SoccerWise - USWNT Roster Reactions, Triple Espresso Returns & NWSL Storylines

Episode Date: May 27, 2026

The latest USWNT roster is here, and David Gass and Jordan Angeli break down the return of Triple Espresso, the biggest roster questions, and how the squad is taking shape moving forward. They also discuss Alexia Putellas and NWSL’s pursuit of global stars, Club América winning the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, Utah extending its unbeaten run, Kansas City looking more like itself again, and the biggest matches before the World Cup break.0:00 World Cup Programming Updates6:34 Triple Espresso is Back10:37 USWNT Forward Depth16:39 Goalkeeper Battle18:23 Defensive Depth & Midfield Questions21:27 Brazil as a World Cup Test23:37 Alexia Putellas & NWSL’s Pursuit of Global Stars32:52 Club América Wins CONCACAF W Champions Cup41:30 Utah Keeps Rolling47:13 Kansas City Looks Like Itself Again51:33 Houston-Angel City & Orlando-San Diego Recap58:41 Weekend Preview & Best Matchups

Welcome back, everyone to Soccer-Wise, David Gottz and Jordan Angeley, with you for a packed episode. We go global, we go regional, and of course we go local. We do it all on the women's soccer side of things, but especially facing NWSL. Jordan, you've been gallivanting. You are in Mexico. I know. You are down in Florida. You are calling games.

You're back in the Big Den. How do you feel? The Big Den. I feel better today. I had a be in there. That's why I was so extended. It was the big Den. Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah, yeah. I feel better today. I needed a little resty rest after all the travels. And you know what's funny is my trip down to Mexico City was for a family wedding. But we didn't, we tried to squeeze some soccer in there, too. Yeah. You were trying to get me to go to one of the, it's a two-legged final down there for a league I'm at geese.

The men's legia, yeah. Oh, my gosh. And I... You were only a week late on the women's legia. Club America won it, like literally the weekend before you got there. It would have been cool. It would have been cool. But I instead just ate my way through Mexico City.

Highly recommend. I think that's what you do when you are down there. And called the wildest, maybe one of the wildest games I've ever had where there were two straight red cards. So it was an eventful week for me, but I'm going to be back. How are you? I feel great. I am burning the candle at both ends. We're getting ready for the World Cup.

We're very excited. We programming note before we dig in a YouTube. I was going to say, have we talked about that on this show? We have not. So one, we will have our weekly MWSL show next week, where we will recap the final weekend of the season. Then the following week we're going to do another episode, which we'll cover the U.S. Women's National Team Camp Against Brazil,

which we will talk about the roster, which just dropped on this one. Then we're going to roll out a couple interviews during the Men's World Cup break as we head into the Challenge Cup. And then we will be back after the Challenge Cup live doing our weekly shows. But if any big news breaks, we will sort of come in with that. But we've got some great interviews lined up. We've already chatted with Yala Weberbush, which I'm really, really excited for all of you to hear. But we are also going to be doing a daily World Cup show.

So we're going to be in Chicago in person to hang out around the U.S. send-off game. if you are listening to a podcast, I'm doing hand quotes because it's sendoff to L.A. She doesn't really feel like a send-off unless it's like... See later! Yeah, World War I and you're taking the train to get there for your base. And then we will be doing a daily World Cup show out of Midtown Manhattan, which we're really, really excited about. So every day 9.30 a.m. Eastern time, we're just going to be chatting soccer.

We'll be talking about the games that we saw. We'll talk about fun stories around the tournament. And then we'll preview the games as well. You will be coming for a week. to join us, which I'm very excited about. Me too. And Susanna Fuller will be there. Matt Doyle will be there.

We've got some other good soccer friends that are going to be around. And just trying to enjoy. Are you doing every day? I don't think so. Yeah. But, you know, I'm going to be doing it either way. True. I'm going to be talking about the World Cup the whole time.

Like, for all the craziness that's happening around this World Cup, people keep asking me, it's like, this is my favorite thing that happens. And there's just very few things in the world. world that everyone's watching together. I have a question. Do we have a coffee sponsor? We do not yet. We need to get one of those. We're open to it if people would like to step in. I think maybe we have champagne and that's the only thing that I know of that was digestible. So that's an option, but maybe not every day. Maybe not every day. Maybe not. Maybe not. So yeah, it's going to be great. It's going to be fun. We will still have our Soccerwise underscore Wosho

Instagram page if you follow it, which will continue to be pumping out our content on this side of things. And as I said, this show will continue throughout. We won't be doing the MLS show because MLS players will be playing in the World Cup. We'll be talking about that. But we will continue to do our NWSL show through the World Cup. And we will do all of this again next year for the Women's World Cup, which will be great. In person. In person, in real.

That's the goal. On Copacabana. I don't even care. But yes. Okay. I guess it doesn't matter if we're there. Who cares? Yeah, open to anything once you get there. But as long as it's in Rio, which I think is the coolest city in the world. So cool. So we got a lot to hit. We've got a women's national team roster, which they will be going to Brazil. Speaking of, which I love this idea. So they're going to go down and play against Brazil in Brazil, which is like what better way to get prepared for the big games coming up over the next year?

Which they've done every, the last at least three World Cups. Because they went to New Zealand. Yes. And they went to France. And they went to France as well. I'm sure they went to Canada before that. Just right there. Yeah, right.

You'd hope so. At least played in Detroit. Yeah. We can go back in luck. So we'll talk about that. Obviously, huge results in Concordcaf competition this weekend with Washington Spirit falling in the final to Club America. So we'll hit that.

Some news around some potential high impact player signings, some hip role players that could be coming from Europe, especially from Barcelona, who just won the Champions League. And then we will dig into what we saw this weekend, some big time results sort of at the top of the standings and look forward to the weekend to come, which will be the last before this World Cup break. My understanding is every player is mandated at least 10 days off. But we will dig in a little bit more as we learn coming out of this weekend some of the specific plans.

I think we're going to ask around and sort of understand what teams are doing. I know there are friendlies that have been. scheduled, obviously, like, the Teal Rising Cup is happening again. So it's an opportunity for teams then after they come back to get some game minutes in them before they re-kick off. And then the Challenge Cup, which Yal was like, it's pretty helpful for us to have a competitive game in this gap so that we can get ready for the season to come, which will be on Friday, June 26.

Well, let's get started. And let's start with this U.S. Women's National Team roster. So announced on Wednesday morning, May 27th, by Emma Hayes. As I said, two games down in Brazil. So the first game will be on June 6th on the evening. And then the second game will be, I believe, 8 p.m. Eastern time on June 9th. We will come back and we will do our show on June 10th, recapping everything we saw. And I think the first look at the roster, this is the full team.

Emma Hayes has said over the last two camps, like, okay, we're done testing pieces. This is the team and this is the way it is, you know, everyone here kind of has their spot and everyone else is fighting to get in going forward. There are other, there are a few big names, though, that pop out. And the biggest one has to be Mal Swanson, who made her return to NWSL last week and now gets the opportunity to make her U.S. Women's National Team return after almost a year and a half off on maternity leave. And obviously the third piece of triple espresso.

Yeah. Her return against North Carolina and then against Bay this weekend, she scores a, like, exactly what you would expect from a Mal Swanson goal. Or she just isolates herself, drives at a defender, and doesn't need very much space to score. So she's the big one. Triple espresso is back. And it is something where I think Emma Hayes has done a very good job so far

of managing the expectations for all these players. Trinity with her back injury, these two with maternity leave coming back from that. So I don't know, Goss, if we're going to see triple espresso together on the field at the same time. But it's really exciting if you're U.S. Williams national team fan to know that these three are back in camp together, that they, a year out from a big World Cup where the United States are looking for redemption,

that these three are back in training altogether. So really just so pumped for Mao, because gosh, what a blessing to have a baby and then to get back to being yourself again on the field. It's like, man, I'm just so happy for her. It is obviously a huge moment for the national team for what she has meant for this group. You know, they don't win the gold medal in France without her.

And you talk about the goals she scored for Chicago. There's a lot of talented players in the U.S. pool. I don't think anyone can sort of like pop up and create a goal out of nothing. the same way that Mal Swanson can. And that's just like as you go through tournaments and the game is hard and, you know, opponents are set up specifically to just stymie you

and make life harder. Like she can create moments of brilliance that other players can't do. And her positional flexibility in this group. One of the huge parts of the Olympics was Sophia could go out wide and now could fill center forward or the other way around.

And those movements opened up spaces. for them because it was even harder to track on top of trying to deal with these great players. But it felt like, you know, Mal coming off the right wing into the channel as Sophia went off into the left channel, that was like one of the most important things that the U.S. was able to create. Yeah. I would push back a little bit and say both Sophia, Trinity, and Mal can do that. But the thing is when they're all together, it's so unpredictable. The Trinity is not going to take the central space.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was saying, like, create something out of not very much. And I think because when all three of them, this is what had made them so special is because when you have all three of them, it's like, do I stop them going left or right? Because they can do both. Do I take away this? You know, do I get tight to them? Well, they'll spin me. You know, they're just so lethal in a variety of ways. So to have them all back is, gosh, it's just music to our ears. Now, one of the things that will be fascinating, and you mentioned not putting too much. pressure on and and building these players back into the team is there are other players who deserve spots still and there are other players who have played well and the team has put together performances since they've been out. And so that will be an interesting part of all

of this is how you manage sort of like who deserves minutes and what you have to do to earn it. I think Sophia Wilson has now stepped in with Portland and has earned the minutes back, right? Like she is one of the most important players on one of the top two teams. in NWSL and what more could you do to earn that time? But in the same way, in a culture point of view, you have to look at the Michelle Cooper's of the world, the Elisa Thompson's of the world, and say, you've carried us for a year,

and there should be a level of respect for that. Absolutely. And the hard thing I would say about a lot of this group is like, they provide very similar things, right? I don't think that they're, when you're looking at Cooper, Rodman, Sears, Settner, Swanson, Thompson, Thompson, Wilson. Is there like a, there's not like a traditional nine in that.

That can download some of those wingers. I mean, Wilson can play in the central spot. She would be the one. Yeah, but she plays it so differently than I think, like a, I mean, just thinking of teams of the past, like, and Abby plays, right? For sure. So I think that that is the interesting thing is how do you find these players with a lot of how do you get the minutes and see what's the best combination because so many of them can do similar things

and I think that is is the reason why you see maybe a Sears in this group and not in Ashley Sanchez. Let's talk about it because that's the big controversy for us. I think it is. I would at the form that Ashley Sanchez is playing in right now, I think she deserves a right to be in the U.S. Women's National team. if you're going on how players are playing right now. But in the same vein, Goss, I also think with Ashley Sanchez, it's always been about consistency.

Can you over a period of time be consistent? Well, she's shown it for these first 10, I don't know if they played 11 games. Yeah. The weeks are. The fact that we're in week nine, game 11 is just a little wonky, donkey to me. But 11 games, she's been very consistent. But if I'm in Hayes, I'm saying, can you use? it for 20 games. And then maybe, like, that's what I'm thinking. She's, she's thinking. Because

Emma Sears is, like, direct space and behind, like, strong physical body, which is, you know, not that you can't get that from these other players, but it's so different from Sanchez. So, um, I don't know. To me, that's the one that I'm like, ooh, what's, yeah, I would have chose Sanchez. Sanchez is second right now in the Golden Boot race in NWSL and has been sort of of the go-to piece for her team. So one of the things on Ashley Sanchez's side is this is like the second time in five years that there's been a like, okay, we're going to try player out period. And her form has dropped at a club level that has not gotten her in there.

And then when her form has peaked again, it was like, well, we got to put the, like, we got to at some point close the roster and send it to a tournament. That doesn't have to be now. And so I think it's a fair moment to have a complaint and say, an American who's playing at this level and at the position she plays. That's the part that I think is a little bit tough for me, which is you have, I think, to your point,

like very similar players on this roster. Yeah. I think Michelle Cooper, as much as it's not her position, is probably the most natural creative winger now in this pool of like, we'll get to the end line and put her head down and get a crossing, even though she's a natural center forward in college and does come inside and score goal.

but Ashley Sanchez doesn't do that either. Like she also comes inside and scores goals. Yeah. So I think one of the problems is as you look at this group, at some point it's like Emma Sears is here for the last 20 minutes of a game to come off the bench and run at people. Totally. And if she is the seventh forward in this group,

taking out the fact that Jaden Shaw can play out there or Olivia Moultrie can play out there, what does Ashley Sanchez bring that's different than? and Mal in Trinity. But at the same time, if you have 20 minutes left and you're losing, what is the opposite, the opposing team going to be? They're going to be sat in. And you want a player like a Moultrie or a Shaw or a Sanchez who are good in tight pockets in those moments, not a runner like Sierra.

So I do think this is probably a little, you know, this is a point where I think people are looking at and we'll see how it progresses, but a little bit of a snub there for me. For sure. Ashley Sanchez, I think the best performing U.S. women's national team eligible player in NWSL who doesn't get called into this team right now. And there are other players, a Pietro Torden, a Kennedy Fuller, young players who probably have a pathway to get there eventually. And it's not their time yet. Kimmy Asconio, high on that list for you as well. Put that in there.

For Ashley Sanchez, this is her prime World Cup. And so I think if she plays this way for the next year, she will find a way into this team eventually. Yeah. But it's, I think, a real sign of Emma Hayes trying to point to the work they've done and said, we've given, you know, we have given 65 plus players opportunity to come into this team, make a difference, prove to us. You are not part of that.

and we're not going to step away from that work so quickly just because you've performed. The other one that we want to talk about not making it on this list is in goal. Jordan Selkowitz. Huge season so far doesn't make it as one of the three goalkeepers as it's Manny McGlynn, Claudia Dickey, and Fallon Tulles Joyce Joyce. I thought McGlynn had a good game this weekend against Denver, made some big saves, came off her line, did a good job. But I do think Silkowitz is continuing to progress.

And maybe this isn't her World Cup. And maybe that's not going to be it. But I think it is fair to mention that Silkowitz is playing very well, 4.2 saves per game, which is the best in NWSL. Bay, I should have looked this up, but I don't think they've given up, like, a ton of goals as of late. They've been one of the best defensive teams. Yeah, they're also not scoring goals.

They just, yeah, they struggle to score goals, which is their problem. Yeah. I do think she's gotten, like, so much better. I talked to Emma Coates over the weekend before. the Bay Game and she said what we've asked of Silkowitz playing out of the back and reading situations and utilizing her feet a little bit more, I'm shocked at how quickly she's been able to grasp that. And she'll make the big save. She made one to last weekend, tipped it off the post. And, you know, she also made a big mistake, which, you know, I think she just had to commit in that

moment and do something. So, you know, I will just say, I think Silkowitz is in this, should be in this region. but maybe she's number four. And right now, number four is, you know, not going to have the opportunity to make it into this roster. Yeah, it's going to be a tough one to break into. But you are playing in the same league as two of the other players on this list. So if you can overperform them in the league, I think you have an opportunity.

One more addition that I would say is back in, Tara Rudd back in, no Naomi Germa in this roster, which I, I don't know. Do you, is there an injury with Germa? I haven't heard anything, but I know it has been a season where it's been up and down for her, getting back from injury, coming back into the national team. As you said, they're going to Brazil.

I just wonder if Red comes in in that situation. Instead, no, Emily Sams as well. But I do think Red has been performing really consistently. And it's good to see her in this roster. I think one of the players who can be a real difference maker for Emma Hayes, because of her ability in possession, her flexibility to play both left centerback and right center back or in a back three or back five, whatever you want to call it.

So a lot of different options for the player that she could be in, I think just super talented. The one I wanted to add was Riley Jackson, who in my mind, I think this is Sam Cofy's spot that she is injured, so she's unavailable. Riley Jackson steps into this team, and probably is, you know, last option at the defensive midfield spot in this group. Just 20 years old has been a starter fully at the professional ranks for two years now.

And composed in possession reads the game really well. Obviously, he has played for a large amounts of time with North Carolina who control the states of the game with their possession. So it's a different challenge than maybe a pure transitional game that the U.S. can end up in, which is just pushing a young player to have to be better. And it seems, though, like she has come into camps and has shown this group that she can hang. And that's what Claire Hutton had to do a year and a half, two years ago. She has accelerated that out of space at this point and could probably compete for a starting spot at that position, even with a Sam Coffee. And Riley Jackson now stepping in behind that, but just has like a great sense and feel of the game and is going to continue to get better.

and I think for us it's someone that we earmarked the moment she sort of stepped on the field and ended up herself and said, this looks like a future national team player. So for her to get that recognition, I think is really cool. It'll be, and it gets great competition. You know, I hope that she does get opportunity to play and see how she can break open a midfield, not just defensively how she can break up plays, but Jill Lloyd in the other week on a broadcast talked about how she finds that advanced pocket on the half turn time and time again. from like a six-eight position, right? She finds herself moving into space at the opportune time. And I think that that is something that Emma Hayes is like. We've seen that with Liljohannis and how she plays that position. It's something that Lindsay's done for the majority of her career. So I'm really excited for Riley Jackson, one of the most exciting young players in this league.

And it'll be great for her to be in this environment. For Brazil, this is their best team that they've called up. So it's, going to be a lot of familiar faces, Duginia, Marta, of course, Ludmila, Caroline, Bia in this group. So the attack will be dangerous. Ari Borgis in midfield, Angelina, Victoria, Yaya, and then, of course, on the backline, Tarcien, Lauren, Raphaella. So this is going to be a challenge. And I think for Brazil, we know how hard it can be for teams that are hosts for the World Cup to find competitive games. And that's what that U.S. France game was in.

going into 2019 was like a chance for France to fully test themselves with the pressure of the home fans because that's what the U.S. sort of allows you. It's what England has used that U.S. friendly for at Wembley and it's what Brazil is going to use this for as like a true warm up of being comfortable in our facilities, but understanding that the pressure coming from the home fans is probably going to be on a level this team's never actually experienced before because the expectation for this group is going to be to win the World Cup. I think that's fair. Based on the talent they have, and Marta, not in her prime, but everyone else in this group that you talk about has been Ballandor finalists.

They've won leagues in Champions League, France, NWSL. I think, you know, the first five names I named, you could all say are the best player on their NWSL team. Bia was second best on Kansas City last year and now back at Palmyra. So huge expectations for this group. These are going to be awesome games because both teams need them. and I think both teams are going to fully go for it. And it should be a ton of fun to watch. Yeah.

The last thing we should note, well, actually I'll say two things. I did see on the release that Germa is injured. So that's why she's not in the roster. And the second one is Corey Boothoons back. Right. In the roster. So I think that's another edition that we should talk about. Yeah, a great environment.

And it is going to be exciting. Clearly we were excited. We just talked 25 minutes about this roster drop. And I think we thought we were going to maybe do it for 10. So you're welcome, everybody. And we didn't even hit Croy Bethune, but we'll talk about Kansas City coming up in a little bit because she's had a great run of form with that team as she fits in.

Let's talk about one non-NWSL player before we dig into the news around the league. And we will do so with talking Alexis Puteus, who has just won a fourth Champions League in the last six years with Barcelona with a four-zero win over Leon on the week over Leon, sorry, on the weekend. I get stuck between League MX and Europe. sometimes. I've done a youth tournament where both teams were there. And Leon versus Leon was a huge experience. Obviously for Lindsay Heaps, her final Champions League game, they have their league final coming up because there's a playoff in France. So they have, Leon has that,

Leo, Leon has that game against Paris FC on the weekend. So not Lindsay's final game before she comes over to play for her hometown team in Denver, Lily Johannes to start in that game as well. But Barcelona does, you know, I thought, I thought they hung on through the first 45 minutes. They get the goal and then, you know, it opens up and this is the team. Yeah. That has been the best team in the world over the last six years or whatever it is.

And Puteus has been at the center of all of that, had the ACL surgery, but you threw down some of the just like, that's two-time Ballandor, feminine, two-time best FIFA women's player of the year, three-time UEFA women's player of the year, and the four Champions League in the last six years has been on multiple best 11s, a FIFA, on UEFA, World Cup, World Cup champion, is arguably as big a name as exists, and her contract is up in the summer, and the report is that, well, she is leaving. That is official, and the report is that there is interest

in understanding how the hip rule could affect her and where she could slot in in WSL. I would pass out if she comes to NWSL. She is the queen, right? Alexia Putez has been a player that I think has brought so many people to loves women's football in not just in Europe, in Spain,

but across the world. She's like, I just, the way that she plays the game and she glides on the field and connects lines, score goals. She's done it all for her hometown club. And it has been a journey, 14 seasons for her. And she finds her time coming to an end. There's a picture of her and all the trophies that she's won. It's like, it's like messy style, you know, like it is just there's so many for her that she's accounted for. And after that ACL injury, I think it took her a little bit to find her groove again.

And I would say at the end of last year into this full season out in, so the 25, 26 season, she really looks like she is back to full fitness and full form and just tearing apart teams. So it's difficult that that is the end of her time in Barcelona. but what an opportunity for teams all across the world to say, all right, we're going to try to sign her. And she's at in peak form too. So if it is NWSL, you know where you'll find me passed out on the ground. Well, the exciting part is that it could be an NWSL team. I think that's the big change from the hip rule is that now NWSL's in play for a player like this,

whose salary would have been outside what a team could have offered her before. and we would have been talking about Chelsea and PSG and Leon, Leon, Leon, and Manchester City and maybe Lincoln City Lionesses now. And but now it's a real player. And it seems like one of the drivers for her. And we talked about this around Katie McCabe and we'll talk about this around more players, is not maybe that they will sign it in Brazil, but like, okay, what's going on? Like I think every agent, especially coming into this first window, is trying to figure out how will teams use it?

which teams are open to using it, where sort of player slot into this. So if we're doing the dream world situation, like where in the WSL would Putea send up? Oh my gosh. Dream world? I'm trying to, okay, let me think, let me think, let me think.

I think, you know, we're always going to go back to what are the cities a person we want to live in and what are the teams that choose to compete and have put together the best facilities and the best product. The interesting thing about hip is because there will only be

probably at a player like Puteus, one per team, you are sort of have to bet on yourself a little of saying, like, well, I'm good enough to be the difference maker. I say that in saying, like, to me, a Bay FC has to be in conversations like this

because they're owned by a billion dollar, you know, investment firm. They want to be a global player and they are not very good. So, like, you've got to go. go to a team and say a player like this and say, like, be our difference maker, be the change for us. I think a Chicago would go in a conversation like that as well,

although more questions around permanent stadium and home and all of that. And obviously, if you're puteus, you'd come in now and be alongside Mal Swanson, which is different than not. Then the other one I thought of as Angel City in that midfield to help them because they, I mean, we hype them up in the offseason about having a lot better pieces. And of course, some of them have been hurt this year, but I do think that Angel City could be a spot where she would land as well and be able to immediately impact.

But Bay is interesting because Bay has a super solid midfield, but I would say all three of them have very similar attributes. And Taylor Huff is amazing and has, I think, been one of the best rookies from that class last year into this season. But she's not like a 10, like Puteaas. And you mean, if we tell us, right behind Girelli and what those two could combine and find a way to, you know, get some of their wingers to produce a little bit more, that would be interesting. Yeah. There's no world in which they'd say now as long as they will spend the money, right?

Yeah. It just feels hard to think that a Gotham or a spirit or a Kansas City would break their salary cap structure or even have the space to say, like, this is the move we're going to go. make. I mean, you'd potentially be like moving Roosevelt to the wing and I don't know who else to the bench and Washington maybe makes a little more sense. Yeah, but they're just so loaded.

Yeah. In that spot. Wild hair here. The two playing right against each other in the Champions League final, Putayas and Horan, is there a world where they could play together? And Sam Kerr, come on. Let's come on. Have some

respect. Don't ask for two much. Here's the other one I'll put out there, Orlando. Like, they've spent big in the past. Obviously, O'Valle was a huge expenditure. There is not a lot of direction to their attack. And they need help. And I think the easy sale is this is a team that has pushed to contend every year. And you'll be playing behind the best center forward in the world. So that's like the pitch there. You don't have to work defensively. Don't worry. We've got like 19 midfielders who will run and work. And we've got a back.

But I'll cover every other blade of grass that you don't want to cover. And Angelina will foul anyone who comes near you. Like you'll get the full security treatment and all of that. So that's the other one. But I will probably, I guess one of my thoughts in the Bayside is like, we're going to keep coming back to the top four teams and say, you know, I think they're obvious to us, Washington Bay. San Diego probably enters that conversation, Orlando as well, Kansas City.

but if there are more than five or six of these players that want to come to NWSL, some of them will have to decide teams not in those markets, and then teams not in those markets are probably in the running to sign some of these players if they're willing to make the financial commitment and bring these pieces in. And so that's where I think it opens up a little bit more some of these players. Now maybe Puteus is so good that she's not the one that has to go down the list and someone later in the window or next window would have to. you can use it on multiple players.

So that's the other piece is if Putea's the contract that she wants takes all of your hit money. Some teams maybe look at things and say, well, we don't know that we're good enough to turn things around just with her. Maybe we can find two players who will take some of the money who helps us improve our roster. And that probably makes sense for some other clubs where they're not one piece away or that one piece isn't close enough. but it's going to be a fun summer talking about all of this. And it is not like us speculating. This is the reports that are coming out, which is the players are looking at this

in seeing how they could fit in. And it's going to be a huge part of the NWSL conversation this summer. Let's dig into some more international soccer and let's talk Conccaf. Club America is the champions of the Concaf Champions Cup W for 2025 and 26. And they finish off with a. five three win over the Washington spirit. One in Hidalgo at Pachuca Stadium, who hosted the entire event in this final Club

America scores early. Washington scored one minute into the second half to equalize 2-2. They take the lead, so they're equalizing goal from Rose Kuasi at 45, 35, maybe, in the second half. And then Kuasi scores the go-ahead goal, gorgeous goal. Again, down that right wing. puts Washington up 3-2 and then kind of a tragic moment for them.

I don't think it went down as an own goal because I think there was a deflection, but a mistake at the back puts it at 3-3. And then it was Club America from there. They were the ones pushing opportunities. They were the ones creating chances. They make it 4-3. Washington has the push for the goal.

And in the final 25 seconds of the game, Club America puts the fifth one in to win this. And it's a big moment for League MX Feminol. There has been massive investment over the last 10 years into this league a very focused way, specifically,

young players. There was age requirements and Mexican eligibility requirements to try and grow the national team and the program overall. I think in the end, it may be the highest attended Women's League on the planet consistently because of the crowds that these teams

bring in. I know it's top two or three and it has started to become one of I is spending ones as well. And this is sort of for them. And obviously I cover MLS a lot. It's the other direction in MLS. Can MLS teams prove themselves against real clubs is sort of what they say? In the League MX side, it's the flip side, which is NWSL has this international moniker and they're known.

And League MX Feminol has a chance to be recognized globally if they can get results in games like this. And Club America puts up nine goals in two games to win their second title in a week. A couple of things. I do think that there is a gap between these two leagues in NWSL and League of Emack, East Femoneal. It is closing. But I think the biggest thing of that gap that hasn't closed yet is just the parity. Like that league is not competitive from top to bottom as the NWSL is. But they're getting good players to go play down there.

Like Jace, one of the players from Gotham, playing now for Club America and scoring goals in a big tournament like this, looking like we thought Jace was going to look in NWSL. So I think that there is a closing of the gap. The other thing I would say about this tournament and is just, I'm not surprised, Club America gets the goals late in the game to secure the victory because they play about what, 7,300 feet above sea level. You experienced that. Yeah.

And Pachuca Stadium is about the same, right? So they know how these games are hard at the last. 15, 20 minutes, and they end up, it did look like the spirit were worn out by the end of this game. Just couldn't continue to do what they were doing, get pressure on the ball like they would have liked. But it was a, gosh, a wild game because of the comeback from the Washington spirit. And they looked like the team coming out of halftime that was going to win the game. But it was Club America who find the victory really open game and tough one for NWSL teams, both Gotham and for the Washington spirit.

Yeah, Gotham end up losing to Pachuca in the other game 3-0. Probably not a huge shock there, Patucaa playing at home more to play for. And obviously, they're seasons over. So it's like the last thing for them to sort of focus on where Gotham knows that they're coming back to another NWSL regular season game into the World Cup layoff.

I think the leagues are definitely getting closer. And I do think NWSL is only better for it. I think having League of. MX build up, Liamx-Fel build up, be this rival in competitions like this, elevate competitions like this because of the value these games will have. And then also bringing more players into this pool and this conversation.

And I think from what we watch, there's very different styles. I think the game in Mexico right now is more possession-based. And the game in NWSEL is still more transitional. And that's great because maybe that fits a player like Jess. And so that's where she goes. to have her success where maybe other players have some success in Mexico or better off in NWSL. And I think through natural selection or whatever term you want to use, those players will find

their spots. And I don't think that's a bad thing. Now, that doesn't mean NWSL is bad because Scarlet Combreros didn't find her place there. That doesn't mean she's a bad player because she couldn't break through. Now she's captain of a double winning side. I just think sometimes that's the way soccer works. And we're better off if we have more spots for these players to find the right place to play. How often do we see that in a lot of sports, though, too?

It's like you take a player from this team, you move them to that team, and they end up really thriving. So it is about circumstance. It is about the player. But also one of the things that I think it was Mack Lind, who said this to me a couple weeks ago on a coach's call. And I talked about it in the game is he's like, NWSL teams high. press all the time. And they're not great at it, but teams aren't great at breaking it down. So right now it works. But if you face teams that are good at breaking it down, then you're going to, these teams are going to struggle. And when I watched some of this game between the Spirit and

Club America, Club America was really confident at breaking the Spirit's press because they are, you know, have a little bit more possession. And you could see that in some of the rotations that they had to beat through the channels go out the other side. And I think that that is maybe a makeup call, just say, okay, we have to be a little bit more picky and choosy about when we do press. Maybe not an NWSL, but we have to have that in our bag. And the league will be better off for the need for other clubs to find different styles. And so maybe it's midweek where they have to use that, but it becomes a portion of Washington Spirits game model, Gotham's game model, and everything else.

I mean, look, Kiki Palacio is coming over in the other direction. This is a spot for her to have found her feet and gotten minutes, and now it's big, for it's big for the Utah Royals. So there's always going to be this back and forth. I think that addition to the way teams play is huge. I think having a strong soccer hemisphere is massive. And it's big for the growth for the U.S. women's national team, for Canada and Mexico and Costa Rica and Jamaica,

and all of these teams to be better, we'll push you more often, we'll challenge you more often, and we'll also make the value of the experiences you have for bigger games going forward. I will say one thing. I would love for this not to be a neutral site slash home team, like semifinal to final,

especially because Pachuca wasn't even the number one ranked team. Like if it was like, okay, whoever's tops hosts this event coming out of the semifinals, Pachuca of the four teams that made it to the semis had the worst points total coming out of the group stage of this competition and didn't win in Mexico. Like they qualified as one of the top teams, but not the champion. So I don't know where,

and then obviously last year was hosted in Monterey. I don't know where that comes from. And like the whole competition is home and away. So why all of a sudden does home and away become neutral? But neutral is not neutral.

And then it's all playing in the week. That part I think is a little bit confusing to me. I don't think it's an excuse in any way. And obviously it's worked out for End of Result teams in the past, like last year with Gotham. So it'll be a huge one for Club America. They will get to go to the FIFA

women's championship, whatever it's called. It should be better timing for them in that you have the Klausura starts closer to when this competition kicks off. So it'll still be like coming out of preseason, but it will be right as the league should start, which is versus Gotham, who had that. Then they went into another vacation and then came back for the season. But congratulations to Club America and obviously a big moment in the region for the sport. it. Let's talk about what we saw on the field in NWSL this weekend. And let's start with your little neck of the woods. We had the first ever Utah versus Denver game, Utah with a

two-one victory. What are we calling this rivalry? What's the nickname? Queens of the Mountain. Did you just make that up? I did right now. The Royals Summit, combine the two. It's not terrible. I wish there was something like a diamond, like black diamond. Yeah. Because you get like the ski map thing. I saw some stuff on Instagram. I saw some players being asked, which is not a great idea because the players are not

from these places. No. Like of all the people. Becky was. She had a few. Yeah. Well, she's the one. Not the one.

But she's one of five. Um, knew that number off the top of your head. Well, yeah. There was vibes around Rocky. Mountain roads and all this stuff. I think some of that works. Maybe it's just the Rocky Road cup and you get a pint of ice cream for winning or losing. Great, right?

Sold. Yeah. From someone who's also not from the region, I think it's really good that I made that decision. We'll talk to Little Man. I'll go to their headquarters down the street, great ice cream in Den or however you said it earlier. The Denv. The Den.

I'll go ask them if they would be willing to participate. Okay, great. We've got a sponsor already. If they do, they would have to find a pint of ice cream right now to get to the Utah Royals. Because Utah has not lost since March 22nd. Over two months straight, it's nine undefeated. They drew two games ago, so back-to-back wins for this team. And Utah continues to remain hot.

They're the first place right now in NWSL, Jordan. This team's a vibe. They really are. And I think from front to back everybody's, we talked about a lot last week. one of the things I noticed this week that helped them in succeeding. And I think they do well consistently is in their buildup. They go from a lot of players condensed in a tight space, like say on the right side. And they do a good job of finding Nerumi or whoever the weak side midfielder is to then go quickly in the opposite direction.

I thought they did that well against this Denver team. It was a close game. And Denver had some point blank chances. I think of Custler going one-on-one with Mandy McGlynn. It definitely could have gone either way. But for the Royals to hold off a Denver team who have been playing really well as of late is also, I think, for them an extra confidence booster. You could see that with the celebration from Jimmy Koonauts.

Very emphatic when the whistle blew. And they're the team to beat. Right now. Yeah. It really feels that way. I thought for Utah, I thought they hung together really well when the game was against them, especially over the opening 45 minutes where it felt like Denver had a little bit more edge to them. Yeah.

I think the ability to possess in midfield and slow the game allows Utah to manage some of those moments a little bit better than in the past and because they're not making mistakes out of that possession. Right. You're able to get through those at zero zero rather than. well, now we're trailing 1-0 and we're chasing the game. I think you saw a level of confidence from them that, like, we'll get our chances. And they were self-inflicted to an extent from Denver. But you're making Denver come get the game. So at some point, Ivagaitino looks at it and says, I got to break lines.

I can't just play the simple pass because we won't be able to get a result in this game. And the one time they make that, she makes a mistake. I mean, Kiki Palacios hammers that ball. Oh, my God. The way she finishes it, when I first watched it, like, watching it live. I was like, oh, that's a great pass. Because the way she comes onto it and hammers it is as if it was a through ball. But it's just the deflection that like just lands for her and she knows she can't take a touch and doesn't want to and just hammers that ball to open up the game for this team. And like, good teams win games in different ways. I'm very still, I'm still very high on Houston and what this team is built on.

But as sand has gotten into the machine and slowed some things down, they have not found other ways to win. games or steal results or whatever. This is, I think, a pretty good example for Utah of, like, we weren't our best on the day, we didn't dominate possession, we weren't able to get triangles in the attacking third and pull the team around and whatever, and we

won two one. Yeah, and you nailed it. This is the sign of a good team, and the Utah Royals are a good team. Yes. They don't have a ton of depth, and I think that will be the question coming out of the break. One, can they add to it, which would be huge over the next

few weeks. But the question will be like, can they sustain, you know, the run obviously coincided with Tanaka in the room, he coming back into this team, kind of irreplaceable players. I'd say they've got one piece on the back line they don't mind going to, one piece across the attacking three they don't mind going to. So there are 13 deep right now, maybe 14 if you like feel more confident than I do in some other options, that's probably not enough to contend at this level. It's definitely enough to make the playoffs with how good there. Or if you get unlucky and a few pieces go down, then you're in a really bad spot. And I think that's going to be the question for this Utah team coming out of the break.

Obviously, one more game before we get into it. Let's talk about Kansas City. Maybe the biggest victory of the weekend. They knock off Portland, Kansas City, three of their last four victories, four of the last five. against the team that was sitting in first place when they came into the building. And it has felt very Kansas City over the last few weeks. It has. And I think nobody's happier than Chris Armis about that.

Tamu Shuenga being back and her ability to create space allows Croy Bathune to be the best player in this game. Croy Bathoon was just, it felt like she was everywhere, picking up the ball, driving at the back line, eating up the space between the midfield of Portland and the backline. and the backline. I would have liked to see Olivia Moultrie in this game and to see how that would have helped Portland in some of the things that they were doing because I do think they miss her.

And hopefully she'll be available for this weekend's game because it's going to be, we'll talk about it, Portland versus Utah, the two best teams right now, two of the best teams in NWSL. But it did feel like, it feels like Kroy Bethune is founder footing in Kansas City. can because of her options up front, pick out whoever she wants when she's driving,

when she's finding that final pass. And yeah, I thought she was excellent. And I think in the Lola Banta goal and some of the other goals they've scored over the last few weeks, you're starting to see a little bit from last year, which is the front line is so dangerous and so versatile that teams are just in scramble, even like when they're playing against a pet,

even when they're packed in. And now the midfielder's, whether it's Bailey Fice, who's a huge part of this that we'll talk about a moment or Lola Banta, you see the opportunities where it's like, okay, if I make this run, I'm the easy pullback option. Or if I make the run into the box, no one's going to track me because there's too many numbers to deal with. And Tem was floating inside and Michelle Cooper is floating inside.

And so that movement, I think, has been, that's where it feels a lot like it did last year, which is the chaos that's created. And then because it's chaos more often for Kansas City, they feel comfortable in it. And they're able to pick and choose their pieces. but Bailey Feist now four straight starts. So there are three wins, one loss in that. And they've won four of the five games. She has started alongside Lola Bonta and clearly has been a huge ad for this team.

The experience that Feist has and also her knowledge of this team, you know, she's been on the team for a number of years, has played some minutes but not significant minutes because of Claire Hutton's role within the group. And in the off season, I spoke to Kristen Hamilton, who has, you know, been on this team. and she was just so high on Bailey Feist and is like she is a starter in this league. She is a quality midfielder.

And what she can do is so underrated. And now that that underrated ability is being shown off for Kansas City because she isn't fancy. She keeps the ball. She breaks up play. She holds the space. And when you have as many threats as this Kansas City team does, have an attack and you want to play expansive, you need someone who's going to say, go.

do your thing, guys. Like, I, I can hold this space in, delay some of the attacks that teams have in the opposite direction. And I think that's the role she is playing really, it's really fun to watch a player who's been in the league so long, get to, get to show off what she is capable of. Last year, only 10 appearances in NWSL already has eight in this season, four of them being starts. So a huge opportunity to step into this role. And we've seen this in Kansas City, right, Kayla Sharples, stepping in and finding a role two years ago, two years ago at this point. We saw them go out and get Alana Cook and bring her in.

So they found, obviously, a lot of cook different conversation because national team pedigree, but they found veterans in the league who can fill in as this roster gets more expensive, which is what happened, I think, to an extent with Claire Hutton. And then they go and get Corey Bethune, and the balance was off. And so she's been a massive piece to step into this team and help. them figure things out. And then another one in Haley Hopkins comes off the bench. So it's a little bit of the depth of this team out on the front foot running with Schuinger late in the game and really hard to keep up with this group. So a big loss for Portland, a big win for Kansas City, I think even more

importantly, as they've sort of righted themselves. And then the other two on the weekend to mention Houston two one win over Angel City. As I said, they've been struggling with some of their performances. I know you were on the call for this one. Angel City shifting to this five in the back over the last week. They got a victory over Kansas City midweek. Then it flips to this loss against Houston was one-one for a long time. So both teams in it, I thought overall a really well-played soccer game. And curious what you thought of Angel City shift and where Houston sits right now. It's interesting for Angel City to shift. It looks a lot like they do in a build typically, which is this three-four-three, but just more more presence like tucked in on the front line to

allow their outside backs to get forward. I think it's all right. I don't, it would have been, I think it would be great if they had a savvy king and have a player like that. And, but I'm not, I'm not quite sure yet what I feel about it for Angel City. But for them, it really was just the dying minutes of this game. And both teams, both teams played midweek games. Yeah.

I think the general census from last weekend was like, Midweek games in this league make the weekend games a little rough. Right. Like these games are a little. Survive and move on. Yeah, they were a little rough. And I thought the second half for Houston was better. I think Kola Preco helped set the tone a little bit better.

But it has been now back-to-back games where Sophie Schmidt has come into the game and help Houston find the way to win. I don't think she was involved with the go-ahead goal. Oh, maybe she was initially. She doesn't get an assist on it. But I just thought her. tempo and her ability to get the ball moving, include larisie in some of the plays, get their offense generating some attack was vital. And, you know, Maggie Graham scores the game winning

goal. And it was after the goal, I think she was like, we finally won. You could tell that this Houston team has been just desperate for this. But to me, the big difference for Houston is if they're going to be successful or not is they can't let the game dictate like they have to bring the energy and when they move off the ball that is in this 4-2-2-2 that's when they're the best so it is like movement before the pass even happens to drag a player away from the space so then you either have that pass or the player on the ball can dribble when when they were doing that at the beginning of the year I thought they looked incredible and they were winning games and it felt that way in the the waning minute of this game.

So their movement was a lot more... What's the word I'm looking for? It's like anticipated things instead of letting the game happen and then being like, oh, I should be here. And I would add on that, I think for Reese Krujah, he made two subs at halftime, right? Berkeley and Coloprico came in.

I think that was the aggressive you need with a midweek game where it felt like that was more anticipatory than, oh, let's see when we lag and let's lose, you know, maybe lose the game. And I think there was quality in the first half. I think Angel City felt like they took control going into halftime. So I thought it was a good reaction from him and a good pulse on like the team and where

they're at and where some of these players are. And I thought Graham was great overall in the game as well. Just covers it. Like it's just everywhere, which I think is awesome. So, yeah, big result for them. And then the other one was Orlando, going to San Diego, knocking them off one zero. You know, I think we had this circle That's a must watch game of the weekend

Maybe alongside that KC game And I think the energy was there You felt it from Orlando side I know we talked about it before But I thought from both of like Orlando came out They pressed they went hard San Diego's gonna try and play through it And I just thought it was like a really fun game to watch

But a really good like pick me up for Orlando And San Diego missed like their woes of the final third Are still evident And it felt this way Who could help? I wonder. I wonder who. But we don't have any update on Missa Macario.

So I feel like because Orlando was on the road for so long, they were like, okay, what can't we control? Because it hasn't gone well for Orlando. I think this is her second win in six games. And that is like, whoa, what's happening down in Florida? The thing, the biggest thing I noticed, two things. But number one is they brought the tempo, the energy. They were the protagonists in this game when it came to their defensive work rate. And that's what we've seen from Orlando when they've been at their best is defensively, they are willing and aggressive and have to be all over the place.

And I thought that they really, they just looked, it was just an energy. It felt different for me. Like they were like, if we could do anything, this is what we can control. And so let's control it. And if nothing else happens, we are happy with our effort when we come out of this game. How much of that is just like you already know the game states when you go into San Diego? Like it's almost like a relief. Listen, Orlando struggles is in possession.

Exactly. And I thought Orlando actually was a little wasteful in the first half in some transition moments where it was like, oh, whoa, this is what you've been waiting for. Especially I wanted to see a little more, I think, from Luana. I think we're still waiting to see can she get back to her best and, you know, be the factor that this theme hopes she can be. But I just like wonder if there's like a stress relief of, oh, we don't have to carry the game. Oh, they're not going to sit in against us. Like you're going to say an ego. Everyone in the world knows exactly what the game is going to play out as.

And it was interesting. I thought the broadcasters talked a little bit about Seb Hines and what he said. And like he kind of stressed. He made the point that there wasn't really a ton of stress inside the group that they kind of were focused on the things you just said of like. well, how can we add? What can we do? And I do think there's a championship pedigree to this team that there, you know, other teams might panic at a moment like this, that Orlando isn't. But there are structural issues with this team.

So there has to be a reaction from the group, whether it is tactical or roster build or then some player completely changes what they're capable of doing. It can't just be, oh, let's keep things the same and it'll turn around. but it is good, I think, to hear that there's going to be belief in the group, and it's not the season's over, and there's no way we can get results and all of that. But it was definitely like a turnaround energy performance from them. And I thought it was funny. I think San Diego, Yonis Aydavall mentioned, like, well, if we move it around a lot low, Banda has to press and it'll run Banda's energy.

It's like, I would not, I would not put my hand in that mousetrap. Like, I would not go for that piece of cheese. I think avoiding Barbara Banda being involved in the game on either side of the ball is probably the ideal way to play against Orlando. All right. Last thing, looking forward to next weekend, some big games spread out Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The two that we circled, Portland versus Utah,

4 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. Obviously, we mentioned Utah coming in now at first, and Portland comes in in second place. They are tied on points. So the gap being goal differential going into the weekend. San Diego on 22, points. So in theory, if they tied in San Diego win, San Diego could go into the break in first. But most likely, it'll be one of these two teams. I think I had Portland last in my preseason

standings. I think about out of my 15th, so it wasn't much better. Yeah, I didn't have Utah that far off either. It's already been a great start to the year. And now I think a pretty fun way to close it with a matchup between the two of them. And I would say both of these teams have similarities and they can possess, but they also can go quickly. And they have proven in this first part of the season that there is an understanding of like what the right tactic is at the right moment of how to play through teams, but how to play over teams too. I'm excited for this one. At Providence Park, I don't think you could pick a better matchup to end this first part of the season than this one. Yeah.

So it's, it'll be interesting. Like, I think, I think Moultry will be back is kind of what I'm, I'm, kind of what they were saying in the last broadcast, that it sounds like that she's pretty close. So if she's back, like, her and Tonica, like, which one has the best game in that attacking position? How can Sophia Wilson affect the game? Her combination with Tordon has been top notch. Yeah, I just, I'm really looking forward to this one. Moultrie in the national team camp, which that game's, eight days. So you'd assume the news they got was she'll be available.

She can play. And so maybe it's not a start. Maybe it's 35 minutes off the bench, whatever it is. But yeah, I agree with you. I think we should be hopeful that she'll be into this team. And then I think for Utah, can they pull apart a little bit, this backline? Can you get Tanaka into the holes behind a Jesse Fleming and make the Portland backline make decisions? Because I think that's where we've seen some of the issues to transition for sure, which I think you have a Kaiser and a Lacos who can be really dangerous in those moments. So for Utah, if you get pinned in on the road, you can go that way. But most likely, I think, even away, it's going to be Utah in possession for large stretches of this game,

especially in that central area. And that's going to be the real test. And so I, as you said, very excited for this game. And then on Sunday to close things out, Gotham against Houston, we said a little bit of a bounce back from Houston. Gotham, what can they do coming off a brutal week? in Mexico. I mean, for them combined, seven goals conceded, like across the two games, two losses. And it just came off, like, they were traveling in the U.S., they went down to Mexico, they played these two games, now they come back. So, like, can they wash that sort of taste out of their mouth and show that they could be one of the top four teams going into this break? Good news also with that national team roster as Rose Lavelle was on it. So potentially she's

available for this game. I don't know how much she will play because I believe it was a hamster. string issue, which is like her Achilles heel, like something that happens often to Lavelle. So but but she would be an important piece to this because when you're playing against Houston, there there is space either between those sixes or one one pulls up like that is the area where if you're an opponent, you can find some real joy and can she be the player to do that or even a stare dropping in at moments. So this will be an interesting matchup. I think both teams wanting I mean, all the teams want to leave into the break, but these two in particular, Houston,

feeling like they're on an uptick, and Gotham saying, okay, that wasn't us. How do we get back to where we're, who we can be? It's at Gotham, I believe. Yeah. So just being at home one last time, it'll be interesting.

And hopefully they have some more players back, especially at the outside back position because I know they've been moving things around in order to just, fill a back line, which has worked, but maybe also can be penalized as we've seen. I think a huge tip of the cap to Mitch Purriss for, you know, won an MVP as a winger on this theme and is accepting the responsibility of playing fullback as they've needed. Of course, also adding some pieces laid on has helped them.

Sophia Cook has stepped in and given them some big minutes over the last few weeks, which is obviously a huge ad that they would have loved to have more often last year. And then on the flip side for Houston, as you said, they sit 14 points right. now they're in a three-way tie for the eighth spot in the league eight through ten and then north carolina on seventh on 15 i just you can imagine the like psychological boost for houston if they go into this break in playoff spot and jane campbell came on the show preseason with us and said the phrase we use is let's do historic things for houston historic is making the playoffs hosting a playoff game like she was saying like they're very realistic about the conversations they have internally

but they are benchmarks for them to keep checking off. I think the first month and a half of the year obviously blew through a lot of that. Okay, maybe now you've, and maybe similar to Louisville last year of like they were third halfway through the year. Then it was just about making the playoffs for the first time. I think for Houston, that's probably how this season ends up feeling. There's a lot of young players. And the ups and downs of a season are really, really tough.

I do think we're going to get a lot of energy this weekend of like played almost like a playoff game. Like you got nothing after this. Let's go out and get it. I think for some of these young Houston players, that's a good mentality to not be like learn how to manage yourself, but put everything out there. So it should be a fun way to close out the weekend, three games on Sunday. So we'll be back next week to review all of it with you to hang out and chat. And then we've got a lot more content coming for you over the next few weeks.

So thank you to all of you for listening. Thank you to you, Jordan, for being here. Big shout out to Gregory for editing for us and going through all of our pains that we put him through. And we'll talk to you all again very, very soon.