Tag: Washington Spirit

6 Takeaways From NWSL: Week Four

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to the second month of the NWSL season, where April golazos bring May own-goals. At least so far. Yes, indeed, this weekend was notable for the three OGs scored on Saturday; one per game, in fact.

But while the action this week was both entertaining and at times frustrating, the level of competition has never been higher, with all but one match decided by a single goal.

Still, there’s no need to be coy, you’re here for takeaways, so let’s see what we took away from this week.

Now That’s How You Play Three in the Back – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Seattle came out strong Saturday night, but what impressed me most was their initial formation. Many teams have tried a variation of the three-back form this season, as Jill Ellis has made it clear with her National Team formations that it’s something she wants players to have in their toolbox. But of all the teams to try it so far, Seattle–by leaps and bounds–has looked the best. A three-back isn’t just about crowding the attack, it’s about flexibility, and the only way it works out for a team is if there’s a midfield that can support it. And Seattle’s midfield, with talent and experience packed into every corner, was able to do just that. A bridging midfielder (making the backline feel a little like a 3-1/2 back formation at times) delicately balanced defensive duties and forward movement, and Seattle capitalized upon their powerful attacking talent in less than a minute of game-play. The Reign demonstrated just what a three-back can do, but also just what’s needed in order to make it work on the field. Hopefully Ellis caught the game.

That’s a Lot of White Space, Chicago – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

The Windy City hosted their first Lifetime Game of the Week matchup this weekend against the Houston Dash, and to be honest, for all their efforts and success on the field, after the final whistle I was more focused on the image of the empty seats in the stands than anything any one player or team did. Don’t get me wrong, Chicago played a great game and came away with a solid three points that should keep them in the upper-half of the table this week. But their attendance was only 2,114 for the match, just slightly lower than their 2,153 home opener in Week 2 of the season. And this is a team with four popular National Team players on it! This is the team of Christen Press! Alyssa Naeher! Julie Ertz and Casey Short!

We’re all aware of just how much effort and time Chicago has poured into their rebranding and marketing campaigns this season–those player pics in the downtown are on fire!–but I don’t know that they’ve seen much gains in ticket sales yet. (I do know they’re calling previous attendees, because a lovely woman representing the team woke me up with a phone call one morning last week to ask if I’d bought tickets for the season yet–I have.) Either way, something needs to change because Chicago is one of the teams lucky enough to play in a professional-level stadium every week, but they’re pulling in fewer numbers than teams like Boston and Sky Blue, who call local college-level fields home. Chicago needs to figure out what they’re doing wrong–ticket prices, marketing campaigns, etc–and somehow put more fans into the stands.

At This Point, It’s Anyone’s League – Jordan Small

If we’ve learned anything from season five of the NWSL, it’s that the league is more competitive than ever before. Each week, it is very difficult to pick a winner for any game because anyone can beat anyone. Aside from North Carolina, every team has lost at least once, with all ten teams picking up at least a point through the first four weeks.

Last week, we saw the Breakers beat Seattle 3-0 in Boston. The week before that, Seattle beat Houston 5-1 in Seattle. That week, Boston beat Sky Blue 1-0, and Sky Blue and Seattle tied 1-1 on opening weekend. So like I said, anyone can beat anyone. At the end of Week 4, just five points separate the #2 and #10 in the league table. While it’s only Week 4, the parity of the league has made it fun and exciting for fans of the NWSL to tune in each week.

Christie Pearce is Even More Important to Sky Blue Than You Think – Jordan Small

Even at 41-years-old, Christie Pearce is still one of the top center backs in the NWSL. After being out with a concussion for two weeks, it’s become apparent just how important Pearce is to the Sky Blue backline. Without her in the lineup, all four players for Sky Blue were in just their first or second year in the NWSL, not to mention that the goalkeeper is a rookie drafted just this year.

Without Pearce, and with O’Hara playing an attacking role for the most part, the backline for Sky Blue has struggled to maintain a consistent shape. Washington Spirit forward Francisca Ordega really exposed the young backline in Week 4, penetrating the line twice to notch a brace for the home team. On top of her skills as a centerback, Sky Blue also misses her leadership on the field. Both fans and the team alike are hoping for a quick return to the lineup for our Captain America.

The Dash Can’t Figure Out Who They Are – Luis Hernandez

Of all the teams with two wins, the Houston Dash are the most enigmatic in the bunch. Houston has the talent to beat the likes of Chicago in Week 1 and then hold off the Washington Spirit in Week 3, but when they lose they lose badly. The offense can’t seem to put on a consistent performance, and defensively the goals conceded are kind of weak. The up-and-down nature of this team doesn’t seem to make sense. Since they host Sky Blue for only their second home game this season, is it a safe bet to predict a Dash win?  Who knows! That’s just how up and down they are.

With players like Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai, Denise O’Sullivan, and a returning Morgan Brian on the roster, perhaps the Dash are soon to be rounding a corner. The Dash have good players, obviously, but still, they felt the need to add players like Sarah Hagen and Cami Levin, frequent bench-warmers on Tom Sermanni’s Orlando Pride. If the Dash can figure it out, the team might be able to hang on as a playoff team in time for Carli Lloyd’s return.

Orlando Finds Ways to Drop Points Again – Luis Hernandez

And speaking of teams who can’t figure things out, Orlando seemed poised to earn the team’s first win of the season only to have a late and questionable free kick awarded to FC Kansas City. Ultimately, it was their inability to clear the ball out of danger that left the Pride with a 1-1 draw after Marta had scored her first NWSL goal to take the lead. But the team should focus on continuing to build chemistry with Marta and across the pitch, because for the most part, they played a good game.

However, good teams find ways to win. The North Carolina Courage make good things happen because they are a good team. Across the league, the talent level in the NWSL is pretty even. Our own Jordan Small talked about league parity, yet having just two points out of four matches for Orlando is mediocre. The Courage are coming to Orlando Sunday. The good teams find a way; what’s Orlando going to do?

Well, folks, there you have it, our most important takeaways from the Week Four matches. Did we miss anything? Do you want to argue or challenge one of our points? Or do you just have an opinion about Week 4 games or play?  Go ahead and share it in the comments below or join the conversation in the Backline Soccer forums.  We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 4

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week Four of Off the Bench! 

This week, the format has shifted from game recaps to short game previews. Take a moment and let us know what you think by leaving a note in the comment section!

Backline Soccer Recap:

This week we welcomed four new people to our staff. So give a warm welcome to the three newest members of our social media team: Alyssa Zajac, Becca Kimble, and Caitlin de Souza. And we can’t forget our new writer, Chantelle DeRose.  We’re excited to be working with these awesome soccer fans!

In addition to our new staff members, we introduced another new weekly series for our readers this past week, The Way I See It: Unsung Hero of the Week. As always, we invite you to let us know your thoughts on any of our pieces in the comments section!

Make sure to join us on our new Backline Soccer Forum. And don’t forget to check out our Backline Soccer Shop. 

Quick Fire Week 4 Game Previews: 

A reminder for U.S. fans that you can catch the Lifetime Game of the Week live and on demand either via TV, computer, or mobile, and all other games live and on demand at the go90 app and the go90 website. Additionally, after 48 hours, all go90 games will be archived and available to watch on demand on the NWSL app and website. And if you’re an international fan, you can catch every game, live and on demand, on the NWSL website.

 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash

Chicago Red Stars record: 1-2-0
Position: 7th
Total Points: 3

Houston Dash record: 2-1-0
Position: 4th
Total Points: 6

This week the Lifetime Game of the Week matchup will find the Dash taking on the Red Stars in Chicago. Coming off a bit of a slow start to the season, the Red Stars will be looking to pull out three points at home. The Dash have started off relatively well, notching two wins and six points so far despite a disappointing loss in Week 2 at Seattle. Lydia Williams found herself back in goal last week in the Dash’s 1-0 win over the Spirit but they were not really outstanding as a whole. The Dash did just enough on the defensive side to get by, but it will not continue to carry them further into the season. The Red Stars will look to counter on this when stepping up their attacking front. The Red Stars aren’t lacking in much and with a few key moves on the attacking front, they could very well pull out the win.

 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Sky Blue FC

Washington Spirit record: 0-2-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 1

Sky Blue FC record: 1-1-1
Position: 6th
Total Points: 4

Sky Blue will look to capitalize on their win against FCKC last week and the Spirit are going to want to bounce back from their disappointing loss to the Dash. Hopefully this week the backline for Sky Blue will see Christie Pearce rejoin the team from concussion protocol as she will be a key part of the team moving forward. On the Spirit side, Stephanie Labbé has had a lot of work to do in net this season but she has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is up for the task. The Spirit are going to need her at the top of her game this week, faced with the likes of Kelley O’Hara and Sam Kerr on the attacking front. Washington has taken hits on the attacking front, and they’re going to need to find a way to overcome their losses on the attacking front if they want to climb out of the basement this week.

 

Game 3: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-0
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 6

Seattle Reign record: 1-1-1
Position: 5th
Total Points: 4

The Portland Thorns will take on the Seattle Reign at home this week in the first of what essentially amounts to the NWSL’s own version of the Cascadia Cup. Several of Portland’s most exciting and game-changing players are still listed on the Injury Report and likely will not dress, including Tobin Heath, Mana Shim, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, and Katherine Reynolds, and this should ultimately favor Seattle’s chances. The Reign, of course, are looking to bounce back after being soundly defeated by the Boston Breakers last week 3-0. Seattle’s primary problem in Week 3 seemed to be in giving the Breakers too much space, which is something they will need to shut down this week in order to not let the Portland attack get by them. Portland, on the other hand, has been able to sneak out two wins this season, with last week’s victory accompanied by a bit of controversy regarding a penalty that wasn’t, and a penalty that probably shouldn’t have been. Even though Adrianna Franch has come up with some key saves for the Thorns, her distribution and work out of the back leaves a lot to be desired and eventually, will not be enough to keep other teams from capitalizing on her mistakes. But look for the Thorns to continue to take advantage of the Reign’s positioning errors if they continue from last week.

 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. North Carolina Courage

Boston Breakers record: 2-1-0
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 6

North Carolina Courage record: 3-0-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 9

Who knew coming into Week 4 of the NWSL we would be seeing a match up between the number one team (NC Courage,) and the number TWO team (Boston Breakers?!?) The Breakers will take the pitch this week after a strong 3-0 win over the Seattle Reign while the Courage are coming in hot from their game against the Pride where they won 3-1. Boston could be the team to figure out how to beat the Courage, as the #1 team’s only real weakness might be its defense. The attacking front is covered but if the teams they have faced in the first three weeks had been able to capitalize when they needed to, the Courage might not be sitting undefeated at the top. Boston will look to attack this backline of the Courage consistently and get ahead early. This matchup should be a fun one to watch.

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Orlando Pride

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-0
Position: 8th
Total Points: 3

Orlando Pride record: 0-2-1
Position: 10th
Total Points: 1

The final game of the weekend features FCKC and the Pride, and both teams are struggling to overcome disappointing losses in Week 3. FCKC is clearly missing Amy Rodriguez, their attack has suffered since the moment she went down in Week 1. In addition to Rodriguez, Shea Groom was out last week with a broken rib, and her status for Week 4 is unknown at the time of this writing. Leroux, coming back from maternity leave and doing a great job, needs some help up top with ARod no longer in the picture. FCKC will look to hold more of the possession this week, something that has been one of the Pride’s strong suits this so far this season, though they don’t have much to show for it.

The Pride have had a very lackluster start to their season after some promising moves in the offseason. They have held a good amount of possession the first three weeks of action but big mistakes, mental and positioning wise, have cost them in each meeting. The backline has a lot of talent but an almost non-existent midfield has seen them have to do a lot more to get the ball up the field to the attack. Once it makes it there, the Pride’s finishing has been abysmal. Danica Evans has been an energetic and creative spark in the minutes she has played, so starting her will help the Pride out a lot this week. In addition, Marta had some great moments last week; look for her to capitalize this week and get her potential first NWSL goal. Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni will need to make some changes to his lineup and put the best XI on the field in order to pull the three points out against FCKC. And FCKC needs to work quickly on figuring out how to move their attack forward without Amy Rodriguez.

The Scouting Report:

Huge news on the TSR front. We have joined Brew Sports Network!

The Scouting Report went live this past Monday with our NWSL Week 3 TSR recap. Make sure to tune in every Monday at 8pm EST to catch our weekly series!

You can find Monday night’s TSR here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our great content created weekly on the Backline Soccer website!

 

The Way I See It: Unsung Hero of the Week

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

This week I’ve chosen Washington Spirit defender Estelle Johnson.

Johnson has been with the club since 2015 and has since become a crucial contributor not only to the backline, but to the team as a whole. In her two years, she has started 32 games out of 33 she appeared in. The 28-year-old was shown just how much she means to the Spirit when they signed her to a new contract in March of this year.

This past weekend, Washington played a hard-fought battle with Houston, ending in a 1-0 defeat. While some would see just another loss on the scoreboard, I saw a bounce back game from the team, and a quietly impressive performance from Johnson. She had the tall task of keeping three extremely dynamic players in check: Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai, and Janine Beckie. Now, I’m not saying she was mistake-free, as Ohai did manage to grab a goal in the 28th minute for the win, but without a doubt Johnson was one of the biggest reasons her team stayed in the game for as long as they did. The goal certainly doesn’t take away the effort by Johnson.

Throughout the game, Johnson showed her veteran leadership by constantly communicating with her fellow defenders Shelina Zadorsky and Whitney Church in the suddenly-popular 3-5-2 formation. Her patience played a big role in dealing with the Houston attack, with one example coming in the 47th minute when Houston initiated a promising attack through Ohai, which was then squashed by one hell of a tackle from Johnson. It’s one thing just to track down Ohai, but Johnson did more, she closed down the window of opportunity and preventing her opponent from taking a shot or sending in service. Against a player like Ohai, getting beat occasionally is inevitable. Where Johnson shined was in her ability to make crucial recoveries down the right side, keeping the opponent contained while her team got organized.

Johnson also was working hard to get the ball for her team, forcing several turnovers throughout the game and earning key possession opportunities. A prime example of this came in the 52nd minute when Johnson managed to block a powerful shot by Daly just outside the eighteen. In doing so, Washington grabbed possession and stopped any serious momentum from Houston. Johnson was linking up well with her midfield, even taking the opportunity to get into the offensive third when she saw fit. She created a chance in the 62nd minute when she slotted a neat pass to Francisca Ordega who in turn found Arielle Ship which resulted in a corner for the Spirit. Creating out of the back is an underrated quality in this league and Johnson showed how good she was at it on the night. Washington had nine shots, with Johnson taking one of those. As a team, the Spirit put just one shot on target, showing that they’ll need all the help they can get from the back.

Johnson hustled all night and played one solid game in my opinion and while her team did lose (by a narrow margin at that), her individual performance shouldn’t be overlooked. Estelle Johnson is my unsung hero for Week 3 and if Washington want a chance at being near the top of the table come September, Johnson will need to play like this for much of the season.

6 Takeaways From NWSL Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 3 in the young NWSL season is at a close, and the standings are a bit unexpected. Do we believe the top five are the best of the best this season? Or will one of the current bottom-dwellers be able to right the ship and turn their season around? Verizon’s go90 streams aside, it’s been a sweet season so far, with plenty of action and upsets. (Sorry, Pride fans, but hey, at least you had #MartaWatch.)

Here’s what we took away from the matches going into Week 4.

The Dash Bounce Back in Washington — Jordan Small

Last week, the Houston Dash fell to the Seattle Reign 5-1 and for a ninety painful minutes, it seemed as if we were seeing the Dash of old again. With multiple starters out and a rookie goalkeeper making her professional debut, it was not the best performance from Houston.

One week later, they put in a stronger performance against a struggling Washington side. The backline of Cari Roccaro, Bruna, Janine Van Wyk, and Camille Levin was solid and eliminated most of the danger before it got to goalkeeper Lydia Williams. A goal from captain Kealia Ohai in the 28’ gave the Dash the lead and ultimately the 1-0 win. If the Dash can continue to have a consistent defense and constant production from Ohai and Rachel Daly, Houston will continue to pick up points. This is a very talented Dash team that can win on the road and at home.

 

Lack of Goalscoring is Crushing the Spirit in Washington — Jordan Small

Through three games this season, the Washington Spirit have only given up three goals. That seems like it would be few enough to pick up a couple of points for the Spirit. But if you thought that, you would be wrong. The Spirit have only earned themselves one point through three matches thanks to a lack of scoring.

Last year, the Spirit relied heavily on Crystal Dunn and Estefania Banini to carry the scoring load. With both of them heading overseas to play, Washington was left without a pure goalscorer. This has come back to bite them in the butt, especially with all of the injuries that are piling up. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé and the backline of Estelle Johnson, Whitney Church, and Shelina Zadorsky have remained positive through the whole process, despite the heavy workload they have had to take on. While they are one of the stingiest defenses in the league, the lack of finishing in the final third is a real problem for the Spirit.

North Carolina Courage Aren’t Just a Flash in the Pan –Luis Hernandez

Okay, I’ll admit it. I didn’t think the Courage would replicate the success from the end of the 2016 season going into 2017. I was sure they would be good, just not the best team in the league. Yes, two of the three wins are against the current ninth and tenth place teams, but it’s how North Carolina beat Washington and Orlando both times yielding possession and making the most of their opportunities.

The Courage have an identity and stick to their game plan. Orlando’s mental miscues allowed the cool, calm and collected Carolina side to put away easy finishes. The Pride attacked the Courage with individual effort all match long, so the NC defense was a bit relaxed, and allowed Orlando to score the first goal against them in team history. Had Orlando been able to attack with greater numbers, we might have seen a different result. North Carolina were never really under any pressure, and looked comfortable allowing Orlando to be ineffective against D’Angelo in net. Hopefully, the match against the Breakers will test the Courage better. The defending champs have not looked uncomfortable for any stretch of time this season, and Boston would be wise to do what they did to Seattle at home against the Courage. Otherwise it’s four-in-a-row for North Carolina.

 

FC Kansas City Still Figuring Things Out After Injuries –Luis Hernandez

The injury bug hasn’t been kind to the Blues. The Amy Rodriguez injury is still a sad point in the NWSL season, and I’m not even a fan of FCKC. In Week 3 Shea Groom joined her on the injury report with a broken rib, so Coach Vlatko Andonovski turned to the 4-2-3-1 for the first time this season with Sydney Leroux as the lone striker, away from the 4-3-3 of the two previous matches. Unfortunately, FC Kansas City couldn’t manage any goals while Raquel Rodriguez managed to get one past Nicole Barnhart, and FCKC now sits at 8th on the table going into Week 4.

The upcoming match for the Blues could be just what the doctor ordered, as FCKC hosts Orlando at Children’s Mercy Victory Field. The Pride have yet to figure things out this season, and the possible return of Groom and more time to practice in the 4-2-3-1 could provide FCKC some momentum in the first of a two-game homestand. Kansas City can’t afford to get mired near the bottom of the table after such optimism entering the season. Was A-Rod’s injury just a premonition of how the season was going to turn out? We’ll just have to see.

Boston is a Little Scary —Leigh Nieves

After defeating Sky Blue FC last week in a less than convincing win, Boston came away this week with an impressive 3-0 victory against Seattle. Yes, you read that correctly. Boston is now on a two-game winning streak, and both of the games were shutouts. Rose Lavelle scored her first professional goal against Seattle while Dowie and Leon put away two more to secure the win. While Seattle wasn’t playing their best game and made plenty of mistakes defensively, Boston is becoming more and more convincing as a potential middle-to-top of the table team.

I’m not saying that I told Rose Lavelle after I interviewed her in February that Boston was going to prove people wrong this season, but I told Rose Lavelle after I interviewed her in February that Boston was going to prove people wrong this season.

 

Do We Actually Miss the YouTube Streams? –Leigh Nieves

It’s Week 3 and we have yet to have a weekend where something hasn’t gone wrong with go90 or Lifetime. Whether it’s continuous commercials about quarterbacks, a black screen, or a random movie with Viola Davis interrupting our starting lineup, the whole viewing experience of Season 5 has been less than pleasant. We understand that there are kinks that need to be worked out from time to time, but is it time we, in a Carrie Bradshaw-esque way, ask ourselves: Do we actually miss the dependability of YouTube streams?

Of course Youtube had its flaws: the poor video quality, sound issues, etc. But, every week we at least knew that we would be able to see the games we wanted. While the production quality of the new Go90 and Lifetime streams are much better, their ability to deliver a consistent product each week leaves us a little less than confident.

There you have it, folks. Our big takeaways from Week 3 are starting to heat up like the weather heading into the summer on a four p.m. kick-off. We want to hear from you on these and any thoughts. Consider leaving us a comment, and we’ll see you for Week 4.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week 3 of Off the Bench. Next week we will be switching the format to previewing games instead of recapping as our podcast, “The Scouting Report,” will provide you with all of your game recapping needs.

Backline Soccer Recap:

We introduced another new weekly series, Four Star Takeaways from Chicago Red Stars, as well as a goalkeeper rankings series that will be updated throughout the season.

We also introduced our new Backline Soccer Forum. Join us to talk about the NWSL games and all things WoSo.

And don’t forget to check out our Backline Soccer Shop. We have team-inspired merchandise and much more to fit your WoSo wants and needs.

NWSL Week Three Game Recaps:

We’re already through three weeks of the NWSL season and so much has already happened. Let’s take a quick look at the outcome of each game.

Game 1: Portland Thorns 1 vs Chicago Red Stars 0

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-0
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 6

Chicago Red Stars record: 1-2-0
Position: 7th
Total Points: 3

Attendance: 14,471

Lifetime’s Game of the Week with the Portland Thorns and the Chicago Red Stars started off the weekend’s slate of much-anticipated matches. The game started right off on the gas pedal with both Alyssa Naeher and Adrianna Franch forced into early saves. Christen Press was trying everything she could to find the back of the net but just couldn’t quite make it happen. In the 21st minute, Press was taken out by Franch which, on replay, should have been a PK as she seemed to get hold of the foot of Press, effectively stopping her from potentially scoring a goal. Then in the 27th minute, Press was called for a handball and Nadia Nadim converted a PK, which would end up being the only goal of the match. Sofia Huerta had a huge opportunity in the 49th minute taking on three defenders, but she hit the side netting. Naeher came up with a pouncing save in 67th minute and Chicago continued to fight but in the end it was not enough. Portland took home the win 1-0.

 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage 3 vs Orlando Pride 1

North Carolina Courage record: 3-0-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 9

Orlando Pride record: 0-2-1
Position: 10th
Total Points: 1

Attendance: 4,586

Saturday’s second game featured the first-ever meeting between the North Carolina Courage and the Orlando Pride, broadcast via the go90 app. This was always going to be a tough matchup for the Pride, taking on the Courage’s dominating attacking frontline, and sure enough, the Courage started off the goal scoring early. In the 6th minute, Ashlyn Harris made a great punch out save to deny a sure-fire goal by Lynn Williams but there were no Pride players to clear and Jessica McDonald banked home the rebound, putting the Courage up 1-0. Jasmyne Spencer had a big opportunity in the 14th minute but her shot went over the bar. She has had many missed opportunities to score goals through the first three games and the Pride may benefit from starting Danica Evans in her place next week.

Ashlyn Harris came up with a huge save in the 21st to deny Debinha a rocket of a goal. Finally in the 27th minute, Camila sent a rocket past the Courage’s keeper to even the game at 1. She has been a workhorse for the Pride through the first three games and will be one to watch moving forward; it’s nice to see her efforts pay off with a goal. But a handball on Laura Alleway in the 33rd minute gave Sam Mewis a chance to convert the PK and put the Courage up 2-1. In the 39th minute, Spencer played a beautiful cross to Marta but Sabrina D’Angelo comes up with a huge save. On replay, however, the ball looks like it may have crossed the goal line. Ashlyn Harris had a big miscue in the 70th minute that led to the Courage’s third goal of the night, and Lynn Williams’ first of the NWSL season. Harris played a poor ball out which the Courage intercepted, and Williams’ shot bounced hard off of the crossbar and went in. This sealed the game as the Courage continued their undefeated season with the win 3-1 over the Pride.

 

Game 3: Boston Breakers 3 vs Seattle Reign 0

Boston Breakers record: 2-1-0
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 6

Seattle Reign record: 1-1-1
Position: 5th
Total Points: 4

Attendance: 2,315

The next game saw the Boston Breakers taking on the Seattle Reign and what a different Reign team took the pitch this week! Gone was the dominating performance last week against the Dash, and instead the Boston Breakers took home three points and added three goals to their differential. The Breakers started off early with a supreme goal from Adriana Leon in the 11th minute. She pulled off some cheeky moves and caught Kopmeyer off of her line. Four minutes later, in the 15th minute, Rose Lavelle banked her first NWSL goal past Kopmeyer to put the Breakers up 2-0. In the 50th minute, the Reign almost found the back of the net, but were denied. Last week’s Boston hero, Natasha Dowie, then came right back in the 52nd minute, off of a beautiful assist from Adriana Leon, and put the Breakers up 3-0. The Reign looked to be struggling for most of the game against the Breakers, who have started off this season very strong. Boston, on the other hand, are seem to be making a name for themselves this season, and moving past the disappointments of previous seasons. They took home all three points with the 3-0 win over the Reign to put them just under North Carolina in the league standings this week.

 

Game 4: Washington Spirit 0 vs Houston Dash 1 

Washington Spirit record: 0-2-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 1

Houston Dash record: 2-1-0
Position: 4th
Total Points: 6

Attendance: 3,154

Saturday’s last game, on simultaneously against the BOSvSEA match, was the season’s first meet-up between the Washington Spirit and the Houston Dash. This game was a tale of two halves. The Spirit came out in the first 45′ lacking fire, unable to make much happen. They’re currently a team lacking depth due to numerous injuries, and they played like it. Kealia Ohai made them pay in the 27th minute with a goal to put the Dash up 1-0. But come the second half, the Spirit looked like a different team. They took more control over the play and style but still could not come up with anything to show for it. Stephanie Labbé continues to be a dominating force for the Spirit in goal and is a huge asset for them this season. She was forced to make many saves during the match and handled pretty much all of them very well. Estelle Johnson, being underappreciated, also continues to show her worth to the Spirit side with all of the work she is doing on the field this season. Their massive injury list certainly does not help but this team still has fight in them to try and get results. They just weren’t able to connect and finish in this match, giving Houston their first-ever win in Washington.

 

 

Game 5: Sky Blue FC 1 vs FC Kansas City 0

Sky Blue FC record: 1-1-1
Position: 6th
Total Points: 4

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-0
Position: 8th
Total Points: 3

Attendance: 2,562

The final game of the weekend was a matchup between Sky Blue and FC Kansas City. Sky Blue was without some big names, including Christie Pearce (out on concussion protocol) and Sam Kerr (excused absence).  And FC Kansas City were missing a player as well, with Shea Groom suffering from a broken rib she picked up in Week 2. The game was a little underwhelming, which is unfortunate, because both teams have stellar players. Neither side could really get anything going. We saw some big stops from both goalkeepers, Kailen Sheridan and Nicole Barnhart, in the 36th and 78th minute respectively. But it wasn’t until the 83rd minute that Raquel Rodriguez put one in the back of the net for Sky Blue, off an assist from Kelley O’Hara, that put them up 1-0. In the 88th minute, it looked like FC Kansas City had found the equalizer but were called offside, a decision that had some checking the game tape later, believing the refs had erred in their judgment. The game ended with with Sky Blue winning over FC Kansas City 1-0, for their first-ever victory over the visiting Blues on their home pitch at Yurcak Field.

 

The Scouting Report:

The Scouting Report went live last night with our NWSL Week 3 TSR recap. Make sure to tune in every Monday at 8pm EST to catch our weekly series!

You can find last night’s TSR here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our great content created weekly on the Backline Soccer website!

The XI Commandments of the NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

Commandment I: Thou Shalt Pick a Team and Love Thy Team Over All Others

In my experience, the fastest way to become deeply integrated into sports is to have a team to call your own. Yes, there are players you might like on other teams. And some teams you might like more than others. But everyone needs a team to call their own. 

Commandment II: Thou Shalt Learn the Players Names

Yes, even the players who aren’t on the national team. Even the bench players. Even that one player who got 15 minutes all season. Learn the names, learn their numbers, and learn what they look like. Make an effort to know who you’re rooting for.

Commandment III: Thou Shalt Not Overlook Consistency

Goals are nice. Flashy goals are nice. But do not turn your attention to flashy goal scorers who manage a good game every three or four matches over that holding midfielder who does their job consistently well every game. You might even find you enjoy watching consistent excellence over momentary brilliance.

Commandment IV: Thou Shalt Not Forget the Importance of Good Defense

Defenders are a needed part of the game. Don’t forget that without at least a semi-solid defense there to keep your team in the game, no amount of goals will save them. And defenders who save goals off the line? That’s about as good as it gets.

Commandment V: Thou Shalt Learn the History

This goes for team and player history. Learn about the team you have pledged your loyalty to. Learn about the players who wear the team colors. Learn about the history of women’s soccer, both local and national. Learn about the past leagues. It’s important to know how much work it’s taken to get here to fully appreciate what you’re seeing now.

Commandment VI: Thou Shalt Remember Time Is a Tricky Thing

Players can have a moment so good that the effects of time on your perception of that player are rendered null and void. That player who did that amazing thing for your team in 2013 might not be the same player in 2017. Just be aware time has tricked many of us.

Commandment VII: Thou Shalt Take Opponent into Account

Beating a last place team by two early in the season when they have all given up by the 60th minute should not be spoken about with the same pride as beating the first place team with two to go when they are fighting for the Shield. Remember to take all of these factors into account when talking about your team both positively and negatively.

Commandment VIII: Thou Shalt Not Forget the NWSL Is Sports

As family friendly, as geared toward being role models, as sanitized as the atmosphere may sometimes be, never forget that women’s soccer is sports. The fan culture needs to grow out of a place of sports first. That means some sections maybe aren’t meant for kids. It means there might be rude language. It means that this should be treated as sports even when the marketing from the league or teams themselves doesn’t always point in that direction.

Commandment IX: Thou Shalt Remember to Be Respectful

Number 8 being said just remember to not cross the line. When talking about players, or other fans, don’t bring up the big 5 subjects to avoid: race, gender, sexuality, family, personal life. You can still give a player shit, just remember to be respectful and to focus on the playing, not the personal lives, of players and you should be safe in the minds of most sports fans.

Commandment X: Thou Shalt Remember This Is Someone’s Job

Something that can get lost in all of the noise of role models and doing it for the next generation is the fact this is the player’s job. They are paid, in some cases far too little, to be on the field. If media writers write critically about a player they aren’t doing it to be a “hater” they are doing it because it is part of their job to look critically at the how a player is doing at their own work. Have enough respect for the players to treat them like professionals.

Commandment XI: Thou Shalt Be Open Minded ... Without Letting Thy Brain Fall Out.

Be open minded when someone is speaking to you about a player they are passionate about. Maybe they are seeing something you don’t. But don’t be so open minded that you take everything people say about a player they dislike the style of as gospel. Stick up for your positions as long as the supporting evidence is there. Have respectful discussions with people you disagree with. Learn from as many people as you can.

Battle of the Keepers: NWSL Goalkeeper Power Ranking

Posted on by RJ Allen

RJ Allen:

Hey Jordan, you wanna talk about goalkeepers?

Jordan Small:

Of course! Who doesn’t want to talk about the best position in the game?

RJ Allen:

So before we started,Jordan and I ranked 1-10 the best goalkeepers in the league. Then we made a joint list I think we’re both pretty happy with.

We’re both pretty happy, right?

Jordan Small:

I think so. We talked about how the middle of the pack could be interchanged right now because of how well everyone is playing so far.

RJ Allen:

Someone has to be number 10 and sadly you and I both put Adrianna Franch in that spot.

Jordan Small:

You know, looking at Portland’s stats this year, people might scratch their head at why we put her at the bottom. I mean she has only given up one goal. But her distribution has been anything but clean. She has really put her defenders in a tough spot and you can see that they are frustrated with her. These mistakes may not have cost them yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens soon.

RJ Allen:

It’s amazing how well she played in 2013 and after some time off because of being hurt, some time overseas, and a year of being a backup, she looks nothing like the player so many thought would be a staple on the national team.

Jordan Small:

Yeah, I mean even in a few camps last year, we thought she would be getting back in with the national team. Now we are seeing why she was the backup to Michelle Betos last season.

RJ Allen:

Number 9 is a 2 for 1 special. We both agreed that because of how the season has gone to rank Lydia Williams and Jane Campbell together.

Which, let’s be fair, drops Williams a few spots.

Jordan Small:

Of course, since they both have played only one game, we thought it was fair to put them together. Obviously Campbell had a rough outing last weekend in Seattle, but I don’t think that is indicative of how Campbell will be at the professional level. On the other hand, you have a goalkeeper like Williams who played very well on opening weekend and picked up the win for Randy Waldrum’s side. It will be interesting to see what Waldrum does this week with his goalkeepers.

RJ Allen:

We’ve seen good goalkeepers have bad games but usually you aren’t starting a rookie over a top 10 international keeper. I think it has to play mind games a bit on both goalkeepers going into this weekend.

Even if Williams is back in goal.

Jordan Small:

Absolutely. I think Waldrum has an interesting situation on his hands.

But like you said, starting a rookie over a top 10 international keeper is not always the smartest decision. It’s even worse when it’s on the road against one of the best home teams in the league.

RJ Allen:

Him picking Campbell was a head scratcher. Starting her in Seattle feels like an even bigger one.

Jordan Small:

Exactly. But now that she has that first game under her belt, I hope she continues to improve.

I also think it was super smart to leave her in for the whole game. Really helps with the confidence going forward.

RJ Allen:

The next place is hard because I think we’re getting into a list of goalkeepers that are playing well but they have to be somewhere so they end up lower than fans will think they should be. So, at Number 8 we put Kailen Sheridan.

Jordan Small:

Sheridan was a wild card for me. I had seen her play in college and for the Canadian national team a few times. I think she has played well this season. The first game of her professional career, she gives up one goal off of a penalty kick. You can’t complain too much with that.

RJ Allen:

And the Dowie goal I think would have been hard for most goalkeepers to save.

I think she still looks like a young goalkeeper but right now I think she is playing pretty well.

Jordan Small:

For sure. Dowie is a world class goalscorer. Not many people are stoping that.

RJ Allen:

I do think with two rookies, a second-year player and Pearce as lead on the backline, she has to be a little bit more commanding.

Jordan Small:

She definitely does not have it easy in her first year. But I am sure that Pearce has been a great help adjusting to this level. I mean who better to have as your centerback in your first year as a pro?

RJ Allen:

I think if anyone can help her grow to be a stronger leader, it’s Pearce.

Jordan Small:

Definitely.

RJ Allen:

Number 7 is going to get us into some hot water, I think, but we did both agree on this one. Number 7, Ashlyn Harris.

Jordan Small:

She had to end up somewhere on the list. I put her down here because she has made some mistakes that have put her team in dangerous situations. This past weekend against Washington, she had some moments where I was like ‘what are you doing?’

But she has one of the shakiest defensive lines in the league right now, so I think number 7 is a good spot for her.

RJ Allen:

Her decision making has been very much “they can’t do the thing so I will do the thing for them” which, with the backline she has, I can understand. But it doesn’t make for great goalkeeping.

Jordan Small:

As cool as it looks, I don’t think you want to see your goalkeeper performing diving headers at the top of your own 18 yard box.

RJ Allen:

The more the line breaks down the more she has to do things that take away from her own skill set. Which is not going to do Orlando favors in the long run.

Jordan Small:

Not at all. She is a solid goalkeeper but does a little too much sometimes.

RJ Allen:

Number 6 might shock a few people but we went Abby Smith.

Jordan Small:

Abby Smith is a name that NWSL fans should get used to hearing. She is coming off a knee injury that kept her out most of last year, but she has a ton of potential. We’ve seen what she can do in the first two games of the season. The first game against FCKC may not have been the best, but man did she have a great game against Sky Blue. I really think she should have won Save of the Week. That’s a different conversation though.

RJ Allen:

It is but I think it’s one we agree about.

Smith has really looked good in the first town games for a team we both agree will surprise a few teams this year. She has not looked unsure once this season.

Jordan Small:

I think she will be the key to Boston having a better season. If she can continue her great play, this could be a year to remember for the Breakers.

RJ Allen:

How long before you think we see her get a national team call up, or do we?

Jordan Small:

I would like to see her get a call up. I’m not sure we will though.

RJ Allen:

Number 5 is a player I really thought we’d have higher until I started ranking them all, national team #1 Alyssa Naeher.

Jordan Small:

At the time of the SheBelieves Cup, I was calling Naeher the best goalkeeper in the world. I still stand by that. However, she has not looked her best as of late. The first game of the season was not a good one from her. She struggled with positioning a lot in that game. But then she came out in the second game and shut out FCKC at Toyota Park. I know she can play better and I can’t wait to see Naeher back at her best. Naeher at her best is my favorite.

RJ Allen:

Naeher is a really, really good goalkeeper but I have a hard time calling her world class. And if you are the number one goalkeeper in the US I think you need to be world class. And she hasn’t shown that to me this year for country or club.

But I do again her best is really damn good.

Jordan Small:

I think she is in a difficult spot because she has to follow up Hope Solo. I just wish Solo was around to help her transition into the number one instead of just being thrown in there.

RJ Allen:

I do wonder what it says for the future of USWNT goalkeeping, if anything, that all the current goalkeepers in the conversation are 5-10 and none are top 4.

Jordan Small:

I also think that says something about the strength of goalkeepers internationally. But you’re absolutely right, it is a little bit worrisome that they are not in the top 4. However, there is a goalkeeper in the top 4 that you and I both would agree should see time with the national team. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will ever happen.

RJ Allen:

Before we get to that goalkeeper let’s talk about our number 4. A goalkeeper who happens to be the third most capped USWNT goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart.

Jordan Small:

Man, Nicole Barnhart. The goalkeeper that never seems to drop off. Barnie is a special one. She has been probably the most consistent goalkeeper in the NWSL over the years. It has been no different in year five. She has made some incredible saves that have really kept her team in it. If it wasn’t for her and Becky Sauerbrunn, I don’t know where FCKC would be right now.

RJ Allen:

She is an ageless wonder of soccer. Someone who really is just always there, always knows what needs to be done and always works her tail off to do what she can to get her team the win.

Underrated I think by a lot of fans.

Jordan Small:

I really wish she was able to play more for the national team. Timing is everything at the national team level, especially at the goalkeeper position. But you can’t argue that she is one of the best to ever play in the league.

RJ Allen:

I would argue that if we’re just talking NWSL she is the best goalkeeper the league has seen.

Jordan Small:

I can’t argue that.

RJ Allen:

Let’s talk top 3, shall we? Kicking off the top 3 is a goalkeeper I know you watch very closely, Steph Labbe.

Jordan Small:

Ah, yes. Steph Labbé. Let’s just say that the Washington Spirit are very lucky that she stuck around. She has been incredible for them this season. I mean if you look at the game against North Carolina in week one, she is the only reason that game didn’t end up 5-0, 6-0. She finished with seven saves I believe. Just incredible. But she did get kind of crossed up in the Orlando game on the game tying goal. She could really save the season for the Spirit.

RJ Allen:

She really has looked sharp lately. And she is is getting toward her peak goalkeeper years, later than peak field player years, which is great for both Washington and Canada.

Though I do still worry about her having to over compensate for her backline.

Jordan Small:

I think that this backline will get better in a few weeks now that Caprice Dydasco has been cleared. But if you’re Washington and Canada, you have to be happy with the product you are getting from your number one.

RJ Allen:

Number 2 and number 1, you and I could have swapped and felt pretty good about. But our number two right now is Haley Kopmeyer.

Jordan Small:

Haley Kopmeyer is finally getting her chance at number one. Good things come to those who wait. After waiting for so long behind Solo, she is finally getting her chance. She has looked so good in her first two games of the year. I can’t wait to see what she can do moving forward. I wish we could see her get called into the national team, but I just don’t think that’ll happen. We’ll just have to settle for seeing her lead the team in Seattle instead.

RJ Allen:

I would take her on the national team over just about anyone right now. She has clearly learned from Solo over her time there when it comes to deciding to make a move and doing it. She really looks like someone who could spend the next decade playing at a super high level.

Jordan Small:

I don’t disagree with that.

If she continues to impress this season, maybe we will see her get a call up this year.

RJ Allen:

Shall we talk about the number 1? I believe it’s that time.

Jordan Small:

I think we owe the people that much. So let’s talk about our number 1.

Sabrina D’Angelo has not allowed a single goal all season, so she was my obvious choice for number 1.

RJ Allen:

Going D’Angelo as the number one was pretty easy even with Kopmeyer playing the way she is, yeah.

Jordan Small:

Although I think you could make the case for Kopmeyer to be number 1, D’Angelo has piggybacked off of an incredible 2016 championship game performance.

She wasn’t forced to be very active in game one, but those pesky Portland Thorns really put her to work. She showed why she deserves to be number 1.

Do you think this puts John Herdman in a tough spot when it comes to the number 1 spot in net for Canada?

RJ Allen:

I think it does but I think it’s a problem that any coach would love to have.

Right now if I were Herdman I would go D’Angelo 1, Labbe 2, but I can understand having Labbe start for Canada as well.

I do wonder if she has less of the confidence issues that Labbe has fought in the past too, which can help.

Jordan Small:

I think I would go with Labbé just because she has more experience at the international level. However, with no major tournaments coming up, this could be the time to have a battle play out. It’s a nice situation to be in.

RJ Allen:

It really is. And for North Carolina having her be at the level they are with everything else that’s going for them? They have a shot at the playoffs for sure.

Jordan Small:

I think they are the most complete team in the league right now.

RJ Allen:

We are planning to revisit the goalkeepers in the league a few times this season. Who do you think has the most room to make the biggest jump up the board in that 10-6 range?

Jordan Small:

Probably Abby Smith. I think that if she keeps playing the way she has been, she can be a star in this league.

RJ Allen:

Yeah I really think she can go pretty far.

I think Sheridan can make a jump but that is also going to be a lot to do with her backline.

Jordan Small:

I agree with you on that. Sheridan will have to really learn to control that backline.

RJ Allen:

Any final thoughts on the league and goalkeepers?

Jordan Small:

You know, the goalkeeping has been great to start off the year. I think this could be the most competitive year on record for goalkeepers. Nothing makes me happier than great goalkeeping, so this should be fun.

RJ Allen:

I agree. I’m looking forward to seeing some great goalkeeping this year and seeing if any of the non starters get time and who might break in to the league.

Jordan Small:

Is there a certain spot in the league where you could see a non-starter get some time?

RJ Allen:

Portland I think gives the best odds.

Jordan Small:

I definitely agree with that. I think the only question there is when? The 

RJ Allen:

It’s only a matter of time before Franch has a game like Campbell the way she’s playing.

Jordan Small:

I hope Parsons makes the change before it costs them.

I think that’s really the only place we will see a different person in net unless you are looking at someone being away on national team duties.

RJ Allen:

I think we’ll see. Never know what might happen with only 20 goalkeepers on the rosters right now.

Jordan Small:

And that’s what is so much fun about goalkeeping.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 2

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Last week on Backline Soccer, we introduced several new series that you can look forward to reading throughout the 2017 NWSL season.

  • The Unused Sub – Jacob Cristobal graced us with two pieces in this series last week. The first piece details the introduction of the streaming platforms and where we are at in year five. In the second piece, Jacob breaks down his thoughts on the uproar about Week 1 streaming, curses the Gods for taking Amy Rodriguez and Joanna Lohman out of the 2017 NWSL season with torn ACLs, and more. As always, he asks you to give him your best shot on twitter, @jacobcristobal, for any questions or comments!
  • Route Two Soccer: The Counterattack and Houston’s 4-3-3 – The first piece from our newest addition, Charles Olney, is all about tactics. In this first edition, he breaks down the tactics of the Houston Dash in their game against the Chicago Red Stars. This series is sure to be a hit, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled to our site for the next one.
  • Rising Blues, Falling Spirit- NWSL Power Rankings Week 1 Edition – Jenn Hayes will take you through power rankings each week of all ten NWSL teams. Week 1 saw FC Kansas City claim the top spot after a great opening game but the Washington Spirit, a team who made the 2016 NWSL championship game, found themselves at the bottom.
  • 6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week One – Jordan Small, Leigh Nieves, and Luis Hernandez will take you through their six takeaways each and every week following a weekend of NWSL games. Some highlights for week one included streaming issues, the first game on Lifetime, and the huge game Stephanie Labbé had.
  • Jane Campbell Didn’t Have an Excellent First Start (And That’s Okay) – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak takes a look at Jane Campbell’s first pro start for the Houston Dash. Even with the goals allowed she looks into why Campbell is going to be just fine.

Check them all out on our website–make sure to catch up on last week’s great pieces before diving into Week 2!

NWSL Week 2 Game Recaps:

We have arrived at the end of Week 2 in the 2017 NWSL season! We saw some great games this past weekend, so let’s dive right in.

 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars 1 vs FC Kansas City 0

Chicago Red Stars record: 1-1-0
FC Kansas City record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 2,153

The first game of the day was the home opener for the Chicago Red Stars against FC Kansas City. Both teams were bringing the heat with some quality matchups, but it was ultimately a goal by Julie Ertz in the 41st minute that decided the game. Yes you read that right, Julie Ertz, our beloved JJ, scored the lone goal and game winner for the Chicago Red Stars! The 49th minute provided a PK to the Red Stars but Christen Press’ shot went wide, continuing the struggles with PKs for another USWNT star. FC Kansas City was noticeably different without the star power of Amy Rodriguez (who is out for the season with a torn ACL) but Nicole Barnhart kept Chicago limited to just one goal with some amazing saves. We’re only in week 2 but she is looking prime Barnie in goal so far.

Game 2: Orlando Pride 1 vs Washington Spirit 1

Orlando Pride record: 0-1-1
Washington Spirit record: 0-1-1
Attendance: 14,452

The Lifetime Game of the Week this week showcased the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit. This was the home opener for the Pride, the first appearance in their brand new stadium, and also the first game for Marta. A lot of give and go between both teams took us into halftime with no goals but plenty of excitement. Orlando has arguably one of the best backlines (at least on paper) in the league, but some slipups forced goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris into a number of crucial saves. Pride fans will appreciate the saves but I’m sure would prefer to see Harris less busy. She herself has said that a perfect game involves having to make no saves. With the continuing struggles of the front line for the Pride, the addition of Marta should provide a much needed boost. The return of Alex Morgan in June will also be a big help, but let’s hope Pride fans don’t have to wait that long for the team to start finishing their chances.

The Washington Spirit also looked much better this week, with Stephanie Labbé continuing to perform well. Marta made her anticipated appearance in the 59th minute, only to see Line Sigvardsen Jensen notch her first NWSL goal and put the Spirit up 1-0. But it was a stunner of a goal from rookie Danica Evans, her first as a professional, in the 87th minute that tied the game up. Shortly after, Marta came very close to scoring her first  and sealing the Pride’s first win of the season but couldn’t quite find the mark. Both teams come away here with a hard fought point.

Game 3: North Carolina Courage 1 vs Portland Thorns 0

North Carolina Courage record: 2-0-0
Portland Thorns record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 6,298

The Courage were up next in their home opener, the first for the newly relocated team, against the Thorns. In a rematch of the intense semi-final of last season, both teams game out of the gate swinging. Portland started off early as a FK by Nadia Nadim almost found its way to Allie Long for the first goal of the match but we went into halftime still scoreless. On both sides, Franch and D’Angelo came up big in the net to keep this game tight. Finally, in the 81st minute, Debinha scored the lone goal of the night to put the Courage up 1-0. She also came close earlier in the match with a supreme bicycle kick. The game was intensely physical, with the Courage ultimately coming out on top and seeing out the win in their new home in North Carolina.

Game 4: Seattle Reign 5 vs Houston Dash 1

Seattle Reign record: 1-0-1
Houston Dash record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 2,727

The final game of Saturday night saw the Reign take on the Dash in Seattle. The Dash were coming off a hopeful start after a win and shutout for Lydia Williams last week against the Chicago Red Stars but this time they looked like a different team. Jane Campbell made her NWSL debut in goal for Houston, and was put under pressure early and often. Jess Fishlock opened the goal-fest in the 17th minute. From there, it was all downhill for the Dash. Rapinoe launched a rocket in the 26th minute, McNabb followed in the 29th minute, Yanez in the 55th minute, and finally Katie Johnson, (her debut and first professional goal) in the 74th minute. Poliana put the Dash on the board, finally, in the 84th minute, but by then it was too late. Amber Brooks came up huge for the Dash in the 51st minute with a goal line clearance to keep the Reign off of the board but the Dash struggled most of the night against the Reign.

The decision to go with Campbell over Williams in goal was met with skepticism by many, and unfortunately she did not seem to be quite ready for the test. However, she certainly wasn’t helped by a shaky backline which, missing Janine Van Wyk due to illness, looked messy and unorganized. Ultimately, while it wasn’t a great night for Campbell, she should fare better going forward.

On a final note, Merritt Mathias took a hard knock and had to come off after a huge welt formed on her head. Despite the bump, she was seen laughing about it with teammates Haley Kopmeyer and Megan Rapinoe and seems to be OK.

Game 5: Boston Breakers 1 vs Sky Blue FC 0

Boston Breakers record: 1-1-0
Sky Blue FC record: 0-1-1
Attendance: 2,329

The final game of the weekend was the Boston Breakers’ home opener against Sky Blue FC. Not wanting a repeat of last years slow start, the Breakers came out determined to get three points. They looked much better this week and should give their fans a lot of hope. On the other side, Sky Blue also looked different from week 1, but in the other direction. After the dominating performance against the Reign last week, they could not buy a goal on Sunday to save their life. It was Natasha Dowie who scored the deciding goal in the 37th minute, thanks to Rose Lavelle’s first career assist. Kelley O’Hara took quite a beating this match as she was hustling all over the pitch, shuttling from forward to midfield, trying to make things happen for her team and fill in holes as needed. In the later part of the game, she was moved to fullback, in an effort to bolster the backline, but did not seem pleased about it. Both keepers, Abby Smith and Kailen Sheridan, looked dominant all game for their respective teams and should be proud of their output.

The weekend saw the Red Stars, Courage, Reign, and Breakers come away with three points, while the Pride and Spirit each garnered their first point of the season. Held winless and pointless this week were FCKC, the Thorns, Dash, and Sky Blue.

A reminder for U.S. fans that you can catch the Lifetime Game of the Week live and on demand either via TV, computer, or mobile and all other games live and on demand on the go90 app and (as of this weekend) on the go90 website. Additionally, after 48 hours, all go90 games will be on demand on the NWSL website. All international fans can catch every game, live and on demand, on the NWSL website.

The Scouting Report:

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

You can find last night’s TSR here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our great content created weekly on the Backline Soccer website!

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 1

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

Backline Soccer Recap:

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

NWSL Week One Game Recaps:

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

 

Game 1: Houston Dash 2 vs Chicago Red Stars 0

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

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

 

Game 2: Portland Thorns 2 vs Orlando Pride 0

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

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

 

Game 3: Washington Spirit 0 vs North Carolina Courage 1

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

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

 

Game 4: Seattle Reign 1 vs Sky Blue FC 1

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

The Scouting Report:

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

You can find last night’s TSR here:

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

U.S. Soccer Announces NWSL Allocations for 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

After yesterday’s exciting news that a new 5-year CBA agreement had been reached, the USSF followed today with the names of those players to be allocated in the NWSL this season. 22 players across nine teams in the league will have their salary paid for by US Soccer, an arrangement that benefits both sides as players are able to continue playing competitively outside of their National Team duties and teams are able to feature players they might otherwise be unable to afford in a league where the minimum salary is still below $20,000.

Boston Breakers

After the loss of Whitney Engen, their sole US player from last year, fans weren’t sure who would be allocated to the team in 2017. But when Rose Lavelle was selected first overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft earlier this year, it was a pretty sure bet that the rookie, who already has two caps at the senior level, would find her name on the list.

 

Chicago Red Stars

It’s no surprise to us here at Backline Soccer to see defender Casey Short’s name on this list. The newly allocated player has earned several caps on the senior team during the off-season. Her performance on Chicago’s backline in the 2016 season earned her a well-deserved call-up to the USWNT and she’s continued to put in her Chicago-style work ethic to the test on the international stage.

Other allocated players (no surprises here) are defender Julie Ertz (nee Johnston), goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and forward Christen Press.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/850003520153681920

 

FC Kansas City

FCKC’s three allocated players include recently returned Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux in addition to one of our favorites, Becky Sauerbrunn. Leroux and Rodriguez took a year off from the USWNT to give birth to their sons and once back in form, we expect them to slip right back into the US’s attack.

 

Houston Dash

Carli Lloyd and Morgan Brian make up the US allocations for the Houston Dash, and with good reason. The two make up key pieces of the USWNT’s midfield, and Lloyd is a formidable element in the attack. Even with Lloyd over helping the FAWSL’s Manchester City in their quest to win this year’s UEFA Champion’s League and Brian recovering from a minor injury that’ll keep her from the Russian friendlies this month, the Houston Dash look to make their name in the table this season, and these two will be big contributors in that drive.

 

NC Courage

In the Courage’s inaugural season, midfielder Samantha Mewis and forward, and last year’s NWSL Golden Boot winner, Lynn Williams, have been allocated. Mewis has been a steady contributor to the team since her first cap at the 2014 Algarve Cup, and was one of Western New York Flash’s allocations for the 2016 season. Williams is newly allocated after her stellar 2016 season earned her a call-up to the USWNT, where she’s notched two goals in seven appearances.

 

Orlando Pride

In their second season, the Pride have been allocated some of the USWNT’s best defensive and offensive players. Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris and defender Ali Krieger have a long and successful history on the backline together, playing at the international and league level, and Orlando’s backline will be a tough one to crack with those two directing the defense. And Alex Morgan may be away in France on a temporary loan to Olympique Lyonnais, but the long-time USWNT forward scored four goals in fifteen appearances for the Pride last season and will be in prime shape to net even more in 2017.

 

Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns once again lead the list with five allocated players. Between defenders Emily Sonnett and Meghan Klingenberg, and midfielders Tobin Heath, Allie Long, and Lindsey Horan, Mark Parsons’ powerhouse should be a contender for the Shield again this season, especially considering that the allocated players won’t be absent for large chunks of the season due to National Team duties.  If they can all stay healthy, the Thorns should be right up there at the end of the season, making a play for the Championship.

 

Seattle Reign

For the first time in their history, the Seattle Reign have only one allocated player from the US. But considering that player is Megan Rapinoe, they’re probably just fine with that. Back to full-strength this season after an injury suffered on National Team duty, and then the trip to Rio, kept her off the Memorial Stadium pitch for most of 2016, the Reign will be eager get Rapinoe back in their mix and work their way back up the table after last year’s disappointing absence from the post-season.

 

Sky Blue FC

Kelley O’Hara is this year’s lone allocation from the USWNT in the Sky Blue kit. The forward-turned-defender has been converted back to the attack this season by coach Christy Holly, and so it might almost seem there are two O’Haras in the world of WOSO at the moment–the USWNT’s #5 defender and Sky Blue’s #19 forward. But no matter who she’s playing for or in what position, it’s always exciting to watch O’Hara on the pitch.

 

Washington Spirit

Maybe you’ve noticed that the Washington Spirit didn’t tweet out any allocation news this morning? For the first time in their NWSL history, the Spirit don’t have any players allocated to their roster. They lost one in 2015 when Ashlyn Harris was traded to the Orlando Pride in the Expansion Draft, and then two just this past off-season, when owner Bill Lynch and coach Jim Gabarra traded Ali Krieger to Orlando in exchange for a higher position in the distribution ranking order, and forward Crystal Dunn announced she’d signed with the FAWSL’s Chelsea Ladies. After their franchise-history making season, and a heart-breaking loss at the Championship match in Houston, the Spirit are putting all their eggs in new talent acquired through the 2017 Draft or off-season trades. And, it could pay off. At the very least, their season will give us all a look at some potential future USWNT call-ups if their performance on the pitch grabs our attention.