SoccerWise - Utah’s Rise, San Diego’s Statement Win & NWSL Form Check

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

The Utah Royals are up to second in the NWSL table, San Diego and Washington deliver a potential championship preview, and the CONCACAF W Championship semifinals are set. David Gass and Jordan Angeli break down Utah’s rise, San Diego’s statement win, Orlando’s recent struggles, and Mallory Swanson’s return for Chicago. Gotham and Washington also prepare for massive continental matchups, while Angel City searches for answers and the crew previews a packed week of NWSL action.0:00 Intro 3:16 Utah Royals Rise Continues12:00 San Diego vs. Washington Breakdown22:24 Mallory Swanson Returns for Chicago30:08 North Carolina Bounces Back33:53 Denver Dominates Orlando40:28 Orlando’s Growing Concerns44:42 Kansas City Finding Form48:33 CONCACAF W Championship Preview54:04 Angel City Questions + Midweek Matchups

Welcome everybody to Soccer Wise, David Goss and Jordan Angeli with you for a big episode in the middle of an NWSL match week. We have games on Wednesday night. We've got Conquitaph competition as well coming off a big weekend of games. Jordan, you're going to be on the ground. You are going to Mexico to cover on all things Conccaf W championship. I thought if they're going, I'm going to. This is the commitment we need for soccer wise, ending a rear port. border to Mexico, not to the games, but just to be in Mexico.

Yeah. So you will be in Mexico City. The games will be in Pachuca, so about an hour or so away. Pachuca, by the way, unbelievable history. It's like the place soccer was founded in Mexico, which is one of the oldest in the world. There's a museum about soccer there and stuff. Yeah, I've never been. I just read about it.

And we do on our first touch show where we did a little bit about every country, it was part of the history of Mexican soccer, which is, I think, the most underrated soccer culture in the world. Because I think Mexico is like top five in terms of just like the passion for the game, the prevalence of it, all that stuff. And I think a lot of people miss out on that.

We've seen it with the League of Mexico Feminol growing. We saw it in whatever that Summer Cup series was two summers ago. Thankfully, we don't have another one of those. But it is consistently growing. We're also tired from saying the name of that series. NWSL, Liga, X, Feminol. else. But we do have two huge matchups. Last year, Gotham won the regional championship. They are back. So Gotham faces off against Club America coming up later tonight. And then Washington will

face off against Pachuca. Pachuca, as I said, the neutral site host for all of this, as Tegress was last year in Monterey. And so then the final will follow this coming up this weekend, whether Pachuca is in it or not. It will still be in Pachuca. So a big opportunity for those two clubs, both coming off big results from the weekend as well in opposite direction. So we'll talk about those games. We'll look forward to the three games coming up on this midweek. We'll talk about some of the big performances so far this year. And then some news notes.

We were going to try and dig in on a lot of the rumors connecting these huge names that are finishing off their European seasons, potentially coming to NWSL. And part of that was tied to the hip rule. And then a report came from the cutback, which is the only place we've seen it so far about potential shifts. to the hip rule, which for all of the Sam Kerr, noise and chatter, I don't believe she is eligible based off the way the rule is set up.

And it sounds like there might be some potential for tweaks. So we're going to hold off on that full convoy, but we'll chat a little bit about the rule, as well as a potential new competition coming to the United States, a chance for teams in different leagues to maybe cross over and play against each other a bit. So we got a lot to talk about, including the return to the field for the first time of triple espresso, across the league. So we'll give us a little bit of coffee to dive into as we get through the show.

But we have to start where every show has to start. I get a tie. They get a tie. Everyone gets a tie. You get a tie, Utah, baby. The Utah Royals second in NWSL riding high. They told us to believe. And this is finally the year.

Two-one win over Louisville at home on a weekend where Portland draws, Washington loses, and Utah jumps all the way up to second place on 20 points, one point behind first with the San Diego wave with 10 games played. Jordan, it has finally happened. I know. Way to go, Utah Royals. And you know, you told me you were going to do that, but I actually didn't expect it to be that great.

It was better than when I practiced it. You committed to it, Gus, and I appreciate it. This Utah team has committed to what they're going to do, too. And actually, I was sitting in my house, Lisa Roman cover. Lisa Roman, Lisa Carlin covered the game for I on this weekend in Denver. So she hung out with me Sunday and we were watching the Utah game. And she's like, I still don't know about Utah. Like they still just do one crazy thing every game where you're like,

they're going to give up a goal. And right after that was when they just passed the ball to Louisville and Louisville scores the goal. But besides that, I do feel like this Utah team has found their groove. And I, there are so many different places I think you can put. this. But I think Marumi has helped them so much.

Tanaka just pulls the string for them for them. But they also just it does feel like all of the pieces are healthy and they've known that they've had this all along and now they can really do what they want to do. They want to have the ball. They want to commit numbers high up on the field. They win the ballback

in advantageous positions. There are so many things to like about this Utah team and we're also seeing because of this confidence that they're growing, players playing better than I think we've probably seen them play. I don't think we've seen C.C. Delzer play like this in her time in NWSL because she's one of those players, like she gives me, she's not Ashley Sanchez as a player profile, but she gives me that where you're just like, I know that there's more there and you can do more. And this is why,

when she plays like this, this is why we know that there is more there. And so her ability to just get on the ball, be confident, go at players. She, um, creates the last goal for Utah. And so I think it's a combination of that all across the field where everybody is just bought in. They understand what Jimmy is wanting from them and it's working. And everybody then is just playing that much better.

And it feels like they're flowing on really all, like clicking on all cylinders. This is not a knock on anyone, but it is amazing with a talent like Naurumi where you're always going to want to get as much talent as you can together. just the way it didn't work in Washington and it is now working again of like her game didn't fall off.

It just wasn't the right fit for her. And I do think part of that is the possession that Utah wants to play in versus the transition at times that Washington wants to play in. Part of that is spots on the field. I think that left channel where Naurumi I think really feels comfortable

or wants to start her possession in is similar to where Croy Bethune and Lacey Santos want to live. And it's just, funny how we think we know so much and of course you're going to just collect talent because that's the way team should work and then you get to see these moments where it's like right but the right connection works and i think on with with cecy you see of like finishing off the wing being a threat off the wing but knowing you don't have the responsibility of the chance creation which is coming

from behind you just makes life so much easier of like i can go out and do my job rather than trying to expand your game and do something that maybe isn't as comfortable and it is all linked up right now. And then there is a piece of like, own goals start to go your way when you're playing on the front foot and you believe in all that stuff, which Utah hasn't had a lot of time

to live that way over the last two years. No, they've had no time to live that way. Well, there was the short spell at the end of that. At the end of every season. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I, I've, you're so right about that. And I get a little bummed because I would have loved to see Zornosa play

with Naurumi. centrally, I think that would have been really fun to see. Although there's a chance the team would have had 95% possession and never advanced that to the box. Yeah, that's true. Which that would be the team I ran, by the way. If that was, if I was the one making decisions, I'd be like, yeah, let's just keep connecting passes. Yeah, but it is, they're really fun to watch. And yeah, I do think that there is still growth for this team. Like I just said, they give up, they want to play through. And I think it was Delph, I can't remember who talked to the broadcasters at the end of the game, but they were just saying, After the game, Jimmy said that goal against us is on me.

Like, I want you guys to be brave. I don't care if you get a goal scored against you trying to play through the pressure. And they have been really adamant about playing through the pressure in all different ways, right? Whether it's through combinations in the channel, whether it's through playing balls straight up the middle to players under pressure, they're willing to do that in order to break that first line of defense. Because in this league, the majority of teams high press. And I wouldn't, I would say. they're good at it, but no, I don't think anybody is great. Yeah. And when you break that down, their teams in that defensive transition are not like, that is where they're most susceptible.

And so I feel like because Jimmy recognizes that, he wants the team to be brave. And he's saying, we can make mistakes because that'll happen. But if we are brave and play through it, we will create on the other end of it. And you're seeing that because of Utah's commitment to get numbers in those transition moments into the attacking third. So yeah, I just, I think overall this team has been believing that this is who they can be for a long time. And it's actually becoming reality. And look at them up there where the air is fresh.

And you add then so as they get healthy, you have Praslachar, who I'm a huge fan of, whether she's starting or coming off the bench, that's. depth. You have Tatum Malazzo who comes off the bench in this game or Janney Thompson can and Maria. Like it is, this is now Utah where you see over the course of a week and with midweeks and all this stuff, you start to see the options they have where at the beginning of the year they were just scrapping to get by. And now one, you can shift a little base off opponents. Do you want a forward who stretches? Do you want a forward who drops in? Do you want a wide player who comes inside? Do you want one who hangs out wide? Do you want a fullback who attacks more or is a little safer?

They have some options to go through, I'd say in all of those positions. And I would just say it does feel like, and this is from an outsider's perspective, I don't know how it is inside the locker room, but when you have a team with that much depth, you have to be willing to play a role. And that role might not always being starting a game. Sometimes that role is being coming off the bench. And sometimes it's starting and then not getting hung up on like how many minutes I'm playing, but getting really focusing on, can I be impactful with the minutes that I get?

And like you said, they've rotated a lot of players and it does feel like every time a player comes in, they're impactful. And that, to me, is culture. Yeah, 100%. And they've stuck with Jimmy Coonrats, you know. And I think part of that was the group that came in,

it wasn't his decisions, the roster wasn't his, all of that. But not every team does it. And so I think there is a level of calm there and there was belief. And I think we could feel it from them and the comments they made preseason. And once again, we believe blah, blah, blah. And now a lot of it has come to fruition. A lot of people on the same soccer brain that are linking up that are playing together.

And as you said, the cost benefit analysis of if we play and we give up chances, we think we'll create more for it. But you got to create them and you have to put them away. Because if it just becomes, oh, we play through your press, but we don't finish, then you're going to lose games to 1. And we've seen it with Mandy McGlynn for two years now of like the expectation is she will play with her feet. She'll come out.

She'll come win the ball. But out of possession, she's made mistakes. And it has hurt them, but it feels like the message has always been. It's okay because we want that for the advantages we create at some point. And it's a credit to them. So a dominant win, even though it only finishes 2-1 on the score sheet against Louisville at home. Utah moves to second place in the league. in first place in NWSL as the San Diego wave.

Two one home win over Washington. Maybe not as many goals scoring chances as we expected, but the energy that I think we expected from this game. San Diego comes out flying. They get the early goal from Trinity Byers, who gets her first start at the center forward position. 15, 20 minutes there where Washington starts to settle down. Then you start to see the quality.

And then it was a clash of Titans, I'd say, from about the 25th minute on. maybe around Rebecca Brunall's goal set piece defending not the Clash of Titans part of it but in possession of San Diego will go they'll play they'll create their chances but Washington just has so much talent to match that defensively and offensively themselves how many times though in really key games are set pieces the difference maker you know we're getting ready for a World Cup and that really is the the thing that pushes teams over because oftentimes these teams are toe to toe and they have so why Washington could have won this game, right? Like Trinity Rodman hits it off the post right at the beginning of the game. There were chances for them. And so I do feel like it was such a, we expected this game to be intense. And it was, it was, I was surprised how much of the ball San Diego gave up.

Yeah. Like they were willing for Washington to get numbers forward and then show that they can be a team that does transition. And Luchmila doesn't start this game, but they still had. Duginia, who was good in those transition moments, holding the ball up, letting players get up to catch up with her when she did advance down the field. But I thought bringing Byers in was really interesting because to me, Lou Jemila, you know she was going to try to go in behind. I thought Byers was a lot better at coming in front of the back line for Washington and making Rudd, make the decision like, are you going to follow me and try to create some kind of space for Duginia or creation on that side? The buyer's goal, yes, it was early, but I can't miss an opportunity to talk up Kenza Dali and her run and her movement here. It's really like a, it's like a three-man weave because Dolly starts centrally.

She plays it wide to, I believe it was, I want to say it was Asconio, but I don't know. And you were going to do this to me? So I was like, I got to pull it up so that I can remember perfectly. Like the half space. I think Asconio gets it to play into buyers. And then Dali runs wide. and like pulls space in between the defenders. So then Tara Rudd's like, what do I do here?

So she backs up and gives buyers a space to run into. And would Rudd make that decision if there were no threat in the wing? I don't think so because I think she would have the comfort of her help defense right next to her. And there would be nobody that that outside back would have to stretch to to get into the channel. And I just think that kind of movement goes unnoticed in moments. And this is what San Diego does when they are. at their best is their movement off the ball is elite. And they find these little, it doesn't have to be big spaces,

but they create space for each other. And this was a really good example of that. And then, you know, just the follow-up of the, I think it was the pass back into Asconio that comes back to buyers. But I loved that goal just because of the movement off the ball. So the only thing I will say not about the goal at all is, I don't know that San Diego gave up session. I think Washington went and took it.

I think some of that is game states on the early goal. I think some of that also is for all of Asconio's talent, if you've got a midfield with Asconio and Gia Corley, the only true high possession player is Kenza Dali in that group, where if it's Fazer or if Corley's out on the wing and Dolly's a little bit higher, whatever it is, I think there's a little bit more connection in there. And I think this was a group that was a little more transitional from San Diego,

which in fairness may have been Idaval, plan the whole time. Yeah, which I think it might have been because Corley is, I would say as a 10, her highest impact is defensively and how much ground she can cover and what she can do in that position. And so then you get her in that spot where she's just like covering and trying to, like you're giving up the, okay, maybe Washington took the possession, but then she's working to make it predictable for everybody behind her. I thought in the second half you could tell how different it is when Leah Godfrey comes in. Isn't it funny?

It's Gia Corley, Leah Godfrey. I just feel like they're kind of similar names. Three letter first names with opposite letters. Corley, Godfrey. It's bizarre to me. So I had to think about that one for a second. When Godfrey comes in, they played a lot more through her. And they utilized her as one of those possession players that you were just mentioning.

So, and maybe that was, hey, we didn't have enough possession in the first half. So I don't know if that was a plan from I'd of all. but I did feel that switch absolutely. But going to Asconio, what position has she not been great at? I don't know. And I don't know how you choose if you're I'd of all, because she's played a 10. Now she's playing this double pivot a little bit.

You know, they use them more as like dual eights, I would say, at times. She's played as a winger. She's played as a center forward. And I think this is part of the interview we did with Ken Zadali, which, as I've said many times, my favorite interviewer done because I'm obsessed with Kenza Dolly and she's the best. But I do think the player development program at San Diego is arguably as good as any in NWSL. And I think that's why so many of these young players sign with them.

And I think it felt like from the comments Kenza made and the way she talked about it, there is belief that Kimmy Oskineo can be a game dominant player. And you have to do that from a little bit deeper. And so I think they're, and same with Trinity Byers now gets. her start and Armstrong, like all these young players that Van Zantin, all these young players they've brought along, it feels like they've slowly dribbled the opportunities in of like to get you on the field, we'll put you wide because there's the least threat there. Then we'll work you into higher leverage situations where we believe your future is.

And my guess is they think she's a, Ken Zadali replacement is a bad term, but like that double pivot that is ball dominant that controls the game. Now, I think there's a little more vertical threat for Escanio and I think she wants to play a little bit more that way. But like, I think so too. Yeah. Great. Because you know who scores a lot of goals? Lindsay Heaps.

Like, awesome. That's a thing in your back pocket and that's your traits that if we add to your game, you just become an elite player across a multitude of things. And so that's what it feels like to me. I thought buyers, for all the things you said, struggled at times in doing the things that she did when she dropped in, which was keeping possession and linking up the next pass. But she did want to do those things. And I think that changed the shape a bit for San Diego.

I'm not done with a Scania. I got to go back to her. Okay, let's do it. The thing that I noticed in this game about her that I feel like it had it clicked for me until this game against Washington is there is a patience to her game that I think that is really is well beyond her years and actually allows her to be good in all these different positions because she actually can read the game. defensively, it showed up more for me than maybe in the attack. But it shows in the attack of just how she draws players in, can read the pressure and then find the next pass. But defensively, I think that's what you are like, okay, is she able to do that double pivot and provide the defensive work that they need for her to do? She actually stays, she reads the passing lanes, stays out and times it more on many occasions at the right time to jump the lane or to get the pressure at the right time to just get a little.

nick on the ball to push it away. Her timing defensively was so patient. And I think that that is something that I have realized I really appreciate about her game as her patience on both sides of the ball. It never looks like she's forcing things. Yeah. Which is a real, that's a hard thing to do. For a player of her age. Yeah, for any player, really. So that just clicked for me. And I was like, really appreciate that about her game. Listen, there is a lot of exciting talent. One of the things in watching this game, and for all the threat, Trinney Rodman was, I do think Moroni was out on an island with her a decent amount.

I'm not an expert on the French national team. There is enough French players I have watched where I don't understand how they're not in the national team, including legends and obviously the stuff with Wendy Renard and Dolly and all that stuff. I don't know how this is not a player who's, she's a top 10 left back on the planet right now, and she has been for 14 months, 18 months, whatever it is. I don't know how she doesn't get called into that group, but like that is something where last year,

I think the shape for San Diego was safer down the right. She can push forward. This year, they are attacking from both fullback positions, and she holds her own on both ends of the field up and down. That was like one of the fun parts about this game. I think there's maybe the best fullback pairings in the league across the two teams. obviously elite across the centerback positions with the way those groups have played. There are not a lot of holes in these two teams.

And this feels like it could have been a championship preview. And I think it played out that way. And so, yeah. I hope so. Yeah. I would sign that, like, I'd get the ticket right now to go to the championship if those two teams are in it. Because that would be so much fun. It would be awesome.

And to go, Cat Macario still has an appeal. We don't know what the situation is. That would obviously be a huge boon for this team. Andy Sullivan just working her way back. So that is going to be a big addition. It will be interesting what Washington does. Does Bernal slide into a centerback position? Do they play how Hurst felt as a quote unquote 10 and push Lacey Santos out wide?

I mean, it's very rare that a team is fully healthy all the time. So it's probably not something they have to have a solution for immediately. But it will bring up some questions for Washington who, of course, have to show depth with the game. They have to go play this week. Let's talk about a couple other teams and matches from the weekend. Let's start with Mel Swanson back. Didn't get a chance to impact the game much, but comes off the bench in the 76th minute, I believe, down in North Carolina, trailing 3-0 at the time, makes her first appearance in over a year in NWSL. A big moment for her returning from maternity leave. A big moment, I think, for the league. She is one of the faces of the sport in this country. And then

obviously the connection with Sophia returning this season and the triple espresso. And we saw all the fun they had as a group finally back together at the U.S. camps and at the media day. But now to see Mal back on the field is a huge deal for her and obviously a huge deal for Chicago. Return up the Mal. Return of the Mal. Did you have that one planned out or did you just think it up? Well, I think they put a graphic up of that.

And I was like, oh, that's smart. But I feel like it needed a tune to it, you know. Yeah. Return on the Mac, great song. Yeah. So here's my take. So Chicago lost this game four zero. Chicago is struggling.

They are last in our power rankings. I think that's an understatement struggling. Yeah. I really do. They are last for a reason. I guess I probably should have done this quicker before. But so they have not scored in their last four games. They are scoreless in seven of their last eight games.

So they are struggling as a group. I would say, I think that the group that Mal Swanson enters in, and we don't know how long it will take Mal to get to the level she is capable of, we don't know how long it will take her to get to minutes and all this type of stuff. But the player who left in 2024, it was our last game, was that playoff game, right? Because she never played in 2025. Correct. That player, I think, fits in better now with this group than with this group.

than with the team that she left when they made the playoffs. One of my problems with that is I have no proof of that. Like you don't score in seven of your last eight. You are conceding chances. It's not, none of those were zero, zero games. So the only positive result in the last eight games was a two zero home victory over Boston who at the time had never won a game. Otherwise, it's a four zero loss, a three zero loss, a two zero loss, a one zero loss to Utah.

Congratulations. Now it's San Diego, Portland, KC, Gotham, and Chicago, or sorry, North Carolina in those games. Not easy games, but so is what I'm saying? But what game is easy and end of yourself. Is what I'm saying makes sense? Is it possible? Do you believe it? Do you need to see it?

It makes sense. It's possible and I need to see it. Yeah. I think all of those things are true, Goss. The thing that is difficult about that, saying that and seeing this result and where Chicago is at right now is, they are extremely injured, probably the worst in NWSL. Tessa Della Rose, out, outside back, or also midfielder, but she's playing outside back. Taylor Wood, formerly Taylor Malum, hasn't played it all this year. Natalie Quica hasn't played it all this year. Won't play it all this year.

Won't play it all this year. Michelle Aloysia injured. Katie Atkinson, formerly Katie Lund, injured. Alyssa, went out in this game, injured. That worries me. If you're going to be a team that needs to, like, what's going on there? Be a Franklin. B. Franklin hasn't played at all this year. James Joseph, just coming back from injury, what's going on with all the injuries? Are they, is there too much of a demand of, like, the style of play? Are they asking too much about them in training, so they're coming up with these muscle injuries?

I don't know. I can't tell you what all the injuries are. I know a few of them are muscle injuries. Are they not fit enough? Are they not? Like, what's going to? on that these injuries are happening because if you had all those players, is this team better than the team was in 2024? Yes. Right. Absolutely. But you can't ever, if you can't put a

squad out, they're outside backs in this game were Farmer and Nadia Gomes. Yeah. That was the outside back. So of course, like if you're North Carolina, you would be pissed at halftime that you haven't scored goals yet. Although, where do you create your chances? Although on the foot side, how How are you getting shut out every time if you're starting literally wingers at the fullback position? Because they don't know how to defend. And so they don't have, you can't keep the ball. And then they're probably in too advantageous of a position. And then the space is all behind you.

It's kind of a little bit of a domino effect. And so I do think that this team is better than they have shown, but they're just not fit. And so I think Mal Swanson comes back into this team knowing that there is potential for this team. to be a lot better than where they're at right now. But it looked dire out there. This was a difficult game to watch for Chicago because you could tell when one thing went wrong, everybody just thought, here we go again,

which is what we would see of Utah, like, over the past couple of years, you know? So that's the part where, like, talking about it and like literally what we said about Utah of like, okay, when the team fits together, you can start to focus on doing your job. Yes. Like how much easier does Garris's job and Hidema's job and Pinto's job

and Grosso's job become when Mal Swanson is on the field, which to two years ago was literally, if we can defend, Mal Swanson will score a goal by herself. That was only good enough to get you into the play. Like we saw the game against Orlando in the postseason they got smoked. Now, it's,

unfair to expect that for a while with Mal Swanson, which is part of where I don't know how, like, I don't know how much better this group has gotten that they can then start to get results now. And that's the part that's really hard to see because in all of this, I would like to see them control the game in possession a little bit to try and avoid transition moments against you and the threat that you can concede. And I do think that there's a good core in midfield of players who can play on the ball and link and connect. But with no threat over the top, there's just no space to work. And that might change. You know, if you get Swanson back with significant minutes, you get Joseph back with significant minutes.

Yeah. There's two huge threats. For sure. The issue I worry about for Chicago is, and we talked about at the beginning of the year, like who's going to lead this team? Yeah. Ali Schlegel left, and I feel like she really was the heartbeat of this squad. Who is going to be the leader? Because this is not, it is not going well and they need someone to just change the mentality of the group and say like it's one of those I've been on teams like this where you have a team only meeting and you sit in the locker room and you just hash it all out and you're like how are we going to get out of this because we have to get out of this we have to figure out a way but the movement off the ball is poor the player that has the ball at their feet like oftentimes when the ball gets to Ryan Garris she's just going on a

loan run because she gets to the end line and you look up and there's just nothing there or the players are there and they're behind their defenders it's like just make a little sharp five yard run to to or just stop to let the defender run past you they don't know what you're going to do so it's just it's a difficult it's hard it's hard to watch yeah it really is hard to watch um on the flip side um for north carolina three winless they break that streak with the four zero win in here. Thoughts on what you saw from them and obviously the offensive breakout. I think Ashley Sanchez right now, second in the league in goals with six total.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, Sanchez and Manaka are clicking. It's so fun to watch them. If you, did you see the goal, the assists that Monaca had to Schlegel? Yeah. How did she do that, gosh? I mean, that's 80% of the time with her. There's like, there's the split with Monaca where there's the moment, like the goal,

the fourth goal, right? she scores. Yeah. Where you're like, oh, this player is going to cut someone and curl into the corner. And that happens like 2% of the time. There's those. And then there she, so she does that, which is like, oh, this is the best player in the world. Then there's the flip side, which is the, I didn't even see that. And she does those too, which I think goes to how she is so dangerous. Yeah, I just feel like they've, this North Carolina team is starting to find their rhythm. And they're doing it with, Stoddy is stepped in because Macy Bell has been injured. Jordan and I think she's done fine, but you think this team fully healthy with Bell back in the

back line and how much she added in those first few games. But they're they're super confident in the way that they want to build. There is a different X factor to them when they do have the ball than we've seen in North Carolina in the past because they are comfortable building and they'll build through the lines. They'll play Shinomi's feet. They'll play Jackson's feet under pressure to play this nice little like up back and through to find the advanced Monaca in the pocket. But, they also are doing it way quicker, right? They want to break the lines. And Macklin has told us that from the beginning. He said, I want, I am obsessed with scoring goals. I want this team to go forward as quickly as they can. And we are seeing that. And because of the work of Williams on one side and

Sanchez on the other and Monaca centrally, Shinomi and Jackson finding advanced pockets to be on the half turn to drive at the back line with runners next to her. It's just, there's so many layers to the way that North Carolina is playing right now, that is a reason why people are showing up. I think it was a sellout or close to sellout. It was their biggest crowd of the year. And they should. Like this community should go out and support them

because I really enjoy how they play. And they just added another level too with what Kailen Sheridan can do to play out of the back. She's done some really good things to help them build or break lines under pressure lower on the field. When Managa does these, of these moments. Does she know someone is there or is it like playing to a dangerous area assuming a runner is there? I think she knows someone's there. Like she literally has time

while spinning to see Schlegel's run. I bet she looked before. I should go back and look. But I bet she looked before. And if you're any, if you're playing with Monaca, you have to believe, one, she's getting a shot off that. It's at least going to challenge the goalkeeper. Or two, she's going to get it into a dangerous area. So you best get your butt there. Make the run because you know the ball is coming. Yeah. Run to where it'll be, not where it was. Yes. The crowd, I assume, will be big once again going forward because they just announced that Crystal Dunn will be put into the ring of honor in North Carolina, one of the best players in the history of the U.S., the history of NWSL, and obviously someone who

was a huge part of the double winning teams with this group. So she will get the opportunity to be honored after retiring, after playing in France. So never really had sort of the like send-off run that you'd expect in NWSL because she came from outside of it. So gets the opportunity now to be honored, which I think is really, really cool. Speaking of home games, Denver finally won their first home game. Their third opportunity, the stadium not built, sorry, the temporary stadium not built. There are two stadiums not built yet. So Denver has been on the road a bit, not played as many games as everyone else because of midwere,

weeks and stuff. Obviously the opener that we both were at, the record crowd, which finished zero, then the two zero lead against San Diego, which ended in a three to loss at home. And now they're able to finally put that final nail in the coffin and get over the line with their first home victory. It was a three one win over Orlando in this one. And we've got a legitimate run. Janusonis for Golden Boot in NWSL. You ready for that? Who had that on their bingo card? She doesn't just score. She scores two goals every time she scores in back-to-back games. Yeah, don't let her get one because then you're in trouble.

Oh, my gosh. Also doing it from an outside back position, which is quite ridiculous. The thing about this Denver win is it wasn't just a win, Goss. I think it was one of the more dominating performances we've seen in NWSL this year, the way that they took it to Orlando. They really stretched them horizontally, which, I know you and I had a conversation. Was it after the Boston game we talked about that?

I think so or before. I don't know. I said it after the home opener too. So it was frustration bubbling for a little bit. Yeah. Yeah, I think they did a really good job of stretching Orlando horizontally. I like it was a big part of that. It looked like she was shot out of a cannon at the beginning of this game.

Like nobody was going to stop her. And she was putting defenders on skates. And one of the things. things let me just add in that I love about her game is so one of the things that frustrates me as much as I love pre-worked positioning and so the ability to play balls blind because of movement is the like pre-decided action of I come down into this right channel I'm going to get to the end line it becomes predictable for defenses she you have no idea is she coming inside for a left footed shot is she going outside for a cross is she going to clip the ball early from the

edge of the box. All three of those options are consistently used. So you cannot as a defender anticipate what's coming. Which is exactly, there's so many times in a game when I'm calling a game. I'm like, if I'm this forward, I'm doing something different the next time. I'm not going to the line again because that defender thinks I'm going to the in line because I've gone there four times in a row. And that is exactly what she does. She's unpredictable in her movements. and the rotations, I feel like, are working a lot better with where Sheehan is popping up, where Flint is popping up, and it's allowing these outside players then to have a little bit more space if then the winger tucks inside or they can create a 2V1 in the channel with

the winger saying wide. I feel like it, and we knew it was going to take a little bit for both of these teams, for both Boston and Denver. To be honest, it takes a little bit for all teams to, like, really feel their group. We're talking about Utah finding their feet. We're talking about Houston trying to find it. Louisville is still trying to find it. Yeah. Right. But one of the things that, yeah, that I think because of the way that they utilized the space and got so many players forward, then they really kept Orlando under pressure higher up on the field. And then Orlando is hopeful

balls to Banda. And when it's hopeful balls to Banda, you can make it predictable. And Kurtz and Gatino can seek out those balls, hunt them down, pick them up, and then continue possession forward. I do have a bone to pick. I think they should have tried to score more goals. You would like for them to have, so for anyone who did not watch, Ali Lamos picks up a red card with the game at two zero. No, Angelina, Angelina. Sorry, Angelina picks up a red card with the game at two zero for pulling on someone's hair in midfield, which it's like wild that they're sort of like here's the education of how a hair pulling should be judged. Also, I think that this was out of all of them,

she did have her hair, but like her, Delaney Sheehan has like the most hair I've ever seen in my life. You think that this one wasn't that bad because I think that, but I'm not the expert. I'm literally bald. Okay. The hard thing is it's bad when you pull somebody's hair in general. Like that's a bad thing.

But her arm is going out and like I think she's trying to grab her shoulder, which is like a normal move. holds on, which if you look back to it, was it Katie O'Cain last year or Sarah Weber with Louisville against Angel City where it was like she pulled someone down by their hair. Yeah, I can't remember the ball or was it rightly tearing in against, it was something with Angel City and Louisville. We're just throwing names out. Sorry. Sorry for all those. I agree with you. I did not think it was that bad. It's also one of those where it goes to VAR. Now you're watching it in slow motion. I know. Yeah. But I fully agree with like, I thought she gave, she like, she like, she like,

echo kind of quickly. So then at that point, the game was, the game was one zero. We talked about, oh no, sorry, I had this wrong. The penalty was before. Sonas scores the third after and Banda scores. So it was three, it was two zero when the red card happens in the 63rd. It ends up being three one in the 77th. And your point is that they should have tried to pour it on and go out. Yeah, in the 77th, they just honestly probably passed for the last part of the game, which, okay, I get it. I do get it. But also I don't get it.

Nice. You're a team that you're in front of a sold-out crowd for the third time, really. You haven't won't a home game. Yeah, I guess we won't call that $63,000 sold out because it wasn't technically, but we're going to call it sold out. And every cell history. Three cells at home. And you want those people to come back.

You know what's going to get them to come back? More goals. Yeah. I mean, I feel. a little bit of like, you know, Orlando's missing two starting centerbacks. They're playing on midweek. You're on the road. You just get in a situation, I think, where most people do, where if you try and show a team up,

the reaction could be worse. That reaction could end up being more detrimental to you than the positives. But I feel your anger inside your, like, Adam Driver in the Star Wars movie with the Moore meme. Yeah. So a huge win for Denver. a lot to like, a lot to be excited about. On the flip side for Orlando, I just said it. Huge injuries for them.

Yeah. I mean, Ovaeé out long term was the highest transfer in the world when she came in. They are missing Hafeiello, who is arguably the best centerback in this league when she's healthy and on her game, as well as potential partners or other centerbacks to the point where Haley Mace played fullback in this game, both right and left, after having played centerback. and then you have Hannah Anderson starting at centerback in this group. I guess my question is for a team that went on the road and lost to back-to-back expansion teams, where is your worry meter with Orlando?

It's getting, it's like going like this towards the not good side because it does feel like, and for everybody listening as everybody is, it's going back and forth. It's wavering towards the worried side. because it doesn't feel like there are solutions besides Banda. That's where my worry comes from. Yeah. If there were solutions besides Banda, even if those changes, like I think Hannah Anderson is going to be a consistent player in this league as she gets more games under her belt. Corey Dike has now a couple of games as that centerback and Haley Mace, they've played at the outside back.

So this is something that they've been doing to try to get Mace more involved in the attack. and with the injuries that Orlando has, like, I do think that they have depth. But it didn't feel like they were able to answer what Denver was giving them. Okay, where's Marta to help us get out of these things? How can she include the wingers in a progression? Can an outside back get a little bit higher? It didn't feel like there were answers to what besides, hey, band is up there. And maybe this is Denver's pressure or Boston's pressure in the

last couple of games. But it's just like, we're going to throw it up to Banda and hope that she can get the ball and go, which she did. It has felt the entire year has felt the entire season has felt fully reliant on let's play Banda over the top and see what she can do. And it is solely reliant on that. And with Ovaeah healthy, there was a secondary piece, which was Oro Valle gets on the ball 1 v. I still love Oanae's service left and right, like, sees a pass can clip a really dangerous cross-in, all of that. I don't feel like there's a single possession idea in the attacking third, which is besides individual talent creating a moment,

what are the advantages we create as a group because of pre-worked possession, triangles that we get into, areas that we pick up? It is one-v-one talent or overwhelming runners, and those are like the only two things. And this has been the story for Orlando pretty much since Seb Hines took over. They had the best defense of all time at one point where Marta, two years younger and some additional pieces around her with Banda. That gets you to a double and a championship. Then after that, when they haven't had all their talent available, this has been a team that sort of hangs on by a fingernail.

and it's 51-49, which way it falls because Banda is one of the two best players in this league and maybe one of the five best players in the world. And when healthy, the defense is legit. But now you lose Sam's. The day and are unavailable. So the depth has gone from that centerback position. And you take a hit there and you start to fall apart in some of these games. But it is close for me for the reason you said, which is I can't tell you why it gets better

besides pure health and other players getting there. Where maybe for other teams, the talent doesn't exist. And there's like other worries, which is both style and roster build. This one's less roster build, but it just feels like it's been moving in this one direction for two years now. And there is no solution internally except for, well, when we're healthy, we'll be better than some of these other teams. So I think that's a huge worry for me. And then one of the other ones to mention from the weekend before we move forward. Kansas City, 3-0 win over Houston at home.

Croy Bathune cruising in this game. So since Temwa Shiawinga has been back, this is from American Soccer Analysis. Thank you, American Soccer Analysis, for the stats. on the on NWSL goals added per game per 96 so per game at least the third of the minutes played in the league

Barbara Banda is number one 0.4 per game which is massive over Croy Bethune and Temwa Shwinga who are 2 and 3 at 0.28 the gap between Schoinga and Rose Lavell and Claudio Martinez and Kudananji and everyone below

is smaller than it is to be And like the gap between Croix and C.C. Delzer from 2 to 10 is the same as it is between what? And it's point one and the other one's point two almost. Yeah, exactly. But it still goes to show I think that with Schoinger on the field, the attack can work. And even though there are times where Schoinger and Croix want the same positioning, there is enough space there and enough threat that going forward, when healthy, that front four or five is going to be okay.

Well, this is Kansas City. And this is why Shawanga is the best player in this league. It's not just what she can do with the ball. It's what she can do for everybody else around her because she has such a gravitational pull. And so Chris Armis is wiping the sweat off his brow saying thank you very much for being healthy because we are now winning.

And I also believe the reason that this works is because Bailey Feist is playing next to Lola Vanta. You have to have stability centrally in those two holding midfield positions, which they had with Hutton and in Labanta and then struggled when they played other players. Katie Scott played in there not as holding midfielder. They tried to give her that. I think Fice was in and out with injuries at the beginning of the year as well.

But when there is stability in that holding midfield piece, and so you can say, go attack and Croy can pop out on the wing and do whatever she wants or pop centrally or go high and beyond and really free roam and range in those defensive positions too to go hunt the ball and create turnovers that's when croix is the best and so if you don't have that behind her then she has to play lower and she's not as good lower because she's a attacking player so there is a it is showing a back in her how she just pulls players towards her and you have this fear if you're a defense of like where is she at all times if you take your eyes off her for a second she's going to get past you around you away from you

And so when that happens, and you have Cooper playing at the level that she's playing at, Croix playing at the level that she's playing at, it's a recipe for success for the current. Rousey, the rookie at right back's been really good as well. And part of that is with Feistin. I think the fullbacks kind of can read the game easier of I know when I can go and I know when I have to stay. I think they just signed her to a longer deal as well. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

I mean, a really good piece. And Kansas City's been good about this of. finding pieces around the margin and then sort of locking them in once they're in house of like, it's the best facilities, you're playing in front of this crowd, we're pushing for trophies. It's what players want to be a part of. And it seems like KC knows if we can get them in the building, then we can figure out the long-term situation. Speaking of long, if you're listening via Sirius Radio, we're going to go a little bit long here as we preview the midweek action to come with Concaf and with NWSL midweek games. So make sure to start soccer-wise on-demand for the on-demand player on Sirius or anywhere you get your podcast to listen to the full episode.

we always appreciate everyone who listens here on Sirius. For us, I will take us to Concaf, and I will say, in these data charts that I'm looking at, you have Claudia Martinez, who, as I said, is top five, top two, and expected goals added. Huge addition for this Washington team, which now will need to show their depth. So they will go down to Mexico. They will face off against the host Pachuca in the second semi-final. Club America will face off against Gotham. in the first semi-final.

And for a club with Washington's ambitions, with the ownership they have, who already has international pedigree, this feels like a must-win situation because this is the stage Washington wants to be on globally. And the first step to getting there is winning your first Continental Championship. Yeah, I would say both teams want to be on this stage, right?

Gotham has a little more proof to it because they've already won this thing. Yeah. So yeah. And both of them are set up, it seems like, to have the depth to be able to compete in competitions like this. We saw Washington rotate some players and, you know, Qaasi didn't get the start. Martinez gets the start. Like you have starters on your bench. Wiesner, who's been playing well as an outside back, doesn't start in the last game. Will she start in this one? Like they have the ability to plug and play players depending on the competition or who they're playing or what they want out of those positions. and that's the kind of depth we're talking about with both of these teams. And I don't know, I don't know Gotham's health right now. I do think they had a few players in and out of, like, is Lily Real available yet? Lily Real has not been playing. And Rosalveld did not play in the last two games.

Yeah. There has been huge injuries at both fullback positions. So it's been attacking players playing there, mainly midge purse, at the right back spot. So if you had Cook got the start at the number 10 against Seattle, Shepansky got the start in the previous game at the 10, filling in for Rose LaVelle. Otherwise, though, Shaw's been healthy. Estre has been healthy.

Jordan Dudley has hit the ground running, I think, as expected. And that especially, I think that central midfield pivot of McCaskill and Howell has been fully available for them as well. Yeah. So this is, I mean, it's an exciting weekend for both of these teams. They come off of, I think for Washington, they're going to be disappointed that they lose that game over the weekend and going to have a little bit of fire underneath them to try to make it right.

And it would be really interesting, wouldn't it, Goss, if they played each other in the final. It would be huge, yeah. It would be, I think, a really cool opportunity to see a preview, potentially of a playoff game. We know what happened two years ago in the playoffs between the two of them. I think it's a matchup they both really relish. We know what happened in the five.

final last year. Oh yeah, in the final last year, of course. I can't believe I forgot that. It is, and to your point, like, Gotham believes they're a global club, Washington believes they're a global club. So it would be an opportunity on a different stage to prove it to each other. It will not be easy. So Club America just won the League MX Feminol. Gotham will see a familiar face in Jace at the center forward position. And a couple of familiar faces in these teams. As we know, the top of Mexico. Mexico has really connected to NWSL where we see players moving between both. We see a good amount of young Americans going down to Mexico to play. We see a good amount of Mexican Americans who have sort of swapped between the two.

So a ton of talent on both of these sides. But Club America, they won the Ligia last weekend. So for them, they couldn't rest players against Monterey with that two-legged affair. So they're coming in similar to these NWSEL clubs off big games. off a bunch of travel and having to deal with everything there. So I think in that sense, it is fairly even here. But a huge opportunity for these two clubs. And then a reminder, this will qualify you for that FIFA tournament,

which Gotham played in the first ever one, which fingers crossed, they find maybe a scheduling fix there to make it a little bit more competitive. But it will also qualify you for whatever the women's club World Cup looks like when FIFA figures out how it works. And this was something we saw on the men's side, which was like teams won trophies. And then they were told later on, oh, congratulations, you qualified for this big tournament. With not knowing that's what they were playing for at the time.

So it's like best to win it and then figure it out later rather than try and figure out how to get in. Those things have huge payouts. Obviously, it would be a chance to potentially play at a better time of season if it is summer against some of the best teams in the world and prove where you stand. And, you know, I just look at this Washington team. As I said, like you got Clutter Martin. as to this group with Andy Sullivan, and you're talking about Italian-Canadian starting internationals at both full-back positions.

You're talking about Wiesner, who's been getting call-ups herself coming off the bench at that position. You're talking about Rose Cuasi potentially off the bench up top, like you are saying. And this is starting Mexican and international essentially. And this is without Ashley Hatch and without Kingsbury. This team is 16 to 18 deep in internationals,

and I think there's a really cool chance for them to prove that they can hang at this level for Gotham, as you said, huge opportunity as well, but something they've sort of proven already over the last 12 to, I don't know, 36 months of time. On the NWSL side, the midweek is Houston, San Diego, Portland versus Bay and L.A. Angel City against Kansas City. We talked Casey a bit.

This is probably their biggest test. They lost 4-0 to Washington. They won their last three. The offense has turned on. I think even with some of the struggles for Angel City. Angel City normally controls game states better than the groups that Kansas City has gone up again. So I think there's a really fascinating test for how much better has things gotten and how dangerous can this team be against one of the tops. And we're saying that against Angel City,

who's what now? They're bottom, they're like 11th, 10th. They're, which, but they're 12th right now. And I got to figure out how I feel about all of it. Yeah, I know. I think what it will be interesting, if Angel City can, they've had some rotations and they've had some injuries. And without Jan's daughter, they look a lot less threatening going forward. But even when she was playing, teams had to realize, okay, we can't give up the space and behind. And so how are they playing underneath? I think Tiernan is trying to find her footing and being asked a lot of different things from Alex Strauss. Like, play as a nine, play as a 10, play as an inverted winger.

there are, I think you put her back at the nine and just give her a few games there and see if you can get her rolling because she has proven that in this league, she can score goals. But I think it's been an overwhelming ask to do all this other stuff instead of just be the player that's in the box for the service. So endo back, Emsley back, I think that Angel City does have the ability to play through their midfield a little bit more and find those attackers. in advantageous positions, but one of the things that Kansas City wants you to do is play centrally. They want you to play there, close those gaps, win the ball back, and then go in transition. So that's going to be something that I look at in this game is how does Angel City get around that? Maybe it's Gordon dribbling through, or Sam's dribbling through that first line of pressure to then create off the dribble. But it should be a good test. I've been hopeful for Angel City.

They started off so well, but this game with Kansas City rolling will be more interesting than I think it would have been a couple weeks ago. The Portland game, to me, was a bit underwhelming in that I thought both teams were in spots where they were going to try and push to win, and it felt like both teams sort of settled and safe as the game wore along. I was like, okay, zero zero is not bad. Can we steal a goal versus let's open up and force the game? Kansas City doesn't really play that way. So I'm hoping it sucks Angel City into that. The one thing I mentioned, I put this up on Blue Sky of like, Sarah Gordon went one V1 in space against Sophia Wilson and won that battle.

Yeah. And the reward for that is now you're going to have Temwa Shwinga and Alex Settner and Croymouth Thune. I think these are some of the best individual defenders in NWSL across the back for this Angel City team. But this is as big a test as there is for that. So I think that will be really fun to watch and really interesting. And yeah, they're both teams that think have higher apps. aspirations. Watching Angel City this weekend, you talk about Tiernan back to the nine, is this a Sam Kerr team? I know we like said we wouldn't do this this week and we'll do it

another time. I guess my point in that is I don't think Jan's daughter has to be the center forward for herself. So I think there's an opening there. I don't know if the setup becomes a 4-4-2. If you bring Curran and Tiernan stays up there, I don't know if you do push Tiernan back out wide. If it's a 433 setup and then there's just a lot of responsibility on the midfield to cover ground. But it's a team that really hasn't had a center forward that you play through pretty much their entire time, even though they've gone out to find Cine the Roos of the World and all

of that. And it's obviously a team that's going to come up with any big name player just because of the opportunity to be in L.A. and all that stuff. Yeah. I don't think it's a batch out. I think that whatever team Sam Kerr goes to will really be able to utilize her as that target player, as a player that can play between the two centerbacks and really ask questions from them. I don't know how good she is in the space and beyond, but if you play her as a true nine and you don't need her to utilize the space in behind, similar to like what Cantore is doing in Washington, where then you can use the pace of players around her to stretch the back. line. Yeah, absolutely. But I do, I do think Tiernan can be that. Like, so yeah, it's just been,

it's just been difficult because there's been so many moving parts in this beginning of the year, injuries. And I think, go ahead. She was unbelievable last year, but it was hanging on the end and scoring goals. And I think, I thought the progression we saw this year was this is a team that's going to play into tight spaces and play back out and dominate possession in all these ways. And I don't know that she's that center forward for you where I think Kerr can be as well as the threat with Kerr if she drops in she can always take you on the half turn so you can't step too tight now there's a little more space and you know I mean she's one of the best players in the world over the last 10 year so it's like a tough comparison to make for anyone but it feels like if you look at this group

where else are you going to add and I think Angel City looks at this season and says we are better than where we stand and you are two weeks away from a month long break I think there has to be in addition to this team. And unless it's like this world class number 10 that knits everything together, I think it's probably at that center forward position. Yeah. I think I'm with you on that. Okay.

Houston, San Diego and Portland Bay, the other two teams. Houston, obviously, an unbelievable performance already this season against San Diego early in the year, trying to find their feet once again, struggling with a little bit of injuries, and that's something that they just don't have the depth to account for. But some big midweek games for these teams because they have to stack points going into this break. And like everyone has to play midweeks. It can't just be, okay, well, we're just going to chip these three or these six because we have a midweek game because then everyone turns back around and goes into the weekend, which I guess I could have had with me for this one.

So then Friday, we get Boston hosting Seattle, Seattle in their own show. struggle bus right now. Saturday, Louisville, North Carolina, Utah, Denver. So a little, what are we calling it? Are we calling it Rockies? Is there any Rocky Mountain thing in this? Or we got to find a new thing? I don't know if there is a name for it. All right. Well, we're going to need a name for it at some point, but we can wait until the game gets closer. We'll workshop that one. And then Houston hosting Angel City and then Sunday, Kansas City host Portland, the early game. Bay host Chicago. I know you're going to be on the call for that one. And then, San Diego hosts Orlando to close out the weekend.

So a big week of games for all of these teams, no midweeks next week. So then a full slate of games the following weekend. And then that's the last weekend of NWSL games until July 3rd because of the Men's World Cup break with the NWSL Challenge Cup fit in between. So a lot for us to cover. We're going to keep coming to you with all of this coverage. We have our power rankings that have been coming out. If you don't already follow us at Soccerwise, WOSO, underscore WOSO on Instagram, where we have our fully dedicated women's soccer vertical there.

We'll be covering national team stories. We'll be covering all of these big time transfers, rumors, reports, and then hopefully some signings over the course of the summer. But appreciate everyone being here. Thank you to you, Jordan. And we'll talk to you all again very soon.