Tag: USWNT

She Believes: USWNT v England

Posted on by RJ Allen

Saturday’s meeting between the US and England women’s teams should be quite the match. England, coming off a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to France on Wednesday, March 1, will be fighting to get themselves back in the tournament, while the US, after beating Germany 1-0 later that day, will look to build up their goal differential in anticipation of a tight race for the top position on the tourney table. Currently, France leads the table thanks to their two goals scored, followed by the US, England, and Germany.

The teams have not met since last year’s She Believes Cup, where Crystal Dunn scored the game’s only goal in the 72nd minute off an assist from Meghan Klingenberg. Dunn, of course, is expected to play in the upcoming match, which will pit her against new Chelsea L.F.C. teammates Karen Carney (F) and Millie Bright (D). Klingenberg has been hampered by injury and was not named to this year’s US roster. But while Dunn has performed at a high rate since last March, she may not be the biggest threat to England’s chances this year. Instead, Christen Press and newcomer to the Senior Team, Lynn Williams, will likely give the English defenders and goalkeeper a run for their money. Williams scored the US’s game-winning (and only) goal against Germany on Wednesday, and Press continues to run circles around the players between her and the net, finding opportunities to shoot—or creating them out of thin air when any other player might be stymied by a lack of openings.

But if the US needs to fix anything before they take the field on Saturday, it’s the midfield, which looked more than a little lost Wednesday night. Carli Lloyd doesn’t trust the backline, that much is obvious by the way she played back when both her coach and the flow of the game should have seen her move forward to support the forwards. Multiple times, Lloyd was called over to the sideline by Ellis and told to play higher, but she couldn’t seem to break free of the midfield line. Dunn and Heath were essentially neutralized by the German team, and Brian and Mewis couldn’t seem to get themselves organized in the lateral or side-by-side formation (rather than the older one forward, one back midfielder structure) Ellis had them in.  Not to mention that as per the US Women’s usual style of play, they were basically cut out of the game entirely, with the backline sending balls far down the field (and often too far forward or into empty space) for the attacking players to collect and send into goal. Rarely did the US take the opportunity to build play from the backline, through the midfield, and to the forwards. Sooner, rather than later, this will be the source of their downfall.

Another question for the US is who will be taking the field in the keeper’s kit. Alyssa Naeher earned her 11th cap on Wednesday night and managed a shutout, with at least one extremely impressive save. But as of yet there is still a question—acknowledged by the coaches even—of who is their starting GK. Ashlyn Harris is an obvious contender, and at the moment, rookie Jane Campbell is also in play. Harris, also with 11 caps, is a bit of a riskier choice, as even in friendlies she’s sometimes been caught off her line and is mostly used to playing with the older four-player backline. If England shows up to play as hungry for a win as they were earlier this week, with their forwards and midfield pressing hard and making great runs and crosses into the box, Harris could find herself in trouble. Campbell is the least likely to find a start during this tournament, but if Ellis truly wants to get her some experience against a top-ten team, who knows? I certainly have more faith in her than I do in the three-back, so…

England, of course, suffers from no lack of talent. But the real question that the Lionesses have to answer is about their endurance. Yes, they came out strong against France on Wednesday, and they led for long enough that fans began to think they might not only win but shut out the French. But when they came back after the half, their first-half high-energy press and attacking strategy seemed to be their undoing. They played the second 45 minutes looking much slower and a little lethargic. The US has consistently been one of the most athletic teams in the world of women’s football, and when all else fails, it’s been their fitness that has driven them to success.

But more important than any one game of soccer, Saturday’s match will pay homage to one of the biggest names in US soccer, men’s and women’s. Christie (Pearce) Rampone, twenty-year veteran of the USWNT has retired from national team duty, and the team is set to honor her long and noteworthy career in the state she calls home. No matter what the outcome, it will be an event to remember.

SheBelieves: USWNT v Germany

Posted on by RJ Allen

The U.S. Women’s National Team will open their 2017 She Believes Cup play today against the current Olympic Gold medal winners and #2-ranked Germany. The last time these two teams faced each other was at the inaugural She Believes Cup on March 9th of last year.

At the Boca Raton match in 2016, the US won 2-1 against the German team, under then-coach Silvia Neid. German striker Anja Mittag scored the first goal of the match in the 30th minute, but two goals from the US–Morgan at 37′ and an unassisted goal from Sam Mewis in the 42′, only her second international goal in all–put the US on top. The victory against Germany was the US’s last opponent of the three-game tournament and put them at the top of the table, giving them the historic first title in the homegrown tourney.

But the teams that will take the pitch later today are quite different than those who squared off last year, and the US might find themselves with an uphill climb against Steffi Jones’s lineup.

The USSF is marketing this game as a major meet-up between a World Champion (obviously touting the US with their 2015 WWC victory) and an Olympic Champion, and while semantically accurate, factually, the USWNT is not playing anywhere near the level they did in Canada during the summer of 2015.  Retirements, injuries, and suspensions have affected the lineup, first and foremost. Major names such as Wambach, Boxx, Cheney, Rampone, Solo, and Rapinoe are absent from the 23-player roster put out by the USWNT.

Of course, in their place are new names, names that we are becoming familiar with, as new players are rotated into the pool and evaluated. Mallory Pugh, coming off her time with the US’s U-20 World Cup team, has already made her bones on the senior level; Casey Short performed well at her first caps with the senior team back in October; Lynn Williams came onto the pitch for her first cap against Switzerland in October and scored within a minute. But while these younger players are performing well, they have never faced a team of Germany’s caliber before and their ability to play-make and adapt on the field when up against significant threat is yet unknown.

Another issue for the US is the strategic changes that have been made since the 2015 WWC victory. Despite all the recognition Carli Lloyd received for her impressive performance in the final against Japan, the real MVP of the USWNT’s World Cup drive were the five players in the back–the “Department of Defense” that included Hope Solo, Ali Krieger, Julie Johnston, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg. Their ability to break down any offensive threat that came their way–keeping Solo from even having to make more than a few attempts at a save–is what gave the midfield and attacking players the freedom to hunt down opportunities to score. But after their disappointing loss in Rio, coach Jill Ellis has consistently put out a three-back defensive line that, at best, has been seen mediocre success.

It was a good experiment in the aftermath of being knocked out in their quarter-final match against Sweden. Look, something had to change, that’s undeniable. International play around the world has progressed so well that the US’s old stand-by, physical condition and throwing Abby Wambach or the other forwards toward the opposing goal with no plan but “shoot until you hit the net,” isn’t going to work anymore. Sweden’s refusal to engage the US offensively worked. But the three-back? It has not. Despite the scorelines at the six post-Rio friendlies the team hosted last year, it has not worked. Mostly because, at her core, Allie Long is not a centerback, she doesn’t possess the tactical perspective (the kind of thinking that sees six moves ahead in a chess game) to play in the center, and she’s easily out-maneuvered or misled by opposing offensive players. And Becky Sauerbrunn is not a rightback, she’s a brilliant player but she lacks the speed necessary to track back in an instant to help out Long when the converted CB inevitably finds herself in trouble.

But even though they are perhaps the stronger team, Germany too faces a few obstacles in their She Believes journey. First of all, they are still adjusting to new leadership, as Steffi Jones has replaced the retired Silvia Neid. It hasn’t seemed to affect their play, however, as they sailed through their EURO 2017 qualifiers (including a 4-0 victory against the Russian Women’s team, whom the US will host in two friendlies later this spring) and other recent friendlies. Yet, while they’ve lost key players from the last cycle as well, their younger players–including Sara Däbritz, Leonie Maier, Dzsenifer Maroszán, Anja Mittag, Lena Petermann, and Alexandra Popp–have played for or earned titles at the youth and senior levels, including the 2013 UEFA Women’s Euro (won), the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup (won), the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and the 2016 Olympics in Rio (won).

No matter what the obstacles, however, the US and Germany will ultimately give us some excellent international women’s soccer to watch (and if you ask me, it’s about damn time).

Around the World of WoSo: Lloyd to City, Kemme and Huth out for Germany

Posted on by RJ Allen

Lloyd bleeds blue:

United States midfielder and two-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Carli Lloyd has decided to call Manchester City home for the next four months. Lloyd is expected to be reunited with her Houston Dash club in June, meaning she will miss the first two months of the NWSL season.

This is the first time the two-time Olympic Gold medalist will be playing internationally at the club level. In her first interview for City, Lloyd expressed that one of the biggest draws to playing in Europe was the possibility of competing in the FA Cup and the Champions League. I certainly can’t blame her for wanting that experience and she has the right to finally choose where she wants to go.

The FAWSL champions have brought in Lloyd in addition to an already intimidating roster which includes England’s star players Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott, and Karen Bardsley. Lloyd joins the high-profile list of USWNT stars making way to Europe, joining Crystal Dunn (Chelsea Ladies), Alex Morgan (Lyon), and Heather O’Reilly (Arsenal Ladies).

German pair out for SB Cup:

Two major players on Germany’s 2016 Olympic Gold medal team will not be making an appearance at the upcoming She Believes Cup. Tabea Kemme and Svenja Huth have 38 and 26 appearances respectively for Germany, and have scored two goals between them. When not repping their country on the international level, both play at Turbine Potsdam, one of the top teams in the German Bundesliga.

Kemme recently had surgery to repair a torn right meniscus and while Huth doesn’t have any major injuries, there is enough concern about the status of her right knee to keep her out of the SB Cup.  Replacements for the two are Verena Faißt (30 caps, three goals) of FC Bayern Munich and Hasret Kayikçi (one cap) of SC Freiburg.

While this is obviously not good news, Germany still has plenty of power on the roster. Some of the biggest names in the game that include Dzsenifer Marozsan, Anja Mittag, Alexandra Popp, Sara Dabritz and Josephine Henning. The German team took second in the 2016 inaugural She Believes Cup, and their roster this year features a majority of the same players.

The Gals in red:

The new 2017 USWNT kit has been revealed this past week, an all-red color scheme that has the latest campaign called #RedToToe. This new kit will make its debut at the #SheBelievesCup on March 1 when they face England in the opener. The Americans are the reigning champions of the tournament, which first took place last year.

The signature “1 Team, 1 Nation” motto is back on the inner sleeves while the staple “USA” remains on the back of the collar. At first glance I don’t mind the red look, but it looks so similar to the standar template of other countries, such as England and Portugal. I usually wait to hold off judgment until I see them on the players or in person. (Fun fact: each kit has been made from recycled plastic bottles, 16 to be exact.)

Matildas announce Algarve roster:

The 24th edition of the Portugal’s prestigious Algarve Cup will begin March 1 and conclude with the final on March 8. It remains highly competitive, even with the United States winning it a record 10 times. The Algarve cup has always attracted high-ranking teams like France, Germany, Sweden, Japan and Brazil, and continues to do so this year. The Matildas last competed in the Algarve in 1999, finishing fifth out of a possible eight, and they undoubtedly look to finish even higher in the 2017 edition.

Head coach Alen Stajcic has plenty of veterans to help lead this team. Clare Polkinghorne, Lisa De Vanna, Kyah Simon, Steph Catley, and Caitlin Foord have all been named to the roster. But don’t count out some of the talented youth he is bringing in, including Amy Harrison (nine caps), Gema Simon (five caps), Ellie Carpenter (five caps), Emma Checker (three caps), and Alex Chidiac (one cap).

The 2017 tournament will also feature last year’s champions, Canada, as well as Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Russia, and China PR.

Jordan nets hat-trick:

Former Florida Gator and star forward Savannah Jordan had a professional debut to remember on Sunday. In the Scottish Women’s Premier League opener, Glasgow City FC took on Jeanfield Swifts and it was Savannah who shined the brightest.

In an eight goal rout, the newest member of City opened the scoring in the 30th minute, with a header that had no chance of being saved. Eight minutes later, after a goal by Abbi Grant, Jordan sent in an assit to Grant, who pushed the lead to three. Jordan had to use her head once again in the 45th minute off a corner from Leanne Ross. To complete her hat-trick in the 87th minute, Jordan once again found service off a corner to drive a powerful header home.

Glasgow has won the title for the last 10 years and this game showed they are already ready for whatever the season brings them.

USWNT book Russia in April:

The United States Women’s National team has confirmed that they will play Russia in a pair of friendlies in April. Both games will be played in Texas, with the April 6th game in Frisco’s Toyota Stadium in Frisco, to be televised by FS1. The second game is April 9th at BVAA Compass Stadium in Houston, the site of 2016’s NWSL Championship game, and will be aired on ESPN. The last time these two teams met was back in 2014.

The Russians are ranked 23rd in the world, and have never beat the Americans in the handful of times they’ve met. The USWNT have played in Texas 17 times and have never suffered a loss in the Lone Star State.

These will be the final international matches before the NWSL season kicks off the following week.

Around the World of WoSo: City Remain Champs and Betos Says Goodbye

Posted on by RJ Allen

City goes back-to-back:

Melbourne City and Perth Glory met in the Grand Final of the W-League on Sunday and the match certainly did not disappoint. It drew a record crowd of 4,591 in the stadium and saw two goals by City en route to their second championship. Melbourne City made history by becoming the first-ever team to win back-to-back titles in the W-League.

The opening goal came by way of Jess Fishlock and was assisted by Bev Yanez in stoppage time of the first half. It was a sneaky cut-back cross by Yanez and the Tiny Dragon managed to get on the end of it to give City the lead. Later on in the 72nd minute, Yanez took matters into her own hands, sending a shot/cross that caught Perth keeper Gabrielle Dal Busco off guard. It was the dagger City needed to capture its second title in as many years. Fishlock grabbed Player of the Match to add to the sweetness.

Now five Seattle Reign players can call themselves champions of down under: Fishlock, Yanez, Lu Barnes, Larissa Crummer and Rebekah Stott. No timetable for when they return to Seattle, but you better believe that Seattle is ready for them to bring their game back home.

#SheBelieves training camp roster announced:

Jill Ellis has named her 25-player roster for the upcoming training camp in Orlando prior to the SheBelieves Cup in March. Before heading to Philadelphia for the first game, Ellis will have to cut two players to get the roster down to 23. Notable players missing from the roster are Megan Rapinoe, Kealia Ohai, and Hope Solo.

The roster did include a few players who have been absent due to pregnancy (Amy Rodriguez, FC Kansas City), injury (Meghan Klingenberg, Portland Thorns), or U-team duty (Mallory Pugh, UCLA).  And Ellis has called two newcomers into camp, Sarah Killion (MF, Sky Blue FC) and 16-year-old Brianna Pinto (MF, CASL, committed to UNC), who is the youngest call-up for the USWNT.

The goalkeepers called in brought no surprises. Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), and the current #1, Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars). Ellis also was conservative in her defender call-ups, bringing in familiar names like Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), and the aforementioned Klingenberg. But she also did call back two newer additions to the full-team, Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars) and Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns).

The midfield continues to be led by Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns) and Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), and will be complemented by Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage), and Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns). But Ellis has also called up newer midfielders such as 2017 NWSL Draft first round pick Rose Lavelle (Boston Breakers) as well as Killion and Pinto.

But the most dynamic group in my opinion is the forwards. Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride, Olympique Lyonnais), Crystal Dunn (Chelsea L.F.C.), Rodriguez and Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars) each bring speed and experience to the pitch. And they will be joined by Pugh and Lynn Williams (NC Courage) who bring incredible energy and eagerness to the squad.

Betos to Norway:

The former Seattle Reign and Portland Thorns keeper Michelle Betos has announced she has signed to play in the Norwegian Toppserien for Valerenga. Before becoming a fan-favorite in Portland, she played six games in Hope Solo’s absence in 2013. Then Betos sat behind Nadine Angerer and Adrianna Franch before earning the starting spot in 2015-2016.

In Betos’s three years in the Thorns kit, she had a record of 16-10-4, goals against average of 1.27, and earned seven shutouts. She became a very reliable keeper and solidified the defense in Portland, contributing greatly to the team’s drive for the 2016 NWSL Shield, which they won for the first time in club history.

While she was obviously known for her shot-stopping ability, perhaps her most memorable moment came on the offensive end. June 19th of 2015, the Thorns were down to 10 players and down a goal to Kansas City. In the waning seconds of the game, Portland had consecutive corners and on the second attempt Betos went all out to score a phenomenal header to net a point for her team. It was one of the most exciting and unexpected moments of NWSL history, and for her achievement, she was named Player of the Week by the NWSL, and awarded Goalkeeper of the Year for the 2015 season.

Boston brings back familiar face:

The Boston Breakers have announced that Tiffany Weimer will play for the club in 2017. The 33-year-old most recently played for Kvarnsveden in the Damallsvenskan–the top league in Sweden. Weimer played in ten matches, good for 900 minutes. Weimer has plenty of International experience to bring back to Boston after playing in Brazil, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.

Weimer last played for Boston in 2010, when the team played in the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS). Here in the states she has also played for Washington Spirit, FC Kansas City and Portland Thorns. She was a part of the Thorns NWSL Championship team in 2013, the last time she scored a goal and an assist.

Smith’s All-Star list:

Kelly Smith has a send-off game in her honor Feb. 19th at Borehamwood FC, but has announced she won’t be playing due to being three months pregnant. The England and Arsenal Ladies legend will instead be a manager, opposite of Pedro Martinez, and overseeing the past and present players who have agreed to take part in the exhibition match.

The famous Howard Webb has signed on to referee while many other legends on the field have agreed to play, including Heather O’Reilly, Hope Powell, Marieanne Spacey, Ellen White, Casey Stone, and Faye White. Other big names expected to take the field are Jill Scott, Laura Bassett, Rachel Brown, Emily Westwood, and England’s current captain, Steph Houghton. That’s quite a legendary list of names.

Schoepfer to assist Holy Cross:

Former Boston Breaker and Sky Blue forward Katie Schoepfer has left the NWSL for an assistant coaching position at College of the Holy Cross. Holy Cross is a private, Catholic, Jesuit D1 school located in Boston with a student body of under 3,000 undergraduates.

The 28-year-old was selected by Sky Blue in the third round of the 2010 WPS college draft. She played one season in New Jersey before being sent to Boston. Between the two clubs she appeared in 100 games from 2011-2016, recording nine goals in that span.

Schoepfer has a variety of coaching experience since turning pro-Varsity assistant at Buckingham Brown and Nichols High School, and Varsity assistant at Waterford High School. At the club level she spent time coaching for Valeo FC and the Breakers Academy, and for the last three years she has worked as a volunteer at Boston University.

WoSo Remix: Chance The Rapper and Chicago Red Stars

Posted on by RJ Allen

This is the first installment of a three-part series.

*DISCLAIMER*

Yes, this is a women’s soccer article referencing a rap album. Yes, there is foul language. Yes, this is your Parental Advisory.

Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book (cover art)
Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book (cover art)

If you’re from Chicago and are unfamiliar with hip hop or have been living under a rock the last 4 years, Chance The Rapper is an artist from the south side of Chicago who has been receiving tons of critical acclaim for his new release, Coloring Book. If you haven’t heard it yet, go do yourself a favor and download it. It is free.

In Chance’s album, he touches on many of his loves. His Family, his Faith, and his City. Although it holds gospel influences, the tracks throughout the album invite you into his world with native Chicago house music influences and juke beats – all guided by a flow uniquely his own. Seriously, go download it.

 

WHY WOMEN’S SOCCER & HIP HOP?

It’s no secret athletes are into music. They use it to motivate their workouts and hype up game days. Here at Backline Soccer we’re into a whole bunch of cool shit like WoSo, tacos, and music. So when Chance The Rapper dropped that mix-tape, I immediately downloaded it like the loyal Chicagoan I am. It was released back in May, about a month after the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off their historic 4th season.

Similar to athletes, music usually accompanies me whenever I do some kind of writing. So it only seemed appropriate to do a review and remix of the mix-tape that has taken the music world by storm with the squad that literally reps Chicago’s notorious stars on its crest, The Chicago Red Stars.  While going through Coloring Book’s from start to finish, I will be comparing players from this season’s active roster to specific lyrics in its tracks.

ChicagoRedStars

*DISCLAIMER 2*

AGAIN. This album contains a Parental Advisory for Explicit Content. So chill the fuck out. Also, not all players will be used in this WoSo Remix to the album. Mostly active starters and players from this season to date, with some honorable mentions.

CHANCE THE RAPPER – COLORING BOOK

ALL WE GOT (FT. Kanye West & Chicago Children’s Choir) – “AND WE BACK.”  In this track Chance lets us know he’s arrived and yet he’s never really left us. He touches on the moments in his life at the release of his album and introduces the gospel influences we will hear throughout the album.

The lyric “They don’t give nothing away, you gotta fight for your way” will be remixed for Chicago Red Stars Goal Keeper Alyssa Naeher. Granted the ‘they’ in this line can also be attributed to Chicago’s backline as well, however in the event that they do give ‘something’ away, Naeher is still there to be reckoned with. Just try and fight your way past her.

 

NO PROBLEM (FT. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz) – “You don’t want ZERO problems big fella.”  This song was the first track to get a music video to accompany it after the album released (Angels was first). In it, Chance calls out the major music labels who failed in their efforts to deny him access to the artists he wanted to collaborate with, and his desire to put out the music he wanted to release – for free.

The hypnotizing hook “You don’t want no problems, want no problems with me” will be remixed for Chicago Red Stars captain, Christen Press. Press has been referred to as the main component of Chicago’s offensive presence on the pitch. Few goalkeepers want to be caught one on one with her on the pitch. Before she got named to the Olympic roster she left the team with four goals, 27 shots on goal, and 42 total shots. You don’t want ZERO problems with Press.

 

SUMMER FRIENDS (FT. Jeremih & Francis & The Lights) – “Summer friends don’t stay.”  A very somber track that has Chance reminiscing on friends and lives lost in his south side community of Chatham, specifically in summer time in Chicago. In remembering past summers, he acknowledges how they have shaped his present. He collaborates with fellow Chicagoan Jeremih who sings an outro on the track expressing the importance of remaining loyal with those who came up through the trials with you.

The song hits home due to the truth it holds. Some Chicagoland communities have a history with violence. It’s not hard to find someone directly affected by it somehow. It is a sensitive subject that should be discussed not glorified. Although difficult to choose a specific lyric from this very moving song, the line “Oh I used to kill em with the long hair” stands out since Chance has referenced his long natural hair in prior songs.

This line will be remixed for Julie Johnston and Samantha Johnson. Along with their fantastic defensive and leadership skills, they both have a strong hair and fashion game. They both do a great job of reaching out and working with youth as well. They have both formed a strong bond as the main center backs of the defense. Johnson has done a great job of filling as the voice of the backline during Johnston’s Olympic duty absence. And let’s not forget the recent animated short where Johnston tells us how she used to ‘kill em with the long hair.’

 

D.R.A.M SINGS SPECIAL – This track is the shortest on Chance’s album. It clocks in at one minute and 42 seconds. It features D.R.A.M and Elle Varner singing a very melodic verse repeatedly, serving as a bit of a lullaby interlude for the album. The track is literally five lines repeated twice: “You are very special. You’re special too. Everyone is special. This I know is true, when I look at you.”

Due to the short length of this track and its minimal yet significant lyrics, this whole interlude will be remixed for Sarah Gorden.

Drafted second overall for the Red Stars in the NWSL 2016 draft, she hasn’t seen much playing time on the pitch this year, logging minutes in only two games so far this season. However, that doesn’t reflect her great work ethic or stop her from working on her game. It’s not easy being a professional athlete and a mom on an NWSL salary, but somehow she’s doing it. We all know she’s special and it’s a matter of time before we see her on the pitch again.

Honorable Mention: Lori Chalupny. Long time Red Star and retired captain, Chups’s jersey was recently retired by the team, so we know how special she is to the Red Stars and Chicagoland fans. Check out her jersey retirement ceremony here.

 

BLESSINGS – “The praises go up. The blessings come down.” A break out song from Coloring Book, Chance literally utilizes this track as his praise song. By remembering God throughout his journey in music, Chance knows that his blessing will come. The refrain that Jamila Woods sings echoes throughout the track like a holy reprise. It is that lyric that we will remix for Casey Short.

Short has been on the Red Stars’ radar for years. Initially drafted fifth overall by Boston in 2013, she suffered a season ending injury. Chicago picked up her rights for 2014, but Short had another setback due to injury. After fighting her way back to playing form, she had a successful 27 appearances for Avaldsnes in Norway in 2015. Finally, in 2016, we saw her long-awaited arrival to Chicago.

When you put in the work, you reap the rewards. Her long journey has seen plenty of adversity, but Short has now become a staple in Chicago’s back-five, a defense that includes National Team regulars like Julie Johnston and Alyssa Naeher. Coupled with fellow outside back Arin Gilliland, she is one part of a lethal duo. Ultimately, it’s not just Short, but the fans who are blessed as well.

 

 

We will continue this WoSo Remix as a series. Coloring Book Tracks 6 through 10 and 11 through 14 will be covered in separate parts. Stay tuned!

 

This was originally posted on 

Ellis Taps 25 for Last Training Camp Before the 2017 SheBelieves Cup

Posted on by RJ Allen

Ellis has named 25 players to a training camp set before the 2017 SheBelieves Cup. This leaves open the possibility the roster for SheBelieves might be somewhat smaller as high school junior Brianna Pinto might not be on hand for the Cup.

Ellis angered some by leaving Megan Rapinoe and Kealia Ohai off her roster.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Sarah Killion (Sky Blue FC), Rose Lavelle (Boston Breakers), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage), Brianna Pinto (CASL)

FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea Ladies FC), Alex Morgan (Olympique Lyonnais), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (UCLA), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Lynn Williams (NC Courage)

Backline Soccer Rejects the Banning and Dehumanizing of Immigrants and Refugees

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer joins our fellow Americans and those around the world in condemning the illegal executive order signed by President Trump.

Our hearts ache for those treated like criminals. For those seeking refuge from war and destruction. For those legal immigrants, green-card holders, and permanent residents now barred from returning home from abroad by President Trump’s executive order. Doctors, researchers, military translators and those who have lived through unbearable horrors should never be turned away from our golden door. No one should. Our nation has long been a beacon of hope for those seeking a new beginning, epitomized by the great symbol of our nation, the Statue of Liberty, whose tablet proclaims to the world that the United States is a place of refuge for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to be free. And we mourn with the world the dimming of our Lady Liberty’s great symbolic light in the wake of President Trump’s actions.

We at Backline Soccer recognize that we are all the children of immigrants, and that our diverse backgrounds and beliefs are the foundation of our work. And we will never shy away from tackling the issues that affect us and the world at large. We believe in being a safe space for a wide variety of opinions. We understand that not all of our readers share in our political beliefs, nor does each staff member agree on every issue, but in this moment we understand that to remain silent is to become complicit. And we stand together.

As our country continues to make socio-political changes that affect the world around us, we will do our best to show support while still providing you with up-to-date women’s soccer coverage. Citizenship doesn’t start and end with the seven countries denied entry into the United States this past weekend. We are all citizens of a global community. Make no mistake this executive order is an attempt to ban Muslims from this country and we will not support it. 

There are at least 20 nations of the world that have players in the National Women’s Soccer League. Some have made their homes here and all have worked here to make the NWSL one of the great leagues in the world. We proudly welcome them and all others that seek a home.

In this time of confusion, uncertainty, and fear we ask all our readers to do what they can to help support inclusion, diversity, and tolerance in our nation and across the globe. America is a nation built upon these values, and we must fight to uphold our core beliefs: that all peoples are created equal, that all religions are respected, that America is a land of freedom and opportunity. 

And so, tonight we off our names in support of immigrants and refugees from the seven countries listed in the executive order and all others around the world. 

Sincerely, 

RJ Allen, Editor in Chief

Sandra Herrera, Senior Editor

Jacob Cristobal, Advisory Editor

Elizabeth Wawrzyniak, Senior Copy Editor

Alanna Fairbairn, Copy Editor

Jenn Hayes, Staff Writer

Luis G. Hernandez, Staff Writer

Leigh Nieves, Staff Writer

Jacqui Porter, Staff Writer

Jordan Small, Staff Writer

Adriana Hooper, Media Director

Around the World of WoSo: NWSL Draft, Morgan in Lyon

Posted on by RJ Allen

NWSL College Draft Tidbits:

The 2017 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft was held in Los Angeles over the weekend and – no surprise – Rose Lavelle was taken number one overall. The first of 40 picks, the talented midfielder out of Wisconsin spent all four years a Badger and led her team to two (2014, 2012) trips to the postseason. 

2016 National Champions USC had plenty to celebrate on the day, as five player’s names were called. Three players went in the first round; Morgan Andrews third to Boston, Kayla Mills fourth to Sky Blue who also grabbed Miranda Freeman with the 10th pick. Two more players were selected in the second and fourth rounds respectively as Seattle took a chance on Katie Johnson, while Samantha Prudhomme found a home in Boston.

The newest team in the NWSL, the North Carolina Courage (formerly the Western New York Flash) had three picks. They grabbed Ashley Hatch from BYU with the second pick, Darian Jenkins out of UCLA with the seventh and Claire Wagner from Clemson at 20.

Alex Morgan Suits up for Lyon:

In her first action for Olympique Lyonnais in the Division 1 Feminine, Morgan helped Lyon to a 3-0 victory over Guingamp. Morgan managed 72 minutes and grabbed her first assist to French superstar Eugenie Le Sommer. This was a positive result for OL, considering the last match between these clubs was all Guingamp in a 3-1 win over Lyon last November.

A few reasons for the turnaround could be the additions of the American Morgan, Canadian Kadeisha Buchanan and German Josephine Henning. On paper, this roster could now be the best in the world. Other stars include; Le Sommer, Dzenifer Maroszán, Wendie Renard, Ada Hegerberg, Camille Abily, and Caroline Seger. All these world-class players on one team should be certainly intimidating for the rest of the league. Lyon leads the league in most titles with 14 and I do expect them to win it again this year.

USWNT Called Into January Camp:

Jill Ellis has called 29 players in for the first United States Women’s National Team camp of 2017. This camp will serve as evaluation for the upcoming SheBelieves tournament in March.

22 players from last year are back, including Carli Lloyd, Alyssa Naeher, Becky Sauerbrunn, Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn, Alex Morgan and Julie Johnson. Ellis has also called in six players who have not yet earned a cap; Jane Campbell, Adrianna Franch, Rose Lavelle, Christina Gibbons, Kristen Edmonds, and Taylor Smith. The young and explosive forwards Lynn Williams and Kealia Ohai are also back.

Ellis has also decided to bring in five U-23 players to the senior camp; 16-year-old Brianna Pinto, Casey Murphy (Rutgers), Mandy Freeman (Sky Blue FC), Tierna Davidson (Stanford), and Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina).

The long-awaited return of fan-favorite forward Amy Rodriguez was a nice surprise. Out since giving birth to a baby boy in June 2016, her last appearance was November of 2015 during the World Cup Victory Tour.

SheBelieves Cup Details Announced:

The second edition of the SheBelieves Cup will be held March 1-7th in three different locations; New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. All four teams from last year have agreed to compete again, each ranked in the top five; United States (1), Germany (2), France (3) and England (5).  

The venues chosen are Red Bull Arena (NJ), Talen Energy Stadium (PA), and RFK (D.C.). I would’ve liked the locations to be a little more south, as it could be a bit cold in March, but we will see how it works. Two of the USA matches will be shown on FS1, while the other one will be on FOX.

The Americans won last year, defeating Germany in the final match to secure the inaugural trophy.

England Legend Kelly Smith Retires:

The 38-year-old has decided to call her career in football over. The Lioness had a career most could only dream of. It started at Seton Hall where she set collegiate records, earned countless awards and scored 76 goals in just 51 matches and three years.

Her professional career started in 1994 and she played for several clubs; Wembley Ladies, New Jersey Lady Stallions, Philadelphia Charge, New Jersey Wildcats, Boston Breakers and Arsenal Ladies (three different stints).

Smith was a two-time FA POY and won 20 trophies in her time with Arsenal, including five FA Cups, winning the Premier League four times, the FA Cup three times and the UEFA Cup once. She finished her Arsenal career with 144 appearances and 125 goals, a remarkable ratio. In her brief time here in the States, her football style was enjoyable to watch, even when the sport was seriously struggling throughout the 2000s to gain attention.

What is amazing to think about is that even with a variety of injuries in her professional career, she managed to keep coming back and remind the world she belonged. She torn her ACL in 2002, broke her leg in 2004, picked up a stress fracture in her foot in early 2005, Achilles injury in 2011, and another stress fracture in 2012. Smith each time came back with resiliency, never giving up on herself.

One of her most notable accomplishments could be her international career with England from 1995-2015. She earned 117 caps and scored a record 46 goals in that span. Along with Rachel Yankey, Fara Williams, Casey Stoney, and Faye White, Smith carried the spotlight. She took on the responsibility of getting women’s football on the map; for me, she was what Mia Hamm was to the American fans. That’s how great she was, that’s how important she was to women’s football for England.

Personally, I believe Smith is one of the best players to ever step on the pitch. She will be missed but no doubt she will continue to teach the next generation of English footballers. Up next for Smith will be a full-time coaching role within Arsenal’s organization.  

Goals Galore Down Under:

This past weekend in W-League fans of Adelaide United and Canberra United had plenty to cheer about. Adelaide destroyed the Wanderers by a score 10-2 while Canberra managed a 7-2 win against Perth Glory. Two top scorers for Adelaide were Sofia Huerta and Adriana Jones, both having hat-tricks in a wild game. As for Canberra, Ashleigh Sykes was the stand-out player who grabbed four goals on the day.

These goals explain why Adelaide and Canberra are leading the league in total goals scored with 28 and 24 respectively. But they also concede almost as many, with Adelaide giving up 23 while Canberra has given up 19. Through 10 matches Adelaide still sit at the bottom of the table and Canberra remains in second place.

Breaking News: Heather O’Reilly Reportedly to Join Arsenal Ladies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Glenn Crooks of CBS New York has reported that FCKC and former USWNT midfielder Heather O’Reilly has joined England’s Arsenal Ladies. More details as they become available.

Armchair Centerback: What Could a 50-Person USWNT Roster Look Like?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Note: This was written before Jill Ellis’s 29 person USWNT roster was published. I stand by my roster picks.

Imagine a scenario:  Jill Ellis and USSF have parted ways. She is being replaced effective immediately.

In her place in a 28-year-old first-time coach who would give up a non-vital organ to have a functional back 4 again with an attacking half that could keep up its end of the deal.

Ok, so maybe that’s a dream too far. Jill Ellis is still the head coach of the USWNT and I’m a sports-writer who thinks about the defense more than I ever have about the attack. But I have ideas, I’m a thinker.

And one of the things I think about often, is just how limited Ellis is in her camp roster decisions. To the point that the existing framework seems to severely inhibit her creativity.  Even now, though the USWNT’s CBA has run out, contract law dictates that they will continue to play under its mandates until a new deal is inked. That means Ellis remains limited in the number of players she can call up at any one time.

But in the world I head coach in? The world where we have a little magic back in our passing game? Where our back five are still well-known as the one, the only Department of Defense?

The world that right now exists only in my head?

The sky is the limit.

And I’ve spent the better part of the last two weeks thinking about what a 50-person USWNT camp would look like. The idea came about after seeing that the USMNT have larger camps than the women often do. (But the reasons for that a different article entirely.)

So if I had the keys to the kingdom, no limit to the number of players from the old CBA, everyone was healthy and free to be called in and a phone list of all of US players able to be called up, who would I call?

I’m glad you asked.

Goalkeepers:

  • Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride)
  • E.J. Proctor (Duke)
  • Haley Kopmeyer (Seattle Reign)
  • Jane Campbell (Stanford University)
  • Katelyn Rowland (Western New York Flash)
  • Michelle Betos (Portland Thorns)

First thing anyone will notice is that Hope Solo’s name doesn’t appear in my selection.

Listen, I’ve put her name on and taken it off of this list more times than USSF brought up her clean sheet record hunt in the lead-up to Rio last summer.

Call me a fangirl, call me delusional, call me stuck in 2008, maybe I am but there are few things in the world of soccer that make me happier than seeing Hope Solo stand in goal. But few things make me more nervous than the idea of her having an even bigger chip on her bionic shoulder as a new cycle starts in earnest. At the end of the day I decided that it was worth sticking to her suspension, which remains in effect until at least February, over having her in this camp.

So let’s talk about the goalkeepers I did decide to go with instead of the one that I didn’t.

As much as I think her future on the USWNT has come and gone I still think Ashlyn Harris provides useful training experience for some of the newer players. Between Harris and Naeher, the roster would have the stability of their consistency and experience to balance out the untested electricity that newer players bring into camp.

I think having Betos and Kopmeyer in camp as a reward for their solid NWSL play over the last few season makes sense with a camp this size. Adding in younger goalkeepers like Proctor, Campbell, and Rowland will give the coaches a look at some of the players who will likely be in line for a call-up when the next cycle begins in France in 2019.

Defenders:

  • Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash) 
  • Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride)
  • Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)
  • Cari Roccaro (Houston Dash)
  • Carson Pickett (Seattle Reign)
  • Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Christen Westphal (Boston Breakers) 
  • Emily Menges (Portland Thorns)
  • Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns)
  • Erica Skroski (Sky Blue FC) 
  • Jaelene Hinkle (Western New York Flash)
  • Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Kendall Fletcher (Seattle Reign) 
  • Lauren Barnes (Seattle Reign) 

Before the pitchforks come out I have Kelley O’Hara in this camp. But she’s in the midfield where she belongs.

And, for those of you still wielding farm equipment at me, no, I do not have Meghan Klingenberg on this roster. I think there are stronger candidates in the field. Maybe a year in the NWSL without much USWNT action will help get her back in form. But for me right now she’s on the outside looking in. (It’s funny, see, because she’s been playing at OB.)

It’s no secret the once-solid USWNT defense has had a few holes poked in it over the last year.  And it’s been coaching decisions–more than any opposing team’s attack could dream of doing–that have done the bulk of the dismantling.

I think one way to fix this is to bring in more defenders and more types of defenders to be used. Sauerbrunn and Krieger are the two most seasoned defenders we have and they are a much welcome force of calm and steady play, both in practice and in game play.  Short, Dahlkemper and Gilliland have all gotten a taste in the last few camps but I think we can bring in some of the NWSL’s talented and speedy defenders to help the defense reclaim its World Cup winning form.

Midfielders:

  • Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash)
  • Christina Gibbons (Duke) 
  • Christine Nairn (Seattle Reign)
  • Crystal Dunn (Chelsea LFC)
  • Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars) 
  • Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC)
  • Kristen Edmonds (Orlando Pride) 
  • Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns)
  • Margaret Purce (Harvard) 
  • Morgan Brian (Houston Dash)
  • Rose Lavelle (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
  • Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash)
  • Sarah Killion (Sky Blue FC) 
  • Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns)
  • Vanessa DiBernardo (Chicago Red Stars) 

You can pick up the pitchforks again. No Megan Rapinoe. I didn’t think she should have made the Olympic roster and I haven’t seen anything in the months since that tells me she is ready to play at a national team level again.

Moving on.

The midfield has suffered from a decided lack of creativity and flow over the last year. With the likes of Holiday gone, Boxx retired, and Tobin Heath unable to be in three places at once (no matter how hard Jill tries) the midfield needs some help to get it back up to where we all know it can be.

O’Hara, as we’ve seen nearly every time Ellis put her in the midfield, is a better tactical fit in the midfield. While she can defend she is better as someone who attacks 70% of the time and spends the other 30% defending vs the other way around.

DiBernardo and Colaprico have managed in the last few seasons for Chicago really shown what a midfield pairing can look like. When both are on they are lights out. Bringing a little of that magic to the USWNT couldn’t hurt. Other NWSL players like Edmonds and Nairn have been talked about often as players who should be called up and I’d like to see it happen. And I’m all for brining some of the best the college game has to offer in to give them a look. 

There isn’t much else to say here. The US needs to adapt their midfield so the forwards aren’t on islands all of their own.

Forwards:

  • Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride, on loan: Olympique Lyonnais Féminin)
  • Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City)
  • Ashley Hatch (BYU) 
  • Ashley Sanchez (So Cal Blues)
  • Beverly Yanez (Seattle Reign) 
  • Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Jen Hoy (Chicago Red Stars)
  • Jess McDonald (Western New York Flash)
  • Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash)
  • Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)
  • Mallory Pugh (UCLA) 
  • Shea Groom (FC Kansas City) 
  • Stephanie McCaffrey (Chicago Red Stars)

Forward is maybe the only current position on the USWNT that I am not overly worried about. The team has some major firepower with the likes of Morgan, Press, Williams, and Pugh. Rodriguez coming back from maternity leave only adds to the experience level.

Sanchez was one of the brightest spots in the U20 Women’s World Cup for the US. Hatch is another name that could make a big splash is given a national team stage to do so. 

Bringing in a mix of the NWSL’s best and brightest could only help the players grow and give some of the best forwards in the world a little more fire in their bellies than usual.

For comparison to my fantasy roster is the real USWNT call ups for the  actual USWNT camp from Jan 13 to Jan 23. 

GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Jaelene Hinkle (Western New York Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (11): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Kristen Edmonds (Orlando Pride), Christina Gibbons (Duke), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Taylor Smith (Western New York Flash)

FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (Chelsea Ladies FC, ENG), Jessica McDonald (Western New York Flash), Alex Morgan (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)