Author: Jaiden Cirioli

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Soccer

NWSL Semifinal Preview: Let the Players Play

Credit: Kris Lattimore

The Thorns are in the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs for a seventh time in their history. They face off against the San Diego Wave, against whom they are 2-2-1 in 2022—between the regular season and Challenge Cup matches. Their most recent meeting was a disappointing Portland 0-2 loss at home in August. San Diego revealed in their quarterfinal game that Taylor Kornieck, who has scored three of the Wave’s six total goals against the Thorns, and Alex Morgan were healthy enough to go the full 90 minutes and into extra time, despite missing out of the USWNT’s European tour the week prior due to injury. 

With a bye due to the Thorns’ second-place league finish, the international players have had time to reintegrate with the squad, and the players have had time to decompress and refocus their energy after a frustrating 3-3 draw with last-place Gotham FC to end the regular season. The USWNT internationals had a positive break, despite their two losses, with Sophia Smith scoring a banger in Wembley, Sam Coffey making two more strong appearances, Crystal Dunn getting her first USWNT minutes as a mother, and Becky Sauerbrunn anchoring the backline. 

The semi-final will come down to who wants it more. San Diego, an expansion club, have already made history by reaching the playoffs and will want to put a cap on their impressive inaugural season. The Thorns, however, have played nice soccer on the pitch whilst being plagued with the abusive history and culture of their club’s ownership. They will want to win for themselves, to find joy in the sport despite all the difficulty surrounding it.

The Thorns and the Wave are evenly matched. Having Crystal Dunn back in the roster against San Diego for the first time could be the game-changer that pushes the game open in Portland’s favor. Both Morgan and Smith, top two in the Golden Boot race, are still consistently scoring, and each team’s defense will need to do all they can to limit the opposing striker’s time on the ball. 

Tactically, it should be a thrilling and fun game to watch at home in Providence Park. But the choice to attend the game has been heavily debated in the weeks since the Yate’s Report dropped on Oct. 3. Since then, Merritt Paulson, Gavin Wilkinson, and Mike Golub, all implicated in the report, have resigned from their positions at the head of both the Timbers and Thorns. The caveat is that Paulson and his family’s company, Peregrine Sports, still own both teams, making him still financially involved despite his public resignation. This is the holdup that many fans are divided on. 

I want to make my position clear, which is that it is necessary for Paulson and Peregrine Sports to sell both teams. So long as he collects a paycheck from PTFC, the players are not truly free to speak their minds and feel safe within the organization. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected within their job, and so long as someone who covered up abuse is at the head, that culture can simply not exist. Much like the art cannot be separated from the artist, the NWSL and its club cannot be fully separated from their abuses until they are burned down and restructured. 

At the same time, I am allowed to state that opinion because I am not employed by the Thorns. I do not owe Merritt or any other management anything, and I have no fear of being reprimanded, fired, or abused for stating my opinion. The vast majority of the players who are in the middle of the abuse do not have that luxury. 

When reporters repeatedly ask players and head coaches to speak out on the abuse that is occurring within their organization, the players often do not have the ability to speak freely on these issues. Their job, housing, and lives depend on being employed by these clubs. And with Paulson, someone with a reputation for retaliation, still at the helm, the players must protect themselves first. 

 Sauerbrunn, in a media appearance for the USWNT stated, “It’s my opinion that every owner and executive and U.S. Soccer official who has repeatedly failed the players and failed to protect the players, who have hidden behind legalities and have not participated in these investigations, should be gone.”

Sauerbrunn, beloved USWNT Captain and stalwart of the league, has an innate level of protection that other players do not have. It’s unlikely that Sauerbrunn will be removed from the roster of either team she plays for because she has spoken out. Dunn and Smith, on the other hand, do not. Dunn, just returning from maternity leave, does not have a solidified spot in rosters. We’ve seen USSF cut players like Megan Rapinoe and Christen Press from rosters due to them speaking out, and it would be easier to do on a player just returning from an absence. Smith, despite all her talent, is still barely 22 years old. Her career is just starting. She can’t jeopardize that by rebelling against her employer. 

At open practice on Oct. 21, two days out from their important semi-final match, Sauerbrunn, Dunn, and Smith were all asked questions relating to the Yates Report and Thorns’ ownership. Sauerbrunn had set a precedent by speaking her dissent of Paulson owning both teams, and fans and media now expect all players to be able to be this free with their words and form a concrete opinion. 

All three players spoke about how they wanted fans to be there for them, cheering in the stands to support the players. They dodged questions about ownership and a sale of the team, which in one light can read as though they are in support of Paulson and his ownership. Silence is often associated with complacency and complicity, but when you’re asking an employee about their employer, this is no longer the case. I admit that myself, as a fan, want the players to speak out about Paulson and Peregrine Sports, but I need to stop putting that pressure on players. 

It is unacceptable to expect a player to comment on their employers without fear of retribution. 

There are rookies, players with just one or two years in the league, practice players, on field staff and trainers, all of whom don’t have much of a voice in the league. Using their voice could cause them to end up without a job, or without a support structure. 

The best result from the semifinal game will be the Thorns playing freely and with passion. Aside from a win, of course. 

It’s up to the fans individually if they want to show up in person at Providence Park on Sunday and cheer for the Thorns. It’s unacceptable that Paulson is still profiting off of the players and fans right now. But, the players still have to play. The season isn’t over yet. What media and fans can do now is stop expecting answers out of players. Direct this energy towards sponsors, upper management, and the like. They’re the ones who have the power to make change. Demand it of them. 

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Soccer Thorns

The way to stop Sophia Smith is not to injure her

Sophia Smith is a menace for defenders both on the club and international level. Her footwork and finesse on the ball make her incredibly difficult to mark as she spins her way towards the goal, and defenders have caught on that one of the only ways to stop her is to foul her. 

Smith tweeted earlier this week that she needed to “practice how to shoot the ball when both legs get completely taken out from under me” in reference to a clip of a foul from Portland’s game against Kansas City on Sept. 18. The tackle, which came from behind when Smith was in on goal, one-versus-one with the KC keeper, was not called as a foul. 

She followed up her statement with a clip from a college game at Stanford, where she broke her leg during a nearly identical tackle from the opposition. 

Forwards are meant to be brave as they drive the ball toward the goal, and Smith certainly is. But when dangerous plays aren’t called, it incentives the defense to continue making reckless challenges, and leaves the forward hurt, even sidelining them for months like Smith was during college. Referees are on the pitch in order to protect players, and refusing to do so is willful neglect. 

Post-game on Wednesday night, Smith said that being repeatedly fouled is “frustrating for sure… But if I let it get to me, then it will affect how I play. So I try to not think about it too much going into games and just accept the fact that I’ll probably be getting fouled left and right.”

Players should not be forced to have this type of mindset while playing professionally. They should not be resigned to the fact that they are going to be repeatedly fouled and potentially incur a season-ending-injury. They should feel both physically and mentally safe when they walk onto the field. Until referees start calling dangerous and repeatedly plays on players like Smith, the number of fouls and injuries will only increase exponentially. 

The Thorns’ two previous games against the Kansas City Current and Racing Louisville were both physical. The Current committed 10 fouls that were called, while Racing Louisville committed 12. However, the crucial element here is the number of fouls that are not called. Per Statsbomb, Smith has been fouled 38 times, 12more times than the next highest player, Hina Sugita. 

However, in each game against the Current and Racing Louisville, Sophia Smith only won one foul.  

Here is a list of all the challenges where Sophia Smith was brought down: 

9/18 vs Kansas City Current

16′: Sophia Smith is double teamed at the top of the box. As she turns towards goal, Claire Lavogez comes in as the third defender on Smith and sticks her leg out, tripping Smith. The ball goes out of play for a goal kick. 

45+3′: Adrianna Franch comes off her line and collides with Smith as they both go for the ball. Both receive medical attention and the ball comes in on a goal kick. 

48′: Smith is played a ball over top of the defenders and runs onto it, getting there first. She takes a few touches, then once she is in the box is tackled from behind by Addisyn Merrick. No foul called. 

60′: Smith receives a ball with her back to goal. She makes the turn inside, and Merrick sticks her foot out late. Foul called for Smith. 

86′: Smith is double teamed. One player boxes her out while the other swipes at her feet and she goes down at the top of the box. No foul called. 

9/21 vs Racing Louisville

45+1′: Gemma Bonner was already between Smith and the goal when Bonner stuck her leg out, causing Smith to fall to the ground. There was an immediate whistle called. 

45+2′: Smith and Satara Murray both go after the ball, as it’s loose around the top of the box. Smith hip checks Murray, and Murray falls on top of Smith. The whistle is immediately blown against Smith. 

54′: Smith is dribbling towards goal on a threaded pass by Natalia Kuikka. Bonner swipes at Smith’s legs from the inside, doesn’t connect with the ball, and brings Smith to the ground. No whistle is blown. 

71′: Smith is subbed out. 

These are only the stats of two games, and Smith is only one person. While the data alone cannot identify a trend, when set alongside the rest of the season, they tell a more complete story. Smith has only scored once in her last five games in a Thorns jersey, compared to two in her previous two for the USWNT.  Coupled with the seeming endemic of SEI and ACL tears among NWSL players, a trend emerges indicating that players are in more danger of serious injury. With referees not calling these tackles, they will only increase, thus increasing the number of season ending injuries as well. 

The players need to be protected; it’s as simple as that. With the signing of a historic CBA, players have finally had their rights recognized, but this recognition must extend to the pitch. The first step is making sure that the referees are trained and able to call all hard tackles. If not, the risks will only escalate, and players like Sophia Smith could leave the NWSL for their own safety. 

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Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 0, Wave 2

Photo Credit Kris Lattimore

The Thorns recorded their second straight loss against the San Diego Wave at home on Saturday evening. Coming into the home match, the Thorns were averaging over four goals a game in Providence, yet have scored only one goal over the last two matches while conceding five. After spending several weeks sitting alone at the top of the table, the Thorns have fallen to fourth place with just five games left to clinch a playoff position. Dropping more points could put them in danger of making a postseason run. 

 

While it is nearly impossible to identify just one thing that went wrong, let’s take a look at several factors that could have contributed to the Thorns’ downward trend.

Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

Too few subs, too late

In a move unlike ones we have seen previously from head coach Rhian Wilkinson, she waited until the 80th minute to make any changes to the Thorns’ formation. In a must-win game to remain at the top of the table, the Thorns started the strongest eleven players they had in a 4-3-3. 

Both Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver started, when usually Wilkinson starts one or the other, with the second player ready to come off the bench and make an impact with their fresh legs on a tired defense. With both Weaver and Smith on the field, Wilkinson was left with few options of a different style of attacking player when neither of her starters were able to produce. Smith regularly had two or three defenders surrounding her touch-tight, making it hard for her to complete her signature spin-and-dribble-out-of-pressure. Weaver is known for her infinite engine and power for the entire 90 minutes. Against the Wave she had the only two shots on target, and delivered four crosses. She was the most dangerous attacker, but wasn’t able to connect her crosses with the players making runs into the box, oftentimes seeing the ball frustratingly roll across the entire box only for a Wave player to clear it on the opposite touch line. 

Both forwards played all 90 minutes of Saturday’s game, and while in theory Wilkinson starting her two top producers gives the Thorns the best chance of netting goals, when it doesn’t work out, there are no backup options. Ideally, a player like Yazmeen Ryan would start in one of those wide forward spots in order to provide service, and if she isn’t connecting with either Smith or Weaver, then there is an opportunity for a change to be made and for a different perspective to attack the opposing defense. 

Photo Credit Kris Lattimore
Photo Credit Kris Lattimore

Janine Beckie and Yazmeen Ryan got eleven minutes each, both of whom were attacking-minded substitutions. When they made their appearance, the Thorns shifted to a three-back, pushing Beckie up along the right side in front of Kuikka. In her short cameo, she created one chance, which tied her with the second most for the Thorns. Ryan applied similar pressure from the moment she appeared on the pitch, making several dangerous dribbles into the box, but was unable to get her shot off. 

Olivia Moultrie, Portland’s third and final sub, only got three minutes. In an interesting and previously unseen formation move, Sam Coffey slid back to play the third defender as Wilkinson made another attacking substitution. Although Moultrie only got two touches, her change showed that the Thorns were capable of changing their formation and structure of attack mid-game. 

Time can’t turn back, and the Thorns will never get those three dropped points, the game against San Diego begs the question of what could have happened if these changes had been made sooner. For eighty minutes the Thorns tried to score using the same tactics, namely feeding balls to Smith and expecting individual brilliance. However, once it became clear that Naomi Girma and the rest of the Wave’s backline was too strong to penetrate this way, a different tactic needed to be implemented, and a change in personnel was the obvious way to do this. 

 

Defensive Lapses

Simply put, the Thorns’ defense was not organized enough to effectively stop San Diego’s attack. Post-game, Becky Sauerbrunn commented on where she thought the game was lost for the Thorns. 

“A lot of credit to San Diego. I think they’re very good at what they do, and even though we knew what they were going to do, they still got that second goal on us. It’s tough to win games when you’re letting goals in,” said Sauerbruun, finishing that she thought the Thorns’ heads remained high despite the loss. 

The Wave’s first goal was allowed because they were able to have an unmarked player at the top of the box. A missed clearance by Kuikka allows the ball to be picked off by the Wave and passed back to McNabb making an open run at the top of the eighteen. Rocky Rodriguez makes a last-ditch effort to close her down, but was ultimately too far away and too late to prevent the shot from going off. 

Both Morgan Weaver and Sauerbruun mentioned post-game that the Wave’s plan was to flick the ball off of Taylor Korniek’s head onto Alex Morgan, and that is exactly how the second goal came about. While it is hard for any player to match Korniek’s aerial abilities and height, it is possible to shut down the second pass to Morgan and prevent her from running at goal with no defenders. 

Photo credit Kris Lattimore

While it is hard to be consistent for an entire ninety minutes, small changes and closer marking from Thorns players could have changed the outcome of the game, not allowing open players in their own box. 

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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. 

 

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Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 5, Gotham 0

Photo credit: Matt Wolfe

The Thorns had yet another resounding win against Gotham FC on Saturday, beating New Jersey/New York 5-0 with five different goal scorers. At the halfway point through the season, Portland has five wins, six ties, and one loss and sits second on the table. All five of the Thorns’ wins have been shutouts, and they have scored at least three goals in each. While the Thorns have had trouble holding onto a lead if the other team scores, they have proven time and time again to be lucrative in front of goal when their defense is solid. 

Credit: Matt Wolfe

Portland came out of the gates firing against Gotham. From the moment the whistle blew, the Thorns were hungry for a goal. The first came courtesy of Taylor Porter—filling in for Sam Coffey after Coffey’s sudden call-up to the full national team—in the fifth minute. Olivia Moultrie hit an absolute worldie from the top of the 18-yard box in the seventh minute, and Marissa “Dangerous” Everett tapped in a third goal in the 11th. These first three goals were the fastest an NWSL team has scored three in the regular season, beating the record previously set by the Thorns (15 minutes). The second half saw two more unique scorers, with Hannah Betfort scoring her first career NWSL goal in her first touch of the match off her head, and Morgan Weaver ruthlessly pressing and intercepting a pass from Gotham keeper Ashlyn Harris and slotting the ball home on an open net. 

Exactly half of the Thorns’ 20 shots were on target—a very strong ratio. The game against Gotham marked the third game without the Thorns’ seven international players. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson said that she was “proud of the two previous performances [both ties], but they wanted to put a stamp on this game and on this three-game series. And my goodness, they did that.”

Now, the Thorns feel as though they have multiple players in each position that can come in and deliver, according to Wilkinson, which is crucial to work towards a deep playoff run. 

Credit: Matt Wolfe

With a goal differential of +19, over two times the next highest team’s goal differential, the Thorns are on track to set a new record for goals scored in the NWSL. Portland has scored twice as many goals as eight of eleven other teams, and four times as many as Gotham this season so far. The Thorns have more individual goal scorers (12) than some teams have scored goals. 

These stats highlight the depth of the team and the creation of a strong team mentality. Each and every player, regardless of where they play or whether they start in the XI or on the bench, knows the job they need to do and how to execute it. Last season, the players reiterated the strong culture they were building under Mark Parsons. Now, with a new head coach, the players are still maintaining the strength and intensity of their connections with one another, showing that they believe in one another and hold each other to high standards. 

Credit: Matt Wolfe

“The team’s biggest strength is that they like one another,” Wilkinson said. 

Against Gotham, the Thorns looked like they were having an absolute blast. Each player was playing with swagger and joy and complete confidence in themselves. It was infectious to watch. Seeing the over 16,000 people at Providence Park cheer and wave flags felt incredible. The players deserve the support of the fans, and are showing how well they can play when they are hyped up. 

One player who has stepped up to the plate in a big way during the international tournament window is Moultrie. She had gotten limited minutes in the beginning of the season, starting the vast majority of games on the bench. With Coffey, Christine Sinclair, and Rocky Rodríguez all out with their respective countries, midfield spots are open for the taking, and Moultrie is trying to set her name in stone in that starting XI. 

Moultrie completed nine passes in the final third, and half of her shots were on target. With 10 recoveries as well, Moultrie showed her box-to-box skills and that she is able to take shots as well as prevent them. 

Credit: Matt Wolfe

When asked about her goal, Moultrie said: “as soon as I got the ball, I was like, ‘I’m gonna rip this. I’m gonna touch it out and I’m gonna hit it.’ And it went exactly where I wanted it to, and I got very excited, I’m sure as the video shows for itself. I’ve never scored in a regular-season match at Providence Park, so to get a rose and go through that was a really awesome moment for me.”

Being aggressive in front of goal was a goal for the Thorns, and their dominating 5-0 scoreline was a testament to the competition of their goal. 

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Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 6, Pride 0

Credit: Kris Lattimore

The Thorns dominated the Pride in a landslide 6-0 victory on Sunday, their largest in club history. The win firmly cemented that the Thorns are the best scoring NWSL team this season, placing them with a +14 goal differential and second in the standings (with a game in hand) heading into the international break. 

After a lackluster start to the season, the Thorns have finally hit their stride, picking up all six points,  scoring 10 goals, and earning two clean sheets in their last two games. They are entering the international break with forward momentum—and hopefully that force continues despite player absences for the Euros and CONCACAF W tournaments throughout the month of July. 

Sunday’s game celebrated Juneteenth, a federal holiday recognizing the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. To honor Juneteenth and Black Portlanders, the Thorns partnered with the Black Women’s Player Collective and the Portland-based Maurice Lucas Foundation to donate $100 for every corner kick earned. 

Before kickoff, Kyra Smith and her father Trevor Smith sang the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. 

Post game, head coach Rhian Wilkinson spoke on the importance of celebrating and honoring Juneteenth, Father’s Day, and the Portland Pride parade during the game. 

“I think our women have never shied away from having very clear positions on their social media accounts and continue to highlight the social injustice out there and how we can be better allies and advocates for those that are less seen,” she said.

Sophia Smith, a Black woman, moved into second place in the golden boot race, with eight goals after her performance against the Pride. 

There were five different goalscorers for the Thorns’ six goals, with Smith registering her third regular season brace and Hina Sugita, Becky Sauerbrunn, Taylor Porter, and Natalia Kuikka each recording a goal apiece. 

Photo by Kris Lattimore

Sauerbrunn’s goal was her first for the Thorns, coming three years after her last goal, which happened to be against Portland. That 2019 Thorns vs Royals game is a piece of NWSL history. Perhaps Sauerbrunn scoring again in Providence Park undid the rift in the universe she created in 2019. Further, because Sauerbrunn finally scored, she will be donating $500 to Athlete Ally’s “Playing for Pride” initiative to fight for transgender children’s right to play sports as the gender they identify with. 

And on her celebration?

“That celebration was completely spontaneous,” Sauerbrunn said. “I’m sure I was briefly possessed by something. I was just super excited. I just saw people looking at me. They were as bewildered as I was. And I finally got a rose for scoring a goal. It’s actually really fun. I can see why people like scoring goals.”

Sugita has quietly become a stalwart in the Thorns’ midfield in place of Angela Salem and Lindsey Horan, two prior pillars. Her aggressiveness has increased with each game, something that she credits to “learning the importance of winning the ball,” in the NWSL. 

Against the Pride, Sugita had the second highest passes into the final third with 15, showing her ability to distribute the ball effectively, and helped set up many of the goal-scoring opportunities. Her 80% passing accuracy also helped bolster the Thorns’ midfield, with her primary target being brace-scoring Sophia Smith.

Photo by Kris Lattimore
Photo by Kris Lattimore

After spending the international break with Japan, Sugita will be back with the Thorns for the month of July, looking to help the team in the absence of CONCACAF and Euro players.

Categories
Not Soccer Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 2, Red Stars 2

Photo by Nikita Taparia

It’s been a few games since we have provided a recap, but honestly, soccer has felt insignificant against the horrors of the world. Since we last wrote, the Thorns drew 1-1 against the Washington Spirit, and fell 0-2 in their first loss of the regular season against the Dash.

The Thorns tied for the third time in the 2022 season against the Red Stars on Saturday night, 2-2. 

Hina Sugita’s and Sophia Smith’s goals leveled the score after a Thorns deficit, and both were scored off of set pieces. The Thorns have been unable to create a goal in the run of play in three games—and that pattern held true in Chicago where they were unable to generate the game-winner. 

Maybe it’s so many lackluster or frustrating games in a row, but I’m finding it hard to feel happy when watching the Thorns play. It’s not for a lack of effort on the players’ part—there are many brilliant things happening on the pitch. Sugita scored her first NWSL regular season goal. Meaghan Nally dominated her passing game, with a 94% accuracy on her 59 passes. Sophia Smith is still an absolute force on the field and in front of goal. Sam Coffey is having one of the most complete rookie seasons the NWSL has ever seen, assisting both of the goals on Saturday. 

Coffey and Smith spoke post-game about the dissatisfaction the team felt toward their recent results, despite seeing growth on the field. 

It’s from that dissatisfaction that growth is born, as players push themselves to be better than they were the day before. But, how come that same mentality doesn’t seem to exist off the pitch? 

The state of the world has become so untenable that not even my favorite team playing my favorite sport seems to bring joy. If that’s my personal perspective, I cannot imagine the mentality of the players who have to work and preform for the public each week. 

Three mass shootings in the past two weeks, targeting people of marginalized identities—Vietnamese, Black, Latinx children. Yet, nothing is being done. There is no change or growth coming from these tragedies; we are just forced to be scared and numb to these horrors. 

Soccer is a game. It is not a microcosm of life. It isn’t meant to solve world peace or cure cancer. But it is meant to be fun. 

Seeing players—people—visibly frustrated and disappointed on and off the pitch is understandable. You can’t expect them to play or be their best selves when they aren’t protected and safe, just as you can’t expect people to enjoy the product in the same way. 

The Thorns’ game against the Red Stars was probably as perfect as a metaphor as I could be searching for here. They went down early, and immediately rallied back, leveling the score. Near the end of the first half, they let another transitional goal in, and went into the locker room down. 

Yet, they persevered. They didn’t give up, didn’t stop fighting. They got that equalizing goal off of Smith assisting herself via volley. They kept driving at the goal, even when they weren’t being successful. They wanted at least a point on the road, and the Thorns got just that. 

It may not have been what they wanted, especially off the back of three games in which they earned just two points. But sometimes in the circumstances you are placed in, you don’t need to thrive, just survive. And that’s what the Thorns are doing. They are surviving, picking up points when they can. That’s what we all should be doing right now. 

Categories
Soccer

Takeaways: Thorns 0, Reign 0

The Thorns faced off against the OL Reign on a rainy Friday night for the first time of the 2022 regular season, settling for a scoreless draw. Over 14,000 fans showed up to support, including the Rose City Riveters, who presented a Tifo and capo’ed their first match in many months.  

With the NWSL’s embarrassingly-hectic division of streaming rights between Paramount+, Twitch, CBS Sports Network, and CBS, it is nearly impossible to find the game each week if you cannot be there in person. It becomes exponentially harder to watch your favorite teams when, on one of their very few CBSSN broadcast appearances, the first twenty minutes of the game are lost in favor of showing bull-riding. This error does not fall on the Thorns’ shoulders, but it is a reflection of the way the league is treated as a lesser-product, and is incredibly frustrating for fans—especially for an intense rivalry game. 

Despite having played the Reign three times already this year, Coach Rhian Wilkinson said that “there was experimentation on both sides, and you never really know what the other side will bring come regular season.” All four games have been close, with three ties and one 1-0 loss for the Thorns, which shows how competitive the two top teams are. Wilkinson described her tactics for the game as “chess-like” against the Reign’s coach Laura Harvey due to the cagey nature of the match. In what could be a top-of-the-table decideder, neither team wanted to drop points to the other. Both teams have top talent (including Megan Rapinoe, who made her obligatory appearance against Portland), and it was on full display on Friday night. 

Even though the game was scoreless, the Thorns finished with 17 shots, seven of which were on target (a much better ratio than the Reign’s 17:3). Being clinical in front of goal has been an issue of consistency for the Thorns. Their previous game against the Kansas City Current was a 3-0 win where they had 19 shots. The Thorns’ defense has been organized and efficient at keeping clean sheets, and the front line needs to ensure that they get on the score sheet as well to earn three points. Wilkinson said that she is not expecting large goal differentials each game, since that is not the nature of the league, but even one goal games still earn the team three points. 

Bella Bixby earned her second clean sheet of the regular season against the Reign, despite the difficult playing conditions. After the game, Bixby spoke that tempering the emotions of a rivalry game is important in order to still play the game of soccer that they are trying to play the whole season. “In games where I’m not making a lot of saves I focus on my positioning as play develops to put myself in the best position in order to make the saves,” she said. “If I’m in the right position, the save doesn’t need to be crazy.” 

Friday’s game also marked Rocky Rodríguez’s 100th NWSL regular season appearance. She is the ninth international player to reach this milestone, something that she said she only dreamed of when she first came to the United States. For Rocky, she is most proud of believing in herself and the dream that she had. “I took a bet on myself,” she said, “and I feel proud of that.” 

Some of her most cherished moments in her NWSL career thus far have come at Providence Park, both for and against the Thorns. “Every moment has made me appreciate soccer in a different and special way,” she said post-match. 

For me, Sam Coffey is one of the most complete and well-rounded rookies that the league has ever seen. She stepped right into the shoes of the Thorns’ heralded 17 jersey and is showing the creativity and confidence of a seasoned veteran. While most of her efforts appear on the stat sheet—top recoveries, passes in the final third, and crosses among them—most of what makes Coffey special isn’t quantifiable. Her positioning and awareness on the field allow her to intercept passes and see through balls before they happen. Against the Reign she was able to nullify Sofia Huerta and Rose Lavelle’s connection, forcing the Reign to use their weaker left side. The completeness of Coffey’s attacking and defensive playing is already high, and will only grow exponentially as the season progresses. Keep an eye out as she makes her Rookie of the Year campaign. 

The Thorns go again Wednesday night against reigning NWSL Champions Washington Spirit. 

Categories
Soccer Thorns Timbers

Photos: PTFC For Peace

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
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Categories
Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 0, Angel City 1

Sunday’s game against Angel City was world’s apart from the Thorns’ first game against them. After beating Los Angeles last time around, the Thorns bowed out of the Challenge Cup in the group stage with a 1-0 loss. 

It’s impossible to analyze this game without talking about the five players and head coach Rhian Wilkinson’s absences due to COVID-19 protocols. Sophia Smith, Meaghan Nally, Hina Sugita, and Sam Coffey had all solidified their spots on the Thorns’ starting eleven. A preseason tournament is the ideal time to test out and formulate a consistent starting roster, especially after the turnover the Thorns experienced in the offseason. In the postgame presser, Meghan Klingenberg said that “COVID has been disrupting the world for two years, and now it’s closer to home than it has been. It’s been great to see players on the field who don’t normally start.”

As COVID-19 policies begin to relax nationwide—despite us still being in the midst of a deadly viral pandemic—NWSL teams are going to be caught in the crossfire. This is especially prevalent in the lifting of the federal mask mandate on transportation, as NWSL players do not fly chartered planes. With the country deciding that COVID-19 has ended, long lists of COVID-protocol related absences for teams could become more commonplace, no matter how tight the teams bubble is or how diligent they are in their masking. 

Despite the absences, the Thorns were able to put out a great starting eleven, showcasing the depth and quality of their team. Young Olivia Moultrie got her first start of the calendar year, and Janine Beckie played a full 90 minutes on her debut game for the Thorns.  Acting coach Mike Norris said after the defeat that the “challenging week” was “no excuse for the team’s poor performance.”

Last year, the theme of the Thorns was about building a strong culture. With a new head coach, it’s inevitable that the culture will shift, and a new one needs to be created. In the final game of the Challenge Cup, the Thorns were forced to test the strength of that new mentality. 

During the tournament, the Thorns debuted two primary formations, a 3-5-2 and a 4-3-3. With the change of formation and change of head coach comes a change of principles. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Thorns have lost their way in recent games. The second half of the game against San Diego and all 90 minutes of play against Angel City felt uninspired and lacked urgency. The Thorns were unable to score in those 135 minutes and allowed three goals.

With eight shots total against Lost Angeles, three of which were on target, the Thorns didn’t look nearly as threatening as they normally do. 

At no point after Angel City scored their penalty kick did I believe that the Thorns were going to score an equalizer. The midfield was nonexistent, and the forwards were not making the necessary runs in the box when the ball was crossed. The game was a must-win if the team wanted to move onto the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and defend their title, yet it felt as though there were no stakes. Going down in the first half of a must-win game needed to turn on a fire for the Thorns, but it didn’t. Like Kling said postgame, “the team got away from their principles.” 

While the league itself is making the Challenge Cup seem more like a joke with each announcement (Reign having to host their semi-final game at Segra Field, anyone?), the Thorns needed to use the tournament to try and gain chemistry, especially between pairings. Unfortunately, they ended the tournament poorly.

Still, it’s important to remember the extenuating circumstances. The stress of playing sports in the middle of a (still ongoing) global pandemic is hard enough when there aren’t national or league-wide safety procedures in place to help protect players and staff. Emotions are high, and it’s important to remember that the athletes on the field are people. The Thorns didn’t play with intensity or drive like they normally do, but they are still the Portland Thorns, and there is always another game for them to play.