úrvalsdeild Championship. She’s been limited in camp with a hip injury, so I’m not sure who to expect to see paired with Oyster for the opener if the team lines up with four across the back.

Other options include returning Breakers Brooke Elby and Kylie Strom. I think Elby has plenty of talent to play outside, but she needs to learn how to take care of her body during a match. She ended up in the hospital once last season, and though I joked with her that she was only permitted one hospitalization per season, she’s first on my list of “players most likely to be involved in a major collision.” Strom earned a roster spot mid-season and filled in well for King when needed. She’s not flashy, but she regularly ran past defenders down the sideline during Friday’s clash with UConn.

Regardless of who is starting, the defense will be the biggest question mark for this team until they settle in and get some results. With Oyster and Chapman on international duty, and Westphal and Frisbie held out of the game on Friday, there were several different personnel groups and positional shapes on display. I suspect Friday’s lineup will look nothing like the one Beard selects for the season opener next weekend.

Midfielders:

Angela Salem will be the only familiar face returning to the Boston midfield from 2016. I expect her to return to her holding role in the middle, distributing to the more attack-minded players. One of those is New Zealand’s Rosie White, who I think will have a monster year in Boston. Though just 23, she’s already earned 84 senior caps for her country, and all that experience has helped her look like a world class pro. She’s been very impressive in training, with slick feet and an intuitive sense for the position and movement of all the players around her.

That bodes well for rookies Rose Lavelle and Morgan Andrews, who may come in and start immediately. Lavelle, of course, is the current “it girl” for the United States Women’s National Team and was selected as an allocated federation player for 2017. She’s got undeniable skill and will be a joy to watch over the season. Andrews is coming off a national championship at USC and always is looking to unleash a strike. She’s from New England and has an infectious positive energy that I expect will make her a fan favorite very quickly.

However, the two rookies may need to take turns. I’d anticipate Matt Beard deploying his former Liverpool Ladies midfielder (and 2012 WPSL Elite Boston Breaker) Amanda DaCosta to combine with Salem in pulling the strings for the attack. During Friday’s UConn match, the two worked very well together, keeping balls away from the defense and supplying well-placed passes forward. Forward is where Beard’s team will be headed at all times, because it’s a very attack-minded roster.

Trust me, this team is going to attack. There were times during the match when only one Breakers field player wasn’t in the attacking half. That may work against UConn, but will be a risky bet against a team with speedy strikers like the Thorns or Courage.

Forwards:

Every forward from the beginning of 2016 is gone, and only late-season arrival Natasha Dowie is back with the team. She’s the only player who stood out on attack last year, showing her teammates how to hit the net just minutes into her first Breakers match. She collected three goals in seven games overall, then continued her form in Australia, netting nine goals in 12 appearances for the Melbourne Victory in the W-League. Dowie is a real deal central striker and should be much more dangerous now that she’ll have help. Some of that help will eventually come from Norwegian winger Emilie Haavi, but she’s recovering from surgical repair of a broken jaw suffered a week ago Friday in training.

Another player returning to Boston after a long period away is Tiffany Weimer, who last donned the blue Breakers kit during the 2010 WPS season. Last year in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, she collected five goals in ten matches for Kvarnsveden. On Friday night, she had several chances and converted two of them, including one header that arrived via Natasha Dowie’s headed cross. Her positioning is exceptional, as she’s seen everything soccer has to offer during her long career. If she’s lost any speed, her movement off the ball makes up for it, and she looked every bit as capable and quick as any of the much younger UConn women on Friday.

Canadian forward Adriana Leon has been on fire during preseason, and may get an early nod up top. If Beard runs a three forward attacking line, she’d be a great option opposite Haavi, who normally attacks from the wide areas. Rookie first-rounders Midge Purce and Ifeoma Onumonu may also benefit from Haavi’s injury to get some early playing time. Both have looked very eager to shoot in camp. Purce saw extensive action against UConn, pouncing on a loose ball and demonstrating her elite pace with a flashing dart up the middle of the pitch to earn a one-on-one with the UConn keeper. The UConn player marking her was sprinting home, but Purce pulled five strides clear of her between the midline and the top of the box. Her mid-stride, upper-corner shot was blocked away with the save of the night. Prior to that, Purce been a tad disconnected, but after the chance, she looked much more comfortable and involved.

Haley Dowd was picked late in the draft by Boston, but I think she’s likely to be the one player in camp to not to win the numbers game. It’s a shame because she brought some good, composed play and showed encouraging signs of her talent in limited action toward the end of the game on Friday night. Hopefully, she’ll be able to stick with the reserve squad and work into the pro team if someone gets injured later in the season.

 

Optimism

It can’t get much worse than last year for Boston, but on paper, this team has the pieces to be dramatically improved. They’ve looked much better this preseason than at points last summer, and have all the pieces to challenge for a playoff berth. They’ll need some help, but I think it’s well within the realm of possibility that they force Lifetime to broadcast a postseason match in Boston after being snubbed (along with the Washington Spirit and FC Kansas City) for a home Game of the Week in 2017. Wouldn’t that be a great story?

2017 Boston Breakers Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Sammy Jo Prudhomme (GKR), Abby Smith, Libby Stout

DEFENDERS (7): Allysha Chapman (FED-CAN), Brooke Elby, Amanda Frisbie, Julie King, Megan Oyster, Kylie Strom, Christen Westphal

MIDFIELDERS (6): Rose Lavelle (FED-USA), Morgan Andrews, Amanda Da Costa, Angela Salem, Tiffany Weimer, Rosie White (INTL-NZL)

FORWARDS (5): Natasha Dowie (INTL-ENG), Emilie Haavi (INTL-NOR), Adriana Leon (INTL-CAN), Ifeoma Onumonu, Margaret Purce

Can The Rose City Blossom Once Again?

Posted on by RJ Allen

The 2017 Portland Thorns will look very similar to last season’s team, and if you’re a Rose City fan, that’s got to be a great feeling. For Portland, three important elements of the NWSL Shield-winning 2016 team are back:  an explosive offense, a core veteran group, and a dominant defense. There’s only really one area of concern–who will stand in goal for the Thorns–but we’ll dive into that below.

The Thorns were lucky this off-season, not having any major holes or weak areas that need addressing, but with a handful of European internationals likely to be called up for the 2017 Euros in July, head coach Mark Parsons had to be strategic in his pick-ups and trades.

Departures:

Michelle Betos (GK) – Left to play professionally in Norway for Valerenga. Being the solid starter for Portland in 2016 and earning NWSL Goalkeeper of the year the season before, Betos will be missed greatly. She was one of the leaders and fan-favorites as well. I’m still not sure how Portland were not able to keep her in a Thorns uniform, she was extremely important to the success this team had. 

McKenzie Berryhill (D) – Selected in the third round of the 2016 draft, Berryhill played in five matches. She was claimed by Orlando City on waivers last August. With such little time on the field, her absence won’t likely make a big impact on the Thorns’ performance this season. 

Maureen Fitzgerald (M), Shade Pratt (D), and Samantha Lofton (D) – These three amateur players called in last June to  help fill in during for National team players Meghan Klingenberg, Allie Long, and Emily Sonnett who were away for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The trio are back on the reserve team to start the 2017 season. 

Jennifer Skogerboe (D) – Portland signed her last June as Mark Parsons realized that she was a versatile player, someone who could play full back, center back, attacking midfielder, and even holding midfield if needed. With so many players on NT duty over the season, this kind of versatility was much needed. Skogerboe appeared in three matches and after the Thorns declined her 2017 contract option, she went on to sign with the South Korean club Suwon FMC. 

Kat Williamson (D) – Williamson spent three years in Portland, winning the 2013 Championship with the Thorns as well as helping win the 2016 Shield, and announced her retirement at the end of last season. The 27-year-old was the club’s first-ever draft selection back in 2013 when they took her eighth overall from the University of Florida. She appeared in 47 matches and had become a reliable player. While it is unfortunate she chose to retire, Portland’s defense is very strong. Still, her experience on the field will be missed.  

 

Additions:

Britt Eckerstrom (GK) – This is the most exciting addition the the Thorns for me. The second-year player was acquired from the North Carolina Courage in a trade that sent two fourth-round picks in the 2018 NWSL College Draft to the newest franchise in the league. Eckerstrom is young and appeared once with her draft team (known at the time as the Western New York Flash), but she has the talent and work ethic to make it in the NWSL. Considering the fact that Adrianna Franch’s play can be questionable at times, I would like to see if Eckerstrom has what it takes to earn the starting spot. This position will be a battle all season long. 

Ashleigh Sykes (F) – It was announced at the beginning of March that Portland had signed Australian forward Sykes. She won the Golden Boot for Canberra in the 2016 season, grabbing 12 goals. Sykes has explosive talent and a serious knack for scoring. She will be another weapon for the Parsons arsenal to be used, and is expected to report in June.

Spread Offense?

Let’s begin with the offense.

Portland scored 35 goals in 2016, second only to the Western New York Flash (now North Carolina Courage), who ended up taking home the NWSL Championship trophy in October.  Good news for the reigning NWSL Shield winners–Portland’s leading scorer in the 2016 season, Danish international Nadia Nadim, will be returning to PDX to cause havoc for the opposition once again.  Nadim will be looking to best the personal record she set last season, netting nine goals in 21 games.

But Nadim certainly wasn’t the only one who found success on Portland’s score sheet last year. Canada’s pioneer Christine Sinclair contributed seven while the Iceland international and NWSL newcomer Dagný Brynjarsdóttir found the back of the net five times. Two Americans rounded out the high scorers, with newcomer Lindsey Horan and longtime Thorn Allie Long each adding six to the Thorn’s total goals.

The most important piece of the offense, though, is midfielder Tobin Heath. Considered a mastermind of tricky foot skills (especially her nutmeg and snake skills), and one of the most intense players on the pitch (although she makes everything look relaxed and effortless), Heath is always up for some one-on-one action. She only managed one goal last season but she was the league leader in assists with 10. What makes it even more impressive is that Heath did that in just 14 games.

Still, in addition to Heath, French star Amandine Henry must also be mentioned here. Henry played just nine games in 2016 for Portland after being acquired from Olympique Lyonnais in March. Hopefully Henry can get healthy and have more of an impact this season, especially now that she’s had successful groin surgery this past November to repair some nagging damage. 

It’s not too outlandish to say that if Henry has a more productive season (and all the other pieces fall into place) Portland could find themselves in the title game. Henry was on the FIFA shortlist for best Women’s Player of the Year in 2016. She has the ability to turn the game around with just one pass, one goal, or one world class play. While Portland have many of the necessary elements to get them to the post-season again this year, Henry was brought to the Rose City for a reason–to win Championships. They were so close last season, they could find themselves in the title game if the French star plays her part. 

 

Plenty of Experience

Every successful team needs a group of veteran players to help guide the mission and vision of the squad, and to share their knowledge and experiences. The core group that has been in Portland since day one consists of Heath, Sinclair, and Long. With a combined 189 appearances for Portland, they have more than committed to this team. Each player comes back every year with one goal in mind-winning the NWSL Championship.

Since winning the NWSL championship back in 2013, these veterans have each been vital to the Thorns becoming one of the most respected teams in the world. They each bring something different to the pitch–Heath distributes the ball very well, while Long and Sinclair have been two of the best finishers since the league began in 2013. 

In what could be considered down years in 2014 and 2015, Portland finished third and sixth respectively. They had players like Alex Morgan and Rachel Van Hollebecke on the roster then, but during that time National Team players were frequently gone for World Cup Qualifying events and eventually the World Cup in 2015. When that happens it is extremely difficult to sustain any kind of the chemistry needed to be successful. 

In 2016 they reached the semifinal game but lost to Western New York in a wild seven-goal overtime thriller at their home pitch, Portland’s Providence Park. Like many fans, I expected them to win and be in the title game, but it wasn’t to be. Heath and Long played a solid game, Sinclair got on the score sheet. But none of that was quite enough. WNYF youth combined with pressure on the Thorns midfield eventually wore down Portland’s attempts moving forward. The Flash offense wouldn’t stop, they kept finding cracks in the Thorns defense and eventually the effort paid off for them. 

So to say that this season those veterans are returning and will be hungry to accomplish even more would be an understatement. That loss in front of 20,086 Rose City faithful surely left a bitter taste in their mouths.

But their veteran depth doesn’t stop with that core. This season Meghan Klingenberg and Nadia Nadim will be returning to play in Portland again. These two players were key in the Thorn’s drive towards the 2016 playoffs. Nadim took fourth in the league in scoring, while Klingenberg helped to anchor the best defense in the league’s historic fourth season. The fact that both will be proudly wearing Thorn colors again this season is welcome news for the fans.

 

A Steady Defense

The 2017 Thorns will be able to boast the return of their strong defensive line, a backline that allowed in just 19 goals in 21 games. Klingenberg, Emily Menges, Emily Sonnett, and Katherine Reynolds led the league in goals against last year, with Chicago and KC close behind with only 20 each.  But the Thorns aren’t just concerned about this year–they’re interested in building for the future, which is why it’s important to note that Sonnett and Menges are just 23 and 24 years, balancing the more veteran players with them on the line (Reynolds and Klingenberg are 29 and 28, respectively) and certainly benefiting from both the experience and the guidance.

Last season was the first these four played together and it was uncertain how (or if) they would pan out. Menges joined the team as the 25th pick at the 2014 draft, and has already become an extremely reliable defender, appearing 59 times, while Sonnett was drafted first overall in the 2016 NWSL College Draft and has a reputation for being very organized on the line. Both work well in tight spaces, using their quickness to get out of trouble. 

Kling and Reynolds have been around a bit longer. Klingenberg, drafted by Houston in the 2014 Expansion Draft, was part of a three-way trade that sent Alex Morgan to Orlando in late 2015, and briefly landed her in Seattle for about a week before being sent to Rose City. Reynolds has been shopped around a little more, playing for WNYF in 2013-2014 before being traded to the Washington Spirit in 2015. But she seems to have found a home in Portland. Kling brings the energy all game and she likes to get involved in the offense as well. Reynolds also is known for getting into the attack, not afraid to take that chance to create a scoring opportunity. Now that this group of players have a year under the belt as a defense, I expect more of the same from these two in 2017

With these four returning to the Thorns backline, I see no reason why they can’t once again be dominating and unforgiving to opposing offenses.

 

Dilemma between the posts?

With the departure of starting goalkeeper Michelle Betos, the Portland Thorns now have to figure out who they can rely on to keep their Goals Against stats low. Adrianna Franch has been with the Thorns just one season after playing for WNYF in 2013 and in Norway for Avaldsnes in 2015. And in this past off-season, Portland landed Britt Eckerstrom from WNYF in exchange for two fourth-round draft picks in the 2018 College Draft.

Franch will have the slight upper hand having played in the league already and with 28 appearances to her name. But 26-year-old has yet to prove she can again be a starting keeper for a whole season, something she hasn’t done since 2013.  In the six games she started for Portland last season Franch earned three shutouts while making 19 saves. How well she performs in pre-season will decide who is the clear front-runner. Even with this small sample size, could Franch live up to her full potential and be the starting keeper for the Thorns? My answer is no. I believe Franch would be better utilized as the back-up. She has not played admirably or consistently since 2013, and I just don’t have that kind of faith in her anymore. 

Meanwhile Eckerstrom is a fresh talent and eager to make an impact. She led Penn State to a DI Championship in 2015, and ended her college career with a .80 goals against average and had an impressive record of 64-14-3. In her brief time with Western New York she made one appearance for the eventual NWSL Champions while showing a .67 goals against average and looked strong as a rookie under Sabrina D’Angelo. Some could say that going with Eckerstrom would be a risk considering she has minimal professional experience but I actually am hoping she wins the job in preseason. I want to see how well she works with this backline when it matters and if she can help fill some of the void that Betos has left.

Considering all of the above, this is a team that is ready to go on paper. But we all know that’s not what it takes to win championships. With this kind of roster I fully expect the Portland Thorns to make the 2017 playoffs.

2017 Portland Thorns Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Britt Eckerstrom, Adrianna Franch

DEFENDERS (5): Kendall Johnson, Meghan Klingenberg (FED-USA), Emily Menges, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett (FED-USA)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Celeste Boureille, Dagny Brynjarsdottir (INTL-ISL), Amandine Henry (INTL-FRA), Lindsey Horan (FED-USA), Allie Long (FED-USA), Mana Shim, Mallory Weber

FORWARDS (6): Tobin Heath (FED-USA), Meg Morris, Nadia Nadim (INTL-DEN), Hayley Raso (INTL-AUS), Christine Sinclair (FP-CAN), Ashleigh Sykes (INTL-AUS, OOM)