Reacts and Recaps: The Rematch

USWNT 3 – CanWNT 0 (69′, 71′ Morgan; 93′ Leroux)

In celebration of US Soccer’s centennial the USWNT was in Toronto taking on the Canadian WNT. Yeah, don’t ask me how that makes sense in regards to celebrating US Soccer but regardless a game was played.  The game was hyped up as “The Rematch” after the drama filled Olympic semifinal where Christine Sinclair played out of her mind and the referee made some questionable calls. While the game was much different from that historic thriller, the end result was the same, the USWNT came out on the winning side of the affair 3-0 off of an Alex Morgan brace and a late Sydney Leroux goal. Here’s my player grades for both teams and my woman of the match.

Woman of the Match: Crystal Dunn

The Hermann award winner played out of her mind in only her second start with the USWNT senior squad.  Dunn was all over the field during this game, defending incredibly well and moving up the field to help with the attack.  Sermanni had the outside mids play a bit pinched in this game so that allowed the outside backs to move up the lines into the offense.  Dunn was active in the attack and provided some great service into the box. Perhaps more importantly, Dunn was able to track back consistently and play solid defense when Canada got a break down the field.

United States: Overall Thoughts

Tom Sermanni ended up looking like a genius by the end of this game.  It turned into a bit of a chess match in the second half, and Sermanni read it wonderfully.  The US kept a slower pace during the game and kept their outside midfielders pinched inside.  In the first half this was ineffective as the outside backs weren’t really being used and possession was being forced down the middled of the field.  However in the second half, Sermanni’s patient game plan paid off beautifully.  Later in the second half Canada really started to push the tempo and it seemed like they were close to grabbing a goal.  Unluckily for them, when they pushed forward the US was able to capitalize on their mistakes, and fatigue, to net two quick Alex Morgan goals. While I think the US didn’t utilize the full field enough and the ball was in the air far too much, Sermanni’s strategy worked and that’s what matters.

United States: Player Grades

Keeper:

Nicole Barnhart – 5/5 (90 minutes)

No reason not to give Barnhart the full five after this one.  Canada only had one shot all game, and it was no where near a threat.  There were some close calls but most of them were shut off by great defending or an offside call. Barnhart stood in the goal, and she stood in the goal well.

Defenders:

Ali Krieger – 3/5 (90 minutes)

Krieger was great on the defensive side of the ball, but she didn’t really see much action in that half of the field.  Offensively is where she really seemed to struggle.  It seemed like Krieger didn’t touch the ball almost at all in the first half, and in the second half when she did get a touch it amounted to nothing. Not a bad performance by Krieger but nothing spectacular.

Whitney Engen – 3/5 (90 minutes)

Engen was pretty much invisible the whole game, but that’s not always a bad thing as a defender.  She did her job well and worked a great offsides trap with Christie Rampone all game long.  One thing that concerns me about Engen is her ability to handle balls in the air off a keeper goal kick or punt.  Its an area I’ve seen her struggle in, albeit she has had limited time with the senior team.

Christie Rampone – 4/5 (90 minutes)

Captain America turned in a good performance today even if she wasn’t making game saving plays all game long.  With international newbie Whitney Engen, Rampone kept a good line during the game and the Canadians were called offside a lot because of it.

Crystal Dunn – 4.5/5 (62 minutes)

As I said earlier Crystal Dunn is my woman of the match.  Defensively Dunn stuck some solid tackles and read the flow of play well.  She also got involved in the offense and her serves into the box were great.  Dunn doesn’t get the full five because there were points where she kept the ball on her feet a bit too long, but that will quit with more time on the international stage, which I see her getting a lot of in the future.

Kristie Mewis – 3/5 (28 minutes)

Kristie Mewis is a very versatile player, who usually plays midfielder but as we saw in this game she can play in the back four as well.  She had an unfortunate foul called against her just outside the box due to a pretty good flop by Diana Matheson, but she stayed in control the rest of the game. Offensively Mewis wasn’t really involved, and I would have loved to see her up the field.

Midfielders:

Heather O’Reilly – 2/5 (90 minutes)

The first half of this game could be the first time I’ve ever really seen HAO play poorly.  While she didn’t really get many opportunities to be involved, the time she did have on the ball was very bad.  O’Reilly didn’t get the ball off her feet quickly enough and had some poor service into the box. In the second half she improved but it still wasn’t her best.

Carli Lloyd – 5/5 (90 minutes)

Considering Lloyd is just a few weeks back from injury, this was a seriously impressive performance.  Lloyd played more of a defensive center mid, and her tackles were on point.  Offensivly Lloyd was active and it seemed like she was everywhere on the field.  Her passing could have been better, but this was a great game for Lloyd as she shut down any chances of a break that Canada had.

Lauren Cheney – 2/5 (90 minutes)

For most of this game it almost seemed like Lauren Cheney wasn’t even on the field.  Cheney’s role was to play under the forwards and help connect Morgan and Wambach with each other and with the midfield.  What ended up happening was that Cheney floated between the mids and the forwards and essentially just took up space on the field.  Not a good day for Cheney.

Tobin Heath – 4/5 (73 minutes)

Paris has been good to Tobin Heath.  While Heath only had one assist on the day, she should of had more and her through balls were great.  It seemed like Tobin was much quicker off the ball, and we didn’t see any of her trademarked dribbling into defenders and losing the ball. Great stuff from Tobin, and I hope we see more of it.

Sydney Leroux – 3.5/5 (17 minutes)

Sydney Leroux wasn’t really involved much until her goal.  After which she gave a goal celebration that will most certainly add some fuel to the fire that is the Canada/US rivalry.  Regardless of her celebration, Leroux had some good runs down the field and a solid finish on her goal. Not a bad outing, but she didn’t have enough time to make a huge impact.

Forwards:

Abby Wambach – 4/5 (90 minutes)

This could be the least amount of time Abby Wambach has spent on the ground in a match.  Wambach didn’t have many chances in the run of play, but she did have a great diving header off of a corner.  Passing wise it seemed like Abby fell in love with the no look back pass, and luckily it worked for her as she had two assists on the day.  Wambach was more of a set up woman than a finisher today, and she did a great job of it.

Alex Morgan – 3.5/5 (82 minutes)

I know what you’re thinking, “Alex Morgan had a brace how could she not have a full five!?” Well while Morgan did have two inveredibly similar goals, she should of had three.  After a great through ball from Tobin Heath, Morgan needed to pull the trigger, but instead she stayed on the ball for way to long and missed an easy chance.  Morgan couldn’t seem to get the ball off her feet this game, and her first touch was pretty rough.

Christen Press – N/A (8 minutes)

I really would have loved for Christen Press to get more playing time in this game as I think she could have gotten herself a goal just because of her ability to create for herself.  However, eight minutes just isn’t enough to judge her performance on.

Canada: Overall Thoughts

It seemed to me like Canada was almost playing to a draw. Whether this was intentional, or just a result of the way they played their formation, I’m not sure.  Essentially Canada had six defenders in the back every time the US went into the attack, and were hoping that they could get a goal on a quick break after a turnover.  Even if you have the best striker in the world in Christine Sinclair, that just isn’t possible when your break involves four players and you’re going against arguably the best defense in the world.  When Canada did decide to push for a goal, the team got caught up and the US took advantage of defenders that were tired from bunkering.  Herdman’s strategy for this game wasn’t his best.

Canada: Player Grades

Keeper:

Erin McLeod – 3.5/5 (90 minutes)

I think a lot of people were surprised that McLeod got the start considering her recent injury and just how well Karina LeBlanc has done with the Portland Thorns. But in her defense, McLeod did play well today, and was not the reason for their loss.  On each of the three goals McLeod did her best to cut off the angle, but a keeper doesn’t win that many 1 v 1 battles against the likes of Alex Morgan.

Defenders:

Rhian Wilkinson – 4/5 (70 minutes)

Wilkinson played fantastic in this game today.  She was everywhere in the back and had some solid tackles to shut down the US attack.  Wilkinson also read the passing lanes very well.  While she was a force defensively, offensively Wilkinson didn’t have very good passes out of the back. Despite that, Wilkinson had great 1 v 1 defending throughout the game and earned quite a few takeaways.

Carmelina Moscato – 2/5 (90 minutes)

Moscato really put in a lot of effort in this game.  She had some great tackles but she didn’t really communicate well with her other backs, had some poor positioning, and her mistake lead to the first US goal.  While it wasn’t obvious, when Canada was on their heels after pushing an attack, Moscato stretched for a header and really whiffed it, thus the through ball was wide open for Morgan.

Kadeisha Buchanan – 4/5 (90 minutes)

What a game for the 17 year old.  Buchanan showed up big time in this match with great positioning off the ball, and some great 1 v 1 defending.  There was even one point where Buchanan took on Abby Wambach and earned a free kick out of it.  Buchanan was calm and collected throughout the game, and while she was hurting at the end she played through it with some serious grit.  There’s a great future in front of this player.

Emily Zurrer – 3/5 (78 minutes)

With the insane amount of defending Canada was doing, Zurrer had a lot on her hands. She did her best to keep up but fatigue had to play a factor as the defense broke down.  Not a bad performance by Zurrer, but I really feel like Canada’s strategy put the defense in a poor position. Perhaps if Zurrer had gone up the flank more something could have been created?

Robyn Gayle – 3/5 (20 minutes)

Robyn Gayle has been dealing with some injuries issues as of late, which is why she hasn’t been featuring with the Washington Spirit, so it was great to see her get some time today even if it was in a losing effort. Gayle came into a defense playing from behind and a bit low on communication, so she was out of position on Morgan’s second goal.

Danica Wu – N/A (12 minutes)

Another one of Canada’s youth products, Wu came in when Canada was really trying to push from behind for a goal.  As a result Wu was far more involved in the offense than Zurrer was.  She did a good job getting up and down the field, but 12 minutes wasn’t enough for me to really give her a grade.

Midfielders:

Diana Matheson – 3.5/5 (90 minutes)

Matheson was very active this game, and the closest thing to a threat on the Canadian team.  The only issue is that Matheson was really trying to do too much in this game.  As a result she held on to the ball far too long and that caused several turnovers that turned into breaks for the US.  There wasn’t much for Matheson to work with on the offensive side of the ball, but she did bring a lot of energy.

Lauren Sesselmann – 2/5 (90 minutes)

There were many times in this game I completely forgot Sess was on the field, and the only reason I remembered was because she walked into a camera shot.  Sess had no impact in this game, and considering she was bunkering in as a type of defensive mid she seemed to be running all around the field with no real direction.

Desiree Scott – 2/5 (90 minutes)

Scott had one really great through ball over the top and that was about it.  There was no real effort from her, or Sesselmann, to create anything with the outside midfielders or the forwards.  Sure there was a clear emphasis on defense, but there is no reason they couldn’t build out of the back.

Sophie Schmidt – 2/5 (67 minutes)

This was a very quite night for Sophie Schmidt, and that was disappointing considering how great her form has been in the NWSL with Sky Blue, where she is the leading goal scorer in the league.  Schmidt did make some good runs up top that disrupted the US, but that was really all she contributed.

Kaylyn Kyle – 3/5 (23 minutes)

Kaylyn Kyle really brought a lot of energy into the game when she was subbed in.  She made some great runs and got up and down the field well. Unfortunately for Canada, she couldn’t produce anything from it. The closest she came was a missed header in the box that probably could have been a goal had she been just one step faster.

Forwards:

Melissa Tancredi – 1.5/5 (60 minutes)

Let’s just say that its very clear that Melissa Tancredi has not been playing soccer as of late.  Tancredi had almost no movement up top and she spent most of her time receiving and then losing balls at half field when she couldn’t get the ball off her feet.  Her few pass attempts were easily read by the US and then intercepted.  Tancredi was nowhere near the same player we saw at the Olympics.

Christine Sinclair – 3.5/5 (90 minutes)

Christin Sinclair is not invincible and that is something I will admit I often forget.  Sinclair really tried to create today, but when there are two Canadians against five Americans its hard for that to work even if you are the best in the world.  To win this game Sinclair needed to have a game like she did in London, a perfect one, and that isn’t going to happen every time she steps on the field.

Tiffany Cameron – 4/5 (30 minutes)

Tiffany Cameron was a great sub by John Herdman, but I really think this game could have ended differently if she had started instead of Tancredi.  Cameron had some great runs off the ball and really allowed the Canadian offense to become somewhat of a credible threat later in the game. While she was caught in the offside trap several times, she still brought a great energy to the game.

NWSL: The Fastest Draft In Sports

After just 15 minutes, the entire first round of the inaugural NWSL draft was over.  I’m not sure whether to call it efficient or insane.  Either way the speed of the draft really made things exciting, but not as exciting as some of the picks made by the teams.  Here’s a team by team breakdown of the picks, and the areas they still need to fill in free agency.

Light speed ahead: The inaugural NWSL draft at this year’s NSCAA convention in Indy only lasted 81 minutes.

CHICAGO RED STARS

Round 1 (Pick 1) –  Zakiya Bywaters, Forward, UCLA

Round 2 (Pick 9) – Rachel Quon, Defender, Stanford

Round 3 (Pick 17) – Taylor Vancil, Goalkeeper, Florida State

Round 4 (Pick 25) – Jennifer Hoy, Forward, Princeton

How well they drafted:  The Red Stars said they aimed to surprise with their first pick, and its safe to say they most certainly did.  Taking Bywaters with the first pick seriously has me confused.  Yes they badly needed a forward, but if they were planning on skipping on Mewis then why not take Caroline Miller or even Tiffany McCarty?  Besides their first pick Chicago drafted well.  Quon will fit in well with LePeilbet in the back and Jennifer Hoy was a steal in the fourth round.  Hoy had 18 goals for Princeton in her senior year, and helped Princeton knock West Virginia out of the Women’s College Cup.  I don’t totally understand the Vancil pick when keepers like Kopmeyer and McNulty were available, but its nice to see them pick up some competition for McLeod in the goal.

What they still need:  The first area Chicago really needs to hit in free agency is in the defense.  Quon is a great pick up, but they still need another wing back and a center back to hold down the line with LePeilbet.  There have been rumors floating around about LePeilbet’s health, so adding a backup just for insurance would be a good idea.

WASHINGTON SPIRIT

Round 1 (Pick 2) – Tiffany McCarty, Forward, Florida State

Round 2 (Pick 10) – Caroline Miller, Forward, Virginia

Round 3 (Pick 18) – Holly King, Midfield, Florida

Round 4 (Pick 26) – Colleen Williams, Forward, Dayton

How well they drafted:  Spectacular job by the Spirit with their first two picks.  They addressed the main hole in their team with some serious talent in McCarty and Miller, who have a total of 108 goals together over their college careers.  I absolutely love that Washington took Colleen Williams in the fourth round, thats a fantastic steal for them.  Williams is an explosive player that can finish well.  King isn’t a bad pick either, but I would have loved to see the Spirit pick up a keeper to deal with the possibility of Ashlyn Harris being gone for most of the season.

What they still need:  As I just stated, the Spirit still need a keeper to help out with Harris’ absence, and to provide some competition once Harris returns from Germany.  Washington could also fill out their midfield a bit more, as they could seriously use some depth at the position.

FC KANSAS CITY

Round 1 (Pick 3) – Kristen Mewis, Midfield/Forward, Boston College

Round 2 (Pick 11) – Erika Tymrak, Forward/Midfield, Florida

Round 3 (Pick 19) – Whitney Berry, Midfield, Kansas

Round 4 (Pick 27) – Nia Williams, Defender, Missouri State

How well they drafted:  I don’t think Kansas City expected in their wildest dreams that standout midfielder Kristen Mewis would fall to them in the draft.  KC really needed a playmaker in the midfield to distribute, and Mewis can do that and more.  Tymrak is another great pick up for FCKC, as she’s an explosive player they can pair up top with Cuellar.  Berry is also impressive, as she enters as the all time assist leader from Kansas.  Her vision can help distribute the ball to their dangerous attack.  Nia Williams helps fill out the rest of their defense, and will grow well with their veterans in the back.

What they still need:  To be honest, Kansas City is already off to a blistering start in the NWSL and they haven’t played a single game.  The holes they need to fill are relatively small after a fantastic draft.  KC could use a veteran forward to help the youngsters out up top, and they could fill out the midfield with some more depth.  Maybe FCKC could grab a young keeper for Barnhart to help develop, but thats pretty distant thinking.

SKY BLUE FC

Round 1 (Pick 4) – Lindsi Cutshall, Defender, BYU

Round 2 (Pick 12) – Kendall Johnson, Defender, Portland

Round 3 (Pick 20) – Ashley Barber, Goalkeeper, Georgia

Round 4 (Pick 28) – Rebecca Kaplan, Forward, Maryland

How well they drafted:  I cannot wrap my head around Sky Blue FC’s draft at all.  Sky Blue was already essentially set in the back, with O’Hara, Booth, AND Rampone.  With only Monica Ocampo up top it seems like this team is planning on tying 0-0 a lot this season.  The Ashley Barber pick is also completely ridiculous.  If they were to take a keeper, why not Kopmeyer?  Don’t get me wrong, Kaplan had a pretty solid senior year at Maryland with 20 goals, but that is not going to solve Sky Blue’s problems.  With these picks I’d take a guess that Kelley O’Hara will be moving back to forward this season.

What they still need:  More forwards.  Sky Blue is seriously lacking up top, and unless Kaplan plays out of her mind, their draft pick isn’t going to be the leader of this offense.  They also still need to finish filling out their midfield.  Sophie Schmidt is a great player, but she can’t carry all the weight of this midfield without some help.  Maybe they grabbed Cutshall and Johnson as trade fodder, as there are teams that would love these players on their squad.

BOSTON BREAKERS

Round 1 (Pick 5) – Casey Short, Midfield/Defender, Florida State

Round 2 (Pick 13) – Mariah Nogueira, Midfield, Stanford

Round 3 (Pick 21) – Jo Dragotta, Forward, Florida

Round 4 (Pick 29) – Maddy Evans, Midfield, Penn State

How well they drafted:  I like the idea the Breakers had with Short, since their first choice Cutshall was taken by Sky Blue.  However I haven’t seen much from her that has really be worth where she was picked.  Why not take Kendall Johnson?  It was clear going into the draft the Breakers needed to add a solid defensive piece, but I don’t think Short is the answer.  On the other hand, I love what Boston did to improve their midfield.  After losing Leslie Osbourne to Chicago, Boston really needed to fill that midfield with a playmaker, and the defensive mid Mariah Nogueira is a fantastic pick up for them.  Maddy Evans is a fourth round steal, that is versatile enough to fit in most of Boston’s potential schemes.

What they still need:  Boston still needs to find help for their back line.  Short fills a hole but that doesn’t mean she is going to really make a huge impact against teams like Portland or Western New York.  They still need to find some center backs that can come in and solidify the back four.  The Breakers could also use more of an offensive mid to work with Mariah Nogueira and get the ball to their pretty dangerous attack.  Competition for their young keeper Cecilia Santiago would be great to pick up as well, maybe in the form of an underrated free agent.

WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH

Round 1 (Pick 6) – Adrianna Franch, Goalkeeper, Oklahoma State

Round 2 (Pick 14) – Amy Barczuk, Defender/Midfielder, Colorado

Round 3 (Pick 22) – Vicki DiMartino, Forward, Boston College

Round 4 (Pick 30) – Jaclyn Logue, Defender, Wake Forest

How well they drafted:  Obviously it was a no brainer for the Flash to take Franch, and thats a significant pick up for them.  Now their free agent spots can be spent on other key positions, and they have a potential superstar in their net to help hold onto those leads Wambach and Perez give them.  Barczuk is a potential diamond in the rough from this draft for the Flash, as she can fill one of their needs at center back.  She’s not to flashy of a player but still a solid mainstay at Colorado during her college career.  I know DiMartino had a rather unimpressive senior campaign but I still really like this pick by WNY.  The idea of DiMartino being mentored by two of the best strikers in the game is pretty exciting to think about.  She could be a spark off the bench.

What they still need:  The Flash drafted pretty well but still have some defensive spots to fill out.  Logue and Barczuk aren’t by any means terrible, but its a bit scary to think about how young their defense could be when you include the probable starting keeper in Franch. WNY also needs to find some more midfield pieces to work with Lloyd.  I’d assume that Lloyd will be playing more of an offensive center mid so picking up a defensive counterpart would be great.  It also couldn’t hurt to add more speed on the wings.

SEATTLE REIGN

Round 1 (Pick 7) – Christine Narin, Midfielder, Penn State

Round 2 (Pick 15) – Mallory Schaffer, Midfielder/Forward, William & Mary

Round 3 (Pick 23) – Kristen Meir, Midfielder, Wake Forest

Round 4 (Pick 31) – Hayley Kopmeyer, Goalkeeper, Michigan

How well they drafted:  It was clear going into the draft that Seattle really didn’t need much added to their midfield, but you can’t blame them for taking Narin.  Its totally understandable they couldn’t pass on her when she just dropped into their laps.  Its going to be intersting to see what scheme they work with to put all these midfield pieces together.  Schaffer will most likely play as a forward, and will be cast as the counterpart to Amy Rodriguez.  Mier is a good pick for depth I suppose but why not take a forward for depth purposes instead?  I love the Kopmeyer pick, and the idea of her studying under Hope Solo is brilliant.

What they still need:  Seattle could still definitely use some more defenders to help out Hope Solo.  Zurrer and Ruiz are quite good, but they still have to fill out the other half of their back four.  Having a more experienced back line thanks to free agency would really help the Reign out for their rivalry games against Portland.  Another forward to work with Rodriguez would be key, as Schaffer could then learn under two veterans and be more of a spark plug off the bench.

PORTLAND THORNS

Round 1 (Pick 8) – Kathryn Williamson, Defender, Florida

Round 2 (Pick 16) – Nicolette Radovic, Forward, UCF

Round 3 (Pick 24) – Amber Brooks, Midfielder, UNC

Round 4 (Pick 32) – Roxanne Barker, Goalkeeper, Pepperdine

How well they drafted:  After a offensive heavy allocation, and arguably one of the best allcations, the Thorns had some defensive holes to fill to help out Rachel Buehler.  Williamson has had some injury problems, but, if she can stay healthly, its a pretty great pick up for the Thorns.  I do not understand the Radovic pick at all as its completely clear the Thorns do not need anymore offense, but maybe instead someone to get the ball up, and more defense.  Their Amber Brooks pick is brilliant to me, seeing as they had a strong allocation it was pretty smart to lock up her rights should she return stateside after her stint with Bayern Munich.

What they still need:  Well the Thorns certainly have an offense, and a pretty solid defense forming as well.  The only issue is there is no connection between the those two thirds of the field.  If Brooks was actually coming for the whole season there would be less work for Portland to do, but at this point in time all they have is Tobin Heath to connect the offense and defense.  A defensive midfielder would also be an excellent pick up for the Thorns.

–

Free agency is now upon us, and it appears the league is handling it a bit differently than usual.  Teams will have four free agent signings, of which most have been selected and registered with the league, and the rest of the free agents will be selected in a draft.

Also coming up are kit reveals, which should also be soon as lots of teams are done with their designs, and of course the all important schedule release.  There is still a long way to go until the first kick, but its great to see things moving along at a pace almost as fast as the draft.

NWSL: Mock Draft

The most recent update in a flurry of NWSL news is the draft order for Friday’s college draft.  A bit of a surprise to some was that the Chicago Red Stars got the first pick, while the Western New York Flash sit at 6th.  It was stated that all eight teams agreed to the draft order, so this must somehow make sense to the league.

There are a lot of fantastic players available in this draft and this is another huge step in seeing these inaugural NWSL teams come together.  A list of draft eligible players hasn’t been released yet, but I will give you my predictions for the first round of picks.

1. Chicago Red Stars – M/F Kristen Mewis (Boston College)

I fully expect the Red Stars to be the winners of the Kristen Mewis lottery.  Chicago already has a solid midfield in place with Shannon Boxx, Keelin Winters, and the newly acquired Leslie Osbourne.  By adding Mewis into the mix, not only is their midfield depth incredible, but they also get a player with a lot of firepower and goal scoring ability to help out the older Maribel Dominguez up top.  During her time with Canberra United, Mewis had 2 goals in 2 appearances.  I don’t see any scenario where the Red Stars skip on Mewis, as she is far and away the best player in the draft; but, if they do, then I would see them taking the other standout midfielder, Christine Narin.

2. Washington Spirit – M Christine Narin (Penn State)

Sure, they don’t get Mewis, but Christine Narin is the best consolation prize I’ve ever seen.  The Spirit received no forwards in allocation, and offensive players are a must.  Narin is a midfielder, but she is an explosive player, and skipping on her at number two would be insane.  It could be argued that Washington should take goalkeeper Adrianna Franch as their allocated goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris missing a good portion of the season, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if they took her, but I think their need for offense is too great.  There some free agent keepers floating around, and players such as Erin McNulty, that will be available in a later round.

3. FC Kansas City – M Erica Tymrak (Florida)

Yes, its a stretch and probably too early for Tymrak, but KC is in an interesting position with this pick.  If things play out as I have predicted, and I wouldn’t bet on it, Adrianna Franch is still on the board.  However, with Barnhart in goal, KC doesn’t really need Franch.  Should the Spirit take Franch, then by all means Narin is the no brainer for KC.  But in my scenario, I have them taking the playmaker Tymrak.  A lot of this also hinges on how KC plans to use Lauren Cheney.  If they use her as a forward then Tymrak fits in perfectly in the midfield. Maybe KC trades down to get more picks and takes Tymrak in a more suitable draft spot.  Either way, KC has a solid defense forming and their needs lie in the midfield and at forward.

4. Sky Blue FC – F Caroline Miller (Virginia)

Sky Blue is set defensively with the likes of Christie Rampone, Jill Lloyden and Kelley O’Hara, so that means that offense is a main priority with their first pick.  Caroline Miller is a goal scoring machine who was held without a shot on goal only once in her senior season.  Miller also had seven assists on the year, and possesses solid dribbling skills.  Adding her up top with the talented Monica Ocampo could make Sky Blue a dangerous team in the league; and there is still the possibility that Kelley O’Hara could be moved out of the back, adding even more firepower.

5. Boston Breakers – D Lindsi Lisonbee Cutshall (BYU)

The Breakers have a lot of firepower with Heather O’Reilly, Sydney Leroux, and Adriana Leon.  It could be argued that Boston should take Franch if she is still available considering their young keeper Cecilia Santiago, but it would probably be better if they brought in a veteran that could help bring Santiago along.  This reasoning is why I have the Breakers bringing in a solid center back to help Heather Mitts hold down the defensive line in front of whoever their keeper may be.  Cutshall is not only a strong quick defender, but she can initiate attacks from the back, helping get the ball to the dangerous front line forming in Boston.  The Breakers wouldn’t surprise me if they decided to take a midfield playmaker instead, but with Tymrak going to FCKC, at least in my book that is, Cutshall seems like the logical choice.

6. Western New York Flash – GK Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State)

Yes, you can call me crazy.  Its almost unthinkable for Franch to fall this far in the draft, and for WNY to have enough luck for her to fall right into their hands, but if the Spirit don’t take her the teams in front of the Flash simply don’t need to get a keeper this early on in the draft.  Obviously WNY is set at forward, and with keeper Pamela Tajonar being allocated to them, its clear that Franch would be the obvious choice for them should she still be available at this pick.  If not, then this pick is a bit of a conundrum for the Flash.  Because of the change in draft format, it is incredibly important that they get a high quality defender, which is hard to do when the draft depth at that position is rather weak.

7. Seattle Reign FC – D Rachel Quon (Stanford)

Seattle has the best keeper in the game manning their net, and a solid midfield to work with.  Really their only areas of concern are finding a counterpart for Amy Rodriguez up top, and filling out the rest of their defense.  Rachel Quon is a fantastic option for Seattle, especially at this spot in the draft.  The class of forwards is pretty deep, so it is important for them to grab one of the few starter quality defenders early on.  Quon also works the flanks well, so her ability to help with the offensive attack should also be an asset.

8. Portland Thorns – M Mariah Nogueira (Stanford)

Portland is obviously set up top, and has a pretty solid anchor for the defense in Rachel Buehler.  The main issue Portland faces is finding some midfielders that can get the ball up to their talented forwards Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan.  Nogueira (who is no relation to Casey Nogueira, confusing I know) fits in nicely as a defensive center mid that can distribute the ball up the field, and help out the defense on a counter attack.  Considering Sinclair and Morgan’s attacking styles, Nogueira would mesh well and fill one of the few holes the Thorns have.

Obviously the draft can, and probably will, turn out completely different than what I have predicted here.  Bear in mind that this not the last preseason action we will see from the NWSL.  There are still free agents to be signed, jerseys to be designed, and schedules to be released.  This is going to be fun people!

NWSL: Familiar Faces In New Places

After releasing the allocation list just days ago, the NWSL finally has some semblance of actual teams coming together.  The 55 players from the US, Canada, and Mexico now know where they will be playing next season, and the eight teams of the NWSL now know what areas they need to draft in and what free agents they need to sign.

The allocation offered up some surprises, and left the west coast stacked with some serious talent.  Below is a list of players by team and commentary on how things shook out.

BOSTON BREAKERS

Forwards – Sydney Leroux (USA), Anisa Guajardo (MEX)

Midfielders – Heather O’Reilly (USA), Adriana Leon (CAN)

Defenders – Heather Mitts (USA), Rhian Wilkinson (CAN)

Goalkeeper – Cecilia Santiago (MEX)

Reaction: Boston unsurprisingly held onto Heather O’Reilly, but forward Sydney Leroux is a surprise.  A serious push was being made for Leroux by Chicago, and she also played with the Seattle Sounders women’s team last season.  The Breakers also have an interesting situation at keeper with the young Cecilia Santiago, but with a defensive line in front of her that includes veteran Heather Mitts and Canadian national mainstay Rhian Wilkinson, the Breakers have a solid team to build from.

What they still need: With the youth and inexperience at keeper one has to wonder if the Breakers will draft Adrianna Franch, the standout keeper from Oklahoma State, to come in and provide some competition for Santiago.  However the Breakers will also need to focus on building their midfield.  Heather O’Reilly will obviously start every game, but youth strikes again in the case of Adriana Leon, a player who left college early to join the league, and who also primarily plays forward.  I put her at midfield simply because of the depth the Breakers could have at the position.  Besides Leroux and Guajardo, I could see players such as Kyah Simon and Katie Schoepfer rejoining the squad. Defensively, I would expect the Breakers to bring in Leslie Osbourne, a mainstay with the club, eliminating the need to use a first or second round draft choice on a defender.

CHICAGO RED STARS

Forward – Maribel Dominguez (MEX)

Midfielders – Shannon Boxx (USA), Keelin Winters (USA), Carmelina Moscato (CAN), Dinora Garza (MEX)

Defender – Amy LePeilbet (USA)

Goalkeeper – Erin McLeod (CAN)

Reaction: The big surprises here are probably the players the Red Stars didn’t get.  It could have been argued that Indiana natives Lauren Cheney and Lori Lindsey would have been placed closer to home with the Red Stars, yet the team didn’t receive either player.  Chicago also made a lot of noise about Sydney Leroux, yet only received one forward.  Winters and LePeilbet also were a bit of a shock, both played for the Breakers previously, and Winters played for the Seattle Sounders women’s team last season.

What they still need:  The Red Stars clearly have a midfield to work with, but the problem is they have one forward and one defender to their name.  Carmelina Moscato could slide back to play defense, but there is still no fire power up front.  Forward Ella Masar could be brought back in but that is dependent upon her current contract with French club PSG.  Regardless, the Red Stars will need to draft well and bring in plenty of free agents to fill their gaping holes.

FC KANSAS CITY

Forward – Renae Cuellar (MEX)

Midfielders – Lauren Cheney (USA), Desiree Scott (CAN)

Defenders – Becky Sauerbrunn (USA), Lauren Sesselmann (CAN), Marylin Diaz (MEX)

Goalkeeper -Nicole Barnhart (USA)

Reaction: Overall, FCKC did incredibly well in this allocation considering the size of their market and the lack of players with personal ties to the south.  I did have Sauerbrunn pegged for Kansas City, but Cheney was a surprise.  Nicole Barnhart will be Kansas City’s starting keeper, which puts them in a great position already.  I wouldn’t have been surprised if KC only received two of the USWNT players, but its exciting to see that I was wrong.

What they still need: Offense. FCKC has a great start on the defensive end with Sauerbrunn, Sesselmann, and, even though she is listed as a midfielder, Desiree Scott.  Lauren Cheney will be a fantastic centerpiece for KC, but they still need to build around her.  I think their best bet for midfielders will be for the draft, as most other midfielders will probably be returning to previous teams through free agency (for example, Lori Chalupny). As far as forwards go, FCKC could pick one up in the second round, but free agency wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

PORTLAND THORNS

Forwards – Alex Morgan (USA), Christine Sinclair (CAN)

Midfielders -Tobin Heath (USA)

Defenders – Rachel Buehler (USA), Luz Saucedo (MEX), Merlene Sandoval (MEX)

Goalkeeper – Karina LeBlanc (CAN)

Reaction: Its not surprising in the least that the Portland Thorns will be one of the favorites heading into the leagues first season.  That has a lot to do with their duo up top, Sinclair and Morgan.  It was pretty obvious that Sinclair was heading for Portland, but I found it a bit surprising that Morgan went to Portland and not Seattle.  The bigger shock was Tobin Heath.  I fully expected Heath to return not only to her home state of New Jersey, but to her former team Sky Blue FC.

What they still need: The Thorns are obviously set at forward, and have a decent defense coming together, so the first area they need to address is the midfield.  Despite what some people may say, Tobin Heath cannot carry an entire midfield, despite how incredible her foot skills may be.  Once Portland fills up their midfield it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sure up their defense by bringing in some veterans or maybe grabbing a steal in the third or fourth round of the draft.

SEATTLE REIGN FC

Forward – Amy Rodriguez (USA)

Midfielders – Megan Rapinoe (USA), Kaylyn Kyle (CAN), Teresa Noyola (MEX)

Defenders – Emily Zurrer (CAN), Jenny Ruiz (MEX)

Goalkeeper – Hope Solo (USA)

Reaction: Even without Hope Solo’s twitter jokes it was clear from the start she would be heading to Seattle.  However the seeming flip flop of Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan surprises me.  Sure, Rapinoe played for Seattle last season, but its still odd to see her away from her hometown of Portland.  Adding in Kaylyn Kyle will certainly make the Reign a club with a lot of personality, and it will be interesting to see if thats helpful or hurtful in the season.

What they still need: Add in yet another squad that needs to pick up some forwards.  With only Amy Rodriguez holding down the front line the Reign will need to pick up some serious firepower to go along with her.  After that Seattle needs to address their back line.  Zurrer and Ruiz is a great way to start, but they will need way more than that to combat the serious threats their rival Portland has.  Another thing to keep in mind is the absence of Megan Rapinoe until her contract with Lyon is through.

SKY BLUE FC

Forward – Monica Ocampo (MEX)

Midfielders – Sophie Schimidt (CAN), Lydia Rangel (MEX)

Defenders – Kelley O’Hara (USA), Christie Rampone (USA), Melanie Booth (CAN)

Goalkeeper – Jill Loyden (USA)

Reaction: Like the Red Stars, I’m more surprised at the players that Sky Blue didn’t get.  I thought that fellow New Jersey born players Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath would be joining Christie Rampone.  Sophie Schimidt was also a little susprising as I could have seen her easily going to Portland with fellow alum Christine Sinclair.  It will be interesting to see what Sky Blue does with Kelley O’Hara due to their lack of forwards.

What they still need: Assuming Kelley O’Hara stays as a defender, Sky Blue needs a forward to help out Monica Ocampo up top.  If their draft position isn’t great then I’d say Sky Blue has to turn to free agency.  There seem to be a plethora of teams needing forwards and there simply aren’t going to be that many of starter quality in the draft.  The next area Sky Blue needs to work on is the midfield, simply by default. Their defense is already looking solid, save for one starting spot.

WASHINGTON SPIRIT 

Forwards  – N/A

Midfielders – Lori Lindsey (USA), Diana Matheson (CAN), Teresa Worbis (MEX)

Defenders – Ali Krieger (USA), Robin Gayle (CAN), Alina Garciamendez (MEX)

Goalkeeper – Ashlyn Harris (USA)

Reaction: I am completely shocked that Washington recieved no forwards in allocation.  I’m also quite surprised at Lori Lindsey landing with the Spirit. Despite that, it was pretty obvious early on that Ali Krieger would be returning to Washington once she made her commitment to the new league clear.  Harris also isn’t that big of a shock, but I could have seen her returning to Western New York.  Add in Robin Gayle and Alina Garciamendez and its easy to say Washington will have one of the best defenses in the league.

What they still need: It goes without saying that the Spirit need forwards and fast.  As I said earlier there are lots of teams that need  forwards, but its pretty clear Washington needs them the most.  If they don’t act fast most of the starter quality forwards in free agency will be gone, and suddenly they are relying solely on their draft position.  The Spirit may have one of the best looking defenses right now, but its going to be hard to win games with no forwards, and a midfield that isn’t particularly known for their goal scoring.  Also bear in mind that keeper Ashlyn Harris won’t be with Washington until her contract with FCR Duisburg is over.

WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH

Forwards – Abby Wambach (USA), Veronica Perez (MEX)

Midfielders – Carli Lloyd (USA), Jodi-Ann Robinson (CAN)

Defender – Bryanna McCarthy (CAN)

Goalkeeper – Pamela Tajonar (MEX)

Reaction: It seems that WNY has the exact opposite problem of Washington, lots of goals but no defense.  WNY also seemed to pay the price for both Lloyd and Wambach as they were the team to receive only two USWNT players. I wasn’t too susprised to see Wambach with the Flash as her family is from Rochester, but I had expected her to end up with Portland.  As far as Carli Lloyd goes, I am totally shocked to see her with WNY. I had her locked in New Jersey with Sky Blue.

What they still need: WNY is perhaps the only team in the league that needs to address their defense first and foremost.  Bryanna McCarthy isn’t even a traditional defender, as she is also listed as a midfielder.  The draft is pretty solid as far as midfielders go, and if the Flash are compensated with the first choice for taking only two US players, the addition of Kristen Mewis would make this team incredibly dangerous.  WNY also has some holes to fill in the midfield but its quite clear they are set at forward.

–

Its exciting to see all of the teams start to take shape, and the next step is the college draft on the 18th. Draft order has not been announced yet, and its unsure how will be determined.  Teams can also start filling their rosters with free agents, and have two visa spots available for internationals, all of which fall under the $200,000 cap.  Roster size is expected to be around 20 players, so while allocation was a tremendous start, there is still lots to be done before the teams start playing.

NWSL: List Of Players To Be Allocated Released

The list of players from the USWNT, CanWNT, and MexWNT that will be allocated to the eight teams of the National Women’s Soccer League has been released.  Originally, the league was to have 56 players allocated amongst the eight teams, with 24 from the US and 12 each from  Canada and Mexico.  However the US only listed 23 players. Therefore one team will be left with fewer allocated players than the rest of the league.  More on that after the list of players.

USWNT

GOALKEEPERS – Nicole Barnhart,  Jill Loyden, Ashlyn Harris, Hope Solo

DEFENDERS – Rachel Buehler, Ali Krieger, Amy LePeilbet, Heather Mitts, Kelley O’Hara, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn

MIDFIELDERS – Shannon Boxx, Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, Lori Lindsey, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, Keelin Winters

FORWARDS – Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan, Amy Rodriguez, Abby Wambach

CanWNT

GOALKEEPERS – Karina LeBlanc, Erin McLeod

DEFENDERS – Melanie Booth, Robyn Gayle, Bryana McCarthy, Lauren Sesselmann, Rhian Wilkinson, Emily Zurrer

MIDFIELDERS – Kaylyn Kyle, Adriana Leon, Diana Matheson, Jodi-Ann Robinson, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott (McCarthy is listed as a midfielder)

FORWARDS – Christine Sinclair (Robinson and Leon are also listed as forwards)

MexWNT

GOALKEEPERS – Aurora Cecilia Santiago Cisneros, Pamela Tajonar Alonso

DEFENDERS – Alina Lisi Garciamendez Rowold, Jennifer Marie Ruiz Brown, Luz del Rosario Saucedo Soto, Rubi Marlene Sandoval Nungaray

MIDFIELDERS – Veronica Raquel Perez Murillo, Teresa Noyola Bayardo, Lydia Nayeli Rangel Hernandez, Teresa Guadalupe Worbis Aguilar, Dinora Lizeth Garza Rodriguez

FORWARDS – Maribel Dominguez Castelan, Monica Ocampo Medina, Renae Nicole Cuellar Cuellar, Anisa Raquel Guajardo Braff

The First Step: Now that the players have been announced, the next move is for the players to be allocated to the teams.

Here are some of the talking points from the list:

• The US’s drop down to 23 players for allocation may be do to the absence of midfielder Meghan Klingenberg and forward Christen Press, who are playing for Tyreso in Sweden and will not be available for this season.
• Although listed, US  midfielder Megan Rapinoe is currently playing for Lyon in France.  Rapinoe’s contract should end about a month into the NWSL season, so it’s assumed that she will join her team mid season and that is probably why she was still listed as a player to be allocated.
• Not listed for the Canadians is forward Melissa Tancredi.  Reports say  Tancredi is taking the year off to finish going to school for chiropractic training.
• There are eight keepers listed for allocation, it would make sense if each team recieved what would be considered their “starter” from the allocation.
• With the odd number of players being allocated, one team will have less players than the others heading into the draft.  Its unfortunate, and one would have thought that with Klingenberg and Press known to be going to Sweden the US could have found just one more, but I would think that team would have the first draft choice.

It had been a while since any breaking NWSL news, so the list of players is great to see.  These 55 players will be allocated to the eight teams Friday, January 11th.

Awards and Honors: Wambach Named FIFA Women’s Player Of The Year

All the drama and anticipation of the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala is finally over.  Despite the ridiculous shunning of Christine Sinclair from an award that was arguably hers, a still deserving candidate was selected today in Abby Wambach.  Now all that Wambach is missing from her trophy case is a WWC title.  Wambach will have the opportunity for an amazing narrative heading into Canada in 2015.  Should the USWNT add another star to the jersey in Canada, Wambach could end her career having done it all, just as her mentor, Mia Hamm, did with her career.

An Elite Club: Wambach is only the second American to win the award, and is the first non-consecutive winner.

The final standings for the women’s Ballon d’Or were: 1. Abby Wambach (USA)  2. Marta (BRA) 3. Alex Morgan (USA) 4. Homare Sawa (JPN) 5. Christine Sinclair (CAN) 6. Carli Lloyd (USA) 7. Camille Abily (FRA) 8. Aya Miyama (JPN) 9. Miho Fukumoto (JPN) 10. Megan Rapinoe (USA)

Of course, to win the award Wambach had to receive the highest percent of total votes.  Votes come from three main groups: national team captains, national team coaches, and media members.  Each country with a FIFA team gets one vote per group.  An interesting note is that many of these teams know little of the players they are voting for, except for name recognition.  This leads to an astonishing breakdown* of votes within the groups and overall.

Captains’ Votes:

Abby Wambach lead the captain’s votes, as well as all other groups, with a total of 5.68 percent.  Second place here went to Marta. This may seem surprising as Alex Morgan was considered the favorite to win the award.  Even more surprising is that Morgan didn’t even finish third in the Captains votes.  That place went to last year’s winner Homare Sawa.

To explain this its important to look at the countries Marta and Sawa are receiving votes from.  Among others, Marta recieved votes from Albania, Comoros, Suriname, and Tajikistan. Sawa recieved votes from countries such as Vanuatu, Kyrgyzstan, and Mauritius.  To say that those votes were not recieved simply because of name recognition, or in the case of Sawa, carry over from the last year, would be insane.

Also interesting are the ballots of each candidates’ home country captain.  US captain Christie Rampone voted Alex Morgan number one, and filled out the rest of her ballot with US team members Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe.  Japan captain and candidate Aya Miyama did the same, voting for team members Homare Sawa and Miho Fukumoto.  In the case of Christine Sinclair and Marta, they were both their country’s captain and lone candidate, neither one voted for their self.

Coaches’ Votes:

When comparing the coaches’ votes to the captains’ votes I expected to find a decent amount of continuity in vote percentages.  However, while 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were the same combination of Wambach, Marta, and Sawa, Alex Morgan drops to 5th in the coaches percent totals.  4th astonishingly goes to Japanese goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto, who placed no better than 7th in the other two polls.

Coaches also didn’t vote for their players which was seen in the captain’s polls.  With the exception of Canada’s John Herdman and USA’s Jill Ellis, no other coach gave one of their players a first place vote.

Another drop in the coaches polls was Christine Sinclair.  While she placed 5th in the captains’ vote, Sinclair fell to 7th in the coaches, the lowest she placed in any of the polls.

Media Votes:

The media poll is where thing really get interesting.  Abby Wambach totaled her highest vote percentage in this category with 8.06 percent, but the second place finished in the group was not Marta or Sawa.  Second place went to the USA’s Carli Lloyd, who had 4.63 percent of the votes.  Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair tied for 3rd in the group with 4.17 percent.

Looking at all the vote totals it seems that there is really no consistency within the countries when it comes to their votes, or even consistency within the groups themselves.  This relates back to the issue of name recognition.  I question whether Christine Sinclair would have won even if FIFA hadn’t snuffed her out of a chance.

Overall, the Ballon d’Or went to a more than deserving candidate.  However, I do hope that in the future, voters for the award are more knowledgable of the candidates.  I’m not sure this job falls to FIFA, but rather to the voters themselves.  I think the issue of basing the vote off of name recognition has contributed to the repetitive nature of the award.  As I stated earlier, this year marks the first time there has not been a repeat winner of the women’s Ballon d’Or.  Perhaps Wambach can put up another impressive performance and get the streak back on track, but until then there is lots of soccer to be played.

*Vote percentage breakdown can be found here: http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/live/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_box_1

NWSL: New Teams, New Name, New Information

Well the new women’s soccer league finally has a name. While it shares the same acronym as the aforementioned descriptor, its a much different name.  Lets all officially welcome the National Women’s Soccer League.  Considering the fact that the two folded leagues cut down on the acronyms available for use, I think National Women’s Soccer League is a more than suitable league name.  The logo was also released, and while the silhouette doesn’t seem to honor any particular women’s soccer player, it does follow in the vein of MLB and NBA as far as design goes.  Which is perfectly fine.  Why not follow in the footsteps of two rather successful leagues.

A Fresh Start: The new league’s name and logo were released after the USWNT’s game against China.

As of today all eight teams in the NWSL have a name.  The inagural members of the league are: Western New York Flash, Boston Breakers, New Jersey’s Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit, Chicago Red Stars, Kansas City FC, Portland Thorns, and the finally named Seattle Reign.  Seattle is currently the only team without a head coach.  Now that there are teams there comes the matter of player allocation by US Soccer, the Canadian Soccer Association, and the Mexican Soccer Federation.

According to reports, US Soccer will be subsidizing 24 players, while Canada and Mexico will both be providing 16 players for the new league.  This means that each team will have 7 allocated players.  Rosters are expected to be 18-20 players, and to fill the spots not covered by federation backed players there will be two spots open for international players and the rest of the team will be comprised of free agents.  In order to pay the free agents teams will have a salary cap of $200,000 for the inaugural season.  There will also be a draft for players coming out of college at next year’s NSCAA convention.  During times when National Team players are called away for tournaments teams will be able to add players on a temporary basis.

As far as dates go, it is expected that player allocation will occur before New Years and the college player draft should occur right after the MLS draft.  Lots of new information is coming out right now and its certainly exciting to see things coming together for the new league.  I highly suggest you buy season tickets for the team in your area even if you can’t attend all of the games.  Support the teams then the game can grow.  Let’s hope for a great inaugural NWSL season!

Reacts and Recaps: Women’s Olympic Soccer Medalists

When I sat down this morning to write a post, I had planned on writing my thoughts on FIFA’s lack of actions towards Melissa Tancredi.  In fact, I had even written out the whole post and had it ready to publish.  However, when I was watching those women’s soccer teams step up on the podium and receive their medals this afternoon, I realized that should not be the focus of this tournament.  We should be celebrating the accomplishments of those players, and the quality soccer they played, not nitpicking the refereeing or talking about FIFA’s various investigations.  So I scrapped the other article.  Call me a romanticist if you want, but I just didn’t think that article had a place in today’s celebrations.

BRONZE MEDALISTS – Canada Women’s National Team

The strides this team has made since last summers Women’s World Cup are unmatched.  This team didn’t make it out of group stage and was destroyed by the France 4-0. Yes, the same France team they beat 1-0 for the bronze medal.  Take into account the mindset that takes.  They lose a heartbreaker to the US, and after 120 minutes of physically grueling soccer they have to play the same team that embarrassed them a year ago.  John Herdman may consistently put his foot in his mouth, but the man can coach.  Women’s soccer in Canada is at a level it has never been at before, and with the Women’s World Cup heading there in 2015, the potential is endless.

“See The Rise”: The CanWNT have definitely risen over the past year, earning their first ever medal in Women’s soccer.

Standout Player:  Who else but the golden boot winner Christine Sinclair.  Six goals in six games for Sinclair, including an amazing hat trick at the theatre of dreams.  Sinclair has scored the most goals of any player against Hope Solo, which is no small feat, and has moved herself past Abby Wambach for second place on the all time international goals scored list, trailing only the legendary Mia Hamm.  Christine Sinclair is a legend in her own right, and as ex-USWNT member Kate Markgraf put it: “Everything is right in the world when Sinclair gets a medal.”

Captain Canada: An emotional Christine Sinclair celebrates her team’s win over France.

SILVER MEDALISTS – Japan Women’s National Team

The Nadeshiko were looking to be the first team to win the World Cup and follow that up with Olympic gold.  Sadly for them, it still stands that no team has accomplished that feat.  Not to diminish Japan’s silver medal.  In a sport that has been dominated internationally by Germany and Brazil (and the US of course) they have stepped up and shown that they aren’t just some Cinderella story.  Two top two finishes in major tournaments is no joke.  The nation of Japan is noticing too, and the women’s game is gaining a lot of momentum.  Japan’s lady footballers didn’t have the same class seats as the men’s team on the way over, but that seems sure to change on their plane home.

Flying High: The Japanese’s sides silver medal is the team’s first ever Olympic medal in Women’s soccer.

Standout Player:  It has to be Yuki Ogimi.  Ogimi and the rest of Japan were disappointed with her World Cup performance, despite the World Cup title to her name.  The forward took the criticism as fuel for this Olympic games, and came out on fire.  She lead the team with three goals and that tied her for fourth place on the tournament’s list of top women’s scorers.  Its safe to say that Ogimi has more than exceeded expectations with her play this Olympics, and she deserves recognition.

The Nadeshiko Way: With her performance this Olympics, Ogimi was a huge factor in Japan’s appearance in the final.

GOLD MEDALISTS – United States Women’s National Soccer Team

Not only did the USWNT get their redemption, they captivated a nation once again.  Over 2 million viewers watched their epic semifinal agains Canada, and today over 80,000 filled the seats of Wembley, a place where women’s soccer was once banned, to watch the rematch of last year’s World Cup final.  No team has provided as much excitement as the USWNT over the past year.  Once their medal had been won, they brought out the champions t-shirts which read: “Greatness Has Been Found.”  However I would argue that greatness was never lost, today it was simply proven, or rather reaffirmed by the number one women’s soccer team in the world.

Dreaming In Gold: The USWNT are the three-peat champions of women’s Olympic soccer.

Standout Player: The woman, the myth, the legend.  Abby Wambach.  The emotional leader of the USWNT said she started training as soon as she stepped off the podium in Germany, and it showed.  Wambach finished the tournament second on the leading goal scorers list with five goals, and scored in every game but the final (she probably would have scored had Carli Lloyd not headed the ball at the last moment).  Despite her age or injuries, the forward continues to be a rock for the USWNT, and now that the despair of last summer is behind her, who knows what she can do next.

“I can rest assured that the rest of my life won’t be spent in nightmare status.” – Abby Wambach

After an amazing tournament hopes are that the women’s game can continue to grow.  Yesterday plans for a new women’s soccer league for 2013 were announced, and with the momentum the game is gaining the future looks positive.  Who is ready for Canada 2015?

Game On: Women’s Soccer Semifinals Preview

Hello again!  What a day of soccer yesterday was.  Four teams eliminated and the final four are left.  I’m going to follow the same structure as my article on the quarterfinals:  some basic info, players to watch, and who will win it.  This time I’m hoping to give a little more info since there is only two games to cover and not four, which can be a little overwhelming.  Here we go!

Game 1: France vs Japan, 11AM Central Time

In the quarterfinals, Japan ousted the Samba Queens with basically no problems.  The looked sharp and their coaches plan of tying to not travel seems to have worked in their favor.  Not only did they face a down and out Brazil team, that’s a whole other article waiting to happen, but they get to play France instead of the US, which is exactly what they wanted.  That being said, I wouldn’t overlook this France team.  After being beat by the US in comeback style, they took a page out of their opponents book with a comeback 2-1 win over Sweden in their quarterfinal game.  France has a lot of speed at every position, and a lot of momentum coming from that win.  Both teams are poised to win this one.

Players to watch:

France’s Laura Georges has been a spark for this team both offensively and defensively, much like Stephanie Houghton was for Great Britain during their tournament run.  Georges has done things a bit differently though, really making her impact on set pieces such a corners.  When you look at the height differential Japan has with most teams, it’s obviously one of their weaknesses, that’s exactly where Georges can take advantage.  The 5’7” defender will be able to get on the end of France’s corners and put it into the net, as she did against Sweden to tie up the game.  As a central defender, Georges must shut down Japan’s precision passing for France to win.  Things are looking good in that department, as the French defense has only been scored on once in the last 294 minutes of play.   Georges has had a lot to do with that stat.

More than a defender: Laura Georges has scored twice in the last three matches, helping France lock up a semifinal spot.

On the other side of the pitch, Japan’s Yuki Ogimi has shown herself as an entirely different player after her self-proclaimed disappointing Women’s World Cup.  The striker was involved in both of Japan’s goals against Brazil, scoring one and assisting on the other.  Ogimi has been relatively quiet so far this tournament, but she turned her game on when it mattered most.  This is why she could be a huge factor come Monday.  With Japan’s passing oriented game, Ogimi is usually plays a holding forward to move the ball up the field.  But once her job there is done, she can release and get into the box for a cross or a ricochet from another teammate’s shot.  France’s keeper Bouhaddi was strong last game, but she has been known to make massive mistakes in a crowded box.  Look for Ogimi to capitalize on those mistakes to put her team in the final.

Don’t call it a comeback: Ogimi was disappointed with her showing in the Women’s World Cup, but she seems to be back on the right track after Friday’s win.

Who wins: France.  Call it an upset pick it you wish, but the main reason I see France winning is that their bench is much better than Japan’s.  When you’re in a high level tournament with so many games close together, the bench is the difference.  France has Eugenie Le Sommer and Camille Abily coming off the bench currently, while on some other squads they would be starting without question.  France also didn’t even utilize sub Laure Boulleau in their last game.  Look for the French speed to overtake Japan’s possession oriented style, and book their spot in the finals.

Game 2: Canada vs USA, 1:45PM Central Time

This game is going to be absolutely amazing.  These teams are familiar with each other, having played two games already this year.  One was a 4-0 win by the US at CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers, and the other a 2-1 win by the US in their Olympic send-off match.  The US has had some pretty ugly wins leading up to this game, but they deservedly earned their spot into the finals after their 2-0 win over an up and coming New Zealand squad.  As far as the Canadian squad goes, I’m not sure there is a team out there right now with more momentum and belief than this team.  They have absolutely bought into what John Herdman has been saying the past year and it shows.  Should both teams play up to the hype, the fireworks will fly in this game.

Players to watch:

Jonelle Filigno has seemingly come out of nowhere for team Canada.  The speedy forward had an amazing half volley goal for Canada in their quarterfinal against Great Britain.  Filigno kept the pressure up on the Great Britain defense all game and never allowed them to settle into a rhythm.  Also, with so much attention on the always dangerous Christine Sinclair and the current goal scoring machine Melissa Tancredi, there’s going to be a lot more field for Filigno to work with.  This should provide an interesting matchup with a USWNT defense that usually tries to posses out of the back.  They may be forced to just clear more balls with the pressure from Filigno, and that could disrupt the entire US squad.

Force to be reckoned with: Filigno has hassled defenses all tournament long with her speed.

If you thought picking a player to watch for on the Canada side was hard, try picking one from the USWNT.  That being said, I did pick one and it’s today’s birthday girl, Kelley O’Hara.  Has the ex-forward scored any goals this tourament? No, she hasn’t, but the newly turned defender has played some amazing defense.  She leads the tournament with 23 tackles and is part of the solid defensive core that hasn’t allowed a goal in 344 minutes.  O’Hara also helped start off Sydney LeRoux’s first Olympic goal, a must see, so even if she isn’t scoring goals she is involved in the plays leading up to it.

Dual threat: The newly turned defender has thrived in her role and leads the tournament in tackles.

Who wins: USA.  It’s going to be one heck of a fight put up by Canada, but so far the US has given no reasons for people to expect anything but a gold medal from them.  The key here is if the US defense can keep up the intensity they have had the past three games.  If they can shut down the three headed monster of Sinclair, Tancredi, and Filigno then the US will have no problem winning this game.  Look for the US offense to overcome the Canadian defense early, and make their way to the gold medal match.

There you have it! On my quarterfinal picks I was actually three out of four, so hopefully I can go two for two on these picks.  Make sure to tune in and watch on Monday, its going to be a great day of soccer!