Tag: W-League

Q&A: Orlando Boss Tom Sermanni Talks W-League, Salary Caps, and Beating Portland

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Orlando Pride off-season has been anything but conventional. The team made the most out of a third-round pick, while trading away popular mainstays like Steph Catley and Jasmyne Spencer to add additional pieces. The team also bypassed the Boston Breakers dispersal draft to bring Sydney Leroux to town—all while they once again dealt away their 2019 draft picks. We spoke with Coach Tom Sermanni shortly after the Leroux trade was announced to catch up on all the goings-on with Orlando.

Backline: Tom, you started your offseason by heading overseas to the UK. Can you talk a little bit about what your intent was when you went over there?

Tom Sermanni: It was a couple of things. We don’t always get a chance to see live other leagues in the world and see what’s happening, what the standards are like—what the quality of the soccer is like, and what the style of the soccer is like. So part of it was an observation on the game in England, and the second thing was to look at players. Look and see if some player caught the eye or may be below the radar. A little bit of scouting involved in it, and a little bit of information-gathering.

BS: How would you compare the style of play in the FA WSL to the NWSL?

TS: I think our league is far more robust, physical, quick, and competitive. The English league, I was quite impressed with the style of soccer some of the teams try to play. The tempo was different and slower than the tempo that we play at. The only kind of exception I saw to that was when I saw Chelsea against Rosengård in the Champions League, and that was a real proper NWSL-type game. The teams, the organization is good. The players are much more aware of their job, much more disciplined, and generally the standard, I think across the board in the women’s game, continues to increase. I think the edge we’ve got here is there’s such a competitiveness in our league that you don’t get in other leagues at this stage.

BS: So in the trip to the UK, were you seriously considering a specific player there, or was it more a matter of gathering a list of names to consider in the future?

TS: Yeah, it’s probably more of that. I thought it would be a long shot to go there and get somebody and have them back for this season. Simply because contractually, those players are tied up to at least the end of the season, which is in June, and you’re not going to get them out of their contracts early in most occasions. Secondly, the kind of player we are looking at and want to bring here are obviously the better players, so they are in even more demand. It was more gathering information, and also having a look at players that become available and [we] could be interested in.

BS: You ended up traveling down to Australia for quite a bit of time to the W-league. Can you talk a little bit about the time you spent down there?

TS: Part of it was to see my wife, because my wife is living and working down in Australia. And again, it was also partly to look around the league and see what’s out there, what players are coming through, because in reality, I’ve been away from Australia now for six years. So you lose touch with the base of knowledge I naturally had there when I was the coach. It was good just to go back there to see some of the players that may be coming through the system, but weren’t around when I was there. I think it was great to catch up with our players. You know if you’re a player and you’re playing away, halfway around the world, it’s always handy to see a friendly face. So it was good to catch up with our [Orlando] players, as well. And again, part of it was to see how the league is going, what the standards are like.

BS: You obviously had a hand in the formation of the W-league. How would you describe the play now versus when it first started?

TS: I think there’s been significant progress made in a lot of areas. I think the playing level has gotten better. I think part of that is because of the relationship between the NWSL and the W-League. There’s probably 20 to 25 NWSL players down there, and what’s happening, over the last three or four years is that the teams down there, like all teams, learn from their mistakes. Teams down there have got their scouting of the NWSL players to a very good level now, so they’ve got some consistency and continuity bringing those players down there, and those have helped raise the standards in the league.

Coming from what I see now, one of the big advantages was to give the domestic players a chance to play in a national competition, and we’re seeing more and more young players getting opportunities to play at a senior level, and that’s continuing to develop the league. Basically, when we started, apart from national team players that were under contract, players weren’t getting paid to play in the league. There’s now a salary cap. There’s now a minimum wage. The minimum wage at the moment is 10,000 AUD [Ed. note: roughly $7,930], and that’s going up next year—which is great when you consider the number of younger players in there, and the fact that you only play 14 games. They’ve got a players’ agreement in there now [Ed. note: Tom is referring to the CBA struck between the players’ union and the league ahead of the 2017-2018 season] which is a huge step forward.

A third thing which is interesting is the number of double-headers with the men’s teams. The women’s game is on first, and literally as soon as the final whistle goes in the women’s game, the men’s teams are on to do the warm-up, get ready, and start their game. When we started the league, if we wanted a double-header, the A-league teams wanted the game to finish two hours before the A-league game started, so there was no point in a double-header. Now, it’s two games back-to-back. That’s a huge step forward, and also means that W-league teams are playing in very good stadiums almost every week.

There’s still a ways, resources are tight, there’s not a lot of money in the league, but when you step back to look to where we started it, and those days ten years ago, they’ve stepped on quite significantly.

BS: Would you say that the W-League style is similar to the NWSL, or is it its own style?

TS: No, it’s a bit more of its own style. It’s not quite as direct. It’s not as fast. Teams will tend to play a little bit more build-up kind of play. So the style is a little bit different.

BS: Let’s change gears and touch a little bit on the draft. You drafted Nadia Gomes. She’s has a lot of pace, is able to play a couple of different spots on the pitch. Are you keen to put her in the back, or are you wanting to see how she is in camp before you make any kind of decision?

TS: We don’t have any preconceptions about where we see her play, to be honest. We just like the qualities that we saw. We thought Nadia would go a lot earlier than when she did, so we didn’t have much hope of getting her. That was a pleasant surprise that she was still there. I think she’s got, from what we’ve seen in her video, the type of qualities that will fit in well with our team and also fit in well with the NWSL. And that is that flexibility, we feel she’ll end up playing several positions. We feel she’s got the pace and ability to cope in this league. That’s very important in the next competition, and she’s got the added advantage of being left-sided. She’s got a lot of promise and a lot of things we liked about her.

BS: Let’s talk a little bit about Boston. The club didn’t spend a lot of time on Breaker players for the dispersal draft. At what point did you make the decision to trade away your spots in that draft?

TS: I think it was about five minutes before the deadline (laughter). No, no. It just came about with some other pieces. With having to pick eighth and 11th, we weren’t quite sure what players we were going to get, and where players were going to get picked. We had been negotiating to bring Syd Leroux here, and that was one of the pieces we wanted to finalize. So trading those spots from Boston gave us that ability to make that trade, and we felt that was more important for us and the team we’re putting together. We’re really happy with the core of the team that we’ve got, and we just wanted to add a couple of players. So it made sense to get a deal done that we wanted to get done as opposed to go through the luxury of the Boston players we may have wanted.

BS: Let’s talk a little bit more on Sydney Leroux. How do you think she improves the squad overall?

TS: She’s a quality player first and foremost. What I think she brings to the team is that extra physical presence that I think we lacked a wee bit. We find is that it is a very physical league, and I think a lot of time last year, we felt we were playing in games, and we were the better side, and played the better soccer—but some of those times, we were muscled out a bit, and so I think what Syd brings is a physical presence that compliments what we’ve got vying for those positions. I think she’s coming into the prime of her career. I think she’s got an extra incentive now with having a little one. She’s now no longer an allocated national team player, so she’s got an added incentive of trying to get back to the national team.

Her and Alex have played a long time together and have a great relationship and partnership both on the field and off the field, and then you put Marta into that mix, and you’ve got a really highly potent strike force. I think just her personality around the team, around the squad, and in the town and in the community is another big attribute.

BS: You mention allocated players. Going back to the January camp for the national team, were you surprised that Ali Krieger didn’t get called, or do you have a comment on that?

TS: I mean, I’m disappointed for Ali because she had an outstanding season for us last year. Arguably our most consistent player, played every minute of every game, so I’m disappointed for Ali.

I don’t like to make comments on selections because I know what it’s like as a coach. You have to pick players, and sometimes you pick players, and sometimes you don’t. It’s not appropriate for me to comment on players other coaches select, whether that’s on the national team or whether it’s players Rory starts in Chicago or Laura at [Utah] or wherever.

So from our perspective, we’re obviously disappointed for Ali, but she’s a great professional, a great player for our team, and you never know, things can change in soccer. I’m confident that she’ll have another stellar season, and perhaps another opportunity in the national team.

BS: Now, is there any concern in the club from an allocation status perspective—that with fewer allocated players, you might be running up against the salary cap?

TS: Yes (laughter). I mean, it’s a really difficult job, you know, getting below the salary cap when suddenly this happens. The minimum wage goes up—as it should—and then we had a successful year last year, so you have to try and reward players, particularly ones that are on lower contracts, and then suddenly you get hit with this. I don’t know about other clubs, so I can only speak for our club, but it’s very hard to manage under the salary cap.

I think another thing the salary cap potentially does is put the league at a disadvantage, because it’s hard to compete out there in this market for the quality players. The women’s game is different than the men’s game, because we are competing with the best leagues in the world and trying to get the best players in the world here. Trying to do that with the salary cap is a challenge.

BS: Is there anything that you can share about the players not under contract—Alanna Kennedy and Chioma Ubogagu?

TS: We’re very close to concluding contracts with them, and we’re confident both of them will be with the team at the start of the season [Ed. note: the club confirmed that Carson Pickett, who Orlando acquired from Seattle in January, is under contract].

BS: Let’s talk a little bit about Rachel Hill. How do you think she’s developed over in the W-League? With the addition of Syd, tactically, where would you say Rachel will be playing? Perhaps in the midfield, taking up the role Camila did for the team last year?

TS: I think she’s a different player to Camila. I think Rachel will be someone who can play in a wider role. I think she can play anywhere across that front line, and she can probably play in a slightly more defensive position in a wide area. I don’t see her as a center-of-the-park type of player in midfield. Camila is a little bit different because apart from center back and goalkeeper, Camila can play anywhere. She’s a different type of player from Rachel. I think we just want to see her continue to develop. Like any squad, the aim of the squad is to continually get stronger and stronger, which means there’s more competition in the squad, better quality in the squad, and obviously with the signings, we’ve done that.

BS: So with the players you have and the pieces you’ve added, do you anticipate a tactical change in formation or do you feel you can keep the shape that you had?

TS: We have completely open thoughts on that. As a coach, I don’t say, “we play 4-3-3,” and set the players in that system, or “we play 4-4-2.” What we want to do is take the strengths that we’ve got and have flexibility about whether we play a 4-4-2, or three center backs, or whatever. So we really have an open mind, and probably find is that something organically will happen that will decide how we play, and it could be during the season.

BS: Going into the season, obviously, you made the playoffs last year, and the plan is always going to be to at least equal the result that you did for the season. As part of the goals for the season, will you perhaps include finally beating Portland?

TS: (Laughter) That’s a great point! That’s something we want to do. We kind of want to get that monkey off our backs. I think all of our games with Portland have been tight games. When I look back at that very first inaugural game [in 2016], where we lost 2-1 to Portland, it was a game I felt we probably should have won, to be honest, but what we haven’t been able to do to Portland is actually get in front—we’ve always been chasing the game, and hopefully that will change because I think they’re the only team we haven’t had a positive result against [Ed. note: Orlando took a point from Portland at home last year]. So the answer is yes, we do want to beat them.

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We wish Coach Sermanni the best of luck as his team comes together. Orlando added Brazilian defender Poliana to the team this week, and as Sermanni continues looking to improve his side, keep an eye out for further offseason moves from the team.

It’s The World’s Game – We Should Treat It As Such

Posted on by RJ Allen

When it was announced that John Herdman would be leaving his position as the head coach of the Canadian Women’s National Team to head the Canadian Men’s Team the soccer media world erupted. ‘How could he do that?, Was the team aware?, Does that man have any loyalty?’ were just a few of the shouts that could be heard throughout social media. But this article has nothing to do with any of those things. In fact, I could care less about the kind of man John Herdman is and the effects that his leaving will have on the CanWNT. Mainly, because I believe that the Canadian Women will continue to be an insanely talented and strong team without Herdman. But also because Herdman going from the women’s game to the men’s says something much bigger about the beautiful game:

Men’s soccer and women’s soccer have a lot more in common than the fans and media are willing to acknowledge.

I never realized how segregated the WoSo and BroSo fan bases were until I started writing for Backline Soccer. I am definitely in the minority at Backline as someone who watches both women’s and men’s soccer. Compile that with the fact that I watch the leagues both here and abroad, and that dwindles the group down even more.

And that is okay. There is nothing wrong with only watching women’s soccer or only watching men’s soccer. And there is nothing wrong with only watching a single league or watching soccer within the bounds of a single country. There is no right way to be a fan.

But the Herdman move lends to the idea that things can be learned between the two sides of the sport – that coaching and playing tactics can translate between the men’s and women’s game. It also begins to change the narrative from always saying that the women could learn a lot from the way the men play, to the narrative that the men could use some of the amazing resources and skills that the women have developed. They can discover and teach and share with each other – the monopoly on the evolution of the game is no longer a one-way street. It is a thriving metropolis with streets and highways, a metro system, and a railroad. Things can be learned and understood from both sides and globally.

I know that this is an unfavorable opinion. In fact, many of you reading this will vehemently disagree with me, and I accept that. But the thing that no one can deny is that although soccer is a game that is always evolving, the basic techniques and philosophies will remain, no matter what gender or nationality of the player is.

So what is the harm in reaching across the aisle and seeing what the other side has going on? What is wrong with experimenting with a tactic that worked for a men’s club in another league in another country? What is wrong with saying the same thing with regards to the women’s game?

There isn’t.

Soccer shouldn’t be consumed in a vacuum. There is so much that can be learned from not only other leagues, and other countries, but also from the other side of the game – the men’s or the women’s, depending on where your allegiances lie.

And I will take the argument a little bit further and say it would be a detriment to not be aware of what is happening on the other side of the sport, or in other leagues, and in other countries. Look at what is happening in Columbus, Ohio currently. Do we honestly believe that the NWSL is in a secure enough place to not have that happen to one of their clubs? What about the debacle of the USMNT not advancing to the World Cup. Could the men’s side have maybe taken a note from the women’s?

And if we only watch soccer that is played here in America we could lose on so much as well. Like, what makes Olympique Lyonnais so insanely well put together on the pitch, why is Fran Kirby so dominant in the WSL, or how was Norway able to make it possible to pay both the men and the women’s players the same salary? All of those things should be relevant to the women’s game in America. They are all things to take note of and evaluate. Because if they aren’t, then we fall behind in the evolution of the game. So if we are questioning why Morgan Brian went to France, or why Jessie Fleming is looking at playing in Europe over the NWSL, then we also have to ask the question of what it is that we could possibly be lacking.

And the only way to know what we are lacking is to look around us at what is happening in the game from a global perspective. From the perspective that we can learn something from all aspects of the game and from all leagues, clubs, and sides of it. The Canadian Men’s National Team did this when they tapped John Herdman to come and coach for them. They could have chosen a men’s coach from anywhere in the world. But instead they looked to the man who took the No. 12 ranked Canadian Women’s National Team to No. 5, and who lead that team to two Olympic Bronze Medals and a World Cup Quarterfinal.

What will he do with the No. 94 Canadian Men? Only time will tell. But his performance with the Canadian Women made the men’s side take notice and recognize that they could use someone like Herdman. It doesn’t matter that he coached on the women’s side. What mattered was that he knew how to coach the game as a whole. It wasn’t about sides.

Like I said at the beginning of this article, there is nothing wrong with only following one team or one league or one side of the game. In fact, it is the norm. There is no right way to be a fan and no right way for the media to cover the sport. But there should be an acknowledgment that the game does not simply happen in one place, or one country, or only on the men’s or women’s side. Soccer is the world’s game. And to discredit any portion of it is to discredit the game as a whole. Because this game does not live in a vacuum – it grows, it spreads, it evolves. And if we only pay attention to one small piece of that game, then we lose sight of everything that it stands for. It is a sport for anyone, everyone, anyplace, and everyplace.

Fly Away Home: 5 Reasons Players Are Flocking Overseas

Posted on by RJ Allen

Morgan Brian is packing her bags and taking her talents to Lyon. Jessie Fleming is allegedly setting her sights on Europe. Crystal Dunn is playing very well for Chelsea Ladies FC. And Rachel Hill has found her stride in Perth. Meanwhile, what’s going on in America you ask? Well, a very poor transition of women’s soccer out of Kansas City and into Salt Lake, and, as always, a lot of the same unsteadiness that the league has been known for in the past. From not having a commissioner, to clubs not being able to make ends meet, there are a lot of reasons why players are beginning to find American club soccer less appealing. Compare that to some great options for players overseas and the NWSL is left with some real hefty competition and some cleanup work to do. In reality, there are a lot of reasons that the women’s professional leagues in Europe and Australia are looking like more of an attractive option to players here in the U.S. Here are just five of those reasons.

Stability

It’s no secret that the NWSL isn’t the most stable league in the world. But knowing that and realizing that are two different things. For the Kansas City FC women and their fans, they got that reality slap of truth this last week. In America, it isn’t always set that where you are playing one year will equate to where you are playing the next, and that isn’t just because of trades. We saw it with the Western New York Flash too. It isn’t fun for the fans to lose their team and it definitely isn’t fun for the players to up and relocate. But unless you have hit the jackpot and are playing in Portland, your future in a city or with a team isn’t guaranteed. In Europe that isn’t necessarily the case. Part of that is because the beautiful game is a way of life across the pond, but the other part is the fact that the women’s league grew off of the men’s. And sure, that isn’t necessarily the most attractive part of their stability. We would all love for a women’s league to stand by itself, but having a larger league that can offer a history of successful management, an established financial basis, and an existing fan base leads to a better chance for a successful women’s club. Is it ideal? No. But does this structure work? Absolutely. And for a player, that can look really appealing.

Money

Money isn’t everything, but it sure is something. And we live in a time where women know their worth. They certainly know that they are worth more than the NWSL’s $15,000 minimum salary. So, for many young players – and sadly some veterans – they have to swallow a bitter pill and play at a level that is way below their pay grade. And it isn’t the NWSL’s fault. There simply isn’t money available. And for international players that aren’t from the U.S. or Canada, where their paycheck is signed by the National Team, the most that can be made is only $45,000. Take that in. Marta, one of the best women to ever touch a football, can only make $45,000 playing in Orlando. So as much as we would love to have these amazing international players in the NWSL, like Amandine Henry and Nadia Nadim, we cannot blame them when they decide to go back to Europe and make a bigger paycheck.

 Skill Sets

We play women’s soccer at a very high level here in America. No one can deny that. We have the number one ranked National Team in the world, and some of the greatest depth the game has to offer. But there are some skills that we do not have. There are numerous styles of play that we do not possess. If a player is looking to become more well-rounded, then looking to Australia, France, or England may be just the ticket to get them to that next level of play (See: Rachel Hill in her past four matches with the Perth Glory). There is also the added benefit of knowing how to better play against a National Team opponent. And sure, the transition isn’t always an easy one, but it can benefit the player ten-fold if they can perform well. Take, for example, Lindsey Horan. Instead of playing college soccer, she began her professional career in France and because of that, she plays a very different style of game than the rest of her USWNT teammates. But that also leads her to create opportunities for her team that another player wouldn’t consider. It also leads to her having a different kind of strategic mindset when on the pitch. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Staying in Form

I made this point last month when I wrote about the W-League. There are great opportunities for NWSL players that do not affect their contract and give them the chance to stay in form during the offseason. For many players, especially young ones who aren’t bogged down by National Team duties, the W-League offers them a chance to further condition themselves, gain some new skills, and become acquainted with other playing structures. This is a great option for so many reasons, but the best part has to be that they get to come back and play a whole season in the NWSL as well. So for all those Americans and Aussies doing a bit of double-duty, keep on keeping on. Because a little bit of extra soccer never hurt anyone. Just ask NWSL MVP, Sam Kerr or NWSL Rookie of the Year, Ashley Hatch.

League Structure

This may not sound like a very important reason for foreign leagues to look so attractive to players here in the U.S., but there is something to be said about the opportunity to win multiple competitions while playing at a single club. In the NWSL, players can only with the NWSL Championship. They can play all season, be the best team in the league and then lose it all in the Championship Final. North Carolina knows what that’s like. And it’s awful. But then there are clubs oversees like Chelsea Ladies FC that get to play in the FA Women’s Super League, which consists of other English clubs, but also in the UEFA Women’s Champion League, which is made up of clubs across Europe. It’s more competition against different kinds of teams that only lead to more player development. It’s more opportunities to lift a trophy. And it’s more opportunities the completely dominate on multiple levels. Who doesn’t want that?

Surely there are more reasons than just these five for a player to consider playing somewhere other than the NWSL. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Not even close. And in some circumstances, these five reasons aren’t any of the ones that a player may consider when deciding to go play overseas. But the point of the matter is that the NWSL doesn’t hold the single most dominant place in women’s soccer. Not by a long shot. This league isn’t necessarily the biggest pull for professional players and we have to accept that, but we also have to look to fix it. Because what the league is doing isn’t enough. They need to stay competitive and progress. They need to do more to make the league more attractive on an international scale. But most importantly, they need to find stability. Because once they do, the other parts will begin to fall into place.

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.

Around the World of WoSo: W-League Finals; Trio of Canadians Retire

Posted on by RJ Allen

Perth Glory Takes Care of Business:

All season Perth has been entertaining to watch but they didn’t hold back one bit, putting five past Sydney FC this weekend to advance to the Finals.  Even though Sydney scored first thanks to Kyah Simon, Perth controlled the rest of the game after that. Big time players were making big time plays, including American Vanessa DiBernardo who scored the opening goal on a penalty kick in the 28th minute.

The first half ended in a draw but Perth was out for Glory in the second. DiBernardo was at it again; this time her deflected cross found the back of the net for the lead in the 58th minute. Sydney was having trouble containing DiBernardo and she was running free and managed to complete her hat-trick in the 77th minute. It was a wonderful display of power and precision all afternoon to guide her team to a win. Two more goals were scored by Rosie Sutton and Shawn Billam in the last 15 minutes of play.

Sydney was clearly no match for DiBernardo and company, who will meet Melbourne City in the Grand Final on Sunday in Perth.

Melbourne City Back in Final:

A solid Melbourne defense against a terrific attack in Canberra United – that’s what was in store for fans who were tuned in to watch the second W-League semifinal on Sunday. It was a similar scene for both teams, who competed in last years’ semifinals, with City moving on while Canberra lost to Sydney. Now Melbourne is in the finals for the second time in as many seasons.

It was a match that needed extra time; City got a goal in the 107th minute from the tiny dragon herself, Jess Fishlock. A poor clearance off a corner gave her the golden opportunity and she didn’t waste it – driving it home for the game-winner. Melbourne managed to hold off golden boot winner Ashleigh Sykes and that powerful offense for 122 minutes. It was an impressive feat considering Canberra were held scoreless just one time in the last 12 games by Sydney Wanderers in week 11.

 

NWSL Historic TV deal:

The National Womens Soccer League has reached new heights in 2017. A new deal has been agreed to, but not just any deal; a historic TV one. This is the first multi-year deal for the league, with NWSL partnering with A+E for three years. Other details include creating NWSL Media – which will be a league app for streaming, and a re-designed website with A+E managing all digital assets.

This is a massive upgrade for everyone involved and an encouraging partnership with A+E/Lifetime, who reach 81% of homes in America. There will be a game of the week every Saturday afternoon on Lifetime, as well as playoffs and the championship. That’s 22 games on TV, and for everyone that spent the last 4 years watching their favorite teams on an unreliable YouTube Stream, this is certainly exciting.

Canada (Finally) Celebrates Olympic Bronze:

Back in the summer of 2016, Canada beat Brazil to claim a Bronze medal, becoming the first Canadian summer Olympic team to go back-to-back in over a century. To celebrate they played a friendly against Mexico this past weekend at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. With 22,508 fans in attendance, both teams put on a show.

Canada struck first in 14th minute when Deanne Rose had the confidence to go at the backline of Mexico, eventually finishing with her left. But just two minutes later Mexico were level, thanks to a neat strike from Nancy Antonio. Young talent Janine Beckie scored the final two goals for Canada just before halftime, giving them a two-goal lead. Mexico would fight back and add another goal in the 59th minute when Kaitlyn Johnson found herself wide open on the back post to tuck it in. That would be all the goals needed to finish this one as Canada gave the fans plenty more to cheer about on the day.

It was a game that was much overdue but I’m glad the players got the chance to celebrate with the fans.

Canadian Trio Retire:

Three players who have helped shape the Canadian program into a top 10 team have announced their International retirements and were honored this past weekend. For more than a decade, Rhian Wilkinson, Melissa Tancredi, and Marie-Eve Nault were tremendous players for Canada, playing in a combined 375 games at the senior level.

Wilkinson played in 180 games, (first appearing in 2003) scoring seven goals as a strong defender. She played in three Pan American games (2003, 2007, 2011), and two Olympic games in 2012 and 2016; capturing Bronze in both.

Melissa Tancredi was known for her physical play and she gave her all in every one of her 124 appearances for her country. She debuted in 2004 against Jamaica during Olympic Qualifying. She was a constant threat up top, scoring 27 goals in her career for Canada. Tancredi played in the Pan American games in 2007 and was part of the 2012/2016 that won Olympic Bronze.

Marie-Eve Nault first appeared in January of 2004 and was a steady defender for Canada. She earned 71 caps and played in some of the biggest games in Canadian history, including the Four Nations Tournament (2004), the 2011 FIFA Womens World Cup, and the 2012 Olympics (Bronze).

Jakobsson Tears ACL:

Sofia Jakobsson suffered one of the worst injuries in sports, tearing her left Anterior Cruciate Ligament – simply referred to as the ACL. The Swedish forward who currently plays for Montpellier in the French Division 1 Feminine was at a training session during the injury on Feb. 1. The 26-year-old has appeared in 61 games for Sweden, scoring 11 goals in that span.

Jakobsson debuted for Sweden in 2011, appearing in the World Cup that summer. She also played in the 2012 London Olympic Games, UEFA Womens EURO in 2013, the 2015 Algarve Cup, and most recently the 2016 Olympic Games, winning the silver. She has become an important piece to Sweden remaining a top 10 team.

No word yet on her timetable to return but typically with this type of injury, athletes are expected to be out minimum six months. With this heartbreaking news, Jakobsson will miss out on EURO 2017 with Sweden.

Around the World of WoSo: Crummer to Seattle and Canberra takes Prem

Posted on by RJ Allen

Seattle Sign Crummer:

Laura Harvey has signed Australian Larissa Crummer, who is 21 years old and has emerged from a defender to talented forward since turning pro in 2013. Her previous club experiences were with Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar before signing on with Melbourne City in 2015.

Crummer’s profile went up significantly when she scored City’s first ever goal in the W-League in September of 2015. Crummer won the Golden boot for that season, scoring 11 goals, three ahead of former Reign great, Kim Little. The young forward also made her Matilda debut in the summer of 2015, appearing twice in the Women’s World Cup in Canada. Crummer will be a nice addition to the Seattle forward group that has vet Bev Yanez and two rookies in Katie Johnson and Arielle Ship.

Adelaide Shock Sydney:

Sixth place Adelaide United spoiled Sydney’s chance of finishing first and grabbing the premiership this past weekend. Two players who made sure of it were Adriana Jones and Sofia Huerta, who each scored to put Sydney away in a convincing 5-2 match. All season, these two have been almost unstoppable, with Jones tallying nine goals and two assists while Huerta grabbed eight goals with five assists.

With the win, Adelaide finish the regular season out of the top-four. But they should be proud of how they finished the season, absolutely energized and scoring 17 goals the last three games. Meanwhile, Sydney falls to third place but will be in the semifinals this upcoming weekend. While the Premiership isn’t up for grabs anymore, the Championship still is. They must re-focus and re-group if they want to beat Perth on Sunday.

Henry Loaned to PSG:

Portland Thorns midfielder Amandine Henry has announced her loan to French giant, Paris Saint-Germain this past weekend. In her brief time with Portland in 2016, Henry played in nine matches, grabbing one assist and helping the Thorns to the NWSL Shield.

Henry has plenty of familiarity with the Division 1 Feminine league, as she spent nine successful seasons there prior to coming to the NWSL. Now the 27 year-old moves on to PSG for six months, joining the likes of Shirley Cruz, Veronica Boquete, Marie-Laure Delie, Erika and Laura Georges. Last season PSG finished second to Lyon, who once again will be serious challengers for the title.

Canberra Wins Third Premiership:

Canberra United have secured its third Premier in program history. The best team in the regular season with seven wins, two draws, and three losses, they scored the most goals in 12 games, accumulating 33 goals in that span, with a 2.75 average per game. United also have the Golden Boot winner in Ashleigh Sykes, who scored 12 goals and added two assists along the way.

Ending the regular season with a 5-1 thrashing of Melbourne Victory pushed Canberra to first, while keeping Victory in last place and ending a disappointing season to say the least. United still have unfinished business as they meet Melbourne City for a semifinal match on Saturday.

Riley to NC:

The North Carolina Courage (formerly known as Western New York Flash) are the newest team in the NWSL, but they are also the defending champions. The coach that led them was Paul Riley, who previously coached the Portland Thorns (2013-2015) but only managed to make the playoffs once in those seasons. Riley led the Flash to a championship in 2016 which surprised many, so it’s no wonder the club wants him back.

The NC Courage are bringing back most of the roster from last year, including Sam Mewis, Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald, all who were major influences for WNYF winning the title. It may be a new club with a new location, but to have so much of the same personnel and now coach has to be exciting for the fans, old and new.

Dydasco Re-signs with Spirit:

The Washington Spirit finally have some good news to share with fans, as they have announced that Caprice Dydasco will be back for the 2017 season. Dydasco went down with a knee injury in the NWSL Championship game last October and has since been recovering and preparing to get back on the field as soon as possible.

The 23 year-old defender played in 14 games last season for the Spirit, starting 12 of those. Taken in the third round of the 2015 NWSL College Draft out of UCLA, Dydasco has shown improvements in each of the last 2 seasons. She has worked her way into the starting eleven, and with the crazy off-season Washington are having, Dydasco could be an important piece when she returns.

Around the World of WoSo: HAO to Arsenal; Pride Trade Hat-Trick

Posted on by RJ Allen

HAO Commits to Being a Gunner:

Long-time United States Women’s National Team midfielder Heather O’Reilly has announced she will be playing in the Women’s Super League (FA WSL 1), England’s top league for women’s soccer. Simply known as HAO, she recently retired from international play, but at just 32 she still has plenty left to give to the sport. O’Reilly played college ball at UNC, won three Olympic gold medals, was crowned World Cup champion in 2015, and accumulated 231 appearances over 15 years for the National Team.

The one thing left to try would be a move overseas, to experience something new and to have a different kind of challenge. The club she chose is Arsenal Ladies, a club that has a stellar reputation and a few connections to the NWSL here in the states. For one, they are the most decorated club in the WSL, earning 43 titles since the debut in 1987. Secondly, they’ve had legendary coaches and players throughout their history; including Kelly Smith, Katie Chapman, Faye White and current Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey.

With the addition of HAO, Arsenal once again has an impressive roster to compete for the championship. They have plenty of star power to chose from; Fara Williams, Jodie Taylor, Danielle van De Donk, Asisat Oshoala, and Kim Little. HAO brings an explosive element on the wing, relentless energy, and unmatched passion. I’m sure fans cannot wait to get the season started.

Sky Blue Lands Corboz:

Daphne Corboz has played in the WSL for Manchester City since graduating Georgetown in 2014. She earned 15 starts and tallied two goals for the club. The young midfielder recently won the league with City in 2016, the first major trophy for the club since joining the WSL in 2014.

Corboz is the latest addition to a talented Sky Blue squad that boasts Kelley O’Hara, Christine Rampone, Natasha Kai, Leah Galton, Raquel Rodriguez and Sam Kerr. In the College Draft, Sky Blue got some more serious young talent, including USC duo Kayla Mills and Miranda Freeman. They later chose Kailen Sheridan out of Clemson, and Madison Tiernan from Rutgers.

Corboz adds another technical component to the midfield along with a creative fire that is always burning. I think Sky Blue could finally return to the top of the table in 2017 after a three-year absence.

W-League Doesn’t Disappoint:

In last week’s fixtures, plenty was at stake as it nears the end of the regular season; premiership still undecided, home advantage, a spot in the top four, and momentum going forward.

The top four are as follows; Sydney FC, Canberra United, Perth Glory and Melbourne City FC. The weekend saw Sydney lose to Newcastle, Canberra dropped by the Western Sydney Wanderers, Glory lose to Adelaide, and City win a crucial game against Brisbane.

As far as points go, the top three are secured, but Melbourne City needs to draw or win to officially grab the fourth spot. Sitting in fifth are Newcastle with 15 points, so they need a win to give themselves a chance.

One player who has stood out this season is Sofia Huerta, who plays for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL March-November. Last week she scored a hat trick to lead Adelaide United to a wild 10-2 win over Sydney Wanderers. In just 11 games in the W-League Huerta has tallied seven goals and four assists, leading Adelaide United to second in the league in total goals scored with 26. Chicago fans will look forward to her return stateside in the next few months.

Americans Head Overseas:

Two recent graduates and collegiate stars here in the states have announced they will play overseas. If you follow NCAA DI soccer you should be familiar with Savannah Jordan and Lindsey Harris. Both were crucial to their respective team’s success, especially this year.

First up is Jordan, who attended Florida all four years, playing in 94 games, recording 81 goals (23 game-winning) and grabbing 27 assists as well. The exciting forward has blazing speed and is a joy to watch on the ball — combine that with excellent finishing ability and she is a quality player. Jordan has signed with Glasgow City FC, the top club team in Scotland. City is the defending champions, a 10-year reign that is impressive and has earned them plenty of UEFA Champions League experience.

Another top player to find a home overseas is UNC grad Harris. She was UNC’s first choice goalkeeper her senior year after rotating the previous three years. Harris is known for making big saves, similar to another former UNC and now NWSL star with Orlando, Ashlyn Harris. Apart from a few keepers, UNC is primarily known for producing excellent talent in field players, but Lindsey Harris made a name for herself in those three years. Harris has signed with Iceland side FH for the upcoming season. FH have won the league once in 2011 and were runners-up the last two years.

DMath to Seattle (This is Not a Typo):

For much of this NWSL offseason, Washington Spirit has been the front-runner for headlines due to all the high-profile departures since November. Six key players for the Spirit will be elsewhere come April; Ali Krieger, Crystal Dunn, Christine Nairn, Megan Oyster, Estefania Banini, and now Diana Matheson. The Spirit have sent Matheson to the Seattle Reign. In return, they have acquired the rights to Arielle Shipp, who was Seattle’s third-round draft pick out of UC Berkeley.  

Commonly referred to as DMath, she spent four years in Washington, helping them to the playoffs the last three years; most recently to a Championship title match. Matheson is the Spirit’s all-time leading goal scorer with 23 goals and 12 assists in 67 appearances. The tiny and reliable Canadian midfielder will be re-united with another former Washington player in Christine Nairn.

This move will certainly help Seattle’s midfield, which saw Kim Little and Keelin Winters depart in the offseason. This addition along with Nairn, Jess Fishlock, Beverly Yanez, and Megan Rapinoe, makes me wonder, can the Reign return to the top four?

Orlando Wheeling and Dealing:

Tom Sermanni has made not one, not two, but three trades within the last week. In his latest attempt to avoid the 2018 draft, the Orlando Pride coach has sent a first and fourth-round pick to Portland in exchange for recent UConn grad and talented forward Rachel Hill. Sermanni’s second move was picking up Houston forward Chioma Ubogagu for a third round pick. His last and biggest trade was sending second-year player Sam Witteman to NC Courage for Australian defender Alanna Kennedy.

The Pride’s main agenda in their second year seems to be centered on the forwards and defenders. To be honest, it’s a bit confusing considering the midfield is the weakest position in my opinion. Nonetheless, they’ve certainly got my early vote for one of the best defenses in the league after adding Krieger and Kennedy this off-season to complement Steph Catley and Laura Alleway. Certainly, only time will tell how well these trades will work out, but Sermanni seems to know what he’s doing.

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.

Around the World of WoSo: W-League Madness and African POY Nominees Announced

Posted on by RJ Allen

Canberra United beat Melbourne City:

History was made this past weekend in the W-League when Canberra United won 2-1 over Melbourne City. Not only was it United’s first win against City, but it was the first loss in Melbourne’s short existence. In that span of 18 games, they only trailed a total of eight minutes. Talk about a remarkable start for an organization. To put it in another perspective, City’s unbeaten run lasted 419 days.  

All three goals came in the second half, starting with United scoring just a few minutes into the half. Jenna McCormick managed a beautiful header to get past City keeper, Lydia Williams. Less than five minutes later, Bev Yanez equalized with a sweet rocket from distance to grab her first goal down under. The clincher for United came in the 82nd minute by way of teenager Karly Roestbakken, who got on the end of a cross at the back post to put the game away.

The next match for Canberra is versus Brisbane Roar on Saturday, while City looks to rebound later in the day against Western Sydney Wanderers.

African POY Nominees Announced:

The five nominees for African Player of the Year were announced, with no surprises or exclusions. The list is very solid: Asisat Oshoala, Elizabeth Addo, Gabrielle Abdudi, Raissa Feudjio, and Janine Van Wyk. The two players who have the best chance to win, in my opinion, are Oshoala and Van Wyk, who play for Arsenal Ladies and JVW, respectively.

The 22-year-old forward was a huge part of the 2015 World Cup success for Nigeria. They played fast and fun, with Oshoala leading the way. She hassled opposing defenses with her speed, and she scored in the 3-3 draw against Sweden. Oshoala has 17 caps and 11 goals in her short career for Nigeria. The young player already has racked up a handful of hardware, including BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year (2015), African Women’s Footballer of the Year (2014), and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot in 2014. Oshoala’s aggressive style of play fearless attack is a joy to watch.

Van Wyk has been around a for a bit longer. The 29-year-old has accumulated 130 caps and nine goals as a defender for South Africa. She scored her first goal for Banyana Banyana (The Girls) back in 2005, in her debut against Nigeria. It was a lovely free kick, which won South Africa the African Women’s Championship. Since then, Van Wyk has been a crucial member and leader, becoming the team captain as well. Earlier this year, in March, she became the most capped South African player, male or female, with her 125th appearance.

Victory Sign Veteran Yallop:

The Melbourne Victory have gone out and gotten New Zealand international, Kirsty Yallop. Yallop is a much needed addition to a squad that has struggled so far this season. Victory is currently sitting in last place, even with playmakers such as American midfielder Christine Nairn and English forward Natasha Dowie.  

The veteran and 30-year-old Yallop has played 90 times for her country and tallied 12 goals. The midfielder has represented the Kiwi’s in two Olympics (2008, 2012), and two World Cups (2011, 2015). Yallop has plenty of experience across the globe, having played in New Zealand, the United States, Sweden, and Australia.

Victory drew with the Wanderers over the weekend in a 2-2 contest. They face sixth-place Newcastle Jets on Friday in the seventh round.

Trinidad & Tobago Name New Head Coach:

Replacing Randy Waldrum (NWSL-Houston Dash) for the head coaching position with Trinidad & Tobago is Carolina Morace. She formerly coached Canada (2009-2011), Italy (2000-2005), Viterbese in 1999, and Lazio in 1998. As a player on the Italian National team, she appeared in 150 games, scoring 105 goals from 1978-1997. In 2014, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

While at the helm for Italy, the team qualified twice for the Euros. She led Canada to a 2010 CONCACAF Championship and titles in the 2010 and 2011 Cyprus Cup, while going from 11th to 6th in the FIFA World Rankings. She resigned as head coach of Canada in mid 2011, after a disappointing finish at the 2011 Women’s World Cup, because of budget concerns and disputes about the future of the team.

Morace has plenty of young talent to with with in T&T. Their best player is goalkeeper Kimika Forbes. The 26 year-old should be a recognizable name for American fans from Forbes’s memorable performance in February of this year, when she made 10 saves in a 5-0 loss to the United States. Even in defeat, she stood out with her athletic prowess and incredible effort. 

Roestbakken Second Youngest To Score in W-League:

Karly Roestbakken sets her place in W-League history by becoming the second-youngest player to score. She is 15 years, 10 months and 23 days young. The record for youngest player to score is held by Sam Kerr, who was 15 years and two months in 2008. The W-League is known for grooming its young talent into superstars (Kerr, Williams, De Vanna, Gorry, Polkinghorne, Kennedy, Simon, Heyman)—could Roestbakken be next?

Roestbakken suits up for Canberra United, who, as mentioned earlier, beat City for the first time. Her goal will go down as one of the most important goals for United this season, as they could be one of the few challengers for the title race later on.

Gorry in Form for Brisbane:

One of the best players in the league and for the Roar this season has been Australian native, Katrina Gorry. She has been very consistent this campaign, playing in all 6 games and adding three goals. Gorry shares the lead with Jess Fishlock (City), Natasha Dowie (Victory), Sam Kerr (Perth Glory), Jen Hoy (Newcastle Jets), and Adriana Jones (Adelaide United). The Golden Boot race is extremely close and with only a handful of games left, it’s completely up for grabs.

Gorry has been the leader for a team that also boasts such veterans as Claire Polkinghorne, Amy Chapman, and Tameka Butt.  If Gorry can continue her form, I think they could compete down the road for the top three. The Roar currently sits in fifth place, with three wins, one draw, and two losses. They have 10 points and are just two points behind leaders Melbourne City and Sydney FC.

Around the World of WoSo: USC Victorious; U-20’s Finish Fourth

Posted on by RJ Allen

Japan Grabs Third Place Over U.S.:

The Under-20 Women’s World Cup third place match was one that saw the Americans really struggle against a dominant Japanese group. In the previous three games between these two countries, Japan outscored the U.S. 11-2. So, to some, this was not a surprise and was predicted. To others, this game was a summary of how the American U-20 team has performed this whole tournament: underwhelming and disappointing.

For the first half, the Americans managed to stay afloat, largely in part to goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who made three acrobatic saves to deny the Japanese in her best game of the tournament. The Yanks were in defensive mode and just could not gain quality possession. Yet, Japan ran circles around them and had no problem finding holes in the defense. Japan was not lacking in patience. They continued to pressure and attack the U.S. backline. The U.S. looked uninspired and lethargic, while Japan played with confidence and eagerness.

The American midfield had trouble getting into the attack, which meant limited chances for their two big attacking threats, Mallory Pugh and Ashley Sanchez. As the game went on, Pugh and Sanchez were defending so much that, if they somehow did get the ball, they could not advance into the final third. In fact, when either one of them had the ball, the rest of the team struggled to move up and create an attack. There was no cohesion. It was essentially two versus 10. But maybe that was Michelle French’s only game plan all along.

In the second half, the U.S. finally put together a string of threats, but Japan was organized at virtually every angle. That momentum was short-lived, as the Japanese attack was finally rewarded in the 87th minute. Starting with a turnover from the United States, Japan was off to the races, compiling a few touches to bypass the U.S. midfield. In the blink of an eye, Mami Ueno found herself wide open just inside the eighteen, and with a brilliant chip, she gave Japan the victory. It was Ueno’s fifth goal of the tournament. This is Japan’s best finish at the U-20 level.

Overall, it was a lovely performance by Japan. The U.S., on the other hand,  were left with plenty of questions and “what ifs”. This was the second time the Americans finished fourth at this level.

FIFA Announces COY and POY Shortlists:

Coach of the Year nominees are USA’s Jill Ellis, Germany’s Silvia Neid, and Sweden’s Pia Sundhage. While I understand Neid’s and Sundhage’s inclusion, I don’t like Ellis in this group. Sure, the United States won double-digit games, but they failed at the Olympics and in no way played like the number one team in the world. I do hope Neid wins the award this year, as she has been a tremendous coach and is deserving of the recognition.

As for Player of the Year, Carli Lloyd of USA, Marta of Brazil, and Melanie Behringer of Germany are the nominees. Again, I don’t agree with an American being on the list. I think Behringer should win it. For me, she was the biggest reason Germany was so successful at the Olympics, winning their first gold at the Games in program history.

The winners will be announced January 9, 2017.

Melbourne City Wins Again:

The W-League is off to a wild start, with City leading the way once again. Through four games, City remains undefeated, with 12 points, and are on top of the table. This time, they defeated the Brisbane Roar, which sits in the middle of the table on seven points.

In a 2-1 victory, Jess Fishlock scored for the second consecutive game, helping her team to its fourth-straight win. Erika Tymrak scored the other goal, her first of the season for Melbourne. As if things can’t get any better for City, Bev Yanez is now with the team on loan from Seattle. City’s next game is against Canberra United on December 10th.

Sydney FC Close Behind:

Another team that is dominating competition in the W-League this season is Sydney FC, which has 12 points as well. They have played five matches, but with this latest win over Newcastle, they have now won four in a row. Key players, Kyah Simon, Alanna Kennedy, and Teresa Polias, have all stepped up and played well to so far. The captain, Polias, has the third-most appearances in W-League history with 90, so she has plenty of experience to lead this team.

Sydney takes on Perth Glory December 10th as they look to stay on pace with Melbourne City for the top spot.

Johnson’s Brace Leads USC Past West Virginia for Title:

The USC Trojans and West Virginia Mountaineers played one incredible game on Sunday night. WVU was ranked number one and was expected to be there. USC was ranked seventh and surprised many by making it to the final.

It started off with a bang. Morgan Andrews guided a header past WVU keeper Rylee Foster in the second minute to give USC the lead. It was Morgan’s second goal of the tournament and ninth on the year. It was a shock because this was only the second time WVU trailed a team all year, the first being their match agaist TCU in the Big 12 Championship back in November.

The dream start for the Trojans seems to ignite WVU. For the rest of the game, the Mountaineers were absolutely relentless. Wave after wave, they pressured the opposing defense. Senior leaders, Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan, had USC on their heels. They not only controlled the tempo after the opening goal; they had momentum leading into the second half after attacking USC’S half for an extended amount of time.

Finally, a breakthrough in the 66th minute came for West Virginia. Lawrence fired a shot just outside of the eighteen and caught USC keeper, Sammy Jo Prudhomme, near-post for the equalizer. It was a beautiful goal that merited all of the energy spent on offense up until that time. But USC were not rattled at all, in fact, just 11 minutes later, they put another past Foster. This time, it was Leah Pruitt doing all the hustle to get past the lone WVU defender down the sideline. She found Johnson all alone at the top of the box. Johnson placed it neatly in the right corner, and once again the Trojans had the lead.

USC were not done just yet. With four minutes left, a turnover in the midfield created another opportunity for Johnson, who took the long distance shot for her brace. It was a tremendous effort, which tied her with Morgan for team lead, each having scored 10. Final score was 3-1, but that doesn’t quite do WVU justice for the performance they put in. The Mountaineers outshot the Trojans 20-6, but USC was just more opportunistic in front of goal. For me, it was the best championship game in recent years—it was that good. This was USC’s second title in as many trips—first for third year coach Keidane McAlpine.

U.S. Soccer Announces Nominees for WNT POY and Youth POY:

Five are nominated in each category, with Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd for the National Team. At the Youth level, Ashley Sanchez, Andi Sullivan, Emily Ogle, Kaleigh Riehl, and Karina Rodriguez made the list.

My picks would be Heath and Sanchez. Heath had an exceptional year, playing in 22 games and totaling six goals with eight assists. But what doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is her playmaking abilities and how she impacts the game with her skill. She is a player who we have seen mature and one who has continued to polish her game since the second she came on the scene back in 2008. Heath has been instrumental to the team and especially to the midfield.

Sanchez has competed in the U-17 and U-20 World Cups this year while emerging as one of the best youth players in the system. She has tallied seven goals and two assists in 11 games, between the two teams. Her vision is key to her performance, as well as her ability to provide service. Even though she was the youngest on the roster at age 17, she was one of the brightest and most exciting at the U-20 World Cup.

The NT winner will be announced on December 11th, on ESPNFC. The Youth winner will be announced December 12th, also on ESPNFC.