Category: Soccer

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Soccer Thorns

My Dream Starting XI

With very few offseason moves from the Thorns after their championship winning 2022 season, creating The best Starting XI for the 2023 season is rather easy. 

My ideal starting XI is a 3-2-3-2. Early in the 2022 season, Portland deployed a three-back, and it was effective. Having traded Yazmeen Ryan, the Thorns’ strongest pure-winger, I think it would be to the Thorns’ tactical advantage to use their outside backs as true wingbacks, playing the length of the field to send in crosses and dropping back provide cover. This will free up the attacking midfield and forward four players to creatively interchange through the center of the park.

Here’s why that works on a player-by-player basis.

Bella Bixby, goalkeeper
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

You can’t go wrong putting any Nadine Angerer-trained keeper in goal, but Bixby has earned her spot as the Thorns’ first-choice keeper. In her 22 games last season, she had 10 clean sheets and recorded a 75% save record. She conceded only 21 goals, making her tied for least number conceded for players with over 22 games played. She has a commanding presence in goal and ensures that her backline is in the right place to make her job easier. One of the skills that sets her apart from other keepers is her ability to not only save the ball, but catch it so that there are no easy rebounds for the opposition. Her calm demeanor gives a sense of security for fans and players alike.

Becky Sauerbrunn, center back
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Despite her years of experience, Sauerbrunn has shown no signs of slowing down. Her ability to pinpoint sliding tackles and deftly clear the ball are intangible skills that have not diminished. In the 2022 season, Sauerbrunn had an 88.1% passing success rate, an incredibly high number for someone who plays under so much direct pressure from NWSL forwards. Of those passes, 46% were forward and only 5% backwards. Having Sauerbrunn has the stalwart of the backline will help to ensure that play will build from the back accurately and quickly. And you cannot forget that she scores goals as well, having a 50% conversion rate. She truly does it all. 

Kelli Hubly, center back
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

The Thorns’ 2022 Ironwoman has more than earned her spot in the starting lineup since joining the team as a discovery player in 2018. She had 110 clearances and 35 interceptions last season and won nearly 60% of her duels. Hubly is a gritty player who consistently puts her body on the line in order to protect her goal. Working alongside Sauerbrunn at the back has increased her ball awareness exponentially, and when Sauerbrunn is absent for the Women’s World Cup, Hubly will be an excellent leader of the backline. Plus, her TikTok skills have increased her swagger tenfold—and, hopefully, that will translate to the pitch this season.

Meaghan Nally, center back
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Nally is one player that I really wish had gotten more game time than she did last season. She started the season running, with both Menges and Sauerbrunn out with injury, and she handled the starting role with grace and confidence. In her 12 games played for the Thorns in 2022, she had 11 starts, recording an 82% passing success rate and winning 75% of her duels. Having only played 19 minutes in her rookie season the year prior, Nally showed how much she is capable of growing during an offseason—and hasn’t even hit her ceiling yet. With the opportunity to get more time at the back, she has the ability to become a pillar of the Thorns’ backline, much like Hubly. 

Meghan Klingenberg, left wing back
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Reyna Reyes will be hot on Kling’s heels to win that LWB starting position, but for now, Kling has put in the time and the heart to show that she deserves her place. She made 17 appearances (16 starts) for the Thorns last season, controlling the left zone of the field. While technically a defender, Kling’s biggest asset is her ability to win the ball and carry it up the field to send off a cross. Without Ryan on the left this season, the chance creator role will fall more heavily on Kling’s shoulders. She had 29 open play crosses last season, 25 of which were key passes. If she can keep those numbers up, she will be threatening in her final few seasons as a Thorn. 

Natalia Kuikka, right wing back
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Kuikka has been one of the Thorns’ best international signings in recent years. While her passing rate sits at a 75% accuracy, her invaluable nature comes from the tenacity of her tackles. She is 10th in the league for her number of progressive carries and eighth in the league for successful tackles of dribblers. As the Thorns’ right wing back she consistently is able to get into the attacking third and play a dangerous ball in. Kuikka also has the ability to track back and stop attackers mid-stride. The ability to be deadly on both sides of the ball will make her a strong asset for the Thorns yet again. 

Sam Coffey, defensive midfield
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Coffey had one of the strongest debut seasons in the NWSL, ever. She transitioned to defensive midfield—a role that she had not played before—with ease and learned on the job extremely quickly. She ranked second in the league for passes into the final third with 113 and fourth overall for progressive passes with 121. Her confidence on the ball is incredibly high, as is her IQ of the game itself. Only 24 and coming off her rookie year, Coffey’s ceiling is sky-high, and her value to the team will continue to grow exponentially. Despite her being more than deserving of a spot on the USWNT’s WWC roster, I would not complain if she stayed with the Thorns for an entire season.

Hina Sugita, center midfield
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

It took Sugita a few games to adjust to the speed and tempo of the NWSL, as well as its physicality. She started 20 of the 23 games she appeared in in her first season with the Thorns, scoring five goals and providing four assists. Sugita’s ability to turn out of dangerous situations is uncanny, and her left foot has some killer power behind it. Giving her the ability to play interchangeably up the middle with Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver will give her the freedom to both drive the ball forward herself and make dangerous runs to the top of the box, where she has proven to be a threat. Hina Hive sound off!!! 

Rocky Rodríguez, center midfield
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Rodríguez has quietly been one of the most consistent Thorns for years, and I think that last year was when people began to realize that. Not only is she regularly scoring bangers, like in the semi-final game against San Diego, but she is one of the best progressive dribblers in the league. Her control in the middle of the field is second to none, and with her impressive performances with Costa Rica over the offseason, she is coming into the 2023 season in incredible form. 

Morgan Weaver, forward

In some ways, it has felt as though Weaver has been living in Smith’s shadow since she joined the Thorns. Being picked second overall behind her and playing the same position, it is easy to see why the two players are constantly being compared. But in 2022, Weaver showed how different of a player she is from Smith. She had the second most goals on the team last season with seven, showing that her accuracy and consistency in front of net—something that she has been criticized for and is actively working on—is rapidly improving. Weaver has an engine that never quits and some of the best celebrations on the team. If her finishing numbers continue to increase, as they have every other season, she will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Sophia Smith, Forward
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Do I really need to elaborate here? Smith is the best soccer player in the world, currently. Of course she will start for the Thorns. 

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Soccer Thorns

All Paths Aren’t the Same

Photo and edit by Nikitia Taparia.

Portland Thorns defender Kelli Hubly played for Chicago Red Stars Reserves team in the summers of her college career, so she had their gear. The only other team she has merchandise of is the Thorns.

Besides the Red Stars, “The only other pro team that I ever had a connection with was the Portland Thorns,” she says. “This kind of feels like it was meant to be.”

After almost quitting soccer in college, going undrafted, and receiving limited opportunities in the early years in the pros, Hubly has shown that all paths to the league aren’t the same. Through rediscovering her love for the game and believing in her abilities as a player, she has forged a path for others to follow and succeed in the NWSL.

Hubly’s journey to PTFC stardom has been truly extraordinary. Her story represents a lifetime of hard work, determination, and perseverance. Although it was an extremely difficult path, she would not change it one bit.

“My path has been crazy, says Hubly. “Looking back, it was really hard. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything because it’s gotten me exactly where I need to be. I’ve needed each step that I had to take.”

Hubly’s love for sports started at a young age. She enjoyed playing soccer and basketball. She was always around sports, thanks to her family.

“I started like, as young as I could,” she says. “I have two older siblings and younger one. My two older siblings would always be on a 3v3 tournament. So they threw all the younger siblings together. It was, like, boys and girls co-ed.”

She wasn’t always just a soccer player; Hubly’s love extended to basketball, too. For a long period of time, it was her preferred sport, but soccer was always calling.

“I realized that the club team that I had, we were pretty good,” Hubly says. “We started together really young. So, once I kind of realized like our team was pretty good, I started doing [U.S. Soccer’s Olympic Development Program] and everything.”

Even though she was getting called up into youth national team camps, Hubly still needed more belief in her own talent before she could go all-in.

“At 15, I was going to National Team camps,” she says. “I never thought I was that good. I thought I was decent, but to go into national team camps, I still didn’t believe I was good enough to be there.”

But, she says, “I kept getting called in, so  obviously I had to  then start to realize, okay, like maybe soccer is the way to go.”

The love of the game has its highs and lows. In college, Hubly experienced both. The time period would be a huge reflection point in her life. She spent three years at the University of Kentucky before transferring to DePaul.

“Kentucky was really an interesting experience because  SEC schools are huge,” Hubly says. “Going there my freshman year, I honestly didn’t even feel like I was there for school. I was mostly there for soccer.”

After her third year at Kentucky, she decided to transfer to DePaul. Hubly’s love for soccer was fading, and she didn’t even know if she wanted to play anymore.

“When I transferred to DePaul, I kind of, like, wasn’t gonna play soccer anymore,” Hubly says.

Hubly says Kentucky wasn’t the best fit for her, but Depaul was. “I really lost my love of the game,” she says. “Going to DePaul, finding my love for soccer again is what got me wanting to continue to play soccer. I didn’t ever think I was gonna play pro.”

Kelli Hubly defends Christen Press against Angel FC. Photo taken by Matthew Wolfe
Kelli Hubly defends Angel City’s Christen Press. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

After going undrafted in 2017, Hubly’s career could have been over before it even started. Luckily, fate had other ideas. Former Thorns head coach, Mark Parsons reached out and asked her to come to preseason. When the Portland Thorns offered her an opportunity as a National Team Replacement Player that year, Hubly wanted to give it a real chance.

Hubly’s start with Portland was definitely not what she imagined, but she always remained strong and determined.

In her rookie season of 2017, she made two substitute appearances.

“I think that year, I needed that to grow,” she says, “and it wasn’t fun. I didn’t have a of friends. I was really quiet.” The normally-outgoing Hubly found herself watching Love Island eight hours a day, by her estimate.

“I was sad, but I promised myself: I’m gonna give it a year,” she says. “The next year, I came back and earned a roster spot. So I think it was just like, putting my head down doing the dirty work to get here.”

From 2018 to 2021, she earned 22 appearances with 18 starts. In 2020 and 2021, she started all the NWSL Challenge Cup matches for the Thorns.

Hubly blossomed in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. She was dominant and staked her claim as a starter at center back moving forward—but also as one of the top defenders in the league.

Dubbed “unsung hero” of Portland’s defense, per Just Women Sports’ Hanna Martin, Hubly had the stats to prove it. She had a 100% success rate in tackles, a 68.2% success rate in duels, a 75% success rate in aerial duels, and successfully completed 84% of her passes. “Often overlooked among the Thorns’ star names, Hubly is as reliable as they come in the defensive third,” writes Martin.

In 2022, Hubly became Thorns’ Iron Woman by starting and playing in every game. She was one of only seven players in NWSL to achieve this honor.

On June 3, 2022 she scored her first ever goal off a ridiculous header against Angel City at Providence Park.

At the end of 2022 season, she would be an NWSL champion for the second time. However, for the first time, she was named NWSL Best XI Second Team.

“Honestly, I didn’t even [know],” Hubly says. “I skipped over the email because it wasn’t even a thought in my head.”

Kelli Hubly didn’t read the entire message at first, but when she looked at the NWSL email congratulating her, it was pure disbelief.

“I’ve never been the player even in college [to] win awards like that,” she says. “I’m just used to it by now. So, I was really shocked that I got the award.”

Naturally, the first person Hubly told was her other half of Portland soccer’s premier power couple: boyfriend, Portland Timber, and USMNT player Eryk Williamson.

Williamson continues to be her biggest supporter and fan, Hubly says. “He is always pushing me to be even more, even more, and even more,” she says. “He never wants me to settle.”

She then went onto tell her parents. “They’re just so happy for me,” she says, “all the hard work that is finally being recognized. I think for me, that’s the biggest part: just being recognized, like, how far I’ve come.”

In 2022, Hubly signed a contract extension that runs through 2024 and looks to be a player who could spend her entire career with the Thorns. After a lifetime of dedication to soccer, she is finally being recognized for her talent, work ethic, and consistency.

Her development since 2017 is why the NWSL matters, but also why being patient and developing players is so important. Hubly has shown that she’s only getting better and will continue to do so from here.

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: LAFC 3, Portland Timbers 2

Evander made his Portland Timbers regular season debut versus Sporting KC. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

The Timbers forgot how to play soccer in the first 45 minutes, but they got their memory back in the second half. Even if it wasn’t enough for them to come away with a point against LAFC, Saturdays match saw Evander score his first goal as a Timber, and Cristhian Paredes also put his name on the score sheet.

The odds weren’t right

The Timbers went to California searching to spoil the LAFC title party, but they fell short. According to The Analyst, Portland was the underdogs, with only an 18% chance of winning against the MLS reigning champions, and they just couldn’t beat those odds.

LAFC started to move the ball fast and find spaces from the get-go, putting the entire Timbers XI to work to stop the fast transitions. Portland could only break the pressure twice before LAFC scored the first goal of the game

The host showed they can use the half spaces very well, as we could see in the previous play to the goal. It was Kellyn Acosta who sent a long pass through the half-space, full back Juan David Mosquera lost Denis Bouanga, who got to the ball before it went out, forcing Timbers goalkeeper David Bingham to make the save and send the ball to the corner.

Defending set pieces

One of the many weaknesses the Timbers showed in the first half was their defense of set pieces. That’s how Giorgio Chiellini scored the match’s first goal. Justin Rasmussen lost the mark on Chiellini, and the Italian finished with a tap. Marvin Loría and Zac McGraw contributed to the defensive mistake, obstructing one another and favoring the bouncing of the ball toward Chiellini.

Before the end of the first half hour, the hosts could’ve scored their second goal, but the referee deemed it as a foul. This time, Portland double-marked Chiellini, with McGraw helping Rasmussen. It was the latter who couldn’t clear the ball and gave LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead the chance to tap it and score. Loría was marking him, but for some reason he stopped following Hollingshead closely and let him get to the ball. The visitors had to thank the referee for calling it off.

Not long after that, LAFC had another corner. Bingham got to punch the ball but it fell to Kwadwo Opoku. Santiago Moreno came too aggressively on him, and the referee granted the home team the PK. LAFC star Carlos Vela took it and scored, and it seemed like the Timbers would have a long afternoon.

Set pieces and defensive problems aside, some of the players looked slow when taking decisions. LA was pressing high during the entire first half, and they were taking advantage of turnovers in the midfield, which led to fast transitions in the attack. So, you would expect the Timbers to pass the ball quickly and be aware of their surroundings.

Well, that wasn’t always the case.

Moreno giveaway. Credit: Fox Sports.
Moreno giveaway. Credit: Fox Sports.

We had to wait almost 50 minutes to see a decent chance from Portland in the attack. This started with Rasmussen sending a good service to the far post. Loría headed the ball but goalkeeper John McCarthy reacted quickly and made a save with his chest. The Timbers created one more chance, but weren’t able to finish it.

Starting the second half with a bang

Just seconds after the start of the second half, Vela could’ve scored a brace, but a great tackle by McGraw denied him of the opportunity.

But LAFC was on a mission, and the slowness of some players was this time reflected in Diego Chará, when José Cifuentes stole the ball from him. The turnover led to Portland’s defense being outnumbered and to Opoku scoring. (Fun fact: Opoku was the LAFC player most involved in attacking sequences in 2022, with Vela coming in second, according to Opta.)

Defense outnumbered and bad positioning. Source: Fox Sports
Defense outnumbered and bad positioning. Source: Fox Sports

So yeah, LAFC was actually the one starting their second half with a bang.

The impact of the subs

By 54′, it was obvious the Timbers needed some subs to change the dynamic of the game… and quickly.

Župarić with the giveaway when trying to build from the back. Source: Fox Sports
Župarić with the giveaway when trying to build from the back. Source: Fox Sports

Head coach Gio Savarese moved the bench. Christian Paredes replaced Loría, Larrys Mabiala entered for Moreno, and Claudio Bravo came in for Rasmussen.

The Timbers finally put one in in minute 62 with a fast transition, outnumbering LA’s defense. Paredes showcased nice off-the-ball work, and left the ball to Evander after sucking the attention of LAFC defenders. That made it possible for the Brazilian to shoot, unmarked.

Jarosław Niezgoda didn’t have a good game in the attack. True, no Timber did in the first half, but at the end of his 72 minutes, he registered zero shots on target, zero duels won, and zero chances created, and he barely stepped a foot inside LAFC’s box.

No wonder he was replaced by Nathan Fogaça. The Brazilian didn’t do well in duels or passes—he missed three out of seven passes total and lost nine duels—but he made his presence notorious in the last 10 minutes of the game. After a corner, McCarthy couldn’t get ahold of the ball and left his goal open for Mosquera to score. The defense reacted, but Fogaça kept the ball inside the box and, by doing so, assisted Paredes.

After that, both teams could’ve scored at least one more, but the hosts kept the three points at home.

What Gio said

If anything, the game against Sporting KC showed us Savarese has some decisions to make regarding the Timbers’ starting XI.

The coach spoke about Fogaça, Paredes, and Bravo and what they brought to the game after the LAFC loss. “[Bravo] didn’t look off at all,” Savarese said. “It looked like he was comfortable, and he created a lot of good moments going forward.

“Bravo and Paredes brought a lot of energy into the team,” he said, “and I think that’s also the reason why the team elevated their level at a particular time.”

Claudio Bravo vs LAFC. Credit: Timbers FC
Congrats on your 50 games as a Timber, Claudio Bravo! Credit: Timbers FC

Fogaça surely made a case to be in the starting position next game. “Nathan is competing very well,” Savarese said, “and he’s putting himself in a situation that he’s pushing me to get more playing time.”

It is true that the Timbers were missing Sebastián Blanco, Dairon Asprilla, Felipe Mora, and Yimmy Chará, but part of the coach’s job is to find a way for the team to work without them. And this game against LAFC showed that maybe there’s a way for Savarese to do so.

Two of the things to look at are the style and system of play. “We pressed completely differently,” Saverese said. “We pressed 4-4-2 last game. We played more with a 4-3-3 [in this game] that ended up being with five midfielders. That’s why we changed, to be a little more aggressive, to press a little bit higher.”

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Soccer

Berkeley’s Blue Devil

The Oregon Ducks take on the Washington State Cougars at Papé Field in Eugene, Oregon on October 28, 2021 (Isaac Wasserman/ Eric Evans Photography)

Goalkeeper Leah Freeman standing on her head and pulling out an explosive save to keep her team in a game became almost routine for the University of Oregon junior in her time in Eugene—even in a 2022 season that saw her miss games due to both COVID-19 and a red card suspension. Now, her collegiate career is entering a new era: In spite of a hip surgery in December 2022 to repair a torn labrum, Freeman has made the transfer to Duke University ahead of the 2023 college soccer season.

Moving across the country and working her way back onto the pitch is a tremendous change for anyone—especially for Freeman, who had never been to North Carolina before she signed with the team. But it’s been relatively smooth, all things considered, she says.

“It’s hard to be injured,” Freeman says. “It’s hard to come into a new environment injured. But I think everyone around me has done everything they can in their capabilities to make me feel comfortable and make me feel welcome.”

The transfer also puts Freeman in a position to compete for a national championship, as she joins a squad that made it to the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

“Leah is one of the top goalkeepers in the country,” Duke head coach Robbie Church said in a press release.  “She is very good with her feet, is an excellent shot stopper and is good on crosses. Leah has been playing at a high level at Oregon and was one of the top goalkeepers in the Pac-12 over the last three years. She has tremendous experience and is going to be a really good addition to our goalkeeping core.”

Still, the loss of a starting keeper will hit the Ducks hard. “When we do the scout on Oregon before we play them, there’s a giant circle on Leah Freeman,” Cori Callahan, goalkeeper coach at University of California, Berkeley, told me during the 2022 fall soccer season. Callahan coached Freeman when she was growing up. “She’s the catalyst for that team,” Callahan says.

Freeman, originally from Berkeley, California, was a stalwart on the Ducks backline and off the pitch. In her three seasons at the UO, she set the school record for career shutouts and holds the record for lowest goals against average in program history. She was recognized for her goalkeeping prowess on November 8, when she was named Pac-12 goalkeeper of the year—the first Duck to win the honor.

Growing up in Berkeley played a big role in that. Freeman was able to watch collegiate women’s soccer powerhouses in the Cal and Stanford teams throughout her childhood. “She just had this fire and this enthusiasm for the game,” Callahan says. “She wanted to be great.” And that drive, alongside Freeman’s natural instincts, made her “a joy” for Callahan to train.

“At the right times, she made the right leaps and bounds,” Callahan says, alluding to Freeman’s private training and, later, the jump she made to join an elite club team in Danville, California, despite the commute. And having supportive parents didn’t hurt either.

So, Freeman made her way to Oregon. “I visited in May,” she says. “It was beautiful. The sun was out, and everything was really green”—a contrast from the less-forested landscape she was used to in the Bay Area. 

Although Freeman was the first in her recruiting class to commit to the UO, then-club teammate Megan Rucker wound up joining her. The two were roommates beginning freshman year and grew especially close after living through the pandemic together. Rucker, in her words, “would literally do anything for that woman, as she would do for me.”

Despite Freeman and Rucker’s freshman year aligning with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two came into the team in a landmark year for a Ducks soccer program that was going through a rough patch. Their first season was also the first under UO head coach Graeme Abel, who had previously served as an assistant and goalkeeper coach on the USWNT.

“That class coming in and him coming in really lit a fire under us and showed us that we do have what it takes,” fifth-year Ducks midfielder Zoe Hasenauer says. “We can compete with anyone we need to.”

The Ducks proved as much that year when they beat Stanford, a perennial superstar in women’s college soccer, 2-1 their 2020 season in Freeman’s third match of her collegiate career. That same year, UO beat Cal at Berkeley—a personal success for Freeman in her hometown—and tallied 2-0 and 1-0 victories over Oregon State.

Freeman and her former team grew together from there, putting up back-to-back winning seasons in 2020 and 2021 for the first time in 40 years.

The Oregon Ducks take on the Washington State Cougars at Papé Field in Eugene, Oregon on October 28, 2021 (Isaac Wasserman/ Eric Evans Photography)

For Freeman, that development has also shown up in the expansion of her vocabulary. 

As a Berkeley native, she’s used to the nearest water being the ocean, rather than the rivers and lakes she explores in the Pacific Northwest. “I’m not used to not being by a body of water,” she says, “and so I called the river and the lake the ocean for my first two years.” At Duke, she’ll be back to the ocean, but it will be to the east, not the west.

The growth is also apparent in her maturity as a player. She’d get stuck in her head as a freshman, she says, and wouldn’t necessarily know how to get out of that mindset. 

It was advice from Coach Abel that broke her out of it. “The message was that fish have six-second memories,” Freeman says. Abel told her to have the memory of a fish.

“When you make a mistake, you have to have a six-second memory,” she says. “You have to forget about it because another play is going to happen.”

Freeman says she’d also gotten more fit since coming to the UO and grown more comfortable speaking up—on and off the field. “As a goalkeeper, you see everything,” she says. It was tricky for her to call things out to her defenders at first, though, especially playing behind veterans like Croix Soto and the now-graduated Mia Palmer.

“They wanted me to talk to them,” Freeman says, “and they were able to give me the confidence in my voice to actually speak up.”

At games, Freeman’s calls of “man”—signaling the approach of an opposing player to her teammate who has the ball — and directions to organize her defense cut through the cheering in the stands. Even when the clock isn’t running, she’s there taking a knee for the national anthem—a nod to Colin Kaepernick’s protest to draw attention to systemic racism and police brutality—or checking in with her teammates.

Abel sees Freeman’s growth as a huge asset to the team as a whole. “She’s gone from being a goalkeeper to being able to be a game-winner,” he says. “She has those big moments. The big players with big personalities have big moments.”

But Rucker says you wouldn’t even know Freeman plays soccer if you talked to her. “She’s so humble about it,” Rucker says, “and will try her hardest to make sure other people around her are getting the recognition as well, even though she should be getting a lot of credit for how far this program has come.”

And those across the country are taking note. Ahead of the 2022 season, Freeman was placed on Mac Hermann trophy watch list, an award given to the country’s best men’s and women’s Division I soccer players each year. She’s made various all Pac-12 teams, joined the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team for camps in December 2021 and May 2022 and had the opportunity to train with the National Women’s Soccer League’s Kansas City Current the summer before her junior season. 

Abel says she excelled in the Current’s environment. Freeman relished the chance to experience a week of day-to-day life as a professional athlete—and to explore Kansas City alongside former UO midfielder Chardonnay Curran, who was in her rookie season with the Current. Gaining mentorship from players like U.S.Women’s National Team goalkeeper AD Franch was invaluable, Freeman says, as well as understanding the little areas where she’ll have to grow her game to make the jump to the next level. For Abel, that means looking at the areas where a goalkeeper could be exposed in a faster-paced environment, like points to decision making and “being a little bit more advanced with your feet.”

“I knew I wanted to play soccer,” Freeman says, “but I never knew what it was going to be like. Being in that environment showed me that’s something I know I will be able to do. I will be able to get to that level if I put in the work.”

Beyond making that jump, Freeman says she wants to continue to grow as a goalkeeper and learn as much as she can from her political science classes. Although the last of these is a relatively new aspiration—Freeman says she wasn’t super invested in academics until college—the first two targets reflect ambitions she’s had for much of her life.

Freeman’s proven her abilities as a goalkeeper, Callahan says, but “she’s just as incredible of a human being off the field.”

That off-the field personality shows up in Rucker’s friendship with Freeman. “She has been my biggest support system,” Rucker says. “I literally would not be alive if it wasn’t for this girl.” 

Freeman has been an irreplaceable presence in Rucker’s life—and for her teammates on the field. But now Freeman has new challenges ahead of her: recovering from an offseason hip surgery, moving across the country and filling the shoes of graduating Duke goalkeeper Ruthie Jones, who helped her team to a sixth-place NCAA regular season ranking and all the way to the quarterfinals in the postseason tournament.

“It’s a change and a new beginning,” Freeman says, “and I’m so excited for that new beginning.”

This story was originally written as a profile for Eugene Weekly in fall 2022, but it never ran, as Freeman transferred before its publication.

Categories
International Soccer

Soccer Around the World: Is Mexico the Place to be Nowadays?

Tigres is the most decorated team in Liga MX Femenil (credit: Tigres).
Tigres is the most decorated team in Liga MX Femenil (credit: Tigres).

With NWSL turning 11 this year, nobody can deny the league has been through many growing pains. It has taken them several years to get where they are right now, with many sponsors investing their money in it and new teams interested to get into the league every year.

Back in 2013, the Federation of Mexican Football was part of the NWSL, but the lack of playing time given to national team players, among other reasons, ended up drawing Mexican players away. The FMF announced at the beginning of 2016 that they would stop allocating players to the American professional league.

By the end of the same year, Liga MX Femenil was announced, which kicked off in 2017 with the Copa MX Femenil. That cup was a few days long and only 12 teams competed in it—the ones that already had a roster ready to participate in the upcoming league.

Afterwards, the first official tournament began, and Chivas ended up being crowned champions in the inaugural season. Fast forward six years, and it’s incredible to see how much the league has grown.

Making connections

People say there’s strength in numbers, and the United States’ southern neighbors understood that from the beginning. Shortly after the league played its first few seasons, they decided to start making connections.

That’s how they found an ally on the Houston Dash.

It was 2018 and Rayadas de Monterrey decided to play a friendly against the Texan club. A year later, Tigres hosted the Dash. That would not be the last time those two would cross paths because two years later they played a rematch, this time in the Dash field. That was the first time a Mexican team would venture itself into American soil.

Belén Cruz vs Allysha Chapman at PNC Stadium (credit: Tigres)
Belén Cruz vs Allysha Chapman at PNC Stadium (credit: Tigres)

The Dash, with former coach James Clarkson at the helm, was back then the only NWSL club willing to compete with Mexican teams. A year after the second game against Tigres, they faced Pumas in the 2022 preseason.

By that year, more NWSL teams started to imitate Houston. After establishing records of attendance for a Panamerican league and the Regio teams—Monterrey and Tigres—showing great quality, Mexican clubs started to be included in the conversation. That’s how Rayadas ended up playing the Women’s International Champions Cup in 2022 and beating the Portland Thorns, making it to the highlights of the entire women’s soccer world.

By then, Angel City was playing its first NWSL season, and since the beginning, they’ve made efforts to make their Latino community feel included. In accordance with that, it was announced last May that Angel City and Tigres had signed a partnership for two years, which includes some friendlies among other collaborations.

What is more, Angel City couldn’t resist the appeal Club América has nowadays and invited them to play a friendly on the upcoming Women’s Day on March 8 at Banc of California Stadium.

European teams joining the fun

This year couldn’t have started in a better way for the league, especially for Tigres. Last January, they announced a partnership with one of the mightiest clubs in Germany: Bayern Munich. Said partnership was sealed with a friendly between the teams at the Universitario stadium, with the host getting the win.

In February, Club América announced an alliance with the eight-time Champions League winner Olympique Lyonnais and three-time NWSL Shield winner, OL Reign.

Club América, OL Reign and Olympique Lyonnais closed an historic partnership (credit: Club América)
Club América, OL Reign and Olympique Lyonnais closed a historic partnership (credit: Club América)

The partnership with those top teams is one anyone in the world would want. The clubs will share knowledge and skills, exchange information, and play friendlies between them. The deal involves both senior teams and the academies.

The partnership with the OL Group came only six months after America played against German club Bayer Leverkusen, the first European club they crossed paths with.

Tigres’ success and fame internationally are unquestionable, and more teams have been trying to seat with them at the adult table. It was 2020 when Club América assigned Claudia Carrión as sports director, and she has been working hard to put the women’s team on the map ever since. Carrión is responsible for many important player signings, among them club-favorite and former Chicago Red Star Sarah Luebbert.

But what about the other teams? Partnerships and friendlies are being established, little by little. The latest was North Carolina Courage with Rayadas de Monterrey. Both clubs announced they’re playing a couple of friendlies, with the first of them set for March on Mexican soil. Coach Eva Espejo’s team will travel to the United States later this year, at a date to be determined, to see if they can obtain their second victory against an NWSL team.

Giving players a choice

Historically, Mexican players drafted by NWSL teams have had little to no playing time in the league. Some even didn’t get offered a contract after being drafted, and that forced them to look for opportunities somewhere else. Spain was the desired destination for many, but some, like Tigres striker Stephany Mayor, went as far as Iceland to find a team where she would get minutes.

Another good example of this is Club América forward Kiana Palacios. She was drafted by Sky Blue in 2018. After not being offered a contract, she received an offer from the Spaniard club Real Sociedad. Three years later, she landed at Coapa and started, little by little, to become one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the league.

Kiana Palacios is, along with Charlyn Corral, one of the top goalscorers in the Liga MX Femenil (credit: Club América)
Kiana Palacios is one of the top goal-scorers in the Liga MX Femenil (credit: Club América)

Another americanista who put her name in the NWSL Draft was Scarlett Camberos. In her case, however, she wasn’t drafted by any club. She said last year that back then she did have offers to play in the United States, but after seeing Club América’s facilities, the fans, the training fields, and the Azteca Stadium, she decided to play in México. Camberos is now one of the best on the team and a fan favorite.

Maybe the most resounding case of a player from the United States going to Mexico was forward Mia Fishel. In 2022, she was drafted fifth overall by the Orlando Pride, where her former college coach was. So it was a big slap in the face to the club when it was announced that she was going to play for Tigres instead.

“What I did was historic,” said Fishel back then, and rightly so. She became the first American player to choose to play in Mexico just because she could—and not because she wasn’t wanted in the NWSL. “The rate at which the league has been growing was also very appealing. They’ve only been here for five years or so, and the global media recognition, the passionate fans, playing in [large] stadiums, you just don’t get that in the U.S.,” she said.

Players going from the United States to play in Mexico were the norm until 2021. Last year was historic for the league transfer-wise. In January, Tigres announced they closed a deal with Angel City FC for the Brazilian player Stefany Ferrer. Almost a year later, they closed another deal; this time with Racing Louisville FC for the Nigerian player Uchenna Kanu. Days later, former Rayadas midfielder Bárbara Olivieri was announced as the new Houston Dash signing.

Previous examples show how much these and many other players just needed an opportunity to showcase their talent—and Mexico gave them that chance. Winger María Sanchez was drafted by Chicago Red Stars in 2019, but had only seven appearances in the entire season. The lack of minutes led her to go to Mexico, where she played for Chivas and a year later for Tigres. Once she had her opportunity to showcase her skills to the world, she picked the Dash interest, and they signed her on loan in 2021. A year later, Houston offered her a two-year contract.

Luebbert won the hearts of the fans when she went on loan to Club América, also searching for playing time. She would go back to Chicago in 2022, while Mexican fans would beg for her return. Their prayers were heard, and by the end of the same year, Chicago announced they transferred her permanently to the Coapa club.

The addition of Spanish international Jennifer Hermoso by Pachuca in 2022 left everybody shocked, but it was a great statement made by a club that has bet on their women’s team from the beginning. No wonder another Mexican star who had already left her mark in the Spanish league Spain, Charlyn Corral, decided to play in the same club as well.

As seasons go by, more and more internationals are interested in going to Mexico, and rightly so. The playing time, the quality many of the clubs enjoy, and the salaries are things many players don’t get in their home country leagues.

Still developing

Mexico still has a lot of work to do. Their national team not qualifying for the World Cup was a huge blow, not only to the program but to the self-esteem of the players that week-in and week-out put on great performances for their clubs.

Nonetheless, it seems like the federation has learned from this and started to rebuild its women’s program from the ashes, with a new women’s national team director position and a new coach.

And even though they’re not going to the World Cup this July, they’re not using this year to take a break. They’re using every international window to compete and learn, to test what works and does what not.

Most recently Mexico hosted the Revelations Cup, where they went against three national teams that have qualified for the World Cup in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Nigeria. In the end, Mexico had to battle against the always-tough Colombia and finished raising the Cup.

Another thing they should put their focus on is players’ safety. It has been known that in the past “fans” have been threatened players, stealing their identities, hacking their accounts, harrying and harassing them. And that keeps happening. Tigres center back Greta Espinoza went through this, and recently asked for action in support of América’s Scarlett Camberos, who’s unfortunately going through the same thing.

“The level of harassment I suffered was documented in over 100 slides with irrefutable evidence, and nothing was enough to stop this individual from stopping with the harassment,” Espinoza said on her social media channels. In the same message, she demanded laws to protect them.

Players’ safety should be Mexico soccer’s top priority—especially in a country known for, as Espinoza put it, a “delicate history of frequent harassment towards women and [where] the vast majority of these cases go unpunished.”

Mexico wants to be a powerhouse in women’s soccer, and they’re doing their utmost to reach their goal. That starts with their league, which is one of the most well-organized in the continent—you get the new season schedule two weeks after a tournament is over—and ends with their national team.

If they do things right, in four years they should qualify for the 2027 World Cup with flying colors. And their league will stand among some of the best leagues in the world.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Timbers 1, Sporting KC 0

Zac McGraw put on a masterclass at CB for the Portland Timbers in their 1-0 season opening win at Providence Park.
Zac McGraw put on a masterclass at CB for the Portland Timbers in their 1-0 season opening win at Providence Park. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

After a snow-delayed start to their 2023 season, the Portland Timbers escaped with a 1-0 regular season opener win Monday night against a talented Sporting Kansas City side.

The match was the first season opening win under Portland head coach Gio Savarese and team’s first since 2017.

The victory came at the foot of right back Juan David Mosquera, who tallied the lone goal of the match in the sixth minute.

The score does not tell the entire story. This game proved it more than others.

Brr, It’s Cold in Here!

The originally scheduled home opener was postponed due to the snow storm. Instead of a weekend opener, the Portland Timbers hosted Sporting KC for Monday Night Football.

Thankfully, the Portland staff and crew made sure the field was cleared and the game was playable. We owe them all a huge round of applause and our gratitude.

The More Things Stay the Same,  the More They Change?

Heading into the season, the Timbers returned primarily the same roster they had in 2022, with only three new starters on opening day. Evander, the highest paid transfer in team history at $10 million, was tasked with combining with midfield stars Eryk Williamson and Diego Chará to hopefully return Portland’s unit to elite status. The other two changes came in defense: After trading center back Bill Tuiloma and moving on from right back José Van Rankin, rising star center back Zac McGraw and last season’s transfer Mosquera are now starters. They are hoping to improve a backline that gave up the 11th-most goals in MLS in 2022.

Elite Midfield? Not just yet, but soon.

When El Maestro, Diego Valeri, departed from the Timbers before the 2022 season, he left a legacy in the center of the pitch. Evander has been hyped as the team’s next magician in midfield.

Evander made his Portland Timbers regular season debut versus Sporting KC. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Evander made his Portland Timbers regular season debut versus Sporting KC. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

His debut was tough sledding. Evander was not able to get into a rhythm, and it showed. However, he put energy into his defending. His commitment to that end should excite everyone. Even if the game is unable to find him, he’s shown a commitment to being a difference maker.

If this is an “off game,” he still led the team in duels, dribbles, successful dribbles, and possession won.

Savarese described Evander’s night as “a performance of a player that just arrived in a new league, a performance of a player that, at the beginning, was finding and looking to try to be involved in the game.”

Savarese said Evander found “really special moments” in the game’s second half, even if they didn’t all go Portland’s way. “But I think for me, the most important thing is how much he ran for the team,” Savarese said, “how much he put work to make sure that we got a win. And for me, that’s so important […] He has those moments, and he’ll be able to provide it the more he’s going to adapt, the more that he’s going to play, the fitter he’s going to get. But he ran for the team today, and that is something you feel is very important from a player of his caliber. Very proud of him, very proud of the group. I’m excited for what is coming in the future from him.”

Williamson is at his best when he has the freedom to sit next to Chará and roam all the way up next to Jarosław Niezgoda. In the first 15 minutes, he was able to do that.

Once Sporting KC made a commitment to press and look for the equalizer, Portland’s entire XI was pinned back defending. Williamson was phenomenal on the ball and was one of the only players who seemed comfortable playmaking and beating the press.

Chará is the most consistent No. 6 in MLS, and he brought it on the defensive end. He led the team in interceptions, blocks, and tackles won, reliable as ever in the opener.

Just one game in, it’s clear the midfield of Evander, Williamson, and Chará is going to improve with more time to build chemistry and rapport. They are going to be the key to Portland’s season this year.

Juan Mosquera scores his first Timbers goal in the 2023 regular season home opener versus Sporting KC. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Juan Mosquera scores his first Timbers goal in the 2023 regular season home opener versus Sporting KC. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

Where Will the Goals Come From?

Last year proved that the Timbers can rely on every single player on the team to score goals. This game was no different. If the Timbers are going to be a top team in MLS—as is their hope—everyone will need to contribute.

The game’s only goal belonged to  Juan David Mosquera.

“It was a great feeling to be able to help the team,” Mosquera said after the match,” because of course with the goal we were able to get the first three points of the year. I just hope to keep going that way. To me, the most important thing is to be able to help the team.”

Next week at LAFC, it most likely will be another hero.

Don’t be surprised if the team has a bunch of 5+ goal scorers this year. This team will be one that has a goals-by-committee approach.

How Did the Backline Look?

Portland’s defense was missing Claudio Bravo, who was brave going forward and a willing defender in 2022. He is one of the best left backs in MLS—a tall order for the Timbers to replace this game.

Bravo had a career year in 2022, when he led the team in tackles won with 77. He also paced the Timbers last season in interceptions, touches, and duels won.

Only one issue: He is still not 100%.

Justin Rasmussen was inserted in the starting XI in place of Bravo, and it didn’t go so well.

Fresh off appearances for the Colombian National Team, Mosquera was ready to make the right back position his this season. After only making three appearances—and two starts—for the Timbers in 2022, he was determined to make the most of the opening day start for the club.

Mosquera took almost no time to make his mark. Known for his attacking prowess from the fullback position, Mosquera lived up to the hype. In the sixth minute, he scored his first career goal for Portland.

After a shaky start—including a a yellow card in the 26th minute—Dario Župarić was clinical. He came up huge when his name was called upon. At one point, Župarić even dove head first to snuff an attack and paid the price. Amazingly, he stayed in the game and battled the rest of the evening.

David Bingham was solid and came up clutch throughout the game. He had a crucial double save in the 24th minute, which would set the tone the rest of the night.

Zac McGraw was excellent in defense: numerous chances denied, hit solid passes, and great marking. Every time Sporting KC got close to scoring, McGraw was ready. There isn’t a center back in the MLS with more upside. With former Timbers legend and current coach Liam Ridgewell by his side, he is poised to have a career year.

And starting off the season by holding Kansas City scoreless is right in line with that trajectory.

“That’s what you take pride in,” McGraw said of the Timbers’ clean sheet. “Try to limit shots, limit their shots on goal, at the end of the day get a shut out. Because if you get a shutout, we did our job, so it’s up to the offense to take care of their job. Obviously Mosquera, a defender, made that goal so just all-around good performance from the defensive line.”

This backline is going to improve immensely this season and it’ll get even better with the return of Bravo in a few weeks. The early signs are encouraging and exciting.

The Impact of an Incomplete Starting XI

The Portland Timbers played without starting left back Claudio Bravo and goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič ,while Santiago Moreno also started on the bench.

The team did not have a full complement of first team players, and it showed for stretches of the game. Portland had a lot of bad giveaways, sloppy passes, and misconnections.

Sporting KC dominated possession by 58% to 42%. Their press wreaked havoc on the Timbers’ attack. If we’re being completely honest, they were the better side. Kansas City were very unlucky not to get a result.

“We were all over [Portland] in the second half,” Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes said. “We created some good chances in the first half, as well as the second half. We couldn’t find it, but the effort, the desire, the passion, everything was there in the game. Other than the mistake on the first goal, I thought we had it. Outside of that, the team played well.”

The frontline duo of Marvin Loría, Niezgoda, and Yimmi Chará seemed out of touch and off their games. However, Loría’s work rate was phenomenal, and he still put in a fantastic shift.

Niezgoda’s conversion rate plummeted in 2022, and the early hopes of a rebound season do not look good. He got in good positions, but the first touch let him down all game. Y. Chará assisted on Mosquera’s goal and was subbed off later on with an apparent hamstring injury. Savarese said it will be weeks before he returns.

Santi Moreno checked in for Y. Chará in the 33rd minute.

The midfield of Evander, Williamson, and D. Chará looked exceptional for the first 15 minutes but had to focus on covering defensively for the remainder of the game. They had moments, but moving forward they’ll need to more. Portland will need to play on the front foot and counterattack more often if they want to take advantage of their midfield.

We must give credit where it’s due, to the Portland Timbers defense, especially from the backline. The entire team put in massive amount of effort to make sure the score ended in their favor. Many of the standouts were on that backline.

Standouts: Stock up!

Player of the Match: Zac McGraw

McGraw has all the talent in the world and led the the backline to a shutout of Sporting KC side who did everything they could to get a result at Providence Park.

He put on a masterclass at center back and led the team with six aerial duels won and two blocks and was second with four tackles.

Juan David Mosquera:

What a game by JDM!

He led the team in touches, goals, tackles, and tackles won. Don’t be surprised if Europe comes calling sooner rather than later.

David Bingham:

After starting in place of star goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič, Bingham absolutely came up clutch and commanded his backline well.

He came up with four huge saves to preserve the clean sheet.

Eryk Williamson:

There are no players in MLS who can do what Williamson does. The USMNT is calling because of his ability to play world class soccer. He led the midfield in passing accuracy and chances created, which should be a common occurrence this season.

Santi Moreno:

Even though he didn’t start, Moreno came on and made a difference.

He led the team in chances created and passes in the final third. He also contributed three successful dribbles, two tackles, and eight possessions won.

Just another day at the office for him.

Head coach Gio Savarese:

Savarese is now the winningest head coach in club history with 69 victories. He continues to find ways to win with this club each season. Congrats to Gio!

Categories
Soccer Thorns

Spoiler Alert: 2023 is the Year of Sam Coffey

Photo by Kris Lattimore.

Sam Coffey was drafted in 2021 by the Portland Thorns. She was the 12th pick overall from Penn State University and an attacking midfielder. In a class where Emily Fox and Trinity Rodman were selected with the first two picks, Coffey has become the absolute steal of the 2021 draft.

At the time, former head coach Mark Parsons praised Coffey’s ability to pass and score and her skill in the final third. At the draft, he described her as a  “difference-maker, can pass and shoot.”

If you look at the modern game, can dribble, who can twist and turn,” he said. “We’ve lacked some of that, you know, the last couple of years.”

He also believed Coffey was pro-ready—despite the fact that she chose to take advantage of an extra COVID-19 season Penn State before joining the Thorns in 2022. “That dynamic ability was key bringing in Sam, who’s going to have an immediate impact,” Parsons said. “This is someone who can be a difference maker in the final third.”

After Angela Salem’s retirement after the Thorns’ 2021 campaign and Lindsey Horan’s loan to OL, Portland was looking at a possible rebuild in midfield heading into the 2022 season.

Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc and then-head coach Rhian Wilkinson put on a roster-building masterclass. Enter rookie Sam Coffey and NWSL newcomer Hina Sugita. Wilkinson was brilliant to see that Coffey had a chance to be a world-class No. 6 for her squad.

Brilliant Rookie Season

In Coffey’s first season, she was named to the NWSL Best XI first team, earned four caps for the USWNT, was nominated for rookie of the year, and was crucial all season in Portland’s NWSL championship run.

Photo by Kris Lattimore.

The Rose City Review recently spent some time talking to Coffey about her 2022:

On keys to her immediate success at her new position and how much support she received throughout last season.

Coffey: “There were a lot of keys. One of [the] biggest ones for me is the belief of the people around me and the support of the people around me. When you’re a [No.] 6 on a team like this, they make my job a lot easier. They were so encouraging and helpful—and still are—in my development and learning of this role.

“I can’t even put into words what that feels like, and how comforting [it is] to know that I’m looking from my left to my right and seeing the class all around me. I think just having a real growth mindset with it; I’m not going to get it perfect, I’m still learning.

“I am still learning. It’s not going to be this constant uphill progression. Rhian used to always encourage me to get a PhD in this position, and I love that language, like a student. I’m just trying to learn about it every day, get better at it every day. I’m not going to have it all, all the time.

“There are going to be areas I need to improve, there are going to be bumps, just like this month has presented. Definitely a bump in the road, but I am so confident that it’ll serve and help me, make me a better player, better person, better competitor, and I’m just really excited to experience that.”

Photo by Kris Lattimore.
The Bump in the Road

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s roster for the 2023 SheBelieves Cup somehow managed to omit Sam Coffey from that list. Andonovski has said that he believes Coffey should be considered an NWSL MVP candidate. She was arguably the best defensive midfielder in the NWSL in 2022 and should have been a lock for the Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.

On the omission from the 2023 SheBelieves Cup and doing everything she can to make the WWC roster.

Coffey: “Obviously, I am disappointed not to be in camp, but I think this presents a really good opportunity for me to fine-tune areas of my game. Even seeing me out here with Vytas [Assistant Coach and former Portland Timber Defender], working on different areas of my game that need some refinement, like aerial challenges, 50/50 balls, being more aggressive. So, I think, I’m really viewing this time as an opportunity to address those things, but like you said it’s my dream to go.

“I want to serve and be on that team. I want to be there, and I believe I’m good enough to be there. I don’t think I need to do anything differently. I’m going to continue and try grow and be my best self. But I think taking this time reflecting and fine-tuning different areas of my game [to the] best of my ability is a good place to start. I just want to continue to be who I am, be authentic to me, just continue to grow during this process.”

If there’s extra motivation for her.

Coffey: “Yeah, I’d say I already have intense fire burning without a setback like that. Of course, it’s all motivation, all fuel for me. Again, I think it does give me an opportunity to even mentally, physically, spiritually reflect and address things that I need time to address and to watch those games. Obviously, cheer the team on, but watch it tactically, watch it from a perspective of how I can improve and how I can just stay locked in and focus on what the group’s doing.

“I would say of course it does light a fire, but I want this more than anything. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get there.”

2023: The Year of Sam Coffey on the USWNT

Whether everyone likes it or not, Coffey should make the World Cup team in 2023. It would be colossal failure to have her wait until 2027.

Coffey is the best distributor in the USWNT pool, and it’s not close. She is an elite quarterback at the position and is able to keep control of the ball with her dribbling, quick thinking, turns, and world-class ability to read her opponent’s defense.

Andi Sullivan is the only other true No. 6 on the USWNT roster and is a very fine option. Still, Sullivan and Coffey are two completely different players, and it’s great to have as options depending on the matchup. Having these two players rotate at the World Cup would be the best case scenario for the USWNT.

As Andonovski continues to experiment with Taylor Kornieck at the No. 6 just months before the WWC, it’s obviously there’s not enough time for her to master a new position. It’s also very apparent that the role is not where she is most effective on the pitch.

“I don’t see her in that light for us,” San Diego Wave head coach Casey Stoney said when asked about Kornieck’s role with the national team. “I think we’d be taking away her strengths if she played as an isolated six.”

Photo by Kris Lattimore.

That brings us back to Coffey, who is one of the most naturally gifted No. 6s. In most cycles, she would be a lock for the USWNT—and probable starter.

Still, she’ll look to start the NWSL season off blazing hot and force Andonovski’s hand in her favor.

With a year of league play under her belt, Coffey will be trying to pad the stat sheet this season—adding to her two assists and one goal in 2022. She has already taken most of the set pieces for the club, and has continually improved.

“I think she’ll keep growing,” Thorns head coach Mike Norris said. “She’s young. She’s got the hunger and desire.”

Coffey rarely makes any mistakes, has a field vision that is utterly remarkable, and picks out difficult passes with ease. Expect her to be even sharper, more dangerous, and more influential for the Thorns in 2023—from defense and distribution to playmaking as a passer and scorer.

It’ll be a tough game for anyone trying to defend against Coffey in the NWSL this season—and hopefully we’ll be able to say the same about players going up against her on the international stage.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

The Next Timbers Superstar

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

Timbers midfielder Eryk Williamson is ready to terrorize defenders this season.

“Last year, I was able to make the final pass,” he says, “Continuing that, I can always get better at that, but it’s a fact of also finishing.” He’s hoping to change that in 2023—and to continue to grow as a box-to-box midfielder, working in tandem with Diego Chará. 

Williamson’s ambition of becoming an even more complete player for Portland feels in line with his trajectory since he joined the team in 2018.

A Star is Born

On January 23, 2018 the Portland Timbers made a rather under-the-radar move to acquire the MLS Homegrown Player rights from D.C. United. In turn, they gave up $100,000 in 2018 general allocation money, $100,000 in 2019 targeted allocation money, a 2018 international spot, and a second-round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. Portland used those Homegrown Player rights to pick up a player who had spent three years at the University of Maryland and been on the USYNT scene.

Williamson joined a team with a legacy of superstar talent in the center of the park. From Chará to Diego Valeri to Sebastián Blanco and Darlington Nagbe, outstanding star power has always been present in the Timbers midfield.

In a year that halted sports—and life—across the globe for months and months, Portland managed to find a bright spot. The Timbers’ 2020 MLS season was the chance for Williamson to show off his ability, and did he ever. After getting his first taste of MLS by making seven appearances in 2019, he balled out in 2020, playing in 26 games and tallying three goals and six assists.

The Timbers had found their future star.

Williamson has shown himself to be an absolute playmaker for Portland and the USMNT when given the chance to be himself. He sees the game with elite eyes and picks out passes that are, frankly, ridiculous, with an insanely high degree of difficulty. The way he plays soccer is one that reminds you what is so special about this sport. It’s about being unique and true to who you are.

Williamson is a gamechanger, with moments of brilliance that can alter the momentum of a game.

Nothing is Ever Easy

By 2021, Williamson had cemented himself as a key part of the club’s core and future—and he was also finally in the USMNT discussion.

He made his senior national team debut in July 2021 in the Gold Cup against Haiti, helping the team to a tournament title. But on August 29, 2021, against the rival Seattle Sounders, Williamson suffered a season-ending ACL injury. 

Everything had to be put on hold. 

Williamson attacked rehab with intentions to make it back on the pitch better than ever. He worked tirelessly to make his triumphant return after seven months (or 210 days), but wasn’t able to make it back into the national team mix ahead of the 2022 World Cup. 

“To be somewhat in the conversation is a good feeling,” he says of the beginning of 2023. But he wants to cement himself as a regular on the USMNT. 

“I’m not satisfied with it,” Williamson says. “It’s an honor to wear the crest, and I think I want to do it on the biggest stage. The only way to do it is to continue to push. Knowing that I’m lucky enough to wear the crest, I’ve been able to wear it a couple games. It’s getting that first go-around out of the system and making sure it’s a consistent performance for the national team, but also here.”

If the Timbers are able to rebound from last year’s disappointment and be in the MLS Cup chase this year, Williamson will be a catalyst for their ascent. 

It’s about “being a player we can’t go without,” Williamson says. “Try to make sure I can play 90 minutes every game and continue to help guys around me. Also, just gel with the midfield we have. We have a lot of talented players, lot of pieces that we brought back, few pieces we brought in. It’s exciting.”

Better Than Ever

Portland made their biggest full transfer in club history this offseason by acquiring Brazilian midfielder Evander from the Danish club FC Midtjylland.

The move puts Evander, Williamson, and Chará in the position to be an elite midfield and one of the best in MLS.

“It’s honestly scary,” Williamson says. “Diego is Diego. You know what he is going to bring, but he has added this attacking side as well. Evander is the new piece that we started to fit in. We want it to be where guys can’t stop us, they can’t defend us, and making sure that we are beating teams with not only talent, but how hard we are working off the ball, too. 

“I know we can learn from each other,” he says. “We all have different pieces that gel it all together, which is exciting.”

After an offseason focused on decompressing without the pressures of rehab, Williamson is rearing to go. “I’m flying,” he says. “It’s the best I’ve felt in a preseason. 

“That’s kind of the biggest thing for me: making sure that my body and mind was in a good place to start this year,” he says, “knowing that the comeback story is just starting. It’s good to be back with the national team, but [I’m] not satisfied with just one call up—trying to make it a regular thing.”

He’s also focused on “performing here, with Portland, and making sure that we are a top three team in the West.”

In the Timbers’ preseason game against the LA Galaxy, Williamson is already showing off his incredible talent. He was brilliant with his connecting play and had two assists.

He’s going to have a monster year.

And maybe, we’ll get to see the return of the brilliant journalist William Erykson, who made a memorable reporting debut for the Alexander Times at the Portland Thorns’ 2022 NWSL Championship media day. 

“I think we have a few things brewing,” says Erykson.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

A Star in the Making

Zac McGraw starts for Portland Timbers in their 2-1 win over Atlanta United at Providence Park. Photo by Kris Lattimore
Zac McGraw starts for Portland Timbers in their 2-1 win over Atlanta United at Providence Park - Photographer: Kris Lattimore
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Categories
Soccer Thorns

Where Do the Thorns Go from Here?

Photo by Nikita Taparia

The National Women’s Soccer League officially began preseason Jan. 23. Across the league, players returned back to their markets and began holding meetings and beginning fitness testing. College players drafted earlier in the month had their first impressions of their new homes. 

The Portland Thorns’ first day of the new year started differently than the 11 other NWSL teams. The league (there is still no official statement from the club itself) broke the news that head athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier and assistant coach Sophie Clough were fired as the result of two independent investigations into Soubrier’s and Clough’s conduct at the end of the 2022 season. 

While the roster of players who said they wanted to “run it back” at their Championship Homecoming Celebration at Providence Park in November are, for the most part, still playing in Portland, the staff has undergone a complete overhaul. 

On Oct. 29, 2022, the Thorns won their historic third star with their NWSL Championship win.

Since then, there has been an avalanche of investigative results coming out of the club:

  • On Dec. 1, 2022, Merritt Paulson announced his decision to sell only the Thorns organization, while maintaining ownership of the Portland Timbers.
  • Head Coach Rhian Wilkinson, after just one year in the league, announced her resignation on Dec. 2, 2022, after a self-reported attempted relationship with a player.
  • On Jan. 9, the Thorns officially promoted former assistant Mike Norris to the head coach position.
  • On Jan. 24, the results of two more investigations were released, both self-reported by players to the league. Clough was reported to the league by a player stating that Clough had kissed her neck without consent during the Championship celebrations in Washington DC. The NWSL said she was also accused of bullying behavior during her time as an assistant coach in Portland. Soubrier was reported by team doctor Breanne Brown to have given two separate players medication that contained codeine before the team’s home semifinal game in October 2022. According to the NWSL, Soubrier did this without a prescription or the players’ knowing consent. The league found that Soubrier violated state and federal laws by giving players codeine-encoded medications without a prescription.

These are only the results of investigations that have reached their conclusions. There is no record of how many more reports are currently being looked at that have not been made public. 

As I sit here and look at the collated list, I feel sick. I cannot imagine how the players are feeling in such an unstable work environment. Many of these players have no control over where they live or play, with the majority not qualifying for free agency under the new NWSL CBA, and have no way to leave the league if they feel unsafe. For many athletes, the only options are to literally leave the country or retire. 

Since Kaiya McCollough, Sinead Farrelly, and Mana Shim sparked the NWSL’s league-wide reckoning in 2021 with their own accounts of facing systemic abuse, fans and followers have been finding out exactly what that means. The seeming onslaught of coaching and staffing terminations over the past two years has been hard to watch. But while it seems that these horrific reports are coming more frequently, it is important to remember that no matter how hard they are to read, they are a sign that the systems in are place working. The emotional, physical, and sexual abuse that players have experienced over the 10 years of the NWSL and the prior American professional women’s soccer league are not new problems. Players are finally getting the support they need to report these problems, and the NWSL is building an infrastructure to enforce legal repercussions on the perpetrators. For a systemic problem to be eradicated, all of the existing figureheads need to be ousted. 

The inherent close proximity of players, coaches, staff, and assistants creates blurred boundaries. When boundaries aren’t clearly defined, it becomes hard for a person to know that they are being taken advantage of. The Thorns, in particular, have a held strong culture of silence, where staff are discouraged from speaking out. Being told to stay silent is an active encouragement of harm, and it allows abusers to continue abusing ad infinitum. The fact that we are seeing so many reports in the recent months means that this culture is changing, and it’s changing for the better. Players and other staff members feel as though they have more power. They know how to identify, name, and examine the harm being caused to them. 

I often find it hard to retain the necessary perspective when looking at the NWSL. I see the reports and get discouraged, feeling empathy toward the players for all that they have had to endure. At times, it feels as though it is never ending, or that it will never get better. But I have to remind myself that that is not the case. The swift repercussions are the sign of a better future for the NWSL. Abusers are being held accountable for their actions; they are suspended and banned from the league, preventing them from being quietly hired by a different team where they can continue their abusive behavior. But it’s so hard. 

I’ve always been a fan of the Thorns, not because of the staff, but because of the players. I will continue to stand by them until they are backed by an organization that recognizes and helps cultivate their greatness. Right now, the club is consistently letting down its players and fans, and Portland soccer isn’t the shining example of a city dedicated to its women’s sports that it once was. The players deserve better. I sincerely hope that one day, they will get the support and healthy environments that they so deserve.