Tag: USWNT

Jill Ellis Releases Roster for Tournament of Nations

Posted on by RJ Allen

Jill Ellis has named 23 players to the roster for the inaugural Tournament of Nations featuring Australia, Brazil, and Japan.

Alex Morgan and Morgan Brian both return to the roster after missing the June friendlies in Norway and Sweden due to injury. Ali Krieger also returns to the roster after not being called in for the June friendlies.

Notable absences include Meghan Klingenberg, Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath, and Ashlyn Harris. Lavelle, Heath, and Harris are all unavailable for selection due to injuries.

Chicago Red Stars forward Sofia Huerta will be training with the team for the entire tournament. US Soccer is pursuing a change of association with FIFA in order for her to be eligible to play with the team at a later date (Huerta is currently cap-tied to Mexico).

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Abby Smith (Boston Breakers)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Taylor Smith (NC Courage)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage), Margaret Purce (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)

FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Sydney Leroux (FC Kansas City), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit), Lynn Williams (NC Courage)

What time is it? Arin Gilliland Time: Making a Case for the USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Since the United States Women’s National team’s 2015 World Cup win, a lot of new faces have put on the coveted shirt for the first time. A few of those names include 19-year-old Mallory Pugh, Casey Short, Rose Lavelle, Lynn Williams, and Andi Sullivan. Another common denominator with these players is how young they are, the oldest being 26 and the youngest being 19. I could name a handful more but instead here is a player who I believe deserves a call-up this year: Arin Gilliland.

The 24-year-old defender plays her club ball for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. Gilliland was drafted out of Kentucky in the 2015 NWSL College Draft, taken eighth overall. The 2015 College Draft is actually my favorite of each that the NWSL has hosted since the league started. It saw players like Morgan Brian, Lynn Williams, and Samantha Mewis enter the league. Players who are all now very important pieces of their NWSL teams as well as the senior national team.

As a rookie in 2015, Gilliland played in 17 games with Chicago, helping to lead them into the playoffs, and was named to the NWSL’s second-best XI. Her second season proved to be even better; she started in 21 games and was a big contributor to the 2016 Red Stars’ 1.0 goals against average. 

This season Gilliland has played in 11 games, starting 10 of those. She has been a huge part of the Red Stars’ success this season, quietly doing her part as usual. She has helped Chicago to a 7-3-3 record, which is good for 24 points, second on the table and within striking distance of first. In her third season, Gilliland has been steady as ever, working well with a rotation of players that include Short, Julie Ertz, Katie Naughton, and Sam Johnson. Gilliland is well known in the league for her lock-down defense, her ability to contain just about every player she goes up against.

The current USWNT list of defenders does include another Red Star–Casey Short, who has accumulated 10 caps since debuting in 2016. And Gilliland has been called into national team camp, getting her first call-up in October of 2016. But somehow this capable, steady, and superb defender doesn’t have a cap to her name. She rarely gets beaten down the right side, but in the rare event that she does, her recovery speed reminds me of a certain USWNT veteran who is universally known for her incredible speed when tracking back (if you guessed Ali Krieger, you are correct).

In their 13 games so far this season, Chicago has scored 16 goals while only giving up 11. Gilliland has been doing her part exceptionally well. The team relies on her strength and positioning each game, and her willingness to do whatever it takes to win. When you see her play, there is passion in her eyes, fight in her tackles, and her domination on the backline is evident in the lack of opponent’s goals on the scoreboard. Gilliland is what the NFL would refer to as a “shut-down-corner.” She is one of the best in the league, certainly a top-five type of player and, in my opinion, sorely underrated.

Arin Gilliland player is the kind of player who is consistently great across the back.  With her quality possession, her eagle-eye vision, her crunching tackles, and the way she handles opposing threats, she would be a welcome and reliable presence on the USWNT backline, a defense that feels more like a merry-go-round these days.

And, yes, I get it. Head coach Jill Ellis is working out a lot of things, experimenting in just about every position to find what works in anticipation of the next tournament cycle. But, given the resume Gilliland has along with her talent, this Chicago Red Star deserves a chance to take the pitch in a US jersey.

If the USWNT want a chance at another WWC trophy in 2019, we need to build another Department of Defense. Arin Gilliland could be one of the pieces we need to make our backline great once again.

It’s time for a call-up, Jill.

Amber Brooks Deserves Another Shot With the USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Amber Brooks may not be the first name that comes to mind when talking about who might be called up to the USWNT in the next year or so, but perhaps she should be.

With the USWNT officially in the rebuilding stage in between major international tournaments, there has been much conversation about who might factor into the picture for the 2019 World Cup. Jill Ellis said at the beginning of this process that she would be looking at the NWSL as the prime market for identifying talent that could translate to the international stage. This has paved the way for many of the new faces we’ve seen in recent friendlies, including Casey Short, Lynn Williams, and Kealia Ohai. 

There are still pieces of the puzzle missing, however, if their struggles against the top teams in the She Believes Cup is any indication. One of those pieces happens to be a primarily defensive-minded, holding midfielder who can hold down the fort and spring the strong attack. Without the steadying defensive presences of Lauren Holiday and Shannon Boxx, the USWNT has looked slightly lost when it comes to feeding the ball through the middle and stopping attacking runs before they get to the backline.

In the NWSL, there are few better at that job than Amber Brooks.

Brooks came up with the National Team youth system, playing in major tournaments for the U-17, U-20, and U-23 sides. Her college years were spent playing for the vaunted UNC Tarheels under legendary Anson Dorrance. Brooks was looked at by the USWNT in 2013–during Tom Sermanni’s tenure–earning one cap and 81 minutes against Brazil. Her club career includes a stint at Bayern Munich, as well as playing with Portland and Seattle in the NWSL before landing in Houston.

Brooks came to Houston in October of 2015, by way of the blockbuster trade that landed Alex Morgan in Orlando and Meghan Klingenberg in Portland. While Houston has struggled (to put it lightly), Brooks has provided a bright spot in their lineup. She’s a strong presence on the field, she’s a ruthless defender, and her free kicks and eye for offensive service make her a perfect lynch-pin for an attack. With Morgan Brian out with persistent injuries and National Team duty for much of 2016, Brooks became the stalwart presence that helped the Dash midfield and defense steady themselves after their shaky start. She has only grown in that role for them as the 2017 season has progressed.

For a USWNT so desperate for defensive solutions that they have resorted to putting attacking midfielders in at center back, under the guise of needing someone to direct the attack from the back, Brooks would be a valuable stop-gap as a defensive mid. She is not particularly fast, but she is smart about compensating for her speed by choosing her moments, similar to Sauerbrunn. Having her in front of the backline would provide some peace of mind to a struggling defensive system and allow attacking mids like Allie Long and Carli Lloyd to range farther forward where their heads can provide perfect targets for Brooks’s strong service. 

Houston has most definitely benefitted from having Brooks offensive skills over the past couple of years. Her solid presence and ability to direct play allows players like Andressinha, Morgan Brian, and Carli Lloyd to assume their preferred attacking roles. Brooks has also developed good connections with Rachel Daly and Kealia Ohai in the Dash’s frontline, often feeding them through balls that they can run onto as often as their heart desires. 

While Brooks is 26–a bit older than the young phenoms that Ellis has shown a preference for–she definitely deserves another look at the defensive mid position for the USWNT. Her years of experience are exactly what the USWNT needs to balance out their glut of young attackers and strengthen the backbone of the lineup. Brooks can provide an offensive rallying point and perhaps give Becky Sauerbrunn some peace of mind. 

The Inexact Science of NWSL Player Allocation

Posted on by RJ Allen

I drew the short straw with writing about the player allocation system in the NWSL and if it works in general. I gave it some thought. Had an adult beverage. Gave it some more thought. Had another adult beverage. Watched the two Planet of the Apes movie reboots to distract myself (they’re pretty decent, for those curious). Then I gave it some more thought.

Does the allocation system work?

We are in the fifth season of the NWSL, advancing further than the last two women’s professional leagues. Growing pains are still there because the league is still in its infancy. We know this. That said, overall the allocation system works. The NWSL was founded with the idea and practice that each of the eight founding teams would have the best soccer players that the US, Canada, and Mexico has to offer. RJ Allen’s piece is a nice capsule of the allocated players since year one, with what’s worked and what hasn’t. If you’ve followed the NWSL since day one, you know that there’s no absolute of a “right or wrong” about the allocation system. What I mean is if you want to win in the NWSL, you don’t need to have a super team of allocation players. Nor are you exactly digging your own grave if you don’t have any. The Portland Thorns have always had at least four allocated players and that’s gotten them one NWSL Championship and one NWSL Shield. At the same time, it has affected the Thorns when all those allocated players had to report to their respective national teams and roster depth was tested. The Seattle Reign FC have never really been focused on getting as many allocated players possible. Instead, Laura Harvey built her super teams through world-class internationals and the development of a core group of players she identified from the inaugural season. The Chicago Red Stars do have their US internationals but Rory Dames has a deep team through college draft picks working out, whether they are starting eleven caliber or impact subs.

The bottom line is that no NWSL roster is constructed with the thought process of, “Give us all the federation players, because that’s all we know.” Yes, any team would love to have the services of a Christine Sinclair, Megan Rapinoe, or Becky Sauerbrunn, but any coach worth their salt builds their team with a mix of allocated players, international players, and development of college drafted players. The first two years of the NWSL were confusing with the revolving door of changes as to who was an allocated player and where were they allocated to, especially when in the early days it was all about trying to get as many players to their preferred choice as much as possible.

Should there be a system of compensation for teams who are not represented fairly among the allocations and what should that compensation be?

There are a couple of angles to look at to answer that question. What is fair representation? If a team only chooses to have one or two federation allocated players and they are content with that setup, then all’s well that ends well. It’s a club’s prerogative to make their environment as attractive as possible for a player to want to play there – bright-eyed, ready-to-turn-pro college player or prolific international. For example let’s look at this season’s allocations between the Portland Thorns, Seattle Reign FC, and Sky Blue FC.

As we’ve reached the halfway mark of the season, Seattle and Sky Blue look to be playoff contenders and Portland are just on the outside looking in. Ask any Seattle or Sky Blue fan and I bet they’re happy with the current state of their teams, more or less independent of their teams just having two Ffederation players versus Portland’s six.

The other way of addressing the question of if there should be a compensation system in place is, what if an allocated player can’t play for their NWSL team? The question then becomes why can’t they? The obvious answers to that why are injury or a life event like pregnancy. Should there be a compensation system should one of those situations happen? I don’t think so. The player allocation system is unique in that only the top-flight soccer leagues in the United States are the only sports leagues to have such intricate systems. I don’t think the system necessitates needing a safety net if an allocated player gets injured or has to stop playing because of a life event. Injuries and life events happen in all sports and teams usually have the resources (roster depth) to address those problems should they arise. That said, I can think of one instance compensation related to allocated players could make sense – it’s if said player refuses to play for the team they were allocated to.

Megan Rapinoe was initially not happy with being allocated to Seattle – Portland was her first choice – and sought a trade, but in the end, it all worked out well for her and Seattle. However, it’s not completely out there to think of a scenario in which a federation allocated player would refused to play for a NWSL club and would go as far as sitting out a season. What’s a club and the league to do at that point? Consider a hypothetical scenario in which a US player was allocated to a team that they did not want to go to. It wasn’t their first, second, third or even fifth choice. Usually, before it becomes public that the player did not want to play for that team, a trade happens before they even set foot on that team’s home pitch. Likely they’d be traded to one of the NWSL teams they preferred to play for if there are enough pieces involved that both sides are happy. Another player, draft picks, allocation ranking places are usually said pieces. Or the player opts to play their club soccer abroad if they can and their “NWSL rights” stay with that team until a solution (player changes mind and reports to the team or the aforementioned trade happens) is reached. While I don’t think it’s happened where a federation allocated player simply sat out a NWSL season because they didn’t want to play for a specific team, I don’t think one can rule out it ever happening.

So what’s a team to do if the most extreme scenario happens – an allocated player refuses to show up for work, didn’t sign up to play abroad and would rather sit at home than play for (insert NWSL team here)? Honestly, I think the federation at that point would force a trade, using their best judgment (I hear you people laughing if it were USSF handling this – stay with me) to get the most equal trade for both sides to happen. If for some reason a forced trade can’t happen, THEN under this extreme scenario do I think a compensation system could work. And of course, the simplest form of compensation would be the almighty dollar.

Since federation allocated players have their salaries subsidized by said federation, if that player is that extreme-case scenario where they don’t want to play for their designated NWSL team and would rather sit out the season, then my proposal would be to give whatever salary that player would have commanded to the NWSL club as a “good for only this season” addition to their salary cap. Maybe put in a provision that the money can only be used to give a salary bonus to the rest of the players under contract with that NWSL club and aren’t federation allocated players. Maybe reward that midfielder that made it to the NWSL Best XI last season. Basically reward those that are showing up to play for that NWSL club, that city and not just look at that nice pile of money and think, “Alright, gonna go get me a mercenary for the season!” Again, this should only be for the extreme scenario in which an allocated player basically says, “Nope, not going to show up for work.” The player may have valid reasons for calling their shot like this, but you have to consider the NWSL coach that likely expected to use the player’s skills for their game plan and yes – the good coaches will find a way to adjust and plan accordingly, but as we know in sports, that extreme scenario could be when you least expected it.

Does this entire scenario sound preposterous? For the most part yes, especially since we the public wouldn’t know about it unless someone did some major silence-breaking. It would become a provocative story if Player X went public with their proclamations of, “I refuse to play for this team.” Even that though going public would feel incredibly last resort. Then again, this is WoSo where there is a particular word reserved for something incredible like the league and/or federation being unable to come to a resolution and more or less allowing it become ugly.

In the present, the allocation system works for the NWSL. Is it going to be around forever? I would say for the most part yes. As long as US Soccer remains the main investor of the league, then we know their interest lies in wanting to keep the national team player pool deep as college players turn pro, get drafted into the league and develop into national team-caliber talent. Yes the US has the biggest stake in investment, but Canada surely is enjoying the development of goalkeepers Sabrina D’Angelo and Kailen Sheridan the more they play in the NWSL.

Time will tell if Mexico resurrects participation in the allocation process, but I’d imagine there’s interest down the line as the league looks into expansion. It’s hard to foresee now if any influx of money from expansion and/or increased sponsorship brings about a conversation about NWSL clubs having enough money that they can cover player salaries without any subsidizing from federations. Though as the saying goes, never say never.

In an ideal WoSo world, yes, there’s enough sustainable money coming in that the budget-tight early days of the NWSL are barely a distant memory, but in the now and immediate future, player allocation makes sense.

A History of Highs and Lows in Allocations in the NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL has long leaned on their national team players for both firepower in games and star power outside of games.

The United States Women’s National Team has carried the load over the five years of the NWSL in terms of the sheer number of players allocated. Between 2013 and 2016 USWNT players have been allocated within the NWSL 98 times. Compared to just 56 times with the Canadians and a mere 28 times with the Mexican players. 

2013

In 2013 the Allocations were almost perfectly even in terms of numbers. Each team was given three US players and two each Canadians and Mexican players. Western New York was an American short but given Lloyd and Wambach. Nothing to scoff at in 2013. 

But the issues in terms of parity started nearly as soon as they started. For the Americans, Amy LePeilbet was out due to injury, Heather Mitts retired before the season and Amy Rodriguez was pregnant with her first child. On the Mexican side, two players failed fitness tests, Marylin Diaz and Luz Saucedo; one had a contract already with FFC Frankfurt, Alina Garciamendez; and a fourth showed up hurt, Rubi Sandoval. 

During the 2013 season, FC Kansas City seemingly hit the jackpot. Nicole Barnhart, Lauren Cheney, Becky Sauerbrunn, all from the USWNT, were gifted to the club. Barnhart and Sauerbrunn serve as co-captains today and have done well in their five years on the team to bring in two NWSL titles. Something that I doubt anyone would say would be guaranteed if the allocation fairy had chosen differently. 

Another footnote of the original 2013 Allocations comes from Chicago. No player allocated to the Red Stars in 2013 is currently on their roster, or anyone else’s in the NWSL in 2017. Shannon Boxx, Amy LePeilbet, Keelin Winters, Erin McLeod, Carmelina Moscato, Maribel Dominguez, and Dinora Garza were all allocated to the Red Stars that very first season, and all have either retired or gone to play elsewhere. 

2014

The most startling difference between 2013 and 2014 in terms of Allocations has to be Mexico only allocating 8 total players. Allegations of underfunding, of lack of proper support and training, are not new to the Mexican federation when it comes to women’s soccer. One of the easiest to see symptoms of that is the Allocations being halved in a year Mexico should have, with the gear up to the 2015 World Cup underway, been pushing its players to fight for starting spots in the NWSL. 

As with FCKC in 2013, and really themselves in 2013 as well, the Portland Thorns have had a lucky go of the Allocations given to them. From the USWNT, Rachel Buehler, Tobin Heath, Alex Morgan. From Canada Karina LeBlanc and Christine Sinclair. Finally from Mexico, Jackie Acevedo. The Thorns of 2017 have shed Buehler and LeBlanc to retirement, Acevedo has left the league. And Morgan, well we all know what happened there. But having been dealt Tobin Health and Christine Sinclair has to be a win in most eyes. 

Two 2014 Allocations, Stephanie Cox for Seattle and Jillian Loyden for Sky Blue FC are current assistant coaches for the clubs. 

2015

In 2015 the Women’s World Cup removed all 42 Allocations for what amounted to a third of the season. And while Mexico did allocate 4 players, none played in the 2015 season.

The 38 American and Canadian players taken out of the NWSL during the World Cup did leave a hole in the league that showed one of the great injustices the league has to offer. While the World Cup players, national teamers all, were away to play for their country the players who filled their roster spots and donned uniforms in their place were unpaid amateurs. Players who under NWSL rules can not be paid for their work. It was truly a tale of the best-paid players in the league leaving to participate in the grandest spectacle the game has to offer and those filling in couldn’t be given a $1 of pay while keeping their club teams afloat. 

Of the 25 USWNT Allocations announced on January 14, 2015, 23 went to Canada to bring home the World Cup. Two did not. Kristie Mewis and Crystal Dunn. While Dunn’s story of being either the second to last or very last cut is well known, Mewis is rarely spoken about. Mewis was a project that then USWNT Head Coach Tom Sermanni was working on as an outside back and outside midfielder. When Ellis replaced him, Mewis the Elder’s time on the NT faded as the team moved closer to the World Cup. In 2016 she would no longer be an allocation. In 2017 she is having one the best years she has had in years. 

2016

The 2016 Allocations look most like the current 2017. Whitney Engen might not be with the Boston Breakers this year, Hope Solo isn’t keeping the net free of goals in Seattle, and we won’t go into Washington’s 2016 to 2017 changes, but mostly it’s what we know from 2017. 

And though either luck, talented coaching or magic FC Kansas City carried five Allocated players into the 2016 season. And then by either bad luck, fickle soccer gods, or dark magic they lost both Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez for the season due to pregnancy. That Becky Sauerbrunn isn’t doing too bad for herself though. 

Two Allocations from the 2016 list that I do want to note are Kelley O’Hara and Christie Pearce. Sky Blue and Portland are the only two teams, from the original 8, that had kept two original Allocations for all four seasons by the time that 2016 rolled around. And unlike Portland, which as had two or three additional Allocations during that time, in New Jersey it was mostly O’Hara and Pearce lifting the weight as the only two national team players. 

Conclusions

Make no mistake. The NWSL is the USWNT’s league. 54% of the 2013-2016 Allocations came from the US. 31% from Canada. 15% from Mexico. No one complains when a Canadian player is played in a position their club doesn’t need them in but whispers of the national team staff asking them to be played in said position because it doesn’t happen. Canada doesn’t have the same monetary investment in the league as the US does, and with that investment comes power to dictate terms that not all coaches have the will to say no to.

In 2013 when the first set of Allocations came out the US had 42% of the total Allocations in the league. There were other voices in the room. Other national teams who had their own ideas. In 2016 it was 69% USWNT allocations, same as 2017.

In some ways, the NWSL is the best league in the world. In others, it’s the USSF’s longest USWNT camp in history.

A US Soccer Legend Gone: RIP Tony DiCicco

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Women’s Soccer world has lost one of its own. The news broke yesterday morning that Tony DiCicco, former USWNT coach, passed away Monday evening.

Tony DiCicco is a legend in the world of soccer. 

The coach led the women’s National Team from 1994 to 1999 and, to date, is the only one to have teams win both Olympic Gold medals (1996) and the World Cup trophy (1999). But the Olympics and World Cup victories are just the height of DiCicco’s far-reaching influence in American women’s soccer.

He began as the goalkeeping coach for the USWNT in 1991 before taking over as head coach in 1994. Under DiCicco, the WNT accumulated 103 wins, 8 draws, and 8 losses, making him the “winningest” coach in USSF history. Beyond the Senior WNT, DiCicco managed at the youth level and coached the US women’s team that won the U-20 World Cup in 2008, a team that included Alyssa Naeher, Meghan Klingenberg, Kiersten Dallstream, Elli Reed, Becky Edwards, Christine Nairn, Keelin Winters, Alyssa Mautz, Alex Morgan, and Sydney Leroux. All celebrated members of the NSWL and most current members of the USWNT. 

DiCicco has played a huge role in the establishment of domestic women’s soccer in the US. He acted as the founding commissioner for the WUSA (2000-2003), and then, after leaving international coaching, he managed the Boston Breakers from 2009 through 2011, the majority of their time in the WPS. Under DiCicco, the Breakers took 2nd place in the 2010 season, their highest finishing ever as a pro-level team. Throughout, he has served on the USSF’s Technical Advisory board, and dedicated time to improving the state of coaching in soccer for women and girls across the nation. 

 

In the final phase of his long career in women’s soccer, DiCicco worked as a broadcaster for Fox Sports and ESPN, offering commentary for international friendlies and tournaments, including the 2015 Women’s World Cup where he saw many of the women he’d coached previously win the most coveted title in the women’s soccer world. Men and women across the nation and world are familiar with his voice, interpreting the game for them as they watch their favorites play. 

DiCicco joined the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012, having been elected to the honor in recognition of his work and success in the sport. But there can, perhaps, be no more fitting memorial and celebration of Tony DiCicco than the numerous testimonials and remembrances being shared across social media today, as former colleagues, players, and fans join together to mourn the loss of one of US Soccer’s biggest stars. 

RIP, Coach DiCicco. You will be missed. 

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: US v. Sweden and NWSL Week 9

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Off the Bench, Week 9!

Backline Soccer Recap:

USWNT v. Sweden Recap:

With no NWSL games to ponder over this weekend, the USWNT filled the void Thursday morning when they took on Sweden in their first match-up since their heartbreaking quarterfinal exit in the Rio Olympics. (But enough talk about that horrible day for all of the USWNT fans as both Ian Darke and Julie Foudy covered it plenty and we have suffered enough.) 

The U.S. started off in a standard 4-4-2.

The game opened up with Sweden on the front foot, while USWNT fans looked on with their hands covering their face. The US looked a bit lost, and many of the players seemed to have trouble with a slippery pitch.

Things remained scoreless and relatively uneventful until the 56th minute, when a combined effort from Crystal Dunn and Rose Lavelle put the USWNT up 1-0. That would be the only goal of the game, although there were plenty of chances from both sides in the final half hour. Alyssa Naeher earned her ninth shut-out and the USWNT finally won their first match against a Pia Sundhage coached Sweden side. 

Now let’s break down a few key moments and observations from the game.  

As I mentioned before, in the opening stretch the US looked a little out of sorts and unsure about the game plan. Whether that was the weight of who they were playing, or just not having enough time together, it’s hard to say. But either way the start of the game was short on quality with both sides seeming a bit lackluster. Chances were blown, finishes were incomplete, and the overall level of play was below what we’d expect from these teams. Rose Lavelle looked bright at times, trying to move centrally and get things going, but she found little backup and had some trouble with that previously mentioned slippery turf. Carli Lloyd was the intended target on through balls, but found herself frustrated as Sweden’s defenders regularly cut out that run. On the other side, Becky Sauerbrunn did much the same with Sweden, swooping in to intercept their passes through the middle. In a game lacking in many top-notch performances, Sauerbrunn was the best exception.

In the 44th minute, the U.S. had a panic moment when Allie Long almost sent in an own goal. A miscommunication occurred as she intercepted a ball that Alyssa Naeher was going for and had to run back and clear the ball from the goal-line, to prevent her mistake from turning into goal. That seemed to be the biggest panic moment of the first half. It ended with no goals and some re-tooling needed in the locker room.

The second half started with two subs. Lindsey Horan came in for Carli Lloyd and Abby Dahlkemper came in for Meghan Klingenberg. Shortly after these two were subbed out, the game seemed to settle and open a bit more for the USWNT. This saw Casey Short shift to left-back and Dahlkemper patrol the center with Sauerbrunn. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two natural center backs worked well together and Short looked more comfortable at fullback. On the other end, with Lloyd off the pitch and no longer the center of the attack, the U.S. seemed to settle into a bit more of a passing rhythm.

The big blow came from Crystal Dunn creating an opportunity out of nowhere, finding Rose Lavelle on the right, who then executed as clinical a finish as you could hope to see.

This seemed to finally spark the US, who played with a bit more confidence and forcefulness from that point forward.  

There were, however, some panic moments in the last 10 minutes of the game. One saw Naeher needing to field a corner kick but, once she hesitated coming off her line, she was left scrambling to just barely get enough her fingertips on a ball blasted over her head. Then another panic when a defensive miscue put Lotta Schelin through. However, some stout recoveries kept Sweden out, and the US took home the win.

Still, despite the final result, this game did not show much evidence of progress. This year has seen a lot of experimentation, but sometimes it seems like Jill Ellis is doing so just for the sake of saying she has done it. We will see if more settling and less travel from the USWNT produces a better performance against Norway on Sunday.

Aside from the performance itself, anyone watching will have noticed the team’s new look. The USWNT is celebrating Pride this month and wore jerseys with rainbow numbers on them for this match and will again wear them for the match against Norway on Sunday. It was great to see the jersey’s on the gals and to see U.S Soccer standing up for equality. 

And most of all. I really liked the You Can Play video put together by both USWNT and USMNT players.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 8 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games from the weekend. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. And make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast. 

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

https://www.spreaker.com/user/brewsports/the-scouting-report-season-5-week-8

Come back next week when I will back to regular programming previewing the weekend’s NWSL games!

Unsung Hero of the Week: Abby Road

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

This week I’ve chosen North Carolina Courage defender Abby Dahlkemper.

The 24-year-old American was the third overall pick in the 2015 College Draft, selected by the Western New York Flash out of UCLA. Dahlkemper appeared in 40 games for the Flash, winning the NWSL Championship with them in 2016. So far this year for the re-branded and re-located North Carolina Courage she has started all nine games. The Courage head into the break with a 6-3-0 record and are now first in the league standings.

North Carolina 2-0 Kansas City

Leading into this game, I was curious how the Courage would handle FCKC forward Sydney Leroux, who just last week had a two-goal performance against Washington to earn her Player of the Week honors. My curiosity was quickly washed away in the eighth minute when Dahlkemper first made her presence in the game known to Leroux. Kansas City had managed to clear the ball out of their half to Leroux but Dahlkemper out-muscled her for several steps near the midway line. The Courage defender read the situation perfectly to steal the ball away from Leroux and gain possession for her team. In turn, Dahlkemper glided a pass to Jaelene Hinkle who gave it up to Sam Mewis for North Carolina to regroup.

Dahlkemper establishing her presence early was vital to stopping Leroux from gaining any kind of confidence early on, and her work paid off.

One example of Dahlkemper dipping her toes in the offensive end for North Carolina came in the 24th minute. A big part of her game is her ability to provide set pieces that are not only quality but dangerous. Dahlkemper sent in a high-arching corner that found her fellow centerback Abby Erceg. The former New Zealand international sent it towards goal where Mewis redirected it on frame. It surely was going in, but FCKC defender Brittany Taylor got in the way of the header and saved the day for the Blues.

After that play, Commentator Aly Wagner expressed her opinion that she doesn’t think there’s a better set-piece taker in the women’s game. After thinking about it, I would have to agree with Wagner’s sentiments. The Courage have great service and height in their ranks, which has equaled success. Along with Dahlkemper, they have Erceg, who stands in at 5’10 and Mewis who is 5’11. These three combined provide enough evidence to claim the Courage are the most dangerous team when it comes to set pieces so far this season.

In the 44th minute, the roles were reversed for a change. This time it was Mewis taking the corner and Dahlkemper waiting for it. Mewis sent it to the back post and Dahlkemper was right on cue, sending a powerful header just wide of Kansas City’s goal.

Dahlkemper had a busy and productive first half but she didn’t stop there. On the other side in the 60th minute, North Carolina finally capitalized on a chance. The Courage earned another corner and Dahlkemper was up to the task of providing pin-point service. Once again, she found Erceg at the top of the 18, who sent it back into the mix. This time it found veteran midfielder McCall Zerboni near the six-yard box who flicked it in for the 1-0 lead. It was a well-deserved goal and one that had been brewing for some time.

It was brought up in the commentary that North Carolina leads the league in crosses and completions in the box. This game against KC was yet another prime example of why they are atop the standings; they are being efficient and it’s setting them apart from the rest of the league so far.

This upcoming week the NWSL is on international break. So, no games until the weekend of June 17. The United States Women’s National team will be playing Sweden June 8 (ESPN 2 – 1:30 PM ET) and Norway on June 11 (FOX – 1:00 PM ET). One defender who I was glad to see get called up was, in fact, Dahlkemper. She made two appearances for the USWNT back in 2016 and now once again has the chance to show what she can do for the Senior team. I hope she sees some playing time because her play in the NWSL has absolutely been top notch.

If Dahlkemper can keep this pace for her club, don’t be surprised if the North Carolina squad earn another piece of hardware come October.

In Memory of Our Fallen

Posted on by RJ Allen

 

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. A day set aside to remember the fallen soldiers–men and women, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, spouses, friends, mentors–who have met their end while protecting our nation. And across the NWSL, teams and players took a moment to give their thanks.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/869204184859631617

https://twitter.com/aarlitt/status/869208007669886977

At Backline Soccer, we bow our heads in thanks to the men and women who have served, who are serving, and who will serve, and in honor of all our fallen citizens.

We remember you.

Jill Ellis Releases Roster for June Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

The 21-players named to the roster will travel to Europe for a June 8th match against Sweden in Gothenburg and a June 11th match against Norway in Sandefjord.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Abby Smith (Boston Breakers)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Jaelene Hinkle (NC Courage), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (Boston Breakers), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash/Manchester City), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)

FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea FC), Sydney Leroux (FC Kansas City), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride/Olympique Lyonnais), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit)

A few interesting points to talk about in Ellis’s choices.

The most obvious place to start is the goalkeeper position, where due to Ashlyn Harris’s Week 6 injury, may have undergone a last-minute shakeup. While it’s no surprise that Alyssa Naeher has been called up–she’s been the de facto #1 since Hope Solo’s termination in late 2016, Abby Smith getting her first call-up to the Senior team was a little unexpected. Unless, of course, you’ve been watching her play this season with her club team, where she has 22 saves for the season already, and a 1.0 GAA. Some might have expected to see Houston Dash’s Jane Campbell on the roster, but she’s been playing backup for Lydia Williams so far this season (minus her unfortunate debut against Seattle in Week 2), while Smith has been out on the line every week and keeping her team in the top half of the table.

Jaelene Hinkle  makes her return to the USWNT after several months without being called-up. Hinkle, who was allocated for the 2016 season, did not make the roster for Rio and has struggled with injuries in the meantime. But after winning the 2016 NWSL championship with the WNY Flash, and making the move to North Carolina, she has been looking fit and ready to compete at the highest level again. The question will be: can she bring her excellent club performance to the international pitch, and elevate it further? It’s not often players get second chances at this level, so hopefully Hinkle will be able to make the most of it.

The biggest news on the roster, though, is Sydney Leroux’s long-awaited return to international play. After taking off 2016 to give birth to her first child, Leroux has been working non-stop to return both for club (making her first start with FC Kansas City and netting her first goal for the Blues in their opening weekend game) and country. And no better time than the present. Leroux has always been a wildcard on the attack, and that’s something the US has been lacking since the World Cup. The closest anyone has come to making the kind of commotion on the field that Syd the Kid has been capable of in the past is Houston’s Kealia Ohai, who doesn’t appear on the roster for these games.

For all the discussion that will take place over this roster (who made it, who didn’t, who should have, who shouldn’t have) all-in-all, it’s well-balanced and strong. Full of experience and energy. And I can’t wait to see how they all come together on the field for the US’s first friendlies overseas since before the 2015 World Cup.

The matches will be aired on US television. The June 8th game against Sweden can be seen at 1:30pm ET on ESPN2 and UDN, and the June 11th game against Norway will air at 1:00pm ET on Fox.

As always, Backline Soccer will be here to break down the games in our weekly podcast, so make sure you tune in.