Month: August 2022

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ICC Soccer Thorns

Women’s International Champion’s Cup 2022 Preview

Photo Credit: Matt Wolfe

Women’s soccer is producing some of the best athletes in the world alongside some of the highest quality games—and we are able to see them live and in person in Providence Park. On Wednesday, Lyon and Chelsea, the runner-up of France and champions of England face off against one another, immediately followed by the Thorns against Monterrey. The following Saturday will see the winners of each game play another to see who will be crowned winner of the fourth iteration of the Women’s International Champion’s Cup. The three other teams are all in preseason, with their regular season starting in September, but all four games will showcase the immense amount of talent that can be found in leagues internationally.

Here is a brief recap of each team’s previous season and players to watch, just in case you don’t follow leagues outside the United States. 

Monterrey

CF Monterrey Femenil is the two-time winner of Liga MX Femenil, and the first Mexican club to compete in the WICC. Monterrey are one of the most dominant teams in Liga MX Femenil, a league known for drawing huge crowds and intense rivalries. The Rayadas won the Grita México Apertura 2021 tournament, confirming that they are a top team in North America. 

Monterrey are currently leading the Liga MX Femenil table and will be in mid-season form, much like the Thorns. The 18-team Liga MX Femenil was created in 2016 to help foster an elite environment for the Mexican national team player pool, and Monterrey boats a large number of international players, represented countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia. 

The Rayadas will be no strangers to the large crowds at Providence Park. Liga MX Femenil games regularly draw crowds of over 20,000, and over 51,000 people watched the final game between Monterrey and Tigres, which resulted in the Rayadas capturing the title for the second time. 

Desirée Monsiváis was the team’s top scorer in the 2021-2022 season, netting 14 goals.

Players to watch:

Rebeca Bernal

Captain Rebeca Bernal is back with the Rayadas after a head injury sustained in a Mexican international game against the USWNT, and is ready to lead her team. Bernal is a center back with 126 appearances and 30 goals for Monterrey, and 36 additional appearances for Mexico. She was awarded a spot in the Best XI for the past five years in the Liga MX Femenil, the only Rayada to earn that award. Bernal is known for her pinpoint passes and crosses to set up her teammates, deftly navigating through crowded midfields to connect the lines. 

Isabella Echeverri

Isa Echeverri is CF Monterrey’s other stalwart at defense alongside Bernal. The Colombian international is in her first season with the club, but has already begun to make a name for herself. Known for her mental attitude and “never quit” spirit, Echeverri has spoken about pushing her team forward. Echeverri has competed at the 2015 WWC and 2016 Olympics with Colombia, and has won the 2019 Pan American Games with the squad. She is also leading the fight for gender equality in Colombia, and is looking to continue that work in Mexico. 

Christina Burkenroad

American Christina Burkenroad has been on fire this season for CF Monterrey. Originally drafted by the Orlando Pride in 2016, Burkenroad has made 88 appearances and scored 37 goals for CF Monterrey since joining in 2020. She says that the Liga MX Femenil is the most professional league she has competed in, both on and off the field. She holds the record for the fastest goal scored in Mexican history at just seven seconds after the first whistle. She averages one goal every 86 minutes for the Rayadas, and will look to continue this form at the WICC. 

Lyon

Olympique Lyonnais are fresh off of their eighth UEFA women’s championship league win, beating FC Barcelona 3-1. Head coach Sonia Bompastor became the first person to win the UWCL title as both a player and a coach. Lyon has won the Division 1 Arkema, the top flight in France, a record 14 times in a row. 

At the previous iteration of the Women’s ICC, Lyon fell to the Thorns in the final thanks to a last minute, physics defying goal from Morgan Weaver. Lyon won the 2019 iteration of the tournament, defeating the North Carolina Courage 1-0. 

Lyon’s return to Portland also marks the return of Lindsey Horan to her home club. She is currently spending the 2022-2023 season on loan in France. 

Unfortunately, like what feels like most of women’s soccer, Lyon has been hit with a plague of season-ending injuries. Catarina Macario, former Thorn Ellie Carpenter, and Dzsenifer Marozán have all torn their ACLs, while Amel Majiri recently gave birth to her son. 

Players to Watch:

Selma Bacha

Selma Bacha, 21, has featured for Lyon 61 times and cemented herself as a starting left-back for the club. While Bacha has been performing consistently for ages, her play against Barcelona in the Champion’s League final fast-tracked her name into the general media. The 2022 UWCL Young Player of the Year had nine assists, the most of any player, including one in the final. Her strong tackles pocketed Jenni Hermoso and Caroline Graham Hansen, two of the strongest players in the game, preventing them from scoring crucial goals and stifling Barcelona’s offense. Bacha has also been nominated for the 2022 Balon D’or. Look to see Bacha provide more assists and pinpoint passes at the WICC. 

Damaris Egurrola

After joining OL in January 2021, Dama Egurrola quickly established herself as a linchpin in the midfield and as a starter. The Dutch player already has three goals in her eight international appearances after making the one-time switch in nationality earlier in 2022. Egurrola is a traditionally defensive midfielder, but her time playing youth football for Spain has given her a flair for footwork. She is the axis of attack, and will be a crucial player to look out for switching the point of attack and giving the offense room to go for goal. 

Griedge Mbock-Bathy

Griedge Mbock-Bathy has made 101 appearances for Lyon as a center back since joining the side in 2015. The French international has won the UWCL six times and recently helped France achieve their first semi-final finish in a major international tournament, ever. Her ball control and ability to slice-and-dice defenders at either box has proved her to be a ruthless assistant. She posted a 100% passing completion rate at the 2022 Euros against Belgium, and even scored from her center-back position. Look for Mbock-Bathy to be a force all across Providence Park, scoring goals and blocking others. 

Chelsea

Chelsea is full of the top European talent. Head coach Emma Hayes has an eye for scouting talented youth, and the budget and facilities to draw them to London. Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Beth England, and Fran Kirby were a part of the Lionesses squad that captured the 2022 Euro trophy, and are in game form. Overall, 13 members of the current Chelsea squad represented seven different countries at the tournament. 

The Blues have won the three previous Barclays Women’s Super League titles, although the 2022 season went down to the last game in a race between Arsenal and Chelsea. As the competition in England grows greater, Chelsea have still managed to remain on top. 

Current Thorns player Crystal Dunn spent the 2017-2018 season at Chelsea, helping them capture FAWSL Spring Series title, as well as reach the UWCL quarter-finals—the furthest Chelsea had gone at the time. 

Players to watch:

Jessie Fleming

Jessie Fleming, 24, already has numerous accolades at both the domestic and international levels under her belt. These include an Olympic gold and bronze medal, three FAWSL titles, and two FA Women’s Cup titles. Fleming is a dynamic midfielder with a strong technical ability and vision to link up the defense and attack. After spending the majority of her first season at Chelsea on the bench as a late-game substitute, Fleming was determined to elevate her game and earn more playing time. Her effort has proved effective, as she earned Canadian Player of the Year honors in 2021. Despite her young age, Fleming has stepped up as a leader for her country, wearing the captain’s armband when Christine Sinclair is out, and being handed the game-winning PK to take in the Olympic semi-final game against the United States. 

 

Kadeisha Buchanan

Olympic gold medalist Kadeisha Buchanan could feature for Chelsea for the first time after she transferred from fellow WICC competitor Lyon over the summer. Buchanan is a center-back who is known for her build-up play and one-on-one skills. Her ability to read the game is unmatched, and she excels at putting herself and the rest of her backline in the proper positions. She most recently won Canada’s Player of the Year in 2020, her third time winning the award, and was nominated for the 2015 Balon D’or after her performance in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Buchanan currently has 124 international appearances, with 119 of those being starts. 

 

Beth England

Beth England, a Blue since 2016, is a scoring fiend. Her goal scoring ability ranks second only to Sam Kerr (of course), and won WSL player of the 2019-2020 season due to her accuracy in front of goal. Despite making many of her Chelsea appearances from the bench, England had 14 goals in her 34 apparances in the previous season. England was a member of the 2022 Euro’s winning squad, and has made 19 international appearances, scoring nine goals. Chelsea will be looking to use her pace and finesse on the ball to drive at defenders and confidently find the back of the net.