SoccerWise - NWSL Soccerwise | Ashley Sanchez Is Back With the USWNT

Episode Date: September 29, 2026

The USWNT roster is here. David Gass and Jordan Angeli discuss the return of Ashley Sanchez as well as several surprises and notable omissions for a big set of games for the USWNT against Spain in October. Plus, the newest NWSL team in Atlanta gets a name and crest, Sanchez ties the NWSL single-season scoring record and the playoff race continues to heat up.0:00 Intro2:05 The Return of Ashley Sanchez7:31 First Time Call-Ups17:32 Goalie Wars21:47 Surprising USWNT Omissions29:52 Atlanta City FC 38:21 Chasing the NWSL Scoring Record43:47 Kansas City: The Comeback Kids50:15 Angel City’s Surge Continues53:58 Seattle Back in the Race57:21 Weekend Preview: Gotham vs. Angel City & Seattle vs. North CarolinaFor the sharpest coverage of American soccer, we’ve got you covered:https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to Soccer Wise. David Goss and Jordan, Angeli, with you, ready to rock and roll on a huge show. As we thought it would just be, let's talk a little NW.S.L. Let's talk some goals. Let's talk some big games. Some record performances this weekend, Jordan. No. NW.S. Naming Crest dropped. U.S. Women's National Team roster dropped. And now we've got about an hour and 90 minutes to talk. It's like we talk for a whole game. We could try to. We could, I'll run a game on in the background and see if we can make it all the way through stoppage time. I have faith in us. You were on the Houston Portland game, by the way. Referee was very strict on stoppage time.

It felt like gameplay was happening in both halftime and second half stoppage time. And the ref was like, 94 minutes have been played. The game has finished. Like 46 minutes have been played. The game is finished. So maybe that's what we need Douglas to do. Yeah, probably. We have the sound effects.

He can just bring in the whistle or whatever and be like, game's over. There you go. There's the alert. Douglas is licking his wounds on another Washington spirit home loss on the weekend. An incredible goal. So we'll talk Angel City. We'll talk San Diego.

We'll talk Gotham. Of course, we will talk Ashley Sanchez, tying Schoinga's record for goals scored in a single NWSL season. Cat Ratter is on the verge of a record as well. for rookie goal scoring. And Jess Fishlock made a set of record this weekend as well. So we're going from all ranges, from first year to players who have been in the league for a couple of years and have been around.

We were about to say last year and we didn't know. We don't know. Yeah, I know. We just don't know. Also, I like to respect us who are on the further side of age ranges and not use phrases that are a little bit more sad. So we just went range, you know, from first and not first. And everyone goes in, uh, in between there.

But of course, we got to start by talking about the U.S. Women's National Team as Emma Hayes has dropped. Her latest roster coming up for the huge games, a doubleheader against Spain, October 10th, October 13th in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, the reigning World Cup champions versus the reigning Olympic gold medalist. So this is as big as it gets. Spain is already qualified for the World Cup out of UEFA. The U.S. still has to go through World Cup qualifying in Conccaf. that will come in November. So this is a chance to sharpen your team a little bit more. And as Emma has said over and over again, over the last few months,

solidify the roster as you head towards 2027, not as experimental anymore, although there are some new names on here. So we're going to start with the new names, talk about some of the players. Maybe we're surprised not to see here or some of the players who got left off because of that and then talk a little bit about what we expect to come up in a couple weeks.

We, of course, We'll have our U.S. soccer show that will help us cover these games. So we will preview the camp for you. We will do a recap coming out of that second game against Spain on Tuesday night. We, of course, have our show here. We'll be talking all things, Woso and NWSL as well. But the big names that pop up, I think during the one that everyone searched for at the moment the roster comes out, is the golden bootleader in Ashley Sanchez, who finally makes her return to the U.S.

Women's National Team. it's one of those things that once it happens, it's like not a surprise, but somehow as we were prepping for this, I just kept thinking over the last few days, weeks, like, there's no way she could leave her out. Yeah. And she didn't. There was no way that Emma Hayes was going to not give her an opportunity. And I love that. That was one of the first names that everybody's searching for to make sure Ashley Sanchez had made the roster again. So it feels like a, I don't know, like a checkmark. like, all right, things are, things are good, right? We're seeing the same things that Emma's seeing and understanding that if a player is informed,

they're going to get an opportunity. And I think we're seeing that even through some of these other names that we're going to talk about as well. So just really happy for her. So she, of course, has played on the left wing this entire season with North Carolina. So you take a look at this, quote unquote, forward line. Yes, let's do it. And you've got Sophia Wilson, who I think we expect to play center forward.

and be there fairly consistently. You have Trinity Rodman, you have Alyssa Thompson. I think those are probably the three starters right now in those positions. Mal Swanson is also in this roster listed as a midfielder. I'm not sure how much to take from that, as we'll go through some of these other names that are listed in specific positions a little bit later. But is it feel like Ashley Sanchez fits in on that left wing in this group

if she's going to get minutes? Yeah. When I look at this group with players that you had just mentioned, I do think probably Alyssa Thompson is the one that she would be like for like. I think Trinity Rodman has the ability to play on both sides, which maybe changes up. Not to say the other ones don't, but we've seen Alyssa so much on the left side. We've seen Ashley now so much on the left side. And if you think about when triple espresso was playing, it was so interchanging between all three

of them a lot of the times. So I don't know. I don't know if where we'll see Rodman. but I would imagine her being on the front line somewhere if that's on the right, if it's on the left. But I hope we get to see Ashley Sanchez in this roster. And these are the games, Goss, that I really look at and think there's some international windows where you're like, how much are we going to learn?

This is an international window where I hope that there are really thoughtful. And it's going to be thoughtful. I'm not saying that she's not. But like how do we get players that could potentially be playing together at different times in the game on the field together? Like your starters. And then is it a big change where you're like, okay, now let's give the people that could come off the bench potentially in a World Cup opportunities to play each other. And you look at some of those connections. And so I am hopeful that a lot of these players that we're seeing will get a good look against a really good Spanish team. Because these are the games where you're going to really learn if these combinations work, if these players can fit. in at this level. And so that's why, one, I'm excited Sanchez is in this group because,

you know, this is, it feels like sink or swim against a Spanish team. But some of these other players, like, are they at the level where they could compete against Spain in a quarterfinal, a semi-final, a final of a World Cup? Well, you're going to have to treat it like that, I think, in these games. And with the two games so close together, it does mimic a bit of a tournament experience where it's not a week off and full-time in between, which, might mean some players are not at full capacity in both games or there might be some heavy rotation and needs for some players to carry 30 to 45 minutes, you know, off the bench to sort of open things up so that you can get players across the two games in those opportunities.

So Sanchez, as we said, we think we'll play on that left side if she gets minutes. You would assume her role slightly different than an MSC who has a very specific role, like Sanchez, more of a finisher, more of a goal score, someone who I think can connect and play a little bit more. And so could be as a starter, could be off the bench in those situations. And you mentioned some of the other young players. So in the attack, it is two players looking for their first caps as well in Pietro Tordon and Trinnyi Biers, which I think is huge news for a lot of fans, especially Tordon, who it felt like had earned this over the last few months.

and you could argue maybe even last year. But, you know, I watched the game this weekend against Houston. And I just think you see her now sitting in that 10 roll behind Sophia Wilson. She looks even better than she did out on the wing. This feels like her right spot. Yeah, I really have enjoyed her. And even just the goal, how she manipulates the ball in order to get the ball back to Sophia Wilson in that little combination play they have on the top of the box.

she's just she's just a free flowing footballer like she what she can do with the ball it's not i won't say it's rose lavel because it's not like that but in tight spaces she can wiggle out of them really well and you're going to have tight spaces against the compact Spanish team you're going to have that knowledge of playing with sophia wilson hopefully those two can play together in some capacity during this window i love this for tord in and then for buyers getting the nod She is only played in my notes. I was just looking at my notes, are only updated through the beginning of this weekend.

So not plus her minutes in the game against Louisville. But it's incredible what she's been able to do just in the minutes that she had. She only had 961 minutes going into this weekend. And she scored 10 goals. To score 10 goals in like 1,000 minutes is ridiculous. She's just been so good. And there's a sneakiness. about her and the way that she releases her shot is it almost surprises you how quickly she can

release it. And I think she's a different type of nine than Wilson. She's not going to come back and play as much and connect, but she will slip through in certain moments. So I'm just so happy for her. Like what a journey it's been from tearing your ACL at your last year of college, playing a couple minutes in the last game of the season last year in the playoff game, and then, you know, which is disappointing because I think she definitely would be up for rookie of the year if that had not happened. And then to have this year and to get called into the national team in a really crucial time, it's pretty cool to see that evolution.

Yeah, and we had talked about her, I think, for months where she's making the right runs. She's in the right spots. And it was all about the finishing and the confidence to do it at high speed. And every once in a while, you need one to fall for you. And now that they're starting to go in, as you said, the rate is ridiculous for her. But those runs she makes are a little bit different than what Sophia Wilson's going to do consistently. There are also things that can be a massive factor if you're leading in a game where she's always going to be the option in the channel. She's always going to pressure the centerbacks.

So there's an outlet there and there's like a known quantity to what she does. for teams, but then everything she does, she can do at a really high level. So it's, yeah, here's the obvious pass. We'll play into her feet. She'll turn and run. And it's like, oh, but she's going to turn as clean as you can and then explode with possession. And now she's in on goal.

And her ability to finish over the last few weeks has been awesome. It does show that there is some space to get into these rosters pretty quickly, right? Like, to your point on the minutes thing, this isn't a seven-month build for Trinity buyers. It's like this means Emma has been watching the last three months and said, this player has now earned a spot onto my roster. Yeah. And I think talking to, I would imagine a lot of coaches and her and Yonis I

have all having conversations just about how buyers could potentially fit into this, this national team and knowing how each other's styles are similar in some regards. So I, yeah, it's cool to see performances in NWSL, even at a crucial point, right, against a really big Spanish team how she is saying, all right, I want, I want who's feeling good right now and who's performing well. And it gives, I think, a lot of players hope that if they focus on what they can control, which is their performances in NWSL or WSL, or WSL, if they're over there, that they are going to get an opportunity to come and try to earn a spot. It is also a position that doesn't have a ton of American depth. Like you look at NWSL.

We had like a big thing about this. didn't we? The number nine? Yeah. That like you and I? Maybe. Had to have been. Maybe I know we've talked about it.

We've talked about some of the young players and maybe, you know, we could name five Houston rookies who maybe have a future playing for the U.S. Women's National Team at some point. But you go down the list. I mean, so if I take it just from the standings, Gotham, San Diego, Washington, Utah, Portland, Angel City, Kansas City, Seattle. North Carolina. Those are the top nine. Seattle's the only one with an American nine that didn't get called into this group, right? Like there aren't really that many players playing. I guess Haley Hopkins

would be the other one right now, which when fully healthy, we don't know where Kansas City would fall on that roster. We'll talk about Haley Hopkins coming up at some point because she had a huge weekend. But yeah, it's not a position with a ton of depth. And it's not a position with a ton of depth of players that play the way Trinity buyers plays, that holds the center forwards, that makes the runs over the top. It is more options when healthy of a Mal Swanson potentially, or even Sophia Wilson, who can drop and create the game, do 10,000 things. Tording to play in there, shock can play in there, but they're all very similar, like more

creation players. So there's a real opportunity, I think, for buyers, if she can solidify her spot, to be that natural number nine that, I, I think. think when we did talk about, we mentioned like Ashley Hatch had been brought in because Emma was looking for someone with some of those attributes that not a ton of players had. On Tordon, on that side of things, she's played out on the wing throughout this season, now playing as a 10 because of the injury to Olivia Moultrie. So she can play in both spots.

It feels hard to think she'll get minutes at the 10 here because of Lindsay Heaps in this team and all the other options, Lily Johannes, whoever it ends up being Rose LaVelle, in those midfield spots. but her flexibility gives her a chance, I think, to get minutes and to sort of prove what she can do at the international level. Also spent last year playing somewhat as a nine in Sophia Wilson's injury absence. So another opportunity maybe for Torton to fit in in this group also makes it really interesting on a national team roster. The last player to talk about who was looking for her or who got her first call up is Evelyn Shores, who has been part of the hottest team in NWSL in Angel City.

She has played left back for Angel City almost exclusively this season. She is listed as a midfielder on this roster where she played in college. And maybe a little bit of a surprise for people that she's the one who gets called into this group. I was surprised when I saw it. But once I thought, had a little thinking about it, I was like, I think this is a really interesting nod. And I like it. She has been, she's been excellent.

And the way that Angel City is played in that three player build, I think will look a lot like how Emma Hayes wants to play. She can tuck in internally and become a midfielder if she does play as a left back where she's been playing. She has the passing ability with her left foot. She's joined the attack. She's scored some goals from that spot. She has the knowledge of a couple of different positions that we'll see if she ends up playing in the midfield. if she ends up playing as an outside back who inverts centrally. But it kind of goes back to what I was saying.

She's been playing really well. And this team has been difficult to break down. And a lot of that has to do with her defensive work and what she's been able to add to the back line. But then she also adds to the attack. It's a really good look if you're Emma Hayes adding a player like this saying, all right, you're playing well. We're going to give you a shot and see how you mix in with this group.

And we talk a lot about the games, but I think a lot of it, too, is about, like, how you fit into this group of, I'm not saying there are people that are like shoe-ins, but like, but you want to know the chemistry of bringing a player like this in. Do you add to the intensity? Do you add to the overall morale of the group? And so there's, I think Evelyn Shores has a lot to offer. And yeah, I think would shock a lot of people that at first when you see her name. But. She's been playing well, and I'm really excited to see her and see what she can do in this group. I think she's one of those players. I was very excited to see her come out of college and come into Indivis. I think you get the feel of like she has a pretty big intensity, high pedigree, like, there for big games. I think her flexibility works in her favor here because you could have the conversation, which is, well, are you looking for another center mid? Because if that's the case, is Jalen Howell not on this list?

Yeah. You know, there's a list then of center mids. you could go with. Are you looking for a left back? Is Izzy Rodriguez not on this list? And then are you just looking for an overall defender? Is Clanky not on this list? There are other players in other positions. And Evelyn Schor's advantage might be that she could fill two or three of those, which could get her over the line of some of those other players. And I think that's the one where it pops out and people say, who else could have made it and who else has played their way into it, which is part of the luxury that the U.S. has, is that there are multiple players.

who deserve a spot on this roster. The other name, looking for their first appearance, but not first call-up, is Jordan Silcoitz, who's been called in at the goalkeeper position. I guess you could say over Mandy McGlynnge and Campbell as well on the previous roster alongside Claudia Dickey and Fallon Tulles-Joyce. This is one that we've called for, I think, for a while, because it has felt like Jordan Silcoitz,

not Jordan Ashley, has had one of the best seasons of anyone in NWS. and on pure form has earned a call up in a pool of players where no one has locked the spot in. It's she's also faced probably the most shots this year and been challenged the most. But I think this is where relationships come in because Emma Hayes and Emma Coates know each other pretty well. Yeah. And Emma Coates could be telling Hayes, hey, these are the these are the X factors that Silkowitz, I mean, you can see the shot-stopping ability when you watch her play.

You can see the voice and the leadership and all those things. But what are the little things that maybe don't always show themselves in a game, but she wants a player that's good playing out of the back. I think Silkowitz has really excelled at that. And this is a Bay team who wants to play like that. And so she's been really honing in on that and trying to get better at it. I feel like this is maybe something that has been happening. You know, she already got a camp, as you said, but has been a conversation for a while.

And we'll see if she ends up getting to play in a game because that would talk about a debut. That would be an amazing time to debut as a goalkeeper. It feels like one where it's probably more training minutes, two games. You're at most splitting between probably Falunthalus Joyce and Claudia Dickey. if not, Dickie's the starter right now. And it's you play the first game and if you play well, you play the second game. But an opportunity to be in with the group is pretty big for Jordan. Is that how you would do it?

I wouldn't. I would play, I would at least try to get two goalkeepers in. I think it's such a funny thing because we haven't been in this situation. Yeah. So how do you navigate it? In my mind, I think Dickie has played the best of all of the national team goalkeepers when they've been in the camp. And if you play well,

against Spain, at some point you have to pick one. Right. And playing well against the World Cup reigning champions on top of having played better than everyone else coming into this, puts you as close as you can to being the one that's decided on, which then I would give you

the next game to say, you're the player. And if that's the case, now I give you qualifying. And it's almost unfortunate because it's like, I'm not talking underlying numbers and process or anything. At some point, it's whoever is making saves and playing, well, plays, and I don't know that I, at this point in the cycle, I'd pull someone out who's playing

well and keep saying like everyone gets opportunities. I think I feel differently about field players because you can move players around and make changes and all of that. But that's where I would sit right now at goalkeeper. I like hearing that perspective. And my first thought was you have two games against Spain, give your two best goalkeepers an opportunity and see who performs better. And because it's the same opponent and it's a really good opponent. And I think if you're looking for the difference in a goalkeeper right now for the rest of the year and you're trying to find that number one, which hasn't been solidified at all. I think there's a lot of, that's one of the biggest question marks on this team. To me, my brain would just go, all right, you get a game and you

get a game. Prove to me that you're the number one. Yeah. And I would be completely fine with that right now. but then you go into all the other stuff. Do you have starting defenders? Is there a game where there's not the full starting defender compliment? So is that on the goalkeeper or not? Totally. Yeah. The second game,

is it harder to defend than the first game because of the turnaround, whatever it is. But I would be fine with it either way. Because I do think the players are very similar in like quality level. And so you're splitting hairs at some point trying to figure this out. Really exciting for all the players called up for the first time. obviously in a scenario like this, then you have the players who didn't get called up who have been on the recent set of rosters. There were four that we kind of knew, at least three, that we were sure of because of injury, unfortunately.

So Emily Sondit out for long-term Olivia Moultrie as well. Feels like probably Pietro Torden taking that spot that Moultrie had. Croy Bethune continues to sit out right now with a hip injury is what the Casey Current are saying. and Riley Jackson just returned this weekend from about a month out with injury. So my expectation is she wasn't fully available or at least they couldn't be sure for the call-up to bring her into the roster. So that's sort of where you have some of these minutes that maybe in Evelyn Shores is going to take and some of the other players.

And then there are players who are fit right now, who we were a little bit surprised not to see on this roster. Manny McGlynn, we mentioned and Jane Campbell, the two goalkeepers who got dropped from the previous. roster in place of Jordan Silkowitz and now Valenthala's Joyce coming back in. McGlynn's been an up and down season. I mean, she's gotten drop at Utah as well off and on over the last few weeks. So this one may be not a huge curveball.

And Jane Campbell, I think has said on this show herself, like, I'm just here to work and try and I know who I am. And if they need me, I'm happy to take the phone call. And I think she'll kind of remain that as her part in the wider pool. And then the other two are two attacking pieces that have been pretty consistent in this roster that don't get called in. It's Jaden Shaw and Ali Sentinel. The two of them both putting up good numbers right now in club play. I mean, Shaw is a crucial piece of the attack and identity of the best team in NWSL by a mile right now and just came off scoring her first brace in the victory over Chicago.

I'm probably more surprised to see Shaw get left out at this point, Jordan. And I don't really have a good answer except for she's been in. And she's been fine with the national team, but not amazing. And maybe it's just someone else's chance in this window to see if they can outperform what she's done in the national team group, not in club play. Well, when you said that name, I had to look through again because I think part of me just assumed she was in the roster. And I was like, wait, is she really not in this?

Because you can check in the midfielers. you can check in the forwards. And so I looked through both of them a couple more times thinking there's no way, really, there's no way that she's not in this group. That shocked me. I feel like what maybe, you know, she's playing in that same similar spot as Ashley Sanchez. She's playing as a left winger and tucking inside and becoming almost a second 10 in moments for Gotham.

And when you look at the players that can do that in that position, maybe it was just too deep. in that spot. She has flexibility in playing multiple positions. She can play 9, 10 or out there on the wing. I don't know. I just, I think she's been playing, I think she's been playing really good football. And I was shocked that that was her first ever brace, to be honest.

Yeah. Because she's been so good over her few years that she's been in NWSL. And that just really surprised me to not see her name on that list. She's flexible as well, right? she can play as a 10. She can play in central midfield. She can play out on both wings probably. She could play as a nine.

She has with the national team in the past, not her most comfortable position. And she was in Brazil with the group. She was at She Beliefs Cup. Like she has been a consistent part of this group, not always getting the most minutes in those camps, but to play in the national team and then go and be one of the best players in NWSL for one of the best teams,

it's surprising to see that lose. you a spot in this group. And I would say she has performed in a similar way to do a lot of the things Tordon has done. There are different styles of player. I think Torton has a little bit more north-south speed, plays a little bit more direct where Shaw, it's a little bit more picking the lock and trying to combine and create maybe in tighter spaces. But both of them do similar things. And then Ashley Sanchez as well, but Sanchez is the Golden Boot leader, which probably get you that first opportunity to try and grab that role on that left wing. And then Allie Centaur, the other one where Centonor, it felt like Emma Sears had called her up

through struggles at the club level. She is now performing, sorry, what did I say? Oh, Emma Sears, who's also on this team and named Emma. There's a lot of Emma's out there. I know. And Sentinor now has gone to Angel City. She has scored a number of goals, most of them from the penalty spot. but it feels like she is playing the role that Emma Hayes has built for her the most now

of any of the time she got called up. She's playing left wing. She's playing left wing in a team that, like, isolates her out there, lets her come inside and shoot, lets her take players 1 v1. Like this feels like the role Emma had created for her. And it's the first time in her entire club career that she's actually playing that outside of the national team. Well, it's kind of. switched as of late, too, is she was playing as the left wing. Now she's playing really as a 10.

It's listed as a 4-4-2. I think it looks like a 4-2-3-1. But Jan's daughter does come inside sometimes. And there is some movement there. I, yeah, I have felt like for a while, Ali Sentinor hasn't been performing to get the national team call-ups. And we had this conversation before saying, okay, well, if she has ever been performing, it's been now and then she doesn't get the call up. And yeah, it's just, it's a little confusing, but I also think it speaks to not just her performance, just speaks to the depth of those positions and kind of some of the players that we have talked about. So if you are going to be, if you're going to be on this national team next year, you can't just, you can't just be scoring

from the penalty spot. You have to be assisting. You have to be, even if you're not getting assist, are you the second pass to the to the goal? Are you a little bit more of a chance creator? And I think there are still some areas of growth in Sentinel's game around the top of the box where she has it in her. It's just the decision making can be a little tedious at times and a little slow. And if she really hones in on that, I could see her getting back into this team. But for me, the other players are just out. It's not about her. It's more about how well the other players are playing. Yeah, I think that makes sense. We have debate on this show. Like, there is a need for one player off the bench, latent games, to stretch the game and be speed.

It has been Emma Sears. I think it should be Maddie Delein. I think you could argue Ali Sentinor is in that category as well. Like, I think the three of them are probably fighting for that one spot. Emma Sears, mainly because I called her the coach, calls herself into this camp, which makes sense. It's a good move from her. And my, my pick in Maddie Deline, not called up into this one. I cannot wait to talk more about these games. We have the next few weeks to do this. We've got the U.S. show on Wednesday. We, we, yeah, it is a fun roster.

And it is also like, we do this thing where it's like, what are you going to learn? What do you take? It's Spain twice in two, I mean, at Rowdy. And then, you know, a cold October Philadelphia night. It's a playoff feel. River. Let's go. Exactly.

It's what we were built for. I think these games are going to be as fun as anything that we're going to get. outside of, you know, knockout World Cup matches. So really, really excited for these and really, really excited to continue to cover them here at Soccerwise on our U.S. show. Let's dive back into NWSL. Before we get into the games, let's talk about a little bit of a logo release. Atlanta City FC has been revealed as the logo and crest for the Atlanta NWSL team,

one of two teams that is coming into the league in 2008 alongside Columbus. I'm wearing a Columbus T-shirt by Quinson's not. on purpose. We don't know the Columbus name or logo, although I could bet you that it will have an SC or an FC or a United involved because that's what we do here is we like to make sure people know that the soccer team is a soccer team. So Atlanta City FC is the final decision on the name here. We'll talk about the crest in a moment, Jordan. I think the reaction pretty widely is what I sort of just expressed, which is a little bit underwhelmed. It's fine.

It is technically a soccer team name and that's what they, well, a football club's name. And that's what they did. Yes. Yeah, get that right. It is a, it is a football club. And since we're in the United States, it is underwhelming. And one of the things I've liked, not just in NWSL, but I've liked it in WMBA, too,

is some of the new names that we're getting in the intriguing. just like not out of the box, but there's come some really fun names. And maybe, maybe because a lot of those have already happened, it's getting harder and harder to actually name a team with with something that is relevant to your city and your state. And, but ACFC, you know, I know they're not going to call themselves that, but it's like, it's just a little, yeah, I don't, I don't have much. Like, congrats. I like. I like the. colors. I really like the colors. The colors and the crest. Well, actually, before we get there, okay. So coming into this, there had been reports out that they had filed a couple names for

trademark. I don't actually know the phrase that you use for this. I think trademarks, right? I think you just register a trademark, right? Like you file a trademark. I almost was going to do patent, which is if you invented a thing and they didn't invent anything. And one of them was Magnolia City FC, which is one of the flowers in Atlanta. And that's the thing that I had landed on and was really excited about. And so to go with the super basic one is a little bit frustrating, I think. And that's where it feels very bland. Now, in saying that this is a sporting group that had named the other team Atlanta United.

So we shouldn't totally be surprised. but the falcons have such like colors and a vibe and a history. And yet I guess it's a random bird. So what does it have to do with anything? Yeah. Couldn't they be Atlanta Phoenix? Like, because it is a Phoenix in their name.

That would be cool. Although it might be a little odd in a league that might eventually have a team in Phoenix, Arizona. Maybe. Yeah. That sounds toasty. It does. It very much does.

It sounds, team hopefully. It sounds expensive as well. So yeah, I think that's sort of the reactions from a lot of people. I think that's totally fair. But the crest and the logo are good. There's a Phoenix bird inside. There is peach. There is metallic something else in there. We love a good release and read. Here, I can get you the exact. You've got the A bird, which is what it's called because there's an A in the middle. I'm trying to get the exact color. So you've got Atlanta red, Georgia peach.

And then you've got platinum metallics and black char as the official palette. I'm just hoping those platinum metallics don't make it to a number because those are like the worst for a broadcaster trying to read up a metallic number. But I do think the Atlanta red and the Georgia peach in a kit in the color way, just with those two next to it, I'm very excited to see how that looks. And I really like the color way that they've created an ode to the teams that are already in Atlanta, but also to the state in being, you know, the Georgia peaches. And I.

And a dogwood, by the way. So dogwood, not a thing I was aware of. It is a tree. Right. It's the official tree. And that's what the whole thing is sitting inside of. Okay. Is a dogwood tree, I guess.

I don't really understand how the tree is involved. Yeah. I'm not sure either. I need to take another. deeper look at that. The, the phoenix, the bird,

or wait, what is the bird in the middle? Phoenix. A bird? Oh, it is a Phoenix, but it has an A for Atlanta.

I, it's giving, it's giving me, I almost said Game of Thrones. What was I thinking of? Yeah. Not Lord of the Rings. Wow.

Wow. We're blanking. Hunger Games. Thanks, Douglas. We talked about this just 40 minutes ago. I kind of often forget it because all of them each have their own title.

And so then you get like, oh, like I always forget Hunger Games because it has the like each book has their own name. Yeah. I've never read them to be clear. I've only seen the movies. I've not watched all of them. I can't remember. I think I read a couple and then just watch the movies. But they should do some kind of like.

They should do a Hunger Games thing. That's the Magnolia City FC, the supporters group. Great name. Number one. Two, maybe this is your pregame sign. like I volunteer his tribute. Exactly. District, whatever district she is from.

We're really deep on this one. Yeah. I will say all of this. I have a decent amount of confidence that the blank sports group, which runs this thing, from what we've seen from every other sports organization they've run, they're going to be fairly committed for this team to be well source, well, resourced, well funded, and take things seriously. So none of this bothers me that much.

Where with Boss Nation, it was like, what is this group? We have no idea what the future of this team is. They don't have a stadium. We have no idea what they're doing. This is really worrying because this shows a lack of understanding of what the league is and what this sport is. I think that the blank group who came in and won an MLS Cup within two years and has built maybe the nicest stadium in the country

and is building a, you know, 50, 60, million dollar training facility for this team already before they've come online and is from a city that has great soccer history and great women's soccer history and players that have come there. I think all of this is going to work out pretty well. And so I'm not as worried about that, although as Douglas likes to point out, Lainty United not so hot recently as they have been in the past. But they do still spend money. They're just bad at it, which I'd rather you do that than not spend it. I like it. And I just like the proactiveness to like, okay, the name is there. We We know our colors just from a like a back end standpoint.

Like they're going to have customized jerseys their first year and they're going to look really cool. And, you know, all those things, everybody doesn't know that that takes, you have to have those plans in a long time before a jersey ever comes out. So I, it's just little things like that. Yeah. They do feel like they are going in the right direction and the name is is less important than who is on the team and who is coaching the team. and who's coaching the team and who's the GM of the team. And I can imagine that they're putting a lot of time and effort into trying to figure out

what that is going to look like. And I would assume there are going to be some names connected pretty soon. I mean, GM, you'd expect very soon. But I wouldn't be surprised if there are players who are assigned to contracts early next year, whether it's signed and then loaned out or some players that are signed and kept around. And then obviously with free agency now, you can start signing players in NWSA. six months out and you can loan them back to their teams or are they able to set up some sort of training set up so that players can come and start to play together and maybe you play friendlies

and scrimmages and all that type of stuff so on that side very excited that Atlanta is sort of on the way to becoming an NWSL team they will step into a league where you'll have to score 20 goals to tie the record for a single season goal scoring record but probably will need more as as Ashley Sanchez this week tied Shwinga on 20 goals. in a single season. Tim was showing a set the record in 2024, her first in the league. That was 20 goals in a 26 game season. It is now a 30 game season, but this was the 26th game that Ashley Sanchez did it in.

So she ties it on the exact same amount of games. Now she'll have four more to set the record, which I think we expect to come. She did so on a penalty kick. A little unfortunate that it wasn't the unbelievable far post curler that it was last week. that got called off for a tight off side. But maybe it's one of those where it's like, just get this thing over the line so you can forget about it and now move on. But just what an unbelievable year it's been for Ashley Sanchez.

Yeah, it's been incredible and so fun to see her beat the record in the way that she has rising up and performing week after week. I was trying to just look real quick and see how many goals of hers have been penalties. but I can't find that on the quickness that I needed to. But it hasn't been a lot. And that's why I think this penalty was, you could even see in her celebration. It was like,

but I think if it was the type of goal that she has been scoring, it would have been a little bit more emphatic of a celebration because even though you know what's happening, it just you can't stop her. And that has been, it's just been a joy to be able to watch a player like that in the league this year. I believe it's her third. penalty of the season.

Yeah. There you go. So, because we did this last week, it was 14 run-of-play goals with the right foot. Or sorry, yeah, her right foot. The rest have been left her headers except then the three penalty. So a pretty good breakdown of what she's done. She has been the driving force for this team for a lot of the season, but not alone. We mentioned it last week.

E.J. is having a great year. And, you know, it sounds like Eric. Erica Meg might get called into the full English national team. Yeah, she did. Gianna Paul, who debuted last week, who really enjoyed so far on the field for this team. She drew the penalty kick that Ashley Sanchez put away. So there's a lot of pieces to this team. It's not Ashley Sanchez by herself.

But this is a season that I think we're going to look back on. I'd be surprised if she scored more than 13 goals next year. And that's not a knock on her. It's just this feels special. and I think she'll be one of the top goal scores. I mean, for Shiawinga, she went from 20 to 15. Like, that's sort of a normal season for normal human beings. Banda has done the same.

So I think this is probably where Sanchez sits the rest of her career. I think she will be in conversations for Golden Boots going forward as well. But this feels like one of those seasons where it's just like everything you touch is gold. And also, she has played 26 games. She has started all 26 games. And that is a huge piece of being able to set records. is being on the field and being available. And it's really awesome that that's been the case for her.

And she has been very consistent throughout her career, at least being able to get on the field. But in this game, it was not enough. As North Carolina fell 2-1 at Utah, and North Carolina falls out of the playoff spots for now. A team we were talking about at the top saying, like, they were a real top-two contender, you know, shields like six weeks ago we were mentioning.

And now outside of the last, the playoff spots looking in and Utah moves higher up in the standings. So Utah now is three points out of second place. They win this game at home without Anna Tahaada and Paige Cronin, who were both suspended because of the red cards in the last game. And that's been one of our big questions for this Utah group. Jordan is lack of depth. They haven't rotated a ton.

So to be able to do this without two of your starters is pretty impressive. And they've kind of been flubbing a little bit since like the thought about playoffs is right there in this team as it made playoffs and how are we going to make playoffs and how are we going to stay where we need to stay and jimmy kunrats even told me like we've never been in this situation before so it's a lot of learnings as to how to handle each and every game and this performance to get a two to one result the the second goal that utah scored is like it's just so good in so many ways the flick from nirumi the pass from tanaka the finish from Delzer, it shows you how dangerous they can be in those moments.

But to do that without two key players, I know Cronin has been in and out, but Tejada has really solidified that spot centrally. And I think she's out two games. So we'll be playing with them again this next weekend. It shows that they have that grit. And there are three points off of second place. Second to fourth is wild. Second to fifth is a little more, five points.

But it is, it's going to be a kind of. kind of crazy last couple of weeks here with just the shuffling of teams up at the top. Yeah. It feels like every week we're like sold on a team and then a week later they're out of the playoffs. And it feels like it goes that quickly. And we have these short of playoff games. And we had one this weekend, Denver, Casey, early game on Saturday, you know, cleared the calendar, made sure that I was in place ready to go. and it was a fascinating game. Haley Hopkins scores a hat trick, her second in her NWSL career. Probably not the name we would have had listed.

Leads to a 4-1 win, but that doesn't like tell the story at all. This is a game where Denver came out. They took the lead. They really, I want to say, dominated the game, like controlled the flow of play. They were in Casey's defensive third

for most of the first half. And it felt like no Croy Bethune, this KC team, they can't find a way to get to their special moments. Michelle Cooper and Temwa Shiawinga, they can't find a way to connect to them. They can't find a way to get them involved. And then they flipped the script and, you know, we debated it in our chat this weekend. I thought Shawanga deserved player of the week from our side. So I'm putting Katie on Blaster because Katie chose not to.

But at the same time, DeBina, Vanessa DiBanardo, and Lo La Bonta, their ability to get some control and start to find the right gaps for the players in front of them really, really change the pace of game. You know what's interesting. Just this Denver team is they, I think they play some of the best soccer in the league. And they showed that it was on display at the first part of this game. And it felt like, it felt like that San Diego, Kansas City game that we just saw, right? Where San Diego is in control the ball, it felt like Denver was in control of the ball.

But Denver's weak point right now. And if you look back in the games that they've played recently, Angel City, up to goals, Bay, up to goals. And where do they lose all three of those games or lose points? They didn't lose Angel City Bay, but they lost this game in transition. And if I were a team playing Denver, I would do that. I would sit back a little bit, rely on my defensive structure with Kansas City is so, they're so good at.

And even though Denver had a lot of good opportunities, they only put one away. and then Kansas City just hurts you in transition. And they did that a number of times in this one. I would say for Hopkins, one of the things that makes me push for her for a player of the week is that that goal right after halftime doesn't happen if she doesn't chase down the ball like she does. You know, like that one really was all her. And it's a misplay by Denver's back line. Then it's a, you know, it should have been a little bit more of an aggressive play from Smith. coming offer line, but Hopkins from an angle still gets the ball in the back of the net.

There is a little bit of individual just work rate and brilliance in that. But Chowinga, in the first goal, Shiawinga, all the attention on Shulinga and Hopkins just last minute toe pokes it in. I can't remember the last goal because there were so many against Denver. Shwinga scored the last goal and then Shulinga had one where, and this was the big moment. It was the 55th, 56th minute. 2-1 Kansas City lead. There's play around the box.

Heaps gets a shooting opportunity. I think Robinson blocks it. And then there's a scramble in the box. It gets cleared out. Schoinger goes the length of the field, lays it off for Hopkins, which was a really good finish first time from Hopkins, but showinga creates the space, sucks in the defense.

And then what we have seen from her is she is selfless in those final moments for a player who holds the record. the all-time leading goal score in a single season. I was a little worried about Kansas City before this game. Like just where they were sitting. I was worried about Kansas City during this game. Yeah. How they've been playing.

And then that reaction. And granted, it's at home. And I don't know if they get that reaction. If they're not at home, I don't know. They haven't proven that they can do that this year. But that was, that was impressive. If you're listening on Sirius Radio, we're going to leave you now and continue to talk about all the games from the weekend.

and all the big games coming up. So if you want to hear the full episode, search soccer-wise on the on-demand player or anywhere you get your podcasts. But yeah, this was, this was, I think the defining moment of the season,

defining moment of the first year under Chris Armis. And you could see his reaction. They scored the first goal and he's like screaming, whoever was the player closest to him for Kansas City of like pumping them up. He jumps off the bench. You know, the game was against them. The season was against them.

And if they don't win, that game, they're out of the playoff line right now because North Carolina would be ahead of them. And as you said, they are dominance at home. If you drop the points at home, I don't know that you're going to make them up further down the road. And we don't know if Corey Bethune will be back or come back. I put this out on Blue Sky. The opening goal, DeBina's movement opens space up for Michelle Cooper. So DeBina is playing centrally as the 10.

She floats over to the left wing. And she starts to sort of float towards where Cooper is standing. and Sonas takes an aggressive step thinking, I'm going to have to deal with an overload, so I want to go and try and win the ball early. And then Cooper releases and the ball goes over the top. And I thought this was a game where you felt the little moments from Debian. It's understanding space.

It's also like laying balls off a half second quickly, turning fast enough to open up play. Like she is still a game breaker in this league. She is still a match winner. And her flexibility to play three different roles. in this team is one of the things that keeps them, you know, sort of above water with all the injuries they've had and all the players that have been rotated in and out. So this was a huge moment for them, for Denver on the flip side. It feels like the story of the season. They've dropped

points from winning positions. They've dropped points from two goal leads. They've dropped points at home. And here, they're winning on the road and they're not able to get anything out of it. It feels like it's going to be an expansion season that we look back on and say, there are the bones of what you are trying to build, but there is this clear gap, whether it's familiarity with the season, with the flow of NWSL, whether it's familiarity as a group,

having been through battles that they haven't been through yet, and so now maybe next year, or if there is sort of a fatal flaw that they have to figure out, but this felt like a microcosm of the overall year for Denver. Yeah. Let's talk about the other big results from the weekend.

Angel City. So the hottest team in NWSL, they've been the second best team since the World Cup playoff over the last five games. They're the best team in the league, and they have now flown up the standing. So they are currently sitting, where they were a team a week and a half ago, we were talking about, can they get into the playoffs? They are sixth right now. They're one point behind Portland for fifth. They're three points behind Utah for fourth and a potential home playoff game. I think Angel City would just take a playoff appearance, and that's enough for them.

And it comes off, Jordan, maybe the goal of the year late in this one, bad weather, tough game kind of killed the speed that you'd expect these two teams to play with. But then Angel City toughs it out in a way in which we haven't really seen in the past. I think it also, because of how these two teams are playing, was a display of just defensive prowess. Neither team had a lot of opportunities. And I think you can look at some of the final third actions for both teams and say, okay, it needs to be better here.

But also these are, well, at least Angel City. I don't know if Washington just off the top of my head. Washington, yeah, they're one of the best defensive teams in the league. They've got a plus 12 goal differential. But Angel City as well. And I just felt like when you're at the end of the year and the littlest of details matter and defense wins championships, like there was a really good display of defense in this game. and the offense was lacking, though, in certain moments.

The goal by news is, and this is why I will talk about her a lot and think that I think she should play more. I love what she adds. She's a 10 that is a ball winner. She can drive with the ball at her feet. She has the texture and the thoughtfulness of a final pass. She can score from anywhere. She kind of is this full package as a front-lying midfielder.

this goal, she's standing still. And she doesn't have it won. She doesn't, as I just talk about really good defending, this was a lapse in defending for Washington in this moment. But that's the details. Like if that happens once, you have to score on it if you're going to be a playoff team, if you're going to win playoff games. And I don't know if you could get it more top corner than she got it, right?

From a standstill, just the technique of that is outrageous. And it was a great sub. You could see there must have been a conversation with Leif and Mayara before she went on because the celebration was straight out the head coach and celebrating on the sideline afterwards. But those three points for Angel City, a team that I wouldn't really want to face right now if I was anybody because they are peeking at the right moments. And this new switch in getting Jan Stodder and Shlufia on at the same time has really helped them be more aggressive in the way that they go forward.

they're getting the best out of every scene and putting even putting Thompson higher up on the field getting savvy king on the the field they're getting the best out of so many players and yeah that's exactly where they need to be i mean it's it feels like they're shoeing for a playoff spot so they face off against gotham this weekend Sunday 1 p.m. Eastern time the two hottest teams in the last two months you said, I wouldn't really want to face them. I think everyone would feel the same the other way around about Gotham. So we kind of get this perfect matchup at a perfect moment between these two teams. That's your game?

That's my game. Well, I will be tuned in to watch that one for sure. That is going to be a lot of fun this Sunday. We kind of have this playoffy setup, as I said, these games that are sort of like winning in right now. This was one of them. That Kansas City game was one of them. got a couple more coming this weekend. Seattle Rain right now are in the playoffs. Thanks to Jess Fishlock. The two goals, both from outside the box, make her the all-time Seattle Rain,

regular season leading goal scorer passing Megan Rapino. And the two-zero win against Boston jumped North Carolina to put Seattle back into the postseason. And then the other big mention is, as I said, off the top, Catrater. Ten goals is second all-time for a rookie. Diana Ordonehas had 11 for North Carolina back in 22. I would expect Rader to tie or break that over the final four games, part of what is a really, really fun young group for Houston that played strong against Portland, but I think the thorns would feel like they should have won this game. And I don't know, week after week, the thorns don't dominate or put up the result.

I still feel really good about them. I still feel like I would take them in most playoff series, wherever this thing falls, whether they're home or away. They're young. There are a lot of answers on this team. Like, I think if you watch this game, as I did, and you were on the call and said, like, what are the chances you want to create? Where do you want to find space?

They found a lot of that. It's just final third execution. Yeah. I would say they weren't tested in the attack. Like they will be against certain teams. And I think if you look at a weakness of Portland, it's just that backline. And how inconsistent. it's been how many changes they've had, the space that they give up in certain moments.

But they created a lot. And, you know, every team isn't going to be like Houston playing their best defensive game that they've ever played, blocking a bajillion shots doing all that. You know, I felt like that was, they kind of hit the perfect storm like that. But to also get a goal to end up finding a way to draw a point at home was, it shows you a lot about this mentality. And like you're just saying, I think Portland taught us last. year that you can't really count them out. You know, last year they're they still found a way to

win a playoff game after, you know, nobody really thought they were going to do anything that that year. And, um, since Carolyn Kalsat has stepped into the starting lineup full time at centerback, they gave up eight goals in her first two games. They haven't conceded, um, more than two in a single game. Otherwise, that was to Washington. Otherwise, it's been one or zero. So it's been better defensively. Right. I think both. Both of them got pulled out of position on the Houston goal. Right. I think Perry steps a little bit too high.

Calzada comes over a little bit late and then comes over maybe too aggressively. And now you have Rattar sort of running to space where Reyes is trying to recover. I think it was from the right back spot, not her responsibility. But it does feel a little bit more stable. And as we talked about in partnerships, letting Perry do what she does best in possession for that team. Gotham and San Diego both wins this weekend as well. against the bottom two teams in the league in Chicago and Louisville. So they both continue and remain hot.

San Diego, the second hottest team over the last five games in the league. So as I said, some more playoff games coming up this weekend. That Gotham Angel City is the big one, Seattle, North Carolina. Friday night, 10 p.m. Eastern Time is the other one, 8-verse 9. So this is a six-pointer for these two teams. It's as big a game as you're going to get. Jordan, what do you sort of make of the matchup between these two sides? Seattle defensively have been really strong this year, and they're going to have their hand full with North Carolina.

I wonder if North Carolina can, you know, Seattle hasn't have a lot of options. I don't know if you're going to get a brace from just fish lock every single game. You can't rely on that. And they have been really reliant on the transition moments with Dahlene. So, yeah, I feel like this is going to be a tough one for Seattle. But a really important one for both teams because. you're going to either keep yourself in playoffs or you're going to move yourself back into the the playoff race. I think I look back at this weekend's game and with Seattle, they are so dull

offensively that if you turn the ball over in bad spots, they can beat you. And North Carolina is going to have to find the balance of how do we take enough risk because we have to win. This can't be a draw. We have to go and win, but not make mistakes that open ourselves up to the moment that Seattle can take advantage of. You look at the first just fish lock goal, It's a turnover becomes a transition moment. It's the long shot. Yeah, Seattle can't create chances consistently, as we said. They've been the worst team in the league in getting points from losing positions.

They don't dominate the ball. They don't create an overwhelming amount of chances. And if the game states against them, they still kind of sit in and try and find transition moments. So for North Carolina, it is about that right balance of how do you create chances but not overexpose yourself. And this North Carolina team has been fun to watch even with some of the losses. Okay. Those are the big games for the weekend. We'll be back next week to talk all about the NWSL season,

where we stand two more weeks of games before the international break. Four games left before the playoffs. Then we were into Decision Day, postseason, and then, of course, the final. It is going to be an exciting run-up here in NWSL. We love being here with all of you. Thank you to you, Jordan. Big shout out to Douglas. And we'll talk to you all again.

very, very soon.