SoccerWise - Weekend Recap Edition: NWSL History, USMNT Recap & MLS Decision Day Comes Into Focus

Episode Date: October 14, 2024

David straps in to reset everything that happened in a wild weekend of NWSL action. Orlando lost their first game in over A YEAR and too a struggling Portland squad. On the individual side Temwa Chawinga rewrote the record books as the top four sides solidify their spots. Mauricio Pochettino started a new era off for the USMNT with a 2-0 victory over Panama in Austin Texas, David walks through some initial thoughts. And with the two makeup games in MLS this weekend the picture is finally laid out for what is at stake on Decision Day. 1:50 NWSL Recap 9:15 USMNT Reaction 12:45 MLS Reset Heading Into Decision Day Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Hey everybody, welcome back to SoccerWise, our weekend recap. I, of course, am David Goss with you to run you through everything this weekend. NWSL, heavy action, some historic moments, the U.S. men's national team, and of course, two games in Major League Soccer that have helped set the stage for what we're going to see this week coming up in Decision Day on Saturday. Another big week here at SoccerWise of coverage. I believe the schedule is going to be we're going to have Bobby Warshaw join me tomorrow to go through a couple of existential questions that you have asked

about soccer. Jordan Angeli, of course, back on Wednesday. As of now, Joe Lowry is going to join me on Thursday to help preview Decision Day and still putting together some interviews for the week. But I think we have some really interesting potential interviews that we're going to have from some people around the North American soccer world that I am really looking forward to. Of course, Tom's still off on his honeymoon. He will return next week as we dig into MLS playoffs. On the NWSL side, we've got

two more weekends of matches left, but of course, an international break in the middle there as well. The U.S. men's national team playing Mexico coming up on Tuesday night, as well as Canada getting their first game of the window, their only game of the window. They will face off against the Panama side that the U.S. just faced off against in Austin on Saturday. Let's dig into the weekend. Let's start with NWSL and, of course, the biggest story of the weekend. It's been Orlando every week, setting records, shutout streaks, undefeated streaks, winning the Shield last week. This week, the history they made comes to an end. The Portland Thorns knocked off the Orlando Pride on Friday night, 2-0 in Portland.

Orlando's first loss of the year, first loss in over a year. And the undefeated streak is done. We talked about it with Jordan last Wednesday. It was a heavily rotated team for Seb Hines, his group, not the same star studded squad that Orlando's capable of putting out there. And it ended up biting them at Providence Park. You could sort of feel the energy of the building. Thorns get an early set piece goal, and you felt the crowd behind Portland. And the other side of this is how incredible it is for the Portland Thorns just to get a win at this point. So not only are they the first team this year to beat Orlando, not only are they the first team this year to beat Orlando, not only are the first team in over a year to beat Orlando, but for the Portland Thorns, it was their first win in NWSL

since July 5th. You heard that correctly. Portland getting a victory in NWSL before the Olympic break, have not won a league match since that point. They have won in CONCACAF competition, but they had not won an NWSL game, and they are the ones to take away Orlando's undefeated streak. So an incredible match there, a big result, obviously a historic one. Orlando already clinched the shield, so they don't really have much to play for at this point except for that history and that pride. And I think it makes sense from Seb Hines' point of view that he is focused on winning the NWSL Cup. He is focused on having his team healthy and fit for the playoffs. He is focused on giving some other players maybe some opportunity as well to see what type of difference makers they can be for this team.

Because he knows it is going to be a different test in the postseason remember last year of course San Diego won the shield they fell in their opening postseason game Gotham ending up as one of the last teams in the playoffs winning the NWSL Cup so it is a different type of competition it is a different type of challenge And Orlando clearly putting some focus to that one. For Portland, a massive win. I will go through the bottom of the standings trying to fight for a spot in the playoffs. But let's stick with the history. Temwa Shawinga, the only goal in Casey Curran's 1-0 victory at Bay FC.

That was Shawinga's 19th goal of the season. It sets the NWSL single-season goal-scoring record. She scored it in the first half. Shawinga did it all herself. Wins the ball off of Kiki Pickett. What I love about this play is she plays through a foul. Pickett's trying to drag her down to kill the play. Shawinga doesn't go down soft.

Goes through the contact. Rips a shot from outside the 18 and is able to score the goal that gives her team the victory and sets the record this record breaks sam kerr's goal scoring record from 2019 now kerr scored 18 goals in 21 matches that year for showinga it is now 19 in 24 so a different amount of games and obviously a different schedule with the expansion and the way the league has changed but shwinga still has two more games to pad that number to stretch her lead over history and maybe even end up in a spot similar in goals per game to what sam kerr did in her victory year. Those two games left for Kansas

City is hosting San Diego this weekend and then going to Chicago on the final weekend of the season. In between, by the way, the Summer Cup final will be played. Kansas City hosting Gotham. That is during the international break. So that is another match for her to play, but won't count in those records. Now, we're going to talk MVP coming up. I think there's a clear assumption that it will be Barbara Banda being the leading goal scorer, being sort of the new phenom on an Orlando team that set all these records and won the shield. Going through, Temo showing a 19 19 goals 11 of the games she has scored in she either scored the only goal that Kansas City scored or her goal was the one that decided the result whether that was equalizing or in a game in which they tied or being a one goal or two goals in a one goal

victory or a two goal victory because Kansas City was blowing the doors off people early on the first month and a half two months of the season that has not been the case since even in their losses showing has been the only one to be able to score goals that type of impact for a team that has had a lot of injuries especially in the attack has lost a lot of pieces for international duty and all those other things. I think that is the argument for Shawinga to be MVP. Is that not only has she scored the most goals, but her individual impact has, I think, elevated Kansas City in a way that they, in a spot they would not be in without her. That spot is clinching a top four place at least in NWSL and a home game in the first round alongside Gotham FC who knocked off Chicago 2-0, two late goals for them, and

Washington Spirit who knocked off Louisville 4-1. Great news seeing Trinity Rodman return in this one off the bench. Casey Kruger was available but did not play in this one. So Washington getting a little bit healthier. Still no Lacey Santos or Ule Sar in this one. So those four teams have all clinched their spot with a home field match in the opening round of the NWSL playoffs. North Carolina has clinched their spot in the playoffs, and I feel pretty safe in saying they will be the five seed. They cannot move up into those top four, and it does not look like the gap below them will be touched. So North Carolina will be

the five seed. Then you go down to the bottom half of the postseason for the final two games left. Six through eight right now is Chicago on 32 points. Portland in seventh on 31 points. Bay FC in eighth on 28 points. Then the gap is to Louisville in ninth on 25 points. And Utah inserting themselves back into this conversation in 10th on 24 points. Chicago officially clinching their spot in the playoffs, but not sure where they will land. Chicago has the second best goal differential. Portland has the best in that group so it could still move any way and of course Louisville and Utah still

chasing Bay and Portland for the spot in the postseason so a lot to be decided in the final two matches coming up Seattle officially eliminated from postseason play Houston already officially eliminated San Diego and Angel City technically still alive but technically only as those teams struggle and of course have a huge gap to make up one that I think is impossible at this point of the season on the men's side the U.S. men's national team made their debut under Mauricio Pochettino it was in the end a 2-0 victory over Panama at Q2 Stadium. A ton of injuries for this team. So not exactly the best 11 that Mauricio Pochettino could put out there.

And not the simplest 11 to put together for this U.S. men's national team. But overall, a solid performance. One that Pochettino said post-game he thought was very professional. He was very happy with. He said, we had a couple goals that we wanted to accomplish in this match, and we were able to do so. So a happy performance for him. Some of the highlights, Eunice Moussa getting the start at right wingback

in a 3-4-3 setup. Joe Scali, Mark McKenzie, Tim Rehm, the three centerbacks. Jedi on the left, Moussa on the right. Busio and Morris getting the starts at central midfield behind Brendan Aronson and Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent getting the start at the center forward position Moussa scored the opening goal in the 49th minute coming in off that right wing it was good play from Jedi to start the attacking play he then linked up with Pulisic who combined with Aronson on He then linked up with Pulisic, who combined

with Arrington on the edge of the box. Pulisic's able to put it across the face of goal, and Moussa's the one crashing from the far right side to be able to put it home. Overall, it was a strong performance from Moussa, lively. He talked about his experience playing on the wing, and Pochettino talked about his son, I believe, playing against Ma in the Arsenal Academy when his son was in the Tottenham Academy when Pochettino was their head coach and watching him play out on the wing and how electric he could be. And they talked about trying to get Musa confidence and maybe making the game a little bit simpler there for him.

And Eunice Musa, one of the many U.S. men's national team players that are struggling right now to get playing time at their club and with confidence. So it was good to see Pochettino understand the way he could affect things, the way he could affect the players in the group and the team. And to give that opportunity for Moussa, he gets rewarded with the goal. I think Pochettino said it was the fastest he has run he has run in a while sprinting out to celebrate that goal off of the bench i thought adan morris was solid in central midfield a couple of messy passes but overall good reading of when and where to be if the ball turned over to kill counterattacks

as well as comfortable play when the tempo was quick and instinctual instinctual good one touch passing understanding of what's around him it was when the game slowed quick and instinctual, good one-touch passing, understanding of what's around him. It was when the game slowed down that he was just a little bit lazy or messy with some of his passes that seemed easier to complete. But overall, I think an opportunity to play there once again. Five players have been sent home or sent back to their clubs after this game so that they can get back in with their clubs or work on fitness or potential health concerns as the U.S. now travels down to Mexico. So the U.S. will play Mexico. I believe it's at the Estadio Acron in Guadalajara. It is always special when the U.S.

plays in Mexico. It is very rare outside of one friendly under Juergen Klinsmann. It has only happened in official World Cup qualifying competition. Obviously, both federations understanding they need to fill the gap going into the World Cup a little bit better. And so this is a special opportunity. I think this one's going to be a lot of fun coming up on Tuesday night. So I'll have more preview coming for you tomorrow and some recap reaction stuff coming on Thursday as well.

In Major League Soccer, two matches in the Western Conference. LAFC knocked off the Vancouver Whitecaps in Vancouver, a U.S. Open Cup against Canadian Championship matchup. It was a frustrating one for Vancouver. They gave up a goal to Mateusz Bogusz in the opening three minutes. And then they gave up a goal to Iliye Sanchez in the 93rd minute to lose in front of 30,000 fans on fan appreciation night. The winning goal for Iliye Sanchez, I believe just his third in his LAFC career. It was set up a gorgeous move by Nathan Ordaz. David Martinez was really good in this game

as well. Bogus' finish on the first goal was fantastic from no angle at full speed. He basically chips the keeper from the left side of the box. It looked Buonga-esque. And then Iliye, an equally fantastic finish from the top of the box, kissing it off the inside of the post. And for this Vancouver Whitecaps team, it is six matches in Major League Soccer without a victory, spanning all the way back to the win over the San Jose Earthquakes on September 15th. The Canadian Championship was on September 25th. Of course, that's a big moment. That's a big event. You have to have your team sort of recover, but this is now the third straight year in which they have won that competition and then tailspun into the postseason.

They have lost what their identity is tactically. They've lost their identity. The players out on the field. It is shocking once again. Now, this a tough one coming during the international break. You don't have every player available to you. You have to rotate things a little bit. But I think this is, again, a frustrating moment in which Vancouver feels you can feel

them hit their head sort of on their ceiling. And to do so once again in front of a big crowd, not ideal for LAFC in the Western Conference. This was a huge match. LAFC is now locked into one of the top two spots in the Western Conference. They cannot drop below to three or four. The LA Galaxy are in first. They are three points ahead. If LAFC were to catch the LA Galaxy on decision day, meaning the Galaxy lose, LAFC win, they would be equal on wins, which is the first tiebreaker. It would then go to goal differential, which right now,

the LA Galaxy are plus 20 goal differential, LAFC are plus 18. So in this scenario, the Galaxy at best can be plus 19 goal differential after losing a game. LAFC at minimum would have to be plus 19 goal differential for winning their game. You would then move to goal scored in which you have eight more goals for for the la galaxy so assume on decision day that lafc is going to try and pad the goal differential so that it doesn't fall to the goals for if the galaxy lose and lafc wins at that point your hope is by more than two lafc would take over top spot in the Western Conference. The Galaxy, a tough matchup on decision day.

LAFC, a more straightforward one, an easier one for them. But I will dig into that as we get through the standings. So Seattle and RSL, they are locked into the three or four spots. They are both tied on 56 points. Seattle has more win. So if they end up tied, Seattle gets the third spot. If RSL is able to jump Seattle because they tie and Seattle lose or they win in Seattle tie, then RSL will move into that third spot. Five through seven in the Western Conference could all move. So you have Houston in fifth on 51 points, Colorado right behind them on 50, and

Minnesota behind them on 49 points. So those three teams could end up anywhere in those three spots, and they cannot move even higher, but Minnesota could fall down further. So Vancouver in eighth right now, they have the potential to jump Minnesota if the results go their way. Or Vancouver could fall below Portland. Portland cannot jump Minnesota, but they could jump, of course. Vancouver and Minnesota could drop down to that eighth spot. The big games in the West on Decision Day that we're going to be previewing all week. Houston against the LA Galaxy. Seattle against Portland. RSL against Vancouver. games in the west on decision day that we're going to be previewing all week houston against

the la galaxy seattle against portland rsl against vancouver those are the ones where you have all teams that have already qualified for the playoffs fighting four spots in the standings the other three big ones that stand out minnesota against st louis with minnesota's potential to fall into the playing game or move all the way up to fifth place. LAFC against San Jose, so a California rivalry match to close out the season for LAFC to try and catch the Galaxy, and Austin hosting the Colorado Rapids. In the Eastern Conference, it is not more straightforward, and the bottom teams have not yet clinched their postseason spots. But this weekend, Alexandru Matan, a hat trick against the New England Revolution. But he, his family, his club, and maybe anyone else only wants to call it a hat trick against Caleb Porter.

Matan not played at all, pretty much, under Caleb Porter when he was the head coach of Columbus. Of course, Wilfred Nance has brought him back into the fold. Last year, he was a massive part of their midfield, of their attacking three. This year, it's been a more reduced role as Christian Ramirez has taken over that spot. Some other pieces have come into the team,

but Matan's stepping up big with the hat trick in this game. DeJuan Jones scored the opener against his former team. So this leaves things pretty solidified at the top of the Eastern Conference. Of course, Miami still chasing the record. If they win on the final weekend against this New England Revolution team that just got pasted by Columbus, they would jump 2021 revs and Miami would finish with the highest points total in MLS history. Either way, they've won the shield. They've clinched the number one seed. Then you have Columbus and Cincinnati both locked in to the two and three spots.

Where there could be some movement is between the fourth and fifth seed. Orlando and NYCFC could still jump Orlando, who currently sit in fifth. New York could also drop down. Charlotte, sitting in sixth, has the potential to jump over NYCFC, but that is only as far as they could fall. Red Bulls currently sitting in seventh. Red Bulls cannot drop down.

They could jump over Charlotte, but they could not make it as high as where NYCFC sits. And then you've got the race for the final two playoff spots. DC United and Montreal tied right now, eighth and ninth in the Eastern Conference. DC and Montreal on 40 points. They both have 10 wins. So DC sitting in first place on negative 15 goal differential and Montreal sitting in second place in these play-in spots with negative 18 goal differential. DC the advantage on goals scored by six right now. Toronto FC are technically right now in the standings.

The first team out of the playoffs, but they do not play on decision day. They've already played all 34 matches of the season. So they are officially eliminated from the 2024 postseason. The only two teams with the ability to get in still are the Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United. Those two teams are tied on 37 points. They both have nine wins. Philadelphia has a ridiculous plus eight goal differential. Think about this. We are talking about the four teams making the race for the playoffs. DC, negative 15. Montreal, negative 18. And Atlanta, who are tied right now with Philadelphia,

negative four. That's how much better Philadelphia has performed than these other teams, but has not been able to finish things off and get the results. On this final weekend, Miami, of course, the Rebs, a big game. DC against Charlotte.

Charlotte, the potential to move up or down in the standings. D.C. trying to clinch their spot. They host Charlotte. Montreal hosts NYCFC. So that's another fantastic matchup with the movement for both those teams' potential and Montreal trying to clinch their spot in the postseason. Orlando hosts Atlanta. A good rivalry match with Atlanta trying to make a last-ditch effort to get into the postseason.

And then the Philadelphia Union host FC Cincinnati. FC Cincinnati have nothing to play for in these standings. The only thing you could say they're playing for at this point is the potential to, if they made MLS Cup, host against more teams in the West, and not have to travel. Right now, Cincinnati sit on 56 points in third place in the East. That puts them equal with Seattle and RSL. They cannot catch LAFC or the LA Galaxy. So they already sit in a place, most likely, where they're hosting if the two LA teams don't get in. But the potential there to solidify that

for this Cincinnati squad. So a lot coming up this week, a lot for us to cover here on SoccerWise, and I am looking forward to it. So thank you all for listening. I hope you all had a great weekend. I cannot wait for this week of coverage. We'll talk to you again very, very soon.