Tag: USWNT

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 15

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 15 Game Previews:

After an international break and the Tournament of Nations, the NWSL is back with five matches to kick start the later part of the season. Let’s dive into some thoughts on this weeks games. 

Game 1: Boston Breakers vs. FC Kansas City

Boston Breakers record: 3-7-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 14

FC Kansas City record: 3-7-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 13

The first game back after the international break may be without a few notable players.

For the Breakers, they will most likely be without starting goalkeeper, Abby Smith, and also Margaret Purce. Both players did not see minutes in the Tournament of Nations but with a game the night before across the country, the Breakers will probably not see them in action. This may be ok as Sammy Jo Prudhomme did a fine job filling in for Smith while she was injured. Boston will have some keys to look out for against FCKC but may have the advantage here as FCKC will also be without notable starters. The Breakers have some work to do for the rest of this season but there have been some positives the last few weeks. Hopefully, with Rose Lavelle most likely coming back, that will be the boost they need. 

FC Kansas City will most likely be missing two key components, Becky Sauerbrunn and Sydney Leroux. Both have seen minutes in the Tournament of Nations, with Sauerbrunn playing every minute. This could pose a big problem for an FCKC team that is already struggling to find itself and right the ship as the season progresses. Without these two, FCKC will have to find another person to pair with Shea Groom to create an attacking threat. While Sauerbrunn is not really replaceable, FCKC will have to find someone to pair with Yael Averbuch in the back to stop the Boston attack.

Game 2: Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Spirit

Sky Blue FC record: 7-7-2
Position: 5th
Total Points: 23

Washington Spirit record: 3-8-3
Position: 10th
Total Points: 12

After a crazy almost comeback win against the Reign last week, Sky Blue are hopeful for some more positive news this week. While they are playing the Spirit, who have problems of their own, Sky Blue will be without Sam Kerr and Kelley O’Hara, both key pieces for the team’s success this season. With their defense in a bit of a hard spot with the injury to Mandy Freeman, losing their biggest scoring asset for a game, no matter the opponent, is a problem. Add in Kelley O’Hara, who has played about everywhere but goalkeeper this season, and Sky Blue will need to put some quick pieces together. Sky Blue will be looking to overcome those obstacles and gain crucial points.

The Spirit have been hurting a bit as they sit in last place. Steph Labbé can only do so much with the team she has in front of her. This test against Sky Blue will probably be one of their biggest of the season. Up for grabs is a hopeful chance for the Spirit to get out of last place. They will have Mal Pugh back but on short rest. The Spirit are having issues closing out games. They seem to be struggling in more than just one key place, but mainly, they need to find a way to bolster their attack. Without Franny Ordega currently, and not as much production from Mal Pugh as they would probably like, the Spirit will be hard-pressed to get past a surging Sky Blue even without Kerr and O’Hara. But if they can find a way to exploit the backline of Sky Blue, they may give themselves a solid chance. 

Game 3: Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash

Portland Thorns record: 7-4-4
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 25

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

Portland is still struggling a bit to click together as a team, but somehow are still sitting in third place in the standings. The status of Amandine Henry and Dagny Brynjarsdottir after their Euro’s ousting is not known for these games but they will be without Nadia Nadim. And while Lindsay Horan, Allie Long, and Hayley Raso will be back after the Tournament of Nations, it will be on short rest. The keys for the Thorns this week will be fixing some of their inconsistencies of chemistry together and trying to find a way past a surging Dash team. With players on short rest, they will be relying on their bench to help them through. 

The Dash have quite a few players that participated in the Tournament of Nations. While not all of them are playing, they will be on short rest as well. This includes both keepers, Jane Campbell and Lydia Williams, as well as Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Andressinha, and Bruna Benites. With the hard task of trying to get past Portland on their home turf, they Dash will need to see more activity from Rachel Daly up top as well as the expectation of their defense covering for both keepers on short rest. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Seattle Reign

North Carolina Courage record: 9-5-0
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 27

Seattle Reign record: 6-3-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 24

The Courage did not get to play their last game due to weather interruptions so the team has been out of game time for a bit longer than the Reign. This week, they will see short rest from Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, and Debinha. All but Williams have seen significant minutes in the Tournament of Nations. The Courage will look to get players like Ashley Hatch and Jess McDonald to bolster the attack. But the defense will be the biggest key against a strong Reign attack. 

The Reign will have Megan Rapinoe and Rumi Utsugi back but both will be on short rest. They will also be without Jess Fishlock again, though Larissa Crummer may finally get back in a game for the first time this season. Rapinoe is their biggest attacking asset and while she will most likely be playing, how much she physically can handle will be determined on game day. The Reign will look fot the attack to come from other players on top of Rapinoe to make sure they can get past the Courage. 

Game 5: Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars 

Orlando Pride record: 5-6-4
Position: 7th
Total Points: 19

Chicago Red Stars record: 8-3-4
Position: 1st
Total Points: 28

Coming back from short rest are Marta, Camila, Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger, Alanna Kennedy, and Steph Catley, all starters. All will most likely need to start on Saturday to have a shot to get past the surging Red Stars this week but this will be a game time decision. Orlando’s key this week and really what has been a big problem most of the season is consistency. They have the tools and the training to get past the Red Stars, but the little mistakes have cost them many games this season. The key will be to find a way behind Chicago’s backline, which boasts some of the best defenders in the league. Alex Morgan has only seen two 90′ games for the Pride this season, but with just a touch more from her, the gear should click to begin the surefire connection up top and produce some goals. Additionally, expect Marta to continue her season tear and produce a much-needed bolster in the attack. While needing to find a way to score, the Pride will also need to make sure they can contain Christen Press and prevent needless goals from happening. 

Chicago will also have some key players back from short rest; Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, Casey Short, and Sofia Huerta (who could not play). Chicago has been on a tear and will look to continue their streak and hold onto the top spot. Chicago will work to contain Marta and Alex Morgan to stifle the biggest threats in the Pride attack. They will also need to get Christen Press involved as much as she can, finding pockets in behind the backline and getting on the board early. In their previous contest, Orlando left Chicago and particularly Press plenty of room to move and do what she does best, so if the same space is available again, expect Press to take full advantage. In their last matchup, Orlando was able to run most of their plays through the Chicago midfield as Ertz had not started the game. If she is unable to start against the Pride, they will need to make sure their midfield is up to the task to help out as needed.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR as well as last Friday night with a special TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

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

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V4CdZchpVUU

Backline Soccer: One Year Later

Posted on by RJ Allen

A year ago today, Backline Soccer stepped on to the women’s soccer reporting landscape.

I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t think Backline Soccer would ever make it to one year. The move I made to an independent website, along with some current and some past staff, was made quickly and right before the 2016 Olympics. It was always something we talked about doing but it was never really something we covered the details on.

Until one day it just happened. The site was born as if it burst forward like Athena from Zeus’ head, formed quickly based on the idea, “if not now, when.” Articles were moved over, the podcast was renamed, and the editing and writing staff who knew they could work toward a common goal was reformed under a new name.

I’ve written in detail about how we were formed here, so I won’t rehash the story a second time. Needless to say, when we started, we were a little on the green side.

Over the last year, we have changed staff and changed game plans; changed how we handle breaking news and social media and editing. But at our core, we’re still the same site that emerged a year ago. To quote Chelsey Bush in Introducing Backline Soccer, “Backline Soccer is the perfect place for us to continue to provide insight, analysis, and conversations you can’t find anywhere else.”

It’s not easy starting a site. It’s not easy keeping a site running. We’ve had writers come and go, pieces go out that shouldn’t have, deep internal debates over big questions in the sport, and servers crash. But somehow, even through all of that, we have managed to keep the doors open and the lights on. 

Now it’s time to thank those who have helped me, the site, and often both. 

A giant thank you has to go out to Dan Lauletta. He was one of the first women’s soccer media people I was lucky enough to be able to speak with and over the last year he and I have had many conversations about many things. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t, but I can always bank on learning something new every time we have a conversation. 

To my WoSo Fairy Godmother, Jen Cooper, thank you for all you’ve done for me. From a very long chat in Houston before the final to having me on your podcast to giving a standard for all of us to try for, you have been one of the best people I’ve met along the way. Thank you for everything.

To Susie Rantz, Jason Anderson, Stephanie Yang, all the staff at Sounder At Heart all the rest of the women’s soccer reporters I’ve learned from, debated with, and laughed about the FURT of it all with, thank you for always being up for a chat about the wonders of WoSo. Also thank you to teen wonder kid Caitlin Buckley, for always making me feel old.

To Chelsey Bush and Monica Esenwein, for helping to establish the site and for all of the amazing things we did together. Thank you. Without either of you, the site would never have gotten to see the light of day or been named the way it was. 

To the readers and commenters and TSR viewers, thank you for supporting us and pushing us and sending in questions. Without you, none of this would have lasted a month let alone a year. We hope you stay with us for the future. 

Now to those who make the site what it is. To all the writers, editors, photographers, and social media staff: Thank you. I could not run Backline Soccer without the truly amazing staff I have.

Thank you to Elizabeth Wawrzyniak. Without you this site would not run or look the way it does or be a thing on the internet at all. Thank you so much for all the work you do to keep me sane and make sure everything is prepared before it goes out.

Thank you to Sandra Herrera and  Jacob Cristobal. Without the two of you, there might be only 15 or 20 things posted. It’s your support and ideas and the debates and conversations we have that help me and the site become better all around. 

Thank you to Alanna Fairbairn and Charles Olney for all you do in writing and editing. You both always go the extra mile to make sure things get looked over and edited. And your writing never fails to make me proud.

Thank you to Allison Cary, Berea Jurgensen, Chantelle DeRose, Leigh Nieves, Luis G. Hernandez, Jacqui Porter, Jenn Hayes, Jordan Small ,and Lindsay Schwarz for all the reporting and writing you do. The site needs all of you and I thank you so much for all your ideas, your input, and your words.

Thank you to Adriana Hooper for all of the hard work you put in to make sure things run the way they should. You work hard and it shows. 

Thank you to Alyssa Zajac, Becca Kimble, and Caitlin de Souza for making our social media as fantastic as it is. You all do so much every day and I am so thankful for it.

Thank you to Kelley V Piper, Leanne Keator, and Kat Farris for your wonderful photos that make our site so much better.

The road to one year has not always been smooth. There have been lots of nights where I wasn’t sure the site would still be running by dawn. But somehow we’ve made it to a year. We’ve made it to our first of many years, I hope, and we are only getting stronger. 

Briana Scurry: My ’99 World Cup Hero

Posted on by RJ Allen

July 10, 1999.

A date all long-time fans of women’s soccer have memorized. I was 10 years old, on a family vacation. I sat in my grandparent’s kitchen in their mountain home, the gorgeous views of trees and lake unable to compete with the beauty I saw on screen in front of me. My grandparents could have cared less about soccer – tennis was more their speed – but they knew that I played. My father was starting to get into the sport as well, so there we both sat, glued to their tiny TV in the kitchen (probably so my Grandpa could watch something “worthwhile” on the good TV).

I would like to say that I remember more of the game itself, but 18 years and a lack of understanding of what was really going on at the time will take its toll. YouTube and documentaries have filled in the missing spots in the interim. But what I do remember is sitting in that kitchen, watching that TV, when it went to penalties and I first experienced the absolute agony of watching a penalty shootout progress.

The other thing I remember is being absolutely stunned when Briana Scurry saved China’s third PK. Watching it later as an adult, I laugh because the commentators had just talked about how female keepers weren’t athletic enough to save most shots. As a 10-year-old kid who was just starting to think about goalkeeping as a position I could be interested in, I was entranced. 

I looked at my father and whispered, “do they usually save those?” He shook his head and we watched the rest of the shootout, hearts in our throats until Chastain put the final ball in the back of the net and catapulted the USWNT into American sports mythology. After the game, my dad told me something I’ve remembered for 17 years: “People will say that the girl who scored the last goal is the hero, but that goal wouldn’t have meant anything if the keeper hadn’t saved one before the last kicker ever stepped up to the spot.”

This scene was brought back to me with the announcement today that Briana Scurry has finally been inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. I say finally because most of the other heroes of that tournament, and of the early years of the USWNT have already made it in. Overbeck, Fawcett, Chastain, MacMillan, and Lilly all preceded Scurry in getting on the list. They are all giants of the women’s game, to be sure. But as a former keeper and a lifelong fan of the game, it makes me extremely happy to see Scurry finally get her due.

The 1999 World Cup was certainly not her only heroic moment. She was the #1 for five major tournaments, helped found the first league in which women’s soccer players actually got paid to professionally play the game (even if WUSA was ill-fated), and inspired a short kid playing rec soccer in the Bay Area to check out a position that I had previously never considered.

So when you ask me who my hero was after the final whistle 18 years ago? I will answer Scurry 100% of the time. And she will deserve it 100% of the time.

Congratulations on your induction to history, Briana. Thanks for introducing me to the beauty of goalkeeping.

Quick Facts: Backline Soccer Staff Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

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USWNT v Japan: One Last Chance to Save Face

Posted on by RJ Allen

The USWNT’s final Tournament of Nations match will pit them against a familiar rival on August 3rd: Japan, the #7-ranked team in the world. The match will take place at 10pm ET on August 3 at the StubHub Center in Carson City, CA, where the US last faced Romania in November 2016 and netted an exciting 5-0 win. Fans can catch the game on ESPN2.

The Lineups

Jill Ellis has called up an interesting mix of veteran and new players for the Tournament. While she’s said that GK Alyssa Naeher will start all three matches, it might be nice to get Jane Campbell some minutes in a high-pressure game like this, especially as it seems like she’s being groomed for the #2 spot.

  • Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher, Jane Campbell, Abby Smith
  • Defenders: Becky Sauerbrunn, Ali Krieger, Kelley O’Hara, Julie Ertz, Abby Dahlkemper, Casey Short, Taylor Smith.
  • Midfielders: Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Morgan Brian, Allie Long, Samantha Mewis, Margaret Purce.
  • Forwards: Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Christen Press, Sydney Leroux, Mallory Pugh, Lindsey Horan, Lynn Williams.

Players who were not called up due to injury or other reasons include: Tobin Heath (back), Meghan Klingenberg (other), Rose Lavelle (hamstring), Ashlyn Harris (quadriceps).

Japan is a little bit of an unknown entity right now, which could work in the US’s favor as easily as it could work against them. They had a rough 2016, losing several long-term players and failing to qualify for the Olympics. But Coach Asako Takakura (hired in 2016) is confident in her team, especially in the four players who could potentially earn their first cap in this tournament: GK Saitoh, DF Sakamoto, MF Haji, and FW Tomari. “This time,” she said, “I want the matches to have two different main things: broaden the team’s capacity and improving the team’s strengths.” If Japan manages to succeed, they’ll be a formidable opponent, for sure.

  • Goalkeepers: Ayaka Saitoh, Sakiko Ikeda, Ayaka Yamashita
  • Defenders: Aya Sameshima, Miho Manya, Riho Sakamoto, Hikari Takagi, Ayumi Oya, Hikaru Kitagawa, Nana Ichise
  • Midfielders: Mizuho Sakaguchi, Madoka Haji, Rumi Utsugi, Emi Nakajima, Hikaru Naomoto, Yu Nakasato, Rin Sumida, Yui Hasegawa
  • Forwards: Shiho Tomari, Yuika Sugasawa, Kumi Yokoyama, Mina Tanaka, Yuka Momiki

Notable players out due to injury: Kaede Nakamura

The History

In the past five years, Japan has played a major role in the US’s drive for excellence, facing them in three major tournament finals: 2011’s WWC in Germany, 2012’s Summer Olympics in London, and the unforgettable 2015 WWC final in Canada, where Carli Lloyd dashed Japanese hopes of back-to-back World Cup victories in just sixteen short minutes. Overall, the US is 26-1-7 against Nadeshiko Japan and has scored 97 goals to Japan’s 25 against them. 

The last time the US played the Japanese women was in June 2016, as they geared up for Rio. The Japanese did not qualify for the tournament but traveled to the United States for two summer friendlies in the last month before the US team headed down to Brazil. It was the first time they’d played each other since the WWC final in 2015, and Japan was eager to show that their absence from the Olympics was a fluke, and not due to a talent vacuum in the wake of several retirements. The teams drew 3-3 in the first of two friendlies, but just three days later in Cleveland, OH, the USWNT defeated Japan with a 2-0 victory.

The Match

The United States need to win this match–and win with a high goal differential–in order to have a chance at coming in on top in their home tournament. And even then, they’ll need Australia to lose to Brazil. Luckily for them, they’ll be coming in on a high note after a fabulous nine-minute and three-goal drive at the end of their match against Brazil. Unfortunately for them, however, coach Jill Ellis has continued to experiment with formations, and neither Japan nor the fans will have any idea what to expect when the Starting XI is announced on Thursday. (Becky Sauerbrunn at Defensive Mid? Really?) In order for the US to find any sort of rhythm in this game, they’re going to need to play fluidly and intelligently. And they’re going to need to get on the scoreboard as early as possible while keeping a tight defensive line. Both of these things have proven complicated for the team in their first two games of this tournament, so we’ll see how well they can adapt and regroup for their final match-up.

Japan will be coming in frustrated, held to a 1-1 draw against Brazil and a 2-4 loss to Australia. They set their defensive pressure too high against a volatile Australian offensive–i.e., Sam Kerr–and they paid for it. Kerr destroyed their backline, breaking through time and time again, and capitalizing three times. While the US’s offense hasn’t been as dynamic as Australia’s in this tournament, if Japan leave that much space between their pressure and their keeper, eventually the US will find a way to get behind and make a play for the net. This Japanese team is experiencing the same kind of transition to a new era as the US, and that can be painful. But experimentation can have unexpected (if sometimes irreproducible) results. In the end, all either team will need is a lucky break to build their confidence, and they’ll be off to the races.

US supporters will want to watch for Christen Press. Press has been on a roll for her club, the Chicago Red Stars, and once she came onto the field against Brazil the entire tone of the game changed. She found the net in the 80′ minute, just seconds after Brazil’s final goal of the match, and sparked a nine-minute scoring spree for the US that gave them the unexpected but not unwelcome win. Ideally, I’d like to see Press in the Starting XI, but even if she’s a second-half substitute, the dynamic will shift in the US’s favor the moment her boot hits the pitch. 

Fans of the Seattle Reign will recognize midfielder Rumi Utsugi, of course, who signed with Laura Harvey’s team in 2016. But one player to watch will be veteran Aya Sameshima, who was a member of that 2011 Women’s World Cup winning team and scored a goal in the 2015 WWC in a match against Cameroon. Sameshima’s talent on the backline could spell disaster for a US attack that has struggled to find the net against upper-level opponents in recent memory. Combine that with the scoring potential of Japan’s Kumi Yokoyama, who’s scored 11 goals in 20 appearances for her national team, and the US’s final match could be their most difficult. 

USWNT struggle again, Australia take full advantage

Posted on by RJ Allen

You know that saying “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish?” Well that certainly was the case for the United States against Australia on Thursday night in Seattle in front of a cool 15,748 people. The first 15 minutes were solid from the Americans, showing wave after wave of pressure on the Matildas, with veteran midfielder Megan Rapinoe leading the effort.

The next 60 minutes, however, were a different story.

I will admit, I thought Australia put out a better lineup and they had the right personnel on the field. And though the Americans are ranked #1 in the world, their performance was far from it. Every position was make-shift; starting with the defense consisting of Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Casey Short, and newcomer Taylor Smith. While they were solid for most of the night, the eventual game winner to Tameka Butt for the Aussies was from two poor attempts at clearing the ball. Mishaps we don’t often see from a United States backline.

I noticed we were passing it back to keeper Alyssa Naeher quite a bit. Several passing combinations between the keeper and the backline had fans gasping for a breath with the uncertainty if it was going to cost us a goal or not. Luckily it did not, but it could’ve easily produced a goal or two with how close the always-dangerous Aussie Sam Kerr was getting.

The midfield was an area that really struggled to find cohesion and rhythm all night. The lone bright spot was Rapinoe, who was racing up and down the flanks, creating opportunities for herself and the team alike and pressuring when she thought necessary. It was a relief in my eyes to see her bring her NWSL form to the National team after a spell away. Her fellow mids sprayed a few passes here and there but for long periods of time I forgot who was on the field in the midfield. Sam Mewis, Allie Long, and Mallory had a few quality moments throughout but for the majority it was disappointing.

Up top for the USWNT were Christen Press and Lindsey Horan, two players who are playing quite well for their respective NWSL clubs, Chicago and Portland. But they couldn’t find the right chemistry and when they did, Australian keeper Lydia Williams was up for the task.

Watching this American team on Thursday night, it was no secret there was some disconnect but Jill Ellis is still in her experimenting stage so in the future it could be something that works. I don’t want to take one game and use that as the sample size because that would not be fair. But at some point, when do we figure it out? I thought that point would be the SheBelieves Cup back in March, but here we are at the end of July and once again, we’re on the bottom of the table.

When Jill Ellis started bringing on the substitutes, I thought maybe our tactics would change, (you know, building an attack from the back, putting more players in the box) but I was wrong. Now in the last 10 minutes, sure, we showed some serious quality in our movement but that was due to being down and having that dreaded sense of urgency on home soil. Carli Lloyd, Kelley O’Hara, Morgan Brian, Crystal Dunn, and Alex Morgan all arrived later in the second half. Lloyd almost found an equalizer but once again Williams stood tall in goal against her Houston Dash teammate. Morgan and Dunn made their presence felt, pressuring the backline and pushing the ball forward with great pace but nothing to show for either.

Overall it was a lackluster performance from a team that continues to struggle at home, now having lost a total of three matches this year compared to three matches from 2001-2016. While we may be experimenting in nearly every position, it’s not pretty to watch. With this caliber of players, the talent we have in this country, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where we continue to lose in tournaments and something doesn’t give before the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Tournament of Nations? More like Tournament of What-Ifs for the United States.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, International Break #2

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

The Scouting Report:

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

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

My colleague, Jacqui Porter, will be writing a great recap of the USWNT and Matilda’s match on Thursday night, which you can read later today. Come back next week as I will be back to regularly scheduled programming with NWSL previews!

The Unused Sub: From The Peanut Gallery

Posted on by RJ Allen

The following were my running thoughts and observations as I attended the Tournament of Nations double-header in Seattle as a spectator.

GAME 1: JAPAN VERSUS BRAZIL
Japan’s kits are sweet.

11 minutes in and a decent amount of people here for the first game, given a good deal likely had to duck out of work early and we know the majority are here for the USWNT.

I am sitting in section 107. The last time I caught a soccer game of any kind from this side of CenturyLink Field was the inaugural Sounders FC game in 2009. To think that’s where my life with soccer began and where it is today.

14th minute and Marta gets a shot. The crowd claps. Yes, it’s still something surreal seeing a five-time FIFA World Player of the Year in person.

There is a yout in the next section over going HAM at a rice cake. Kid is living it up.

The first 20 minutes have been slow-ish. Kind of surprised at how much feeling out is going on given it is a friendly.

27th minute – Overheard someone saying: “With seats this close, they look like real people.” I have no idea where to go in terms of… analyzing that take.

As much as they lack quality or get interrupted at the last possible minute by Brazil, Japan’s attempts on goal draw oohs from the crowd.

42nd minute – Japan has had so many chances that they should be up like lots to zero.

WE HAVE A GOAL! What a snap header by Momiki.

The sun cannot set any faster here so the west facade of CenturyLink blocks it. It’s making me want to get a beer faster. I got a beer at halftime.

https://twitter.com/jacobcristobal/status/890727057243594752

Seattle Reign FC’s Rumi Utsugi is going to go the full 90 and I swear, where would the Reign be without her?

My seat neighbor Whitney totally called that Brazil will get the equalizer in the final minutes and look what Camila did.

Maybe because it’s the mystique/reputation of Brazilian flair or the fact that it’s a friendly, but their attack seems… frantic in a way that if any other national team was doing it, we’d be raising an eyebrow and going, “Huh?” But it works for them and up until Camila’s strike from distance, it didn’t phase Japan. They looked composed defensively but as part of their youth movement and ushering a new era, you can tell there’s work to be done in finishing their chances. I do not exaggerate when I say that line should have finished with Japan claiming 3 or 4 goals.

The Americans are here. As are more people. A great deal of people are stuck in concession lines as we are less than 5 away from kickoff.

GAME 2: UNITED STATES VERSUS AUSTRALIA
Saw some friends during intermission, waded through seas of humanity, got a burger AND STILL GOT BACK IN TIME FOR THE ANTHEMS!

I kind of miss the wrecking ball stylings of Lisa De Vanna in the NWSL.

It has to be an athlete’s superstition – Sam Kerr wearing a shirt one size bigger than she is has entertainment value.

A light jog to Casey Short is a full dead sprint to us plebeians.

The amount of real estate between the jersey numbers for Australia is weird.

And a nation holds their breath as the wonderyout Mallory Pugh got fouled hard.

The U.S. had their chances. Australia almost punished U.S. on their slip-ups. The cheeseburger I had was tasty.

50th minute – overheard someone telling Sam Mewis to shoot from 40 yards out. Heh.

Aussies scored. I imagine #FireJill is lit like a Roman candle. And I feel bad for the person that owns the Twitter handle @jill.

Lydia Williams ain’t here for your Carli Lloyd #BreakingBarriers Moment. Matter of fact, she ain’t here to roll over for the U.S. and that is awesome. Honestly it would have been great if Sam Kerr did it to Alyssa Naeher again with a header from the cross in the second half like she did to her/the Chicago Red Stars a couple weeks ago.

The crowd, which was 15,748 is now Mad Online at various things: the ref making lack of or outright bad calls. Time-wasting by Australia. The US squandering chances – really that attempt by Alex Morgan was bad.

As much as we deride “One Nation, One Team” it does apply to the type of goal the US (men’s or women’s national team) tends to concede. It’s always that one moment, about 3o seconds to a minute where everyone has a sloppy brain fart and the opponent pounces on. That’s how Australia got their goal.

And that’s all I got for the evening. Was the first night of the Tournament of Nations good for you? Probably not if you were rooting for the United States to win. I think we all went in curious to see what Jill Ellis means by experimenting and we got a dud up top with the Horan/Press combination. Mewis and Long in the midfield probably has a way to go to being something that lets us all sleep comfortably at night. Megan Rapinoe’s 2017 form is fun to watch, though for the national team, she cannot do it all on her own. Is the United States hosed come 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship aka 2019 World Cup Qualification? Who knows, but tonight in Seattle, Jill Ellis’ long term plans went as well as a FURT sandwich.

And since Australia won and is in the lead after matchday one of the Tournament of Nations, they get the music video break.

Song: “Black Fingernails, Red Wine” | Artist: Eskimo Joe

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 14

Posted on by RJ Allen

Just when you think nothing else can surprise the NWSL faithful, Week 14 happens right before the break for Tournament of Nations, and folks it was nuts. I mean from an instant classic to a suspended match, the league is Must Watch TV. So let’s get right to it, and give you our Week 14 takeaways.

Allie Long Is Coming Alive at the Right Time – Jordan Small

Last week on The Scouting Report, I mentioned that Allie Long was having a quiet season. After moving into a more defensive role, we hadn’t seen as much of Long as we had in previous seasons. It was unfortunate because Long had become one of the best club players in the NWSL. It felt as if a great offensive talent was being wasted.

So of course, what happened this weekend? She went out and scored a goal to tie the game up for Portland. She was all over the field and had a number of chances for the Thorns. I’m not saying that she needs to be more offensive, but I think she is playing her best when she’s in an attacking role. Her ability to distribute and be in the right place at the right time for Portland is something that is hard to come by. Maybe it’s the absence of players like Amandine Henry and Nadia Nadim that has allowed Long to be more of an attacking presence this week.

Don’t Blame the Goalkeepers – Jordan Small

When looking at a high scoring game, it can appear as if the goalkeepers did not have decent games. That wasn’t the case in the Seattle vs. Sky Blue game where 9 goals were given up. Both Kailen Sheridan of Sky Blue and Haley Kopmeyer of Seattle were hung out to dry by their defenders. 

For the second time in two meetings this season, each goalkeeper gave up a penalty kick goal. It’s hard to really blame goalkeepers for giving up a goal in that situation, especially when they get a piece of the shot. Then you look at the free kick goal that was scored by Megan Rapinoe. Sheridan was within a foot or two of getting a piece of that shot. Not many goalkeepers are going to be stopping shots in the upper 90. At the end of the day, there isn’t a lot to get out of that game from a goalkeeper’s perspective because the defense in front was poor at best. 

Red Stars: A Model of Consistency – Luis Hernandez

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Chicago enters the ToN break at the top of the table. The linchpin behind the success of the Red Stars has to be Head Coach Rory Dames. Dames has been the gaffer for the Red Stars since 2011, attached to the club from its rise out of the WPSL to the NWSL. Under his management, the Red Stars have been able to establish a culture of success: everyone on the Red Stars understands what it means to be a part of the team, and know their roles.

A younger or less experienced team may have been challenged to overcome their coach getting sent off for the second half, but Coach Dames’ ejection at halftime didn’t seem to phase the players or coaching staff, and the Red Stars were able to come away with three points at home against Orlando. A key aspect of the Red Star’s performance is the basic idea that the team has an identity. Teams that face Chicago know what the club is going to do beforehand, but teams like Orlando are helpless to overcome that. Chicago will sit back happy to yield the possession, and strike on a counterattack or play a ball over the top, so Christen Press can use her speed to score a goal. Having that consistency which Dames worked to have in the club, is paying off dividends. Can they cash that in with an NWSL shield or NWSL championship? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Weather Screws With the Schedule Again – Luis Hernandez

The league has really had a difficult time planning for and dealing with the weather. First, the Lifetime TV deal has forced teams into playing at a set time according to a broadcast schedule, which, especially in the summer heat, has consequences for attendance. That heat issue has also affected the players, as when Rachel Daly collapsed of heat exhaustion at the end of a match played in the hottest part of the Texas afternoon. The league reacted to this by shifting game start times again, and trying to make changes to address the concerns of the players and fans. 

Wisely, this week the league shifted the start time of the FC Kansas City match against the North Carolina Courage due to forecasted heat conditions. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t cooperate and the match had to be suspended because of the “weather problems.” Fans will remember the league had to abandon a scheduled match last season as well when pouring rain in Houston washed out the match against the Spirit in Week 7 that the teams had to make up in between week 15 and 16. The postponement did little to impact the final results in the standings back in 2016, and the replay when it does get played isn’t going to help the Blues either.

Is there a better way to handle weather delays? Could they be rescheduled sooner? Maybe it’s worth talking about a little more.

THAT Game – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

My dad thinks he’s funny, because every time I tell him I’m watching a soccer game, he asks me “What’s the score?” See, he’s a football fan–an American football fan, and so the idea of a game ending 0-0, or even 2-1, is kind of blasphemous to him. There’s not enough action (obviously he’s never really tried to watch a game), the players flop around too much (you’re thinking of men’s soccer, dad), what’s with the extra time after the whistle (IT’S CALLED STOPPAGE TIME JUST GO WITH IT), and god forbid I ever try to explain the offside rule to him.

So when I got home on Saturday night and turned on the Seattle v Sky Blue game, and saw the Reign’s 4-0 lead slowly slip away as Kelley O’Hara, Leah Galton, Daphne Corboz, and the Australian wizard Sam Kerr each scored, I couldn’t help but text him.

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Let’s just say, he still wasn’t impressed.

But I was.

You know, I hate the phrase “deserved a win,” because no one really ever deserves to win something. A win is something you earn.

But man, Sky Blue deserved to win on Saturday night. And whether you blame Erica Skroski’s own goal or the backline’s breakdown in the wake of Kerr evening up the score, that loss just left me hollow after. Because they put up such a fight.

One time–maybe just once–they could come out looking like that from the start.

Take a Shot – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Do you know which team has the most Shots on Goal (SOG) this season? It’s not who you’d think.

It’s Sky Blue. Sky Blue FC has 99 SOG so far as we hit the second break of the season. 99 SOG out of 170 total shots. Over 50% of their shots are right on target. And yet, they only have 28 goals. Only 28% of their SOG (or 16% of their total shots) have found the net.

The Houston Dash, sitting right now at 6th on the table after a rocky start to the season, have the second most SOG. 99 of 183 total shots Their accuracy might be lower than Sky Blue, both in terms of shots and goals, but not by a lot. 50% of their shots are on goal and and 17% of those find the net.

Why do I care? Because I think Sky Blue still has a chance at making the post-season. But to do this, I think they might need to stop shooting in the blind hope that they’ll get one past the keeper and start putting together a more organized and efficient offense. Their attack needs to be more surgical–and not the exploratory kind. Less frenzied, less “Kelley O’Hara plays ALL the positions” and more committed to structure over desperation.

Because Sam Kerr won’t always be able to pull their asses out of the fire. And O’Hara won’t always be able to get them into the attacking third by sheer force of will.

And eventually, the whistle will blow.

SaveSave

Celebrate Good Times

Posted on by RJ Allen

In the women’s game, when the ball hits the back of the net there are two typical celebrations. Either the player who just scored will run to the arms of her teammates that are on the field, or run to the arms of her teammates on the bench. Watching this, a spectator might assume that it’s because women see goals as team efforts, and want to celebrate them as such. However, if we look a little deeper, it’s not hard to see this as partially a product of the standards set for women in society. This is a world where women are often told that their successes are not as important or as great as that of men. And, as a corollary, that they shouldn’t celebrate with as much enthusiasm.

So, if the standard celebrations are pretty low energy, is that because women generally just celebrate differently? Or is it because they’ve been encouraged to keep it low? Every league has its rules on celebrating. The National Football League can fine players for celebrating in a different way than what they define as being a “nice celebration.” People will complain no matter what the circumstance is, however, some gender-norms are also played into the women’s league. 

Now, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) fans are accustomed to watching great celebrations from players like Samantha Kerr or Megan Rapinoe.

Loud.  

           Crazy.

                        Exciting. 

And there have also been examples of great team celebrations, like the US Women’s National Team’s (USWNT) celebrations in the London 2012 Olympics. But these are generally the exceptions rather than the norm. So the question stands, why do we almost always see the same celebrations?

To understand the conversation surrounding goal celebrations, we need to take a look into the dynamics of women’s sports teams. Back in 2007 Hope Solo was banished from team USA after publicly calling her coach out. It’s not hard to see a double standard at work here. When a man calls a coach or teammate out it is often seen as a bold choice. Contentious and maybe even disruptive, but well within the bounds of normal behavior. However, when a woman does it, she is banished from the team and marked as too outspoken in the women’s soccer community.

It may well be that muted celebrations are a product of this climate. Don’t be aggressive, or loud. Don’t call too much attention to yourself. No one will complain about a group hug with your teammates or a pat on the back and a few high fives, so just stick with that. 

As noted above, there are some exceptions to this rule. Sam Kerr is famous for her backflips, and Megan Rapinoe is often seen dancing on the field after a goal and encouraging her teammates to join in on the fun. Even on the national team back in 2011 she picked a field mic up and sang, “Born in the USA!” after her goal against Colombia. And in the 2012 Olympics, the USWNT was famous for their team celebrations. They did the worm, a salute, and even somersaults. And other national teams have occasionally got in on the fun. But generally, this sort of thing remains uncommon.

And that’s unfortunate. Kerr’s backflips are instantly turned into GIFs that get shared all around women’s soccer blogs and Twitters. The women’s soccer community loves to see big, fun celebrations. We can all take the game seriously, while still remembering that it’s a game and it’s supposed to be fun. And there are plenty of girls out there watching, who might see these joyful goal celebrations and get excited to score themselves.