Photo credit: Lewis Gettier/The Equalizer Jeff Kassouf and Jason Anderson (Pro Soccer Wire) react to Portland Thorns FC’s win over the Kansas City Current in the NWSL Championship, led by league MVP Sophia Smith, who was also named MVP of the final. They discuss what worked for Portland and what to expect from both teams […]
Intense counter-pressing, forcing errors leads Portland to third NWSL Championship – Equalizer Soccer
Photo: Lewis Gettier/The Equalizer. Intense counter-pressing was one of the key tactical themes underpinning the Kansas City Current’s run to the NWSL Championship. Their penultimate regular season game against Washington Spirit was a good example — they swarmed their opponents in transition and completely overwhelmed them. Washington were broken by half-time, the score-line was 3-0 […]
A Championship for the Players – Equalizer Soccer
Photo: Lewis Gettier/The Equalizer. Lindy Lacson never questioned making the cross-country flight to support her team, the Portland Thorns. The past few weeks have exposed further trauma from systemic abuse and enabling across the National Women’s Soccer League. That was particularly poignant in Portland, where fans are calling for Merritt Paulson to sell the Thorns […]
Tough lineup calls, stout defense net Portland Thorns a trophy – Equalizer Soccer
Photo: Lewis Gettier/The Equalizer. Among those praised by Portland Thorns coach Rhian Wilkinson late Saturday night was the team’s training staff. The first-year National Women’s Soccer League coach traveled to Audi Field for the NWSL Championship with 27 players, “all healthy and ready to play.” Thorns players have talked about Wilkinson adding a bit more […]
Sinclair, Sauerbrunn reflect on league growth – Equalizer Soccer
Photo: Lewis Gettier/The Equalizer. As the National Women’s Soccer League celebrates its 10th season and ninth final, several players who were prominent in the nascent days will be on the pitch Saturday night at Audi Field. Among them are Christine Sinclair and Adrianna Franch who opposed each other in the first NWSL Championship in 2013. […]
Rhian Wilkinson on building trust and the transition from player to coach – Equalizer Soccer
Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports. So what’s it like to play for your former teammate? It’s something Christine Sinclair had to ask herself late last year when the Portland Thorns hired Rhian Wilkinson as their new head coach. Wilkinson played in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013 and 2015, making her the first full-time […]
Naomi Girma named 2022 NWSL Rookie of the Year – Equalizer Soccer
© Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports Naomi Girma has emerged from one of the deepest rookie classes in National Women’s Soccer League history to be named Rookie of the Year making her the first player drafted number one overall to take down the honor. Girma joined San Diego Wave FC following a stellar career at Stanford […]
Crystal Dunn continues to reinvent herself – Equalizer Soccer
Crystal Dunn has spent her entire career redefining herself. She is a World Cup-winning left fullback who simultaneously doubled as an all-league midfielder while winning a pair of titles in the National Women’s Soccer League. That transformation happened a few years after Dunn won the NWSL Golden Boot as a forward. As a freshman at […]
What’s the expectation? – Equalizer Soccer
Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports Groups are confirmed for the 2023 Women’s World Cup after Saturday’s Drawand the United States women know who they are up against. In Group E, head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s side will face the Netherlands, the team the US defeated in the 2019 World Cup final and one of the tougher options […]
Three thoughts as Franch delivers Reign latest knockout blow – Equalizer Soccer
Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports The Kansas City Current rode an early goal and some quality defending and goalkeeping to a 2-0 victory over OL Reign on Sunday to advance to next weekend’s National Women’s Soccer League Championship against the Portland Thorns, who defeated the San Diego Wave, 2-1 earlier in the day. Here are three […]