SoccerWise - Weekend Recap Edition

Episode Date: September 30, 2024

David jumps into the studio to recap a big weekend of action across North America. First Orlando sets the shutout streak record in NWSL in front of a record crowd. On the other end of the standings the playoff race takes another turn as there are some new teams that have inserted their name into the race. In MLS the top four seeds in both conferences are up for grabs and a new team has entered the eastern conference playoff race. 2:40 NWSL Recap 10:07 MLS RecapSoccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Hey everybody, welcome back to SoccerWise for another weekend recap edition. Myself, David Goss, here with you. It is going to be a little bit of a different week here at SoccerWise. This week, we are going to have our Tuesday show earlier than normal. We're going to record around 9, 9.30 a.m. Eastern Time. Not sure if we're going to do it live or not. So we get Tom out so he can get to some big things because it is his wedding week. So Tom getting married next weekend, then going off on his honeymoon.

So we're going to be filling in for him over the next few episodes, but a chance to celebrate him tomorrow and enjoy what is going to be a big show. Of course, we're going to look back at the weekend that was in Major League Soccer and then look at a massive midweek of MLS coming up. And then I am moving into a new apartment, and it is the Jewish holidays this week as Tom is off on his wedding and Jordan is traveling and everything. So we might have to adjust some recording times as well and some episodes as we go across this week. But we're going to try and bring you all of the coverage that we always provide here at SoccerWise.

And then we'll be back on schedule for next week for sure going forward. And let's dig into our weekend recap. Every Monday, I come to you with this episode to sort of give you an idea of where things stand in both the NWSL and Major League Soccer after big weekends of action. We've got international breaks coming up on the men's side, so it'll be probably shifted a little bit as we go forward, but we'll still continue to bring you some great shows.

And if you don't, subscribe to our Patreon so you can jump into our Discord and you can talk about all the teams that matter to you and all the players and all the storylines with us there over on our private Discord. It also gives you Tom's breaking news in a private Discord channel. So if you don't want to be on X or Twitter anymore, but you still want to know what's going on in the soccer world, that is a really good option for you as well as access to our depth charts and many other little perks.

Let's start in the NWSL. Let's start with the Orlando Pride. Now, if you have not listened yet, we did a sit down interview last Friday with Haley Carter, the sporting director for the Orlando Pride. You can go listen to that one still. A long 30-minute chat about both this team, the way it was built, what their success has come from, as well as the future of the league around the CBA, around the growth of NWSL and women's soccer in North America overall.

So a really fun chat and another good weekend for Haley and her team. So Orlando knocked off Houston 3-1. They continue their undefeated streak at the top of NWSL. They did it in front of a record crowd at the soccer-specific stadium, 17,000 fans for this one. They did lose their shutout streak, but they only did so in the 54th minute, and therefore they set the nwsa record for consecutive minutes played without conceding a goal the total streak finished at 554 minutes they broke the streak in the 47th minute i believe breaking north carolina's record from the past and now they stand alone at the top of that and remain undefeated looking for the first ever undefeated season in NWSL history. Orlando will have a chance

to clinch the shield next weekend at home against Washington. So you have to think coming off that record crowd, it is going to be an incredible atmosphere, and to do so against the number two team head-to-head and to do it at home, that's the dream for the Orlando Pride. The other teams at the top, Washington went to California and won 2-1 without Trinity Rodman or Casey Krueger, who both stayed home with injuries. And Gotham went to Kansas City and got a 1-1 draw in one of the best games of the weekend on Saturday afternoon. Gotham going ahead on an early own

goal that they forced from Yasmeen Ryan, or Yasmeen Ryan forced it. And then KC equalizing through who else but Temwa Shawinga, a really nice individual goal. But this was a fantastic battle. If this is a playoff game, we are in for a treat because these two teams have so much individual quality across the field, so much physicality as well. Right outside that top four in NWSL, North Carolina crushed Chicago. Ashley Sanchez, world-class performance as the 10, as the creator in this one. Brianna Pinto forced the first goal in that false nine position, also an own goal in this game, but then was injured on the play and forced to come off. Some more positive news for North Carolina. Caroline came on in the 57th minute

as she continues her return and scored her first goal of the year. So big game for North Carolina, big performance for them, and the big return from Caroline continuing. Portland tailspinning, though, into the postseason. They lost 2-0 to San Diego this weekend. So they now have five losses and one tie since the Olympic break finished. Portland are on 28 points. Bay are equal on 28 points behind in the standings on wins as they moved into that tie

for seventh and sit in that eighth spot with their one zero win over Seattle. An interesting moment for the winning goal. Bay forced the penalty kick or earned a penalty kick while Seattle was down a player. The captain Barnes out injured in the moment getting treatment. And so fair play to Bay. They were able to force the play in that moment. Oshawala puts away the penalty kick after earning it. And overall, a strong performance from Bay FC. At some point, Kundanaji has to start putting these chances away. But if they continue to win without that, you have to think they will come.

As she had another uber dangerous game. Bay able to jump over Louisville after Louisville lost to Utah in what unfortunately was probably a could-not-lose game for this Louisville team. Tejada with the stunner in the second half to give Utah that win. And now San Diego with the victory over Portland. They are six points off the playoff line with four matches to go. It is unlikely that they will be able to jump two

teams and continue these performances and get into the playoffs, but we have seen crazier things before as San Diego start to find their feet under Landon Donovan. Some big matches though over the course of the weekend, but I think the biggest performance has to be this North Carolina Courage team. Facing off against the Chicago team right behind them, Ludmilla in good form. She scored another good goal. And North Carolina, they were efficient, they were dangerous, and they did not open themselves up to big transition moments for the Chicago team.

The way Chicago sets up should fit against North Carolina. Chicago played North Carolina really well in North Carolina where the Courage are normally dominant. Now North Carolina goes on the road and they're able to pick up the performance. Ashley Sanchez sets up the first two goals again, operating in that right-hand space, going out wide, getting centerbacks to follow her, and then be able to work one-on-one against them in space where no centerback can stay with Ashley Sanchez. Help creating the chances, help creating the chances help

creating the goals and then you get that final goal from Caroline so a huge moment there the other biggest storylines of the weekend of course Orlando setting that shutout record now that's the number that any team in the future will have to chase it solidifies part of this season for Orlando that is going to go down in the history books for a very, very long time. And of course, it is not even close to done yet. And some sad news to start the weekend as Christine Sinclair announced that this would be her final season in NWSL. She would be retiring from the Portland Thorns. So a chance for us to at least send Sinclair off with the respect and the honor that she deserves. She can now kind of have this go-away tour and at least the fans

in Portland get an opportunity to celebrate her off the back end of the season. For Sinclair, of course, this team's still in CONCy calf competition, but their final games at home against Utah coming up this weekend, then hosting Orlando Pride, going to Louisville, and then finishing at home against Angel City. That is currently a Friday night NWSL on Prime game. Probably will stay there, but maybe Portland tries to change things up. You have to expect at least it is going to be a ton of pomp and circumstance, all things that Sinclair hates, but I think she understood the

need for fans to be able to say goodbye. She did so with Canada last year after her retirement, a send-off series in Canada that was incredible to watch, huge fan support, just an opportunity to show her how much she has meant to the game and to specifically the two areas she has affected the most, Canada and Portland. She has been a Portland thorn since the day this club was founded. She never left, even during some down times. She has been a steadying force for the club, for the league, NWSL overall, as well as for the sport in this region. The all-time leading goal scorer on the planet. She is one of the best we have ever seen,

and we have seen her flexibility as a soccer player to drop in as a 10 when other nines maybe need opportunities on the field, as well as that elite goal scorer that always gives her team a chance to win. Probably not going to go out on a high from a team point of view, as she would like, but she won that NWSL Cup once again two years ago. And she has continued to put in strong performances in a time period in her life when no one would expect to see someone playing in the professional game. So I'm excited that everyone will get an opportunity to sort of send her off correctly and give her the flowers that she so richly deserves. Let's jump to the MLS side of things, which is jumbled and chaotic. Let's start at the top of

the conferences, then we'll do the playoff line reset. At the top in the Eastern Conference, you have Miami, of course, but they tied Charlotte 1-1. I will get into how that affects their race for the points record. Columbus jumped over FC Cincinnati for second place right now in the East. Columbus, a game in hand over Cincinnati. The crew, a 2-2 draw at DC United and Cincinnati losing at home to LAFC as LAFC comes off the back of the US Open Cup victory. So big jump there. Orlando moved into fourth place this weekend with their win over FC Dallas because of the losses above them. On the west side of things, LAFC flew up the standings with their victory. They moved from fourth to second with that road win.

RSL dropping points from a 2-0 lead at Austin to move down to third and Colorado currently sitting in fourth. In the Eastern Conference, Orlando, NYCFC, and Red Bulls officially clinched their playoff spots, but only Chicago has been officially eliminated in the East. On the West side, a few clinchers as well. At the playoff line in the east, Toronto and Philadelphia are still tied on points with both drawing this weekend, but they are now tied on points with Montreal, who won again, this time 3-0 against San Jose. So TFC currently sitting in eighth place with the tiebreaker on wins, Philadelphia in the final playoff spot on goal differential.

And Montreal currently the first team out but tied on points. Montreal, though, finishing at Atlanta, at Charlotte, and versus NYCFC. In the West, Minnesota, 3-0 winners over the Colorado Rapids. They moved above Portland on the win tiebreaker to currently sit 8th in the West. Portland are in 9th, and Portland are 8 points up on FC Dallas after their loss this weekend. So the Western Conference playoff race, I am saying, is officially over. Seattle, Houston, Vancouver all clinched their spots. St. Louis were officially eliminated, even with the Derby Q victory over

Sporting Kansas City, as there are not enough games left for them to continue to move. The biggest movers of the weekend, you have to say Columbus, jumping back above FC Cincinnati, controlling their own destiny for a chance to host all the way to the conference finals in the Eastern Conference. And LAFC, with that bounce-back victory in Major League Soccer after the relief of winning the U.S. Open Cup, David Martinez leading the way, the young phenom Venezuelan that me and Tom talked about for a long time last week going into the U.S. Open Cup, about what his future is.

He's so good, but he's not getting minutes, but he's capable of it. And you saw it in the game against Cincinnati. LAFC officially clinched their playoff spot with that win, and they moved all the way to second place at the same line. But the biggest storyline of the weekend, NYCFC pasting the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Not quite a red wedding, but pretty close. NYCFC, two goals in a seven-minute span in the

opening of the first half. Van Zier made it 2-1 midway through the first half, and then NYCFC were able to bounce back. Pereira gets another goal. They go up two goals again. They see it out, dominant fashion, and it was a huge moment for this NYCFC team. Nick Cushing talked about it after the game. He's one of only two coaches in NYCFC history to never bring the team to the playoffs. Jason Christ didn't really get a whole lot of chance as they were an expansion team, and he wants to get there,

and NYCFC able to get over that line, able to clinch their spot, and to do it on the road, to jump Red Bulls in the standings, to dominate your rival. It was a huge moment for them, and to do it on the road, to jump Red Bulls in the standings, to dominate your rival. It was a huge moment for them. And to do without Santi Rodriguez, pretty big as well. Alonso Martinez, a big game in this one, but uncharacteristic performance from this Red Bull team. The mistakes in possession at the back are something you don't normally see them do because they're

so willing to go long and be direct so often in the game. So credit to NYCFC for showing them some different looks, forcing the back line to think a little bit more, to try and play into some different positions, to force those mistakes, and missing Sean Neal is for sure for this Red Bull team, but that is a big loss for this group. And Sandro Swartz said,

our season isn't over. It's just one loss. We still have a lot of work left to do, but that is potentially an error-defining loss for this Red Bull team at home against NYCFC. The other big story, as I mentioned it, Miami won one draw against Charlotte. So that means Miami, with the three games left to play,

they need all nine points to be perfect to set the points record in Major League Soccer. Seems unlikely, but we will see if Miami can do so in these final three games. And then big news for FC Cincinnati. Matt Miasga already out for the year with injury. They brought in Awusiam, who me and Tom have talked about how much we love watching his game for this Cincinnati team. They brought him in to play center back. He came off the field in the first half against LAFC with an injury. So something very worrying for this Cincinnati squad.

All right. Midweek action coming up in Major League Soccer. So a lot to look forward to. A lot to talk about coming up in Major League Soccer. So a lot to look forward to, a lot to talk about coming up in MLS. Some incredible games on the docket in the midweek. As I said, Montreal continuing to push for a playoff spot. They go to Atlanta. You've got Orlando hosting Philadelphia as those two teams try and write themselves into the playoffs. Philadelphia trying to solidify themselves. Toronto hosting the Red Bulls.

That is a must win for this TFC squad. Portland hosting Austin. That's a must win for this Portland group. They had Noah Vander this weekend because of yellow card suspension. They picked up the 1-1 draw against Vancouver. Vancouver had to have a Cascadia match against Seattle as those two teams fight in the standings as well. But the biggest game of the midweek, Columbus hosting Inter Miami.

That one, 7.30 p.m. Eastern time in Columbus. That is going to be a blast. So we are going to break it all down for you tomorrow, and then I will be back after on Thursday with your recap and your weekend preview as we roll into the playoffs in these two leagues. It is going to be a fun week. So thank you all for listening. And we'll talk to you again.

Very, very soon.