Head Chef Garrett Boisture, CEO Heather Davis, & Bold Reuse CRO and Co-Founder Heather Watkins-Smith
The start of the 2024 season brings a new food menu to fans at Providence Park. Earlier this week, I attended the annual food tasting event at to try out the new options.
This was my most anticipated event outside of the openers, finales, and playoffs.
There were definitely hits, but also, unfortunately, some misses.
Head chef Garrett Boisture’s in-house culinary menu will feature new items such as chimichurri tri-tip sandwiches, Hawaiian loaded nachos, kalua pork bowls, loaded BBQ nachos, kalbi beef rice wraps, and s’mores donut holes. The event featured local hospitality partners including Cha Cha Cha, Killer Burger, Humble Pie, Society Pie, Reyka Vodka, Aviation Gin, 10 Barrel Brewing, and Precept Wine Battle Creek Cellars. Portland Timbers CEO Heather Davis was also in attendance.
At the event, Heather Watkins, the CRO and co-founder of Portland-based Bold Reuse, discussed the implementation of her company’s programming at Providence Park. The group will eliminate single-use plastics at games.
Without further ado, here’s a look at this year’s Providence Park menu offerings. Of course, everyone has different tastes and preferences, so be sure to pick your favorites!
The entrees
Society Pie: Different toppings for pizza available, but how could you ever go wrong with a slice of pepperoni? Grade: 7.5/10
Chimichurri Tri-Tip Sandwich: The sauce is solid, and the meat is cooked to perfection, but it doesn’t have enough seasoning and has too much bread. Grade: 6/10
Loaded BBQ Nacho: This was one of my favorite items on the list. The only issue is you’ve got to eat these quickly, before the chips get soggy. The entree comes with chips, jalapeños, chicken, cheese, and beans. Grade: 8/10
Hawaiian Loaded Nacho: This was the best item on the menu, in my opinion. Kalua pork with mac salad and chips? Yes, please. Grade: 8.75/10
Kalua Pork Bowl: This one’s the same concept as the Hawaiian Loaded Nacho, but with rice instead. Unfortunately, the rice was a bit dried up. so that took it from first place to second. Grade: 8.25/10
Kalua Jackfruit Bowl: This one’s a great vegetarian alternative, with jackfruit instead of kalua pork. Grade: 8/10
Kalbi Beef Rice Wrap: It’s cooked and presented very well. The beef could use a bit more seasoning, but this is a solid option. Grade: 7.25/10
Killer Burger: They’re still one of my favorite burgers in the city. There is an option for everyone. Grade: 7.75/10
Dessert
S’mores Donut Holes: This was what I was most excited to try, but it was a something of a let down. It needs a bit more marshmallow and chocolate drizzle. Grade: 6.5/10
Humble Pie: Marionberry pie? Sign me up! I wished there was a bit more punch to the flavor, but it’s definitely a good option. Grade: 7/10
Drinks
Browne Family Vineyards: If you’re trying to do something lighter than a beer, this is a good option. The taste is not overwhelming at all—if anything, it could be stronger. Grade: 7/10
10 Barrel Brewing: They literally have something for everyone. Whatever you’re up for, there is a drink for you. The overall menu is fantastic. Grade: 8/10
Aviation American Gin: Hi, Ryan Reynolds! (Okay, he wasn’t there, because he didn’t want to upstage anyone.) The gin and mixed drinks this group comes up with is absolutely superb. If I’m ever at a game as a fan, they’ll be my first choice. Grade: 8.25/10
Thank you
This was such a fun experience!
Last year this event was held during the first day of the snowstorm, and I wasn’t able to attend. I am so glad my bad luck didn’t strike twice.
Thanks to all of the staff, hospitality partners, and everyone in attendance for making this an amazing time.
Entering his third season with the Portland Timbers, MLS veteran Eric Miller’s versatility has been crucial in Portland’s defense.
He played minutes at both fullback positions and at centerback in 2023. The team announced Jan. 9 that Miller signed a new contract through the 2025 MLS season.
Former Timbers head coach Gio Savarese had very appreciative words to say about him.
“We got really lucky that he became available,” former Timbers head coach Gio Savarese said. “I think every team needs players like him.”
Eric Miller is also a standout off the pitch; he has been a vocal ally to LGBTQ people and advocate for causes including pet adoption. The city of Portland and fans should feel fortunate to have a player who is a superb human being and person.
Contributor Phuoc Nguyen had the chance to sit down and chat with Miller last year. Here’s some highlights from that interview.
Photo by Kris Lattimore
Phuoc: What do you like to do for fun on an off day?
Eric Miller: We’ve been trying to get out and explore Oregon a little bit. We’ve been doing some wineries, checking out restaurants, coffee shops, kind of all that stuff there. Just getting to know the city a little bit.
Phuoc: Have you found your favorite spots to eat or coffee shops yet?
Miller: There’s a spot—it’s like 10 minutes south [of] where I live, called South Store Café—that is amazing. That’s like in farm country, it is so good. They have an amazing breakfast. Really cool vibe, which is like a restaurant and a house. Then Ken’s Artisan Pizza, really good too, in Southeast. It’s amazing pizza. It’s really, it’s an awesome place.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite food and dessert?
Miller: Favorite food is probably chicken parmesan. I love it. Favorite dessert is probably anything that my mom bakes. My mom’s, like, an incredibly good baker. She’s working hard around the holidays, making really delicious baked goods.
Phuoc: What is your favorite berry?
Miller: I recently tried these berries from all around Oregon. We went to the Hill Farm Market with our buddies, and we had Mt. Hood strawberries. They were amazing. They were so good, really good blackberries from, I don’t know where they were from honestly, but just like really phenomenal berries.
Phuoc: Do you have any pets?
Miller: We have two dogs. We have a German Shepherd who’s six, named Otto, and an English Shepherd who’s nine, named Cooper.
Phuoc: Have you ever played FIFA as yourself?
Miller: Way back in the day, when I was a younger player. We used to use a bunch of guys who live in the same place, and we were, like, goalies and defenders, so we all put ourselves as forwards and tried scoring on each other, which was pretty fun.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite movie?
Miller: My favorite movie? I’ll say Saving Private Ryan, that’s a great movie.
Phuoc: What’s your favorite music to listen to? Do you have a favorite artist?
Miller: I like a very wide variety of music. After being in Nashville—my wife was really into country before. She kind of got me to the country. I really like Chris Stapleton. He’s really good. I love seeing him live.
Phuoc: If you could pick an entrance song, what would it be?
Miller: Ah man, I don’t know. We had a guy in Nashville who’s goal song was “Danger Zone.” I would do “Danger Zone.” That’s pretty good. I might go with that, too.
Phuoc: Do you watch any television? If you do: any TV show you’re currently obsessed with?
Miller: We’ve been watching Only Murders in the Building, me and my wife. That’s a really good show. I’ve been watching The Bear, that’s a great show. We, a while ago, finished the show Downton Abbey. It’s, like, a show for old people, but I absolutely loved it. It’s phenomenal.
Phuoc: If you could have a dream vacation, or go to a place you haven’t been to, what would it be?
Miller: My dream vacation? Me and my wife went to Hawai’i on our honeymoon—that was awesome. I loved it. We went to Kauai which was super cool. So, I would say maybe my dream vacation would be to go to, like, the Mediterranean or Europe in the summer, because we don’t really get to do that.
Phuoc: Do you have any items on your bucket list you could share with us?
Miller: On my bucket list? Win MLS Cup, you know? That’d be great. I’d love to do that. Other than that, just travel, see the world. All that fun stuff.
Phuoc: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Miller: Maybe being able to teleport? So I can go see all my friends and family in different places.
Phuoc: Would you rather teleport once every 24 hours or shapeshift for the entire week.
Miller: Teleport.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite Pokémon?
Miller: No, my mom didn’t let us have the cards. I played video games at my friend’s house, but I’m not a big Pokémon guy.
Phuoc: Who’s your best friend on the team? (Editor’s note: Reminder that this interview was from last year.)
Miller: [David] Bingham, that’s my boy! We golf a little bit together.
Phuoc: If you could take one thing from your hometown [in Minnesota] and bring it to Portland, what would it be?
Miller: Can I choose my family, or no? I choose my family because I should, and it would be great to have them out, especially when we have our daughter[…] But if I couldn’t choose people, I think I would choose like the lakes. The general lake life there is so fun, and we have great weather here [in Portland[ to just have, like, a bunch of lakes, to be able to go to and boat and fish and tube and all stuff. That would be awesome.
Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of sexual assault, pedophilia, and physical and verbal abuse.
It is not difficult to find countless stories of abuse in women’s soccer. That is the sad reality that surrounds the sport nowadays. The NWSL had to go through hell some years ago, when The Athletic and The Washington Post opened a can of worms and showed that many prestigious coaches and laureated clubs are not immune to covering abusers and harassment complaints.
Unfortunatley, the NWSL is not alone. Liga MX Femenil’s Necaxa is the most recent club in the spotlight, after Mexico City-based publication Proceso released a report Dec. 7 in which players detailed experiences of sexual assault and abuse from their head coach.
It is a sad reality, but it looks like it’s also part of the sport’s growing pains: It is infuriating to learn what players worldwide have gone and are going through, but it is also a relief to know they have found the courage to speak. That they can now say, “That’s enough. We want change and better work conditions.” They’re not asking for anything extraordinary; they’re just asking for their rights as human beings to be respected.
Since its kickoff in 2017, Liga MX Femenil has been a beacon of hope for women’s soccer in Latin America. Maybe it is due to the macho mentality that so permeates this part of the world, or maybe it is something else, but the truth is that only in recent years have a handful of those countries started to invest in their women’s leagues.
Among them was Mexico, a nation desperate to start gaining some success and compete against their big sisters in CONCACAF: USA and Canada. After seeking to collaborate with the NWSL and the Americans failing to provide an environment where Mexican players could grow and develop, they started their own league and never looked back. (Of course, Mexico also needed a women’s league to be able to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.) Hence, Liga MX Femenil was born.
After six years of existence, the league has grown rapidly and set an example for many countries—not only Latino ones—in terms of organization, broadcasting, partnerships, and attendance. But not everything is as good as it looks.
Throughout the years, different players from different teams have reported cases of abuse and harassment, with the league unable to do something to protect them. Maybe the biggest and most renowned case happened this year when Scarlett Camberos reported being harassed by a “fan.” The situation got out of hand, and neither the club nor the league could do anything to guarantee her safety, which led Camberos to move to U.S. to continue with her career as a soccer player with the Californian club Angel City FC.
Many of Liga MX Femenil’s players continue to receive threats and abuse, but not all of them have offers from other countries to continue their careers. This leaves them with no other option but to stay put if they want to continue pursuing their dreams.
Another very noticeable problem is that despite the significant number of clubs the league has—18—most of those organizations don’t care much about their women’s teams. Some of them are just content with just existing. That’s the case of Mazatlán and Necaxa, who season after season, are the punching bags of the league.
Necaxa, unlike Mazatlán, has competed in Liga MX Femenil since its inception in 2016 but has never finished among the top teams—not even in the top 10. Last season, they lost 13 matches out of 17, putting up only two wins and two draws. What is more, they finished with 44 goals against and scored only 10.
Sadly, the Centellas’ problems run deeper than we thought. It’s not an investment problem anymore. Nor is it a lack of interest from the board. Their poor results are not just soccer-related; they come from the players being completely abandoned by those who were supposed to protect them as employees of the institution. That’s what the Mexican newspaper, Proceso, published some days ago.
A new coach, a new hope?
By the end of the Apertura 2022, Necaxa finished last in the table with only one win, five draws, and 11 losses. Added to that, they conceded 35 goals against and scored only 11. After that season, the club decided to terminate coach Gerardo Castillo’s contract and hire Jorge Gómez instead. Gómez arrived in Necaxa after leading Puebla’s women’s side and after being part of the U-17 and U-20 Mexican women’s national teams’ technical staff.
Coach Jorge Gómez. Photo via Club Necaxa.
It is sad to say that many Centellas felt hopeful when Gómez was announced as the new head coach. He had done positive things on the field with Puebla, and also he had a promising first month in Necaxa. But then things started to go south.
Gómez didn’t arrive in Aguascalientes with just his soccer experience; he was also accompanied by with dark rumors of him promising players starts in exchange for sexual favors in the past. A former Necaxa goalkeeper Dayri Hernández and former technical staff member Rosa Romero Hernández, as well as three anonymous former players and one current player, decided to speak up to stop this terrible situation.
In their testimonies with Proceso, all of them said Gómez made a habit of inviting players to his apartment or to go out to parties to drink. He would also give them compliments, all of that just to have sex with them. Those who would refuse started to get less and less playing time, and, as retaliation, were waived at the end of the season. Those who accepted Gómez’s invitations got more and more minutes and were part of the starting XIs.
All the players who had the courage to speak agreed that a group of four to six players were the ones who would always accept Gómez’s invitations. Those players would come and go from training with him in their cars because the coach would never arrive to training in his. These players and Gómez treated each other with a lack of respect in front of others. They would call each other “güey” and the players would call him “little whore” because it was known he was always looking to have sex with other players.
But Gómez wouldn’t invite just those from the senior team to his apartment or to go out to parties. According to one player, he also invited minors from the Necaxa U-18 squad, and two players ended up accepting his invitations and having sex with him. That wasn’t the first time Gómez was involved with a minor. One of the players told Proceso that one day, he invited her to his office and asked her what her expectations were for the season. Gómez proceeded to tell her that he dated a minor who was half his age when he was part of the technical staff of the Mexican women’s team, the player said.
Verbal abuse
“I was an eyewitness of how he verbally abused my teammates. If any of them wasn’t on the desired weight, he would call them ‘fat’. If we would make a mistake in a game, he would call us ‘mediocre’. He also called ‘dwarf’ to one of my teammates who is a little short and told her soccer is not for short people and that she would never accomplish anything,” one of the Necaxa players told Proceso.
The abuse was not limited to Gómez’s players. but also to others from other teams. “When we played against players who were no longer part of the club because they didn’t want to sleep with him or that did it but then didn’t want to do it anymore, Jorge [Gómez] asked us to hurt them,” the player said. “I didn’t do it but the six players that always surround him did it. They kicked them even though they didn’t have the ball.”
Former Necaxa former goalkeeper Dayri Hernández (right) and former midfielder Alejandra Guerrero (left). Photo Credit: Tar.mx
Gender discrimination
Rosa Romero Hernández arrived at Club Necaxa at the same time Gómez did, but while she went to work with the women, he went to work with the men’s young teams. She was warned about his unprofessional behavior with the players when he was named the women’s team head coach. And after that, she saw that everything the players told to Proceso was true.
But not only that. “He didn’t see me as his assistant because I am a woman,” she said. “When I asked him why he didn’t use me as an assistant, he sent me to pick up the training equipment. He also said that he was going to rotate me with the other assistants, but while he called Miguel Orozco and Miguel Ramírez to help him, he never called me.” She added: “Once he grabbed my shoulder and told me: ‘My Rox, don’t get mad for what I’m gonna say, but a woman can’t occupy an important position because she will only do stupid things’.”
When institutions fail
Even though many Centellas showed the messages Gómez sent them through WhatsApp or Instagram to team general manager Alberto Clark, his response was: “My boy is such a flirt.”
“Three weeks ago, we spoke with the legal responsible for the club [Anna Peniche], and we sent her many more screen captures, but nothing has been done. This is a very uncomfortable situation and more so because he continues to be the head coach,” said one of the players.
“We have shown photos, voice messages, videos, screen captures, and even some parents are aware of the situation now,” another player added, “but those with the power to do something haven’t done anything.”
All the players who spoke with Proceso have also said Clark is Gómez’s friend, so they’re not surprised he hasn’t done anything. Even though Gómez arrived at Necaxa to the institution to occupy the position of head coach, he was later named sports director of the women’s teams, which left the players even more unprotected when they tried to report the cases of abuse.
Gómez’s new position only emboldened him to keep trying to use his power to abuse more women. “One of the players told me her girlfriend was nearly abused by Jorge [Gómez]. […] When both got home, she told her how Jorge [Gómez] touched her and tried to take her to his room to make something else happen. She didn’t want to say anything because she didn’t want to ruin her career,” one player told Proceso. “I also found out he tried to abuse — [name omitted to protect the victim]. The next day, he sent her a message telling her he was sorry, that that wasn’t like that. Both were at a party, Jorge [Gómez] was already drunk, so he took her to his room and started to pull down his pants. She said ‘no’, pushed him, and left. The next day he said he was drunk and asked for forgiveness.”
What the league and the club should’ve done already
This year, Liga MX Femenil implemented a protocol against -bullying and harassment, which was supposed to help in cases like this. According to the model, once a person notifies the institution about a situation of bullying or harassment, the club has three days to interview the presumed victims. During that time the club should offer support, and once the interviews are done, they have to evaluate the situation. If they determine the presumed victims are in peril, the club must protect them. Three days after that, the presumed aggressor is notified of the complaints against them, and after that, the team has 30 days to get all the information they need to take necessary steps and make a final decision about how to address the harm.
Despite the clear guidance the protocol provides, players say Necaxa did nothing for three weeks. Only after Proceso published the anonymous interviews on Dec. 7 did the club post a statement on their social media channels, where they said they were open to listen to any player and that they never received any complaints against Gómez.
The club said that despite not receiving any formal complaints, they had activated the protocol. Whether that is true or not, Gómez is still with the club. On Dec. 9, the Centellas had an off-season game against Santos Laguna, and you can see him in the dugout of the photos the club uploaded to social media.
And if players and fans were waiting for the league to do something, they have failed them once again. Five days later, they haven’t even published a statement on the matter.
After seeing all these, no wonder the players who spoke with Proceso said he feels “untouchable.”
This is not the first time Necaxa has had this kind of problem. Back in Apertura 2017, the club’s personal trainer was sexually harassing players. They spoke up, and he was fired, but the Necaxa never alerted other teams about what he did.
Although neither Clark nor Gómez wanted to talk with Proceso when the publication reached out, the latter denied all the complaints against him in his social media channels—three weeks after Romero’s posts—and said he was following legal counsel’s advice as to how to proceed in this situation.
It is sad to see that this terrible situation didn’t have the impact desired in the women’s soccer world. Necaxa is a little club from a Latino country, but the players deserve better. Those women shouldn’t have had to go through a situation like this alone, just like Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim shouldn’t have had to back in their time. And just like NWSL got to the bottom of the problem and U.S. Soccer removed coaching licenses when needed, we can only hope the FMF does something similar with abusive coaches once the league finishes the investigations.
However, in this case, criminal action might be needed if the investigations against Gómez prove that he indeed is guilty of pedophilic behavior.
Now, the Centellas have no other choice but to wait and hope for the best, as they always do season after season. Let’s hope this time they don’t get disappointed.
Photo via IMAGO 7.
The complete interviews can be read in Spanish here.
But you can give me something that’s almost as good
—The Mountain Goats “Getting Into Knives”
Despite finishing second overall in a very close NWSL season, the Portland Thorns had been on a downward trajectory since the World Cup in August. Following a 4-2 win at home against Washington Spirit in July, the Thorns went 4-7-2 in all competitions. Most notably for the high-scoring Thorns, however, is that in their last five games (semi-final included), Portland only scored two goals while allowing eight. There are a host of reasons for why the team never seemed to regain composure after the World Cup break, but they boil down to two things: a roster that isn’t as deep as its best 11 players and a complete absence of tactics.
After a brutal 1-5 loss to Angel City—which lost the NWSL shield for Portland—the Thorns had to wait three weeks to play their next game. In that time, Hina Sugita went to Uzbekistan, Natalia Kuikka went to Finland, Cristine Sinclair to Canada, and Olivia Moultrie, Sophia Smith, Becky Sauerbrunn, Sam Coffey, and Crystal Dunn went across the United States. That’s the majority of the Thorns’ starting XI across the entire season gone during the preparation for their single most important game, without considering the extra minutes on legs and time zone changes that went along with international duty. For players like Smith, the break was a chance to build back up game minutes, but for players like Moultrie and Coffey, who either did not see the field or played limited minutes, it was more of an extended training away from the Thorns. That wasn’t ideal for a player as crucial as Coffey for a team that had been leaking goals left and right.
The international break also factored into the XI eleven for the semifinal game against New Jersey/New York Gotham FC. The two outfield changes from the Angel City game were Kuikka and Hina, who were replaced by Reyna Reyes and Rocky Rodríguez, respectively. Hina has probably been the Thorns’ most consistent player all season behind Sam Coffey, and being able to bring her off the bench is an asset; perhaps if she had started the game as she had the last time the Thorns faced Gotham, the game could have been wrapped up in 90 minutes. Reyes, on the other hand, played her way into the starting XI—and deservedly so—but perhaps starting Kuikka and Reyes against the fast front line of Gotham would have been more effective.
The biggest change of the night, however, was Shelby Hogan’s selection over Bella Bixby. In probably the boldest move of his tenure, head coach Mike Norris gave Hogan her second regular season start in the team’s biggest game. He said postgame that the change was performance-based, which is a valid assessment of Bixby’s recent form. As much as I love and appreciate Bella Bixby’s personality and vulnerability as a player, I think getting benched in such a crucial moment is what she needs in order to reset herself. None of that takes away the fact that Hogan is an excellent keeper, the lone goal she let in was borderline-unstoppable for any keeper, and she is capable of being a first-choice keeper. Hogan ended the night with two saves, but she was not very busy over the course of the 120 minutes.
Statistically, the game was a stalemate. The Thorns ended with 0.62 xG and 11 total shots to Gotham’s 0.50 xG and 13 total shots. Gotham had 20 fouls (four yellow cards) while the Thorns had 18 (one yellow). Both teams had four corners. On paper, there was little separation between the two sides. The game was won and lost on the sidelines, with coaching, and with the bench.
Over the course of those 120 minutes, Norris only made two impactful subs: Hina and Kuikka at the 60th minute for Rodríguez and Meghan Klingenberg. Smith, whose longest stretch of minutes since she got injured in August was 45 minutes for the USWNT, played the entire game, despite looking visibly fatigued and not as effective as she could have been. Morgan Weaver, who had tape around her left knee, also looked as though she was nursing an injury, as her speed, finesse, and power were absent along the left flank. Dunn has been dealing with an ankle injury for many weeks now, as well.
The Thorns are consistently talked about as having one of the deepest rosters in the NWSL, but a more accurate statement is that their best 11 players are among the best in the league, if not world. The drop off in quality once these eleven are subbed off or injured is quite noticeable. For example, in the 116’ Hannah Betfort, Christine Sinclair, and Michele Vasconcelos came on for Weaver, Moultrie, and Dunn. Sinclair aside, Vasconcelos and Betfort have seen sporadic minutes over the course of the season to varying levels of productivity. While they are decent players—and could really shine at a mid-table team—there is a vast canyon between them and Weaver and Smith, who they typically come on for. By not having any serious game changers available off the bench, Norris had his hands tied when his game plan was not working and he had no good options to try something new.
While it is important that the core of the championship winning team (i.e. the same players that both former head coach Rhian Wilkinson and Norris used in their XIs) came back for the 2023 season, there was no recruitment outside of the college draft to try and bolster the depth of the team and challenge these top players for starting spots. Once Janine Beckie, one of the better additions over the past two years, went down with an ACL tear in preseason and no signing was made to replace her, the writing was on the wall that there was going to be little to no investment into the team this year. Reyes is probably the best addition to the team, as seen by her nod on Sunday. But other than her, the new recruits hardly featured. Izzy D’Aquilla got minutes at the beginning of the season, but her time waned significantly as it became clear she was having a hard time adjusting to NWSL play from college. Adriana Leon, a weird fluke of a loan most likely to help her build minutes for Canada before the World Cup, barely saw the field, and Rikke Seveke has not made a gameday roster since her signing. It’s hard to attract top talent to Portland when an impending sale has been looming over the club for nearly a year, the team is led by an inexperienced head coach, and the squad plays and practices solely on turf. Ultimately, the lack of competition for roster spots among players cost the Thorns the chance to challenge for the title again, because there was no adequate depth when players went down with injury or hit a run of bad form.
It’s anyone’s guess as to when the Instagram post goes up saying that the Thorns wish Norris all the best and “thank him for his contributions as head coach,” but it is inevitable. From his announcement, where everyone was “Excited to get the season started 🙂 #RoseEmoji,” it was clear that the organization was in a holding pattern for the 2023 season. Postgame, Sauerbrunn said that the sale was expected to clear by the end of the year, and until that time, there probably won’t be anymore movement within the squad. However, waiting for the sale to be officially processed and to hire a new head coach leaves very little time to talk to free agents and prospective international players and convince them to join the new and improved Thorns. Until that happens, Portland is not going to be seen as a top soccer destination, which will seriously threaten their chances of building the squad depth that they need to win consistently next season.
I feel as though every week I talk about Norris’ lack of tactics, so I won’t bear repeating myself again. For a first-time head coach, he relied on his star players, and for the most part that worked out well for him. I think with more experience, he could be decent. But the Thorns aren’t the team to learn to be great with; you already need to be great in order to get the job. I can only ask that the next head coach is able to actively switch tactics and game plans when something isn’t working instead of continuing to force a square peg into a round hole.
It’s been a frustrating year to cover the Thorns, not due in any part to the players on the team. It’s been frustrating to see the players in press conferences take responsibility for bad tactics and leadership when in reality they’ve had little guidance. It’s been frustrating to watch the investment, marketing, and adequate training grounds flatline for a team that has set standards in the NWSL since 2013. And, of course, it’s been frustrating to watch Sam Coffey sit on the sidelines of so many USWNT games. I can only hope that this holding pattern that the team has been in since 2021 is over soon, that they can get an owner who puts their money where their mouth is, invests in the team, and attracts top players and coaches from across the world. Women’s soccer is exploding globally, and I fear that this offseason is crucial to make sure that the Thorns don’t fall behind even further.
But, it’s also been a great year to cover the Thorns. Hannah Betfort had a breakout year, Reyna Reyes showed that she’s the future of the Thorns’ defense, Sophia Smith remained in God Mode, and Sam Coffey is such an incredible leader. Whatever happens over the offseason, the players that composed the roster these past two years are special.
“The people in this locker room will never be the same after this year,” Sauerbrunn said postgame, “and we need to appreciate every single moment that we have together.” I think she’s right, and I hope that we have shown that we do appreciate the players, even when their organization repeatedly lets them down.
There’s gonna come a day when you’ll feel better
You’ll rise up free and easy on that day
And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say? Who can say?
VINA DEL MAR, CHILE – NOV03: El equipo de Mexico obtiene medalla de oro en futbol femenino de los XIX juegos Panamericanos Santiago 2023 realizado en el estadio Elias Figueroa Brander el 03 de Noviembre 2023 en Valparaiso, Chile./ Mexico team wins the gold medal in football match of the 2023 XIX Pan American Games at the Elias Figueroa Brander Stadium on November 03, 2023 in Valparaiso, Chile.
(Foto de Raul Zamora/Santiago 2023 via Photosport)
Four nations battled on Friday for three medals. On one of the corners was Mexico and the USWNT U-19 and in the other, Chile and Argentina. At the end of each 90 minutes, the North Americans were the victors.
USWNT U-19 vs Argentina
This was the second time these teams played each other in the tournament, with the U.S. beating the South Americans 4-0 in the group phase.
Photo: US Soccer
In this game, the Argentinians showed a better defensive game, but when it was time for them to thread an attack, they usually fell short. Despite the organization Argentina showed defensively, the U.S. broke them down after 30 minutes. A long ball that couldn’t be controlled by the Argentines granted possession to the U.S., and Amalia Villarreal ended up beating goalkeeper Vanina Correa.
After that and only seven minutes later, the U-19s doubled the lead when captain Claire Hutton shot from downtown and scored a screamer. Props to Gisele Thompson for creating some space for Hutton after dragging defenders after her.
The second half wasn’t pretty for any team, with them not being able to complete their passes and losing balls easily. Argentina was in a hurry to score at least one goal, and that hastiness didn’t do them any favors.
As a result, the score didn’t change, and the USWNT U-19 secured the bronze medal. There’s no doubt that U.S. Soccer has good material to work with. The youngest squad in the tournament lost only one game and looked solid against senior national teams.
Chile vs México
In the middle of much off-the-field controversy, Chile hosted El Tri Femenil in the game for the gold medal.
Due to poor management from the ANFP, neither star goalkeeper ‘Tiane’ Endler nor second goalkeeper Antonia Canales were available to play in the big final. That meant Chile had to put a field player on goal and hope for the best.
It was good to see that despite the shortage in the roster, the home team showed a lot of grit on the field; the sole goal of Rebeca Bernal for Mexico made the difference in the score. The designated Chilean goalkeeper for this game, María José Urrutia, did well.
Photo: Raul Zamora/Santiago 2023 via Photosport
Of course, she had some nervy moments at the beginning, but after hearing the fans cheering every time she touched the ball and with the support of her teammates, Urrutia grew in confidence and made some good saves during the 90 minutes of the game.
It was an uncomfortable match for both teams, and although Mexico had some advantage over the Chileans, it couldn’t be reflected in the score. If it hadn’t been for the brilliance of Bernal, who knows what would’ve happened in the end.
Photo: Martin Thomas/Santiago 2023 via Photosport
After the goal, Mexico created more opportunities. but despite their eight shots on goal, Urrutia did well stopping some shots with her feet. On the other hand, Esthefanny Barreras didn’t have much work to do, since Chile only had two shots and only one of them was on goal.
As a result, at the end of the 90 minutes, Mexico won the gold medal—their first.
After a round-robin stage, the semifinalists of the XIX Pan American Games Santiago 2023 are set.
Group A
After being absent from a Pan American stage since 2007, US Soccer decided it was time to participate again. Instead of a senior team, they put together a U-19 squad.
The test for the youngsters went more than well, with the team finishing at the top of the Group’s A table. They dominated their group through and through, accumulating 13 goals in favor and only one against. They started strong, beating Bolivia 6-0, continuing their quest against Costa Rica 3-1, and finishing with a 4-0 victory over Argentina. Ava McDonald and Amalia Villarreal are the top goal scorers of the USWNT U-19 with three each, while Emeri Adames has scored two goals so far in the competition.
Besides the North Americans, Argentina will be advancing out of Group A and into the semifinals. The South Americans qualified after Costa Rica couldn’t win against Bolivia. The Ticas had the chance to leapfrog Argentina in the table if they had won in their last game of the group, but despite their chances, they couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. So the South Americans went through after having accumulated a draw, a win and a loss. Interestingly enough, all their three goals in the group stage came from defenders.
Costa Rica and Bolivia finished third and fourth in the group with no wins. The Ticas are starting a new cycle under a new head coach, Beni Rubido, and went to this competition without key players such as Rocky Rodríguez and Priscilla Chinchilla. Bolivia was invited after Venezuela decided not to participate. They finished their group phase with two losses and a draw.
Group B
Photo: Martin Thomas/Santiago 2023 via Photosport
The second group was more competitive than Group A, having the host Chile in it, along with a national team that has gone all-in for this tournament in Mexico. Paraguay was a fierce contender as well.
El Tri Femenil dominated this group scoring 14 goals and only conceding two against. Head coach Pedro López played the best XI he had available for each game, and it paid off. Their most significant win was against the host nation in a tough game they started losing but reverted the score after 90 minutes. Houston Dash’s María Sánchez and Diana Ordóñez are among the top goalscorers of the competition, with Sánchez leading this category with four goals.
Chile is the other semifinalist in this group. They qualified after registering two wins and one loss. They opened by winning against Paraguay by a narrow margin, then lost against Mexico and before they finished strong, hammering Jamaica 6-0 to secure their ticket to the semis. Goalkeeper Tiane Endler hasn’t been the brightest in this tournament by her standards, but she has the opportunity to show why she’s an international superstar in their next game against the USWNT U-19 today.
Paraguay did well in this Pan American Games, but their frustration got the better of them. They have talent to work with, but they fell short of qualifying for the semifinals. Forward Jessica Martínez finished the group phase among the top goalscorers with three goals, and she had the golden opportunity against Chile to equalize the game in the final minutes of the game. That chance might have made a difference in the group spots.
Jamaica’s participation in this competition is one to forget. Due to the problems with their federation, the JFF sent a very inexperienced team that did what they could but finished with 23 goals against and none in favor.
Sunday Oct. 22nd marked the start of the women’s soccer action at the XIX Pan American Games Santiago 2023. This tournament means different things for each national team, and the first day of competitions showed it.
Mexico vs Jamaica (7-0)
The Tri Femenil smashed the Reggae Girlz in their 2023 Pan American debut. The Caribbean team’s situation could be better, with their main players going on strike due to the poor treatment by their federation. Ergo, the JFF decided to send a B-team to represent the country.
On the other hand, Mexico is maybe the only national team that has sent their A-team to this competition. They are rebuilding their national team from the ashes after not qualifying for the two last World Cups—despite the quality of their roster. For Mexico, there are no small tournaments nowadays; they’re trying to use every opportunity they have to prepare for what’s coming next.
Among the squad are the Houston Dash players María Sánchez and Diana Ordóñez. Angel City’s Scarlett Camberos was called up as well but wasn’t available for the first match.
As it was expected, the game was heavily inclined toward the Mexican side. The Dash connection worked pretty well when at minute 12′, Ordóñez assisted Sánchez, who scored with a header. Both kept knocking on Jamaica’s door, and they teamed up with Jacqueline Ovalle to terrorize Chris-Ann Chambers’ goal.
In the 35th minute, the Reggae Girlz’s defense made a terrible mistake when preventing Pachuca’s Karla Nieto shooting. Both the defender and goalie thought the ball was going out, but Nieto didn’t give up and tapped the ball near the post to make it past Chambers.
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
The first half finished with one more goal from the Mexicans. This time, Kiana Palacios was the goal scorer when she connected with a low cross sent to the middle of the box.
Head coach Pedro López moved the bench a little at halftime and then some more after that, putting Karina Rodríguez, Charlyn Corral, Greta Espinoza, and Licha Cervantes on the field.
It didn’t take much more time for Ordóñez to score. She had some good chances in the first half but couldn’t put the ball against the back of the net. In the 58th minute, she did it. Cervantes tallied next, after an assist by Corral. Corral registered another assist in minute 75’, this time for Sánchez’s second goal of the day. The beating finished with Corral scoring from the penalty spot in the 85th minute.
El Tri Femenil could’ve bagged more goals, for sure. Jamaica didn’t play well at all, and the score was a reflection of how the game went. For Jamaica, the match was characterized by poor first touches, unclear ideas in the attack, and inexperience when defending. Of course, this isn’t on the players. That the JFF released the roster for the Pan American games one day before the competition began says as much. They didn’t have time to prepare properly to face one of the few national teams that went all in for this competition.
Chile vs Paraguay (1-0)
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
The fans at Elías Figueroa Stadium brought all the noise they could to support the debut of their national team against the always-tough Albirroja.
Although Chile was on the front foot in the first half and created many chances, they were missing those one or two final touches. Fernanda Pinilla had a great match; the left-back contributed a lot to the attack and also had a good defensive game, winning balls and making tackles.
Despite the Chileans’ domination, Paraguay had fast and skillful players who created many problems for them. Two of them were Jessica Martínez and Romana Martínez. The duo won many free kicks in dangerous areas, but poor executions left them empty-handed at the end of the 90 minutes.
Daniela Zamora opened the score for Chile in the 24th minute. Although the home team created more chances, that was the only one they could put away.
The second half got physical, and the game was stopped many times. The home crowd clearly didn’t like the referee’s decisions, and their national team had to be focused in the final 45 minutes when the emotions were running high. None of the teams could keep hold of the ball in the second half, and Paraguay’s intentions got diluted in the hecticness of the match.
Frustration led the Paraguayans to try solo efforts that ended up in nothing. Chile played smart defending but of course, the visitors were going to have at least one chance to put the ball away. And it was J. Martínez who ended up in a one-v-one with goalkeeper Tiane Endler. J. Martínez beat Endler and fired. When everybody thought she was going the score the equalizer and be the heroine for her team, the ball went out, kissing the post.
USWNT U-19 vs Bolivia (6-0)
Photo: U. S. Soccer
After Venezuela decided to decline participation in the tournament, Bolivia took its place against a USA team that is back in a Pan American competition after 16 years.
Their opening match was strong, beating the South American side with half a dozen goals. Forward Ava McDonald was on fire and scored a hat trick, Amalia Villarreal netted a brace, and Emery Adames also scored.
Despite the North Americans’ lack of experience against senior teams, they started this tournament with flying colors. Bolivia is the weakest team in CONMEBOL and in this competition, but we have to take into account that this was a senior team facing a U-19 team.
Argentina vs Costa Rica (0-0)
In the last game of the day, neither team could make any difference in the score and finished the match nil-nil.
It’s important to say that this tournament marks a new era for both of these national teams. Argentina doesn’t have Estefanía Banini or Florencia Bonsegundo in the squad, after both announced their international retirement following the 2023 World Cup. The South Americans will have to learn to play without the two main playmakers of the team.
On the other hand, Costa Rica let former head coach Amelia Valverde go and designated the Spaniard and former Dominican Republic head coach Beni Rubido as the new team manager. The match against Argentina marked his debut in such a position.
This Costa Rican roster is also without Rocky Rodríguez and Priscilla Chinchilla among them, so key players are missing for the Ticas in this tournament.
Now in his 12th MLS season, David Bingham is the starting goalkeeper for the Portland Timbers. In 2023, he has started 14 games and tallied six clean sheets.
His entire playing career has been spent on the west coast—from the San Jose Earthquakes to the Los Angeles Galaxy to Portland.
Phuoc sat down with Bingham to chat about his non-soccer thoughts in our latest “Kickin’ It” segment.
Photo by Kris Lattimore.
Kickin’ it with David Bingham
Phuoc Nguyen: What do you like to do for fun on an off day?
David Bingham: Off days? [I] like to get on the course, play some golf with some of the guys. [I] like to train dogs, anything outdoorsy.
Phuoc Nguyen: Have you found your favorite restaurant and coffee shop in Portland?
David Bingham: Yeah, definitely some good restaurants. Janken‘s probably number one on my list. Then there’s a lot of good coffee shops in Portland, everyone knows that. So you kind of walk around [and] stumble upon stuff. That’s really good.
Phuoc Nguyen: What is your favorite food and dessert?
David Bingham: Definitely steak, and favorite dessert is probably warm chocolate chip cookies.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have any pets?
David Bingham: I have three dogs.
Phuoc Nguyen: What are their names?
David Bingham: Bandit is the oldest, Fred is a boxer, and then Nitro.
Phuoc Nguyen: Have you ever played as yourself in FIFA?
David Bingham: No, only Call of Duty.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a favorite movie?
David Bingham: Favorite movie? I’ll have to think about that. For comedies, probably Wedding Crashers. That’s probably a classic.
Phuoc Nguyen: What type of music do you like to listen to?
David Bingham: Country, house, some rock.
Phuoc Nguyen: If you got to choose an entrance song, what would it be?
David Bingham: I’ll have to think about that one. That one’s hard.
Phuoc Nguyen: Are you obsessed with any TV show right now?
David Bingham: [Special Ops] Lioness. I think it’s on Prime or Paramount. That’s with Zoe Saldaña. That one’s really good.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a few items on your bucket list you can share with us?
David Bingham: Ooh. Play Pebble Beach is definitely up there and probably play like St. Andrews.
Phuoc Nguyen: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
David Bingham: Probably teleporting.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a favorite Pokémon?
David Bingham: Pikachu.
Phuoc Nguyen: Who’s your best friend on the team?
David Bingham: Probably Zac [McGraw].
Phuoc Nguyen: If you could bring one thing from your hometown to Portland, what would it be?
David Bingham: The sunshine, every day of the year.
If I had a nickel for every time the Portland Thorns had a meltdown on the last day of the regular season that caused them to lose the shield, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.
The Thorns suffered their worst beat of the season, and in recent memory, on the final day of the season in a horrible 5-1 loss to Angel City away from home. Going into the final day, the Thorns were in the driver’s seat, needing a win to secure the shield for the second time in three years—and to knock Angel City out of the postseason. Instead, everything went horribly wrong on the day.
There aren’t any excuses for the way the Thorns played on Sunday afternoon. They had eight total shots (a season low), 0.68 expected goals from those shots, and generally looked lackluster on the field. Portland had more possession, more passes, and a higher passing accuracy than ACFC, but they couldn’t threaten Los Angeles’ goal.
All season, the Thorns have been a tactical mystery. Head coach Mike Norris stuck with the majority of the same players starting and coming off the bench, with changes only coming through player injuries or international absences. There was an overall lack of adjustment when teams were able to break down the Thorns’ 4-4-2 and high press, and perhaps too heavy of a reliance on Sophia Smith’s godlike skills. But, even without a competent coach, the Thorns’ roster was stronger and much more capable of pulling off a win than Angel City’s, and they should have had the shield easily wrapped up.
Meghan Klingenberg summed it up perfectly postgame, when she said, “The part that kills me is that we did this last year. You’re supposed to learn from moments that happen to you and your team in big games.”
Or like Sam Coffey said, “disappointed doesn’t cut it, or it’s not even the right word. I think I’m in shock.”
I, too, am in shock because on the whole, ACFC was not playing exceptional soccer (besides the Sydney Leroux bicycle kick). The other four of their goals came from egregious lapses in focus from the Thorns’ backline and keeper, which allowed Angel City to get free looks on goal.
In the buildup to Angel City’s first goal, we can see two Thorns players (green marks) putting pressure on Leroux (pink circle). Neither one looking at M.A. Vignola (pink underline), who is looking for the through ball. Due to Natalia Kuikka and Emily Menges’ proximity to Leroux, Vignola can easily enter the box with a slipped pass and take on Bella Bixby one-on-one. That’s exactly what she does.
Ignoring the horrible color grading of the broadcast, you can see where Vignola is a complete step ahead of Kuikka and in on goal. Bixby is standing in the middle of the six-yard box, watching the play. You can call it an exceptional shot, or you can call it a major goalkeeping error, but the bottom line is that Bixby gets beaten where a keeper should never be beaten: their near post. Both Kuikka getting burned on the outside and Bixby being beaten at the near post are simple positioning and concentration errors that should not happen for a team and players of the Thorns’ caliber. Unfortunately, these aren’t the only times they happened over those 90 minutes.
Angel City’s third goal was almost an identical play on the same side of the pitch. In the shadows of the left side of the above image, Crystal Dunn is putting pressure on an ACFC player, who is able to get off a pass to an overlapping runner. Even if Dunn is an outstanding left back, she cannot physically mark two players at once. Once again, Kuikka (green circle) is not properly tracking her winger (pink circle), who suddenly finds themself in acres of space to pick out their final pass.
The Angel City player doesn’t make the best choice and passes it right into traffic in the six-yard box, where it looks like they are covered both by Bixby and Kelli Hubly at the near post. So, how does this play end in a goal? Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe it would have been a weird fluke, but when it’s the third goal given up in one game in the same manner, it speaks more to a positional or structural error for the backline.
It does not seem as though the back four players are on the same page in terms of which opponents and what spaces they are supposed to be marking. Additionally, by having a starting midfield of Coffey, Christine Sinclair, Dunn, and Olivia Moultrie, Norris has essentially limited the number of players on the field, as Sinc and Moultrie do not track back as much as Dunn does. Without the double pivot of Coffey and Rocky Rodríguez, the central areas of the field are much more exposed. This forces Kuikka and Kling to pinch inwards more than they normally do, giving ACFC’s wingers acres of space. When going up against a team like Angel City—who, in their previous game, only listed two (2) defenders on their team sheet—you know that they are going to want to run at backlines the entire game. A reasonable choice would be to provide additional cover there in the form of the Coffey-Rodríguez double pivot. Instead, Norris chose to start Sinclair in a must-win game against a team full of young players.
Angel City’s fifth (!!!!!!) goal came nearly immediately after Hina Sugita pulled one back for the Thorns. Once again, it came up the Thorns’ right side, attacking Kuikka, who had not been subbed out yet. Four players collapse around Alyssa Thompson at the edge of the 18-yard box, with Kuikka (green square) alone in the middle. Jun Endo (pink circle) is unmarked at the edge of the 18, squarely in front of goal. Thompson makes the pass in front of Kuikka, who cannot recover in time, and suddenly Angel City had regained their four-goal cushion.
Thankfully, the game ended soon after that, and we didn’t have to watch the Thorns breakdown any further. Portland has struggled all season with consistency and stability in their games, and if there was ever a time to fix that problem it would be right now. They are guaranteed one more game—at Providence Park, no less—to show the world that they are a high-performing team who deserved to get the coveted bye into the semifinal rounds. But right now, they look like a team that doesn’t even deserve to be in the playoffs.
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The Angel City player doesn’t make the best choice and passes it right into traffic in the six-yard box, where it looks like they are covered both by Bixby and Kelli Hubly at the near post. So, how does this play end in a goal? Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe it would have been a weird fluke, but when it’s the third goal given up in one game in the same mann
Angel City’s fifth (!!!!!!) goal came nearly immediately after Hina Sugita pulled one back for the Thorns. Once again, it came up the Thorns’ right side, attacking Kuikka, who had not been subbed out yet. Four players collapse around Alyssa Thompson at the edge of the 18-yard box, with Kuikka (green square) alone in the middle. Jun Endo (pink circle) is unmarked at the edge of the 18, squarely in front of goal. Thompson makes the pass in front of Kuikka, who cannot recover in time, and suddenly Angel City had regained their four-goal cushion.