As usual, all pass-map graphics poached from Andre Carlisle's weeks newsletter- Thanks as always! https://t.co/feXr3wrLkJ
Game 1: Kansas City Current 4-2 Angel City FC
This time 12 months ago, the Current were in total disarray. After a horrendous opening three game stretch, the club fired coach Matt Potter and brought in interim Caroline Sjoblom and Kansas City never recovered, finishing 11th of 12 NWSL teams. 2024 has been a different story: Through the opening three games of the 2024 season, Kansas City have played three of the top 5 NWSL teams from 2023 --including the top two-- and have taken nine points from nine, scoring 11 goals in the process. Their attacking output has been so good that there's an argument to be named that the "Current" should perhaps be renamed to something stronger. The Tsunami, perhaps. The Typhoon. The Wav- Oh wait.
I had the Current 7th in my preseason power rankings due to uncertainty around their new manager, health concerns on the backline, and question about how a brand new strike force would adapt to the NWSL. Fast forward three weeks, and 7th is now looking to be a tremendous under-projection. At the end of the Current preview section, I outlined 5 questions that would define KC's season:
Whether Vlatko can figure out the best use of his attacking riches.
Whether Chawinga's prolific scoring record at her past stops in China and Sweden is more than a flat-track-bully stat and fully translates to the NWSL.
Whether that still-suspect back line can stay healthy and consistent for a full season.
Whether Hutton can take on the immense responsibility of being the Current's starting 6.
Whether Scott and Glas can shed the SEI designations they enter the season with.
Questions 1 and 2, at least, look like a resounding "yes." Brazilian Bia Zaneratto and Malawian Temwa Chawinga have been absurdly good through three matches, looking like the platonic ideal of how a tol/smol attacking duo should play.
Vlatko has played a 4-2-3-1 through three games, with Bia as the lone 9 flanked by Chawinga on the right and Alexa Spaanstra on the left. Chawinga, however, is not one to hug the touchline and hang out on the wing- She frequently tucks into the middle, playing directly off the shoulder of Bia like one of those small sea creatures that follows the bigger predator around the ocean and then feeds on its prey. Bia, who has already become comfortably the best target number 9 in the league three games into her NWSL career, has made a habit of holding up the ball, shedding multiple defenders using her physicality, and looking to distribute to wingers Spaanstra and Chawinga.
Bia is the fulcrum that makes this version of Kansas City work, but Chawinga has been the energy. Though she does sport an undeniably absurd blend of power and pace --adjectives often used to describe African athletes that Andonovski rightly chided media for defaulting to in the post-game-- Chawinga offers much more. Her angle control when pressing is excellent. She has a relentless defensive work rate. She --unsurprisingly given she was the world's most prolific goal scorer in 2023-- is a calm and technical finisher. She knows exactly when and how to draw defenders away from her teammates when she has the ball in attacking spaces. Look at the first KC goal in the clip linked below: Chawinga darts through the middle, feints to get poor ACFC FB Ali Riley off balance, picks up the ball from Bia in the box, sees Vanessa Dibernardo overlapping her on the right side, takes a touch inside to bring Riley inside, and then feeds Dibernardo who has all the space in the world to open the scoring for KC.
Questions 4 and 5 revolved around what the Current would do at the six with Desiree Scott aging and coming off an SEI. As of now, it appears Vlatko wasn't lying when he said that 18 year old Claire Hutton was his preferred option. Hutton has started all three matches to open the season, and has gone about her job with precision. The best thing I can say about Hutton is that I don't notice her when she's on the field until she snaps into a tackle when the opposition crosses midfield, or picks off a potential line-breaking ball. Hutton has looked plenty ready to be KC's primary 6 and has been supported well by veterans Lo Labonta (who has sat deeper than she did for much of last season), and Vanessa Dibernardo, who is having the absolute time of her life as the Current's ten, taking advantage of the gravity Bia and Chawinga command to float around and make late runs into the box. Dibernardo's job will probably be taken by Debinha --oh yeah, did I mention that KC is doing this all without one of the best NWSL players off all time?-- once the Brazilian returns from a hamstring injury, but credit to Dibernardo, who has looked rejuvenated in KC after a rough couple of years at the end of her tenure in Chicago.
The last open question I had regarding KC's prospects preseason remains unanswered, to put it kindly. KC's backline has been downright horrendous. In Week 1, the Thorns' defensive implosion took the attention off what was an almost equally disastrous performance by KC's back four. The CB pairing of of Gabrielle Robinson and Elizabeth Ball has looked uncertain and error-prone, particularly on set-pieces where ACFC scored twice on near identical scrambles in the box (though one was ruled offside, somewhat controversially). On-ball, the distribution has been mostly poor. KC's press has been so relentless that the CBs haven't had to distribute all that much, but their issues were brought to light when Angel City brought on Messiah Bright in the second half and immediately started to cause problems in the KC third.
On the outside, rookie Ellie Wheeler is a bit of a lunatic at RB. She has one speed --full gas-- and that has resulted in some good (she and Chawinga have formed an absolutely menacing pressing duo on the right side) and bad (Wheeler nearly decapitated Angel City striker Sydney Leroux by flying into a header completely out of control). With Hanna Glas' return still somewhat uncertain, we'll continue to see more of Wheeler's mania, for better and worse. On the left side, Izzy Rodriguez has deputized for injured Hailie Mace the past two weeks. Mace is a good attacking player when healthy, but she's prone to leaving all kinds of space in behind when she goes on forays forward. KC could easily win the shield on goals alone in a typically competitive NWSL season, but the backline is a concern that Vlatko will want to address.
I've focused on KC for obvious reasons, but it's worth noting that Angel City has seen a steady decline in performance since their impressive Week 1 outing (which they still lost, by the way) against Bay FC. Part of Angel City's issues are injury-related: LB MA Vignola's absence was keenly felt against KC's speedy attack, with rookie 4th rounder Madison Curry getting the start at RB, pushing veteran Ali Riley to the left where she was tormented by Chawinga for 90 minutes. In midfield, Amandine Henry has been sturdy for the most part, but her age and lack of mobility shows itself, with new signing Rocky Rodriguez --who made her first appearance in the second half of Saturday's match-- still getting up to speed.
One of the issues is that ACFC's spine is just....slow, with the very notable exception of Sarah Gorden who has been her usual brilliant self. Henry is still an excellent six, but lacks mobility. Rodriguez will likely add an element of stability to the midfield and is an undeniable upgrade on Meggie Dougherty-Howard, but is another methodical, somewhat plodding central midfield option. Paige Nielsen and Riley are both talented and experienced vets, but they struggle to deal with the speed and creativity rampant throughout the NWSL, and have had some major issues when facing direct attacks....including Orlando's last week and KC's this week.
Another issue for coach Becki Tweed is that the perennially underrated Scottswoman Claire Emslie (one of my very favorite players in the league) has been the only source of creativity. Alyssa Thompson is undeniably prodigiously talented, but she's still prone to disappearing and often gets bodied off the ball too easily. The comparisons to Chicago's Mallory Swanson and Portland's Sophia Smith were understandable at the time --and Thompson's still just 19-- but she's not yet ready to be the hub of an NWSL attack. Tweed has also not helped herself with her striker selection, electing to start veteran Sydney Leroux up top in place of the younger, more dynamic Messiah Bright. The OBV colors on the pass-map graphic are self-explanatory: Outside of Emslie, Angel City simply isn't generating anything from their midfield or their front line. Anchored to the bottom of the table after three weeks, that will need to change.
Quick Hits:
Angel City's 22-year old keeper Angelina Anderson has been absolutely dreadful through three weeks, giving the ball away nearly every time the ball comes to her feet and looking uncertain on balls in the air (see KC's 4th goal). Don't be surprised to see veteran Didi Haracic return if this continues. It's been that bad.
Chawinga's base position is on the wing, but she'll come as a second presser out of possession. I'm not sure if this is a Vlatko tactic or if it's a result of Chawinga's immense work rate, but KC's structure transitioning from attack to defense and vice versa has been excellent.
KC demonstrating why zonal marking is a terrible idea on corners. They conceded one and were extremely fortunate not to concede a second, allowing Angel City players to get free runs at the ball off Emslie's excellent set pieces.
KC sat off for the second straight home game after taking a big lead, and nearly blew said lead for the second time. Part of the issue is their defensive personnel, but KC's best when they're attacking.....and Vlatko should lean into that.
KC six Desiree Scott made her first appearance in over a year, entering the match in the 101st minute. I imagine Hutton will keep her place, but Scott is a nice option to have in matches where KC needs some added stability.
Let's have a talk about VAR: KC's second goal -- an Alexa Spaanstra header off from beautiful service from Dibernardo-- was initially ruled out for offside before a loooong VAR check resulted in the goal being given. I think they got the call right in the end as Spaanstra certainly looks onside, but this shot is not "clear and obvious" enough to reverse the on-field decision in my eyes given what we know about distorted overhead camera angles. Combined with a number of other iffy VAR calls this week (see: Natalia Kuikka's should-have-been-DOGSO-red vs. Orlando) that resulted in multiple games passing the 100 minute mark......we're rapidly approaching "get your shit together" territory for NWSL VAR implementation.
Kansas City showed replays during the VAR checks. Please take note, Providence Park video board operators.
Game 2: San Diego Wave 1-0 Seattle
Don't ask me why, of all the many excellent NWSL matches on the Week 2 slate, I chose to watch and then write about the game between two squads managed by Casey Stoney and Laura Harvey. A bit of masochism, perhaps? Was my Friday night that boring that I couldn't find anything else to do? Maybe I just secretly enjoy massive sufferfests?
Regardless, Friday night's marquee matchup between the two west coast franchises went about exactly how anyone who knows anything about the two managers involved would have expected. The teams combined for only 1.8xG and 1 aG (actual goal) between them --somehow not the lowest tally of the weekend-- and it was only because of nearly 10 minutes of added time that San Diego's upped intensity resulted in the game's first and only goal.
Seattle is in trouble. Outside of Ji So-Yun's continued attempts to carry the Reign on her back Atlas-style, there really isn't a silver lining for Reign fans to take from the first three games. Every worry I had for them prior to the season has floated to the surface like a rotting dead fish. In order:
Strikers Bethany Balcer and Jordan Huitema have overlapping skillsets and are simply not dynamic enough of a striker duo. I used this spider chart in my spoon contenders preview column to demonstrate my concerns, and the identified issues have been painfully prescient for Seattle this season.
2. They didn't add enough to a team that was fortunate to finish in a playoff spot in 2023. Ji is awesome, but the Welsh duo of Angharad James and Lily Woodham has been uninspiring (though at least Woodham is the exciting type of uninspiring!)
3. They have an aging roster. Three of Seattle's core players -- Lauren Barnes, Ji, and Fishlock-- are over 33.
4. They lack foundational young pieces. Huitema, Balcer, Van der Jagt, Athens, and Woodham are all nice squad players, but none of them have the explosiveness or upside to build a team around.
5. They have no speed, forcing Harvey into a cross-reliant, methodical, painfully slow system. A diamond needs at least an element of speed up top because of how naturally narrow the formation plays. Neither Balcer or Huitema are able to run the channels effectively, so the Reign are completely toothless when Woodham and Huerta are unable to consistently provide attacking width.
Seattle's issues were on full display on Friday night and were only amplified by San Diego's rock-steady shape. The Reign came out in the diamond 4-1-2-1-2 that Harvey has adopted in 2024, with the two Olivias --that's Van der Jagt and Athens-- replacing Fishlock and the injured Quinn in midfield. It's not entirely clear what the Reign's plan was: Balcer and Huitema both dropped into the midfield as they are wont to do, but neither Woodham or RB Sofia Huerta provided the necessary width forward. The result was the attacking pass map shown below: The four central midfielders rarely combined at all, and Seattle's usually-marauding fullbacks hardly completed a forward pass. Only midfielder Angharad James had an even remotely positive impact on the game for the Reign, with a majority of Reign players having a negative OBV value.....which tends to happen when your passes are mostly sideways and backwards. With no threat in behind, the Wave's always-stable backline were rarely under pressure, allowing CBs Naomi Girma and Abby Dahlkemper to spray balls forward unperturbed.
The Reign's offensive incompetence masked another tepid display by Stoney's squad. It may be reductive analysis, but the two most discernible differences between the Wave and the Reign are:
In Alex Morgan, Jaedyn Shaw, and Naomi Girma, the Wave have real star power in their team which allows them to be dangerous even when they look unthreatening.
They seem to have confidence that they can turn it on late after frustrating the opposition for large stretches.
Stoney went back to the 4-2-3-1 this week with McKenzy Doniak and Danielle Colaprico sitting behind a very isolated Savannah McKaskill and a VERY VERY isolated Alex Morgan. Stoney's insistence on leaving the prodigiously talented teen Jaedyn Shaw to rot on the wing is becoming downright absurd at this point- It is rare to see a national team utilize a talent like Shaw better than her club team, but Shaw's ability to drift around and create from central spots or invert on the wing is something that the USWNT lean on whenever she is on the field. The Wave do not play a possession-oriented game, which limits Shaw's ability to get on the ball from wide positions. Her average position shown in the pass map below is simply offensive. Shaw's average position should NOT be inside her own half in any match, let alone against the Reign, and you can tell that this is an issue just by watching the Wave play. The game will go long stretches where it's hard to tell whether Shaw is even on the field or not before she gets removed from the game late in the second half. Stoney's style works --they did win a shield just last season!-- but my beautiful game sensibilities are offended by how she utilizes Shaw
After the Reign had more of the ball (albeit in entirely unthreatening positions) through the first 60 minutes or so, the Wave turned on the heat late on and stole all three points courtesy of a 98th minute winner by substitute Emily van Egmond.....because of COURSE it would be the sturdy, reliable six that popped up with a late winner for Stoney.
Quick Hits:
The broadcast spotted Harvey animatedly directing a clearly confused Ji and Huitema early in the first half. It sure seems like the Reign haven't quite picked up the intricacies of the diamond.
It's hard to overstate just how insane it is to watch all 5'6 of Naomi Girma absolutely shut down opposing strike-forces week after week. After mostly nullifying Kansas City's terrifying duo the week prior (the two KC goals were a deflection and a PK), Girma allowed the Reign absolutely nothing and had poor Huitema in a headlock for 100 minutes.
Balcer was exclusively looking for Huerta when she dropped deep to receive the ball. The Reign badly need any threat at all in behind because defenses are currently allowed to sit on the shoulders of Balcer and Huitema with impunity.
Game 3: Portland Thorns 2-2 Racing Louisville
After Portland midfielder Sam Coffey's 98th minute equalizer around 6:30 PM on Saturday sent the teams home with a point apiece, it was difficult to know which fanbase turned off their TV or left the stadium more frustrated with the result. For the Thorns, who badly needed a "get right" game against a Louisville team who not only had never even come close to getting a point in Providence Park, but was missing two of their three best players, needing Coffey's late leveler to prevent the ignominy of dropping three straight games to start the season for the first time in club history was hardly satisfying. For an undermanned Louisville, who fought hard but were thoroughly outplayed for a majority of the match, failing to protect a second two goal lead in their first three matches was not the path to their third consecutive point new manager Bev Yanez would have envisioned.
The reaction of the Thorns players and coaches when the final whistle blew with defender Meghan Klingenberg preparing to put a last gasp cross into the Louisville box minutes after Coffey unleashed a laser past Louisville keeper Katie Lund into the top left corner of the Louisville net deep into 2nd half stoppage time would certainly indicate they were not pleased with the result despite saving a point. Coffey, exhausted, dropped into a squat. Klingenberg and Morgan Weaver looked up at the sky dejectedly in unison. Coach Mike Norris, depending on your conspiratorial level, either ignored disgruntled-looking Thorns GM Karina Leblanc's attempt at a post match handshake or was so lost in his own thoughts (likely, "Shit! I'm a few more of these results away from getting fired!) that he failed to see her.
Louisville came out of the gates with nothing to lose. Missing both creative engine Savannah Demelo and do-it-all Brazilian eight Ary Borges, Louisville would have been overrun by just about any midfield in the league, including Portland's talented group, but decided to press the Thorns early. Their early tight marking paid off when Portland CB Kelli Hubly gifted the ball to Louisville forward Uchenna Kanu at midfield, Louisville counterattacked the other direction, and Kanu finished well past Portland keeper Shelby Hogan in the 3rd minute. Minutes later, Kanu leapt between Hubly and RB Reyna Reyes to head home Louisville's second of the night, prompting newly re-signed Thorns striker Sophia Smith to angrily gesticulate to her teammates in a huddle around midfield.
For Louisville, the start was about as good as they could have hoped for given the missing t cogs in their midfield. For the Thorns, even 2-0 down, the positive was that there was still over 90 minutes left to climb back in the game. Despite the slow start, I --watching from the stands-- assumed the Thorns would pile on the pressure. But they really didn't! The Thorns played one of the worst first halves of soccer Providence Park has ever seen, generating just 0.47 xG despite controlling the ball for most of the the half.
The most painful, discouraging element of Saturday's first half performance from a Thorns perspective is that Norris seemed to have no ideas when Louisville, to the surprise of absolutely no-one, turtled after Kanu's two goals. Norris returned to the single-pivot 4-3-3 experiment that he tried to little success in the early part of the 2023 season. The problem is that Norris' version of the 4-3-3 is unlike any version I've ever seen [derogatory] in that Norris has somehow managed to turn the most classically possession-oriented, central midfield-based formation into a broken direct-ball style that fails to take advantage of the extreme talent his midfield three possess. I broke down the Thorns' penchant for hunting 1v1s to their pacy front line in detail last week, but Louisville's low block anchored by the physically imposing duo of Jaelin Howell and Taylor Flint could not have been more different than Gotham's high line from the week prior. Louisville quickly figured out that the Thorns were physically unable to play the ball between their three central midfielders, bringing wingers Kanu and Alexa Behr narrow to funnel the ball down the wings. And it worked.
But guess what? Norris didn't really change much! Sure, he dropped Olivia Moultrie a little deeper than he did the week prior, using her more as a second eight opposite Jessie Fleming instead of a ten as Moultrie had played in weeks 1 and 2. Functionally, however, Norris didn't change much up at all in the first half despite the tremendous difference in oppposition.
There are two key elements of the Thorns' possession offense to note here:
The Thorns only utilize the simplest of passing patterns and have done so since Norris took over at the start of 2023. Usually: Sauerbrunn --> Coffey --> Müller --> Weaver/Smith, or Sauerbrunn --> Müller --> Weaver/Smith. The Thorns almost never play the ball between their two 8s, rarely use Smith as an attacking fulcrum, and struggle to switch fields once the ball gets stuck on one side. This aspect of the issue is a feature of Norris' Thorns teams. His midfielders seem to be instructed to stay high on their side of the field, limiting combination opportunities through the midfield. This usually results in chips in behind seeking those 1v1s I've spoken so much about.
There is a noticeable imbalance in ball-playing ability between the Thorns defensive left and right sides. On the left, Müller is a classic technical FB, skilled on the ball and already trusted by her teammates to make the right decisions. She's also right footed, meaning that she's naturally going to chop back on her right foot when carrying the ball down the line. Reyna Reyes, on the other hand, is a defensive-minded, technically limited RB who isn't confident maneuvering in tight spaces. The same is true at the CB position, where Becky Sauerbrunn is equally comfortable playing and receiving balls with both feet and playing balls into tight spaces, whereas Kelli Hubly will not play left footed passes, lacks confidence in her ability to split lines, and panics when she gets crowded on the ball. You can see this imbalance in the pass maps: The overload on the left isn't because Moultrie and Weaver are naturally more likely to be involved in play than Fleming and Beckie, it's because the two players behind them are so much more confident in possession, allowing the Thorns to start their attacks with confidence down the left, but not down the right. When you add in the fact that Weaver is a much greater threat in behind than Beckie is.....well, this is what you get.
That brings us to the second half, where Norris made his first real adjustment, bringing on Hina Sugita for Moultrie. Hina, whether by direction or (more likely) her own choice, immediately dropped into a double pivot with Coffey, allowing both Fleming and Coffey to take up more advanced roles. Almost instantly, the Thorns began to use patterns of play that we hadn't seen throughout their first 2.5 halves of soccer. Fleming looked totally rejuvenated until she was yanked midway through the second half, looking much closer to the immensely talented player we all know she is to the shell of herself Norris has turned her into through three matches. Louisville's midfield duo of Howell and Flint, so sturdy through 45 minutes, began to have major issues tracking Hina, who repeatedly dropped deep into the midfield pockets to pick up the ball from the CBs and dictate play. The static Thorns of the first half suddenly turned fluid. Very rarely do you see one player effect a game to the extent Hina did, but her beautifully controlled, inventive style seemed to counteract the rigidity of Norris' tactics.
The fact that Hina hasn't started any of the Thorns' first three matches is one of a simply inexcusable series of errors from Norris. She might very well be the Thorns second best player; a versatile plug-and-play, in-pen starter at as many as four different positions. Norris' tactical brain isn't up to snuff, and we know that. Because of this lack of tactical nous, he simply cannot afford to make incorrect roster management decisions, both with his starting lineup and substitute choice. Norris, seemingly determined to outdo his own incompetence, withdrew Fleming and Müller --both perfect players for a team dominating possession and chasing a game-- for Sinclair and Payne. Neither Sinclair or Payne were poor, and both had good moments. But the Thorns, who scored an early second half goal courtesy of Morgan Weaver, were in full flow at the time of the substitutions, which disrupted a locked-in midfield three of Coffey, Fleming, and Sugita. After Weaver halved the deficit, it seemed more than possible that the Thorns could take all three points....but in the end, they were fortunate that Coffey's piece of brilliance earned them the one.
Quick Hits:
Louisville defensive midfielder Jaelin Howell was imperious on the night, locking up the Thorns central midfield with the blend of semi-controlled physicality and the ability to read and cut off passing angles that many hoped would turn her into the USWNT's six of the future. Here's to hoping we see more from her.
Fleming will be fine, Thorns fans. I promise. I really do. She likely won't be at her best until we see her with a coach who wants his team to utilize the midfield, but her rough 2.5 game stretch is much more a product of her learning her new teammates and a new league than an indicator of her quality.
Louisville winger Alexa Behr looks a useful player. She sent in a gorgeous cross on the 2nd Kanu goal and made herself a nuisance defensively.
Once again, Mr. Norris: It's #ObazeTime
The dominant defensive midfield performance by Howell and Flint will pose some interesting questions for Louisville coach Bev Yanez when her two creative midfielders come back. On paper, the Howell-Borges-Demelo threesome is one of the best in the league and I expect that it will be the trio we see most frequently.
Louisville CB Elli Pikkujamsa was stretchered off with a nasty looking knee injury in the second half after trying unsuccessfully to track a Smith run into the Louisville box
Veteran Louisville defender Abby Erceg didn't mince her words post-game, stating "we don't know how to win games." Yikes!
Klingenberg's halftime addition for Reyes was another reason why the Thorns looked a little more fluid in the second half, shifting Müller to the right and putting two ball-playing FBs on the field.
Norris sheepishly appeared to acknowledge his own poor choices, indicating that Hina would start the next game. The question is where we will see her: She has played exclusively in the central midfield in her three substitute appearances in 2024, but played mostly on the right wing in 2023. Either Moultrie or Beckie appear most likely to lose their places for their next match against North Carolina, but which one is anybody's guess.
Game 4: Bay FC 2-3 Houston Dash
Opening day in the Bay was quite an event. Paypal park, hardly the most intimidating of MLS atmospheres for the San Jose Earthquakes, was rocking for San Jose's newest attraction. Flanked by former NBA players Andre Igoudala (an investor!) and Pau Gasol, owners Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton, Leslie Osbourne, and Brandi Chastain welcomed the return of women's soccer to the Bay in fine fashion. Well, they did off the field anyway.
The match itself was quite the ride. In a fascinating early clash of styles, Bay FC's Albertin Montoya and his Houston counterpart Fran Alonso locked horns. Montoya set up his squad in his preferred 4-3-3, returning to the same starting 11 that kicked off Bay FC's inaugural match in Los Angeles against Angel City. Alex Loera returned to her single pivot role from the unexplained "private team matter" that held her out of last week's match in Washington DC and Kayla Sharples started next to Emily Menges in place of Jen Beattie. The big news, however, was the presence of world record signing Rachael Kundananji, who made the active roster for the first time from the bench.
Montoya responded to Houston's 3-4-3 by pressing his fullbacks high and bringing his two wingers inside more frequently to overload Houston's two-woman midfield. For much of the match, Bay FC had total control, using Loera, Joelle Anderson, and Deyna Castellanos to push back Houston central midfielders Andressa and Elin Rubensson. Montoya had a lot to be pleased about, particularly in the first half: His midfield three had a firm grasp on the match, Loera in particular covering a ton of ground and distributing into her two playmaking eights. Fullbacks Savvy King and Caprice Dydasco took advantage of the space in behind Houston's wide midfielders, though that advantage was kept mostly horizontal rather than putting pressure on via crosses into the box. Montoya will be concerned that striker Asisat Oshoala has been generally isolated up top through three matches, with RW Tess Boade preferring to drop into the midfield to combine with Castellanos, and LW Scarlett Camberos struggling to impact the game. Big money signing Castellanos scored Bay FC's first ever goal with a beautiful top-shelf strike from just beyond the penalty spot, but was otherwise relatively ineffectual. Like fellow WSL transplant Fleming, Castellanos has had a slow start to her NWSL career, floating in and out of games and struggling a little with the physicality. She has also struggled to link up with Oshoala, as most of her combinations have been with her midfielder partners and fullbacks. Castellanos' progression as Kundananji enters the lineup is a thread to keep an eye on, but Bay FC will hope for a more active Castellanos as the season progresses.
Houston must have left San Jose scarcely believing their luck, because Alonso's 3-4-3 is simply not working as intended, though what "intended" means remains unclear. His back three on Saturday included a career FB (Courtney Peterson), a natural six (Sophie Schmidt), and a natural CB (Sarah Puntigam). Houston has attempted to play a more fluid, play-the-ball-out-from-the-back style, one that simply does not mesh with either the formation or personnel. For the second straight season, Diana Ordonez has not received the service she's needed, and Maria Sanchez is being forced to play as a pseudo wingback at times when Houston is forced back. Houston had NOTHING in the first half, and while Bay FC had most of the ball, it wasn't as though they were hammering down the door. Houston was just that bad. I mean, look at this! This is every pass/shot/dribble the Dash had in the opposing half through 30 minutes.
The Dash improved slightly after the screenshot above, mainly because they started funneling the ball to their best player. Everything --and I mean EVERYTHING-- Houston did in the second half was predicated around getting Sanchez the ball (look at Sanchez's OBV rating in contrast to her teammates below). Substitutes Barbra Oliveri, Havana Solaun, and Avery Patterson made a difference too, as Houston finally decided to start going more vertical and playing through its wings, much more in alignment with how a typical 3-4-3 tends to look. Patterson and Sanchez saw a lot more of the ball in the second half, allowing Ordonez --stuck in a weird withdrawn striker role as Bay FC dominated the ball for most of the game-- to begin to get into the positions she was so dangerous in for the Courage during her rookie season.
After Houston took a surprise 2-1 lead through two Ordonez goals, substitute Kundananji set PayPal park on fire with a mazy run into the box followed by a sumptuous slow curler into Houston keeper Jane Campbell's bottom corner in the 93rd minute. Kundananji's emotional celebration, in which she draped herself in a Zambian flag on the Bay FC sideline, seemed as though it could inspire Bay FC to sneak forward for a late winner.....until Solaun softly side-footed home from the edge of the box from a --you guessed it-- Sanchez cross to give Houston a shock victory and spur joyous (and slightly manic) celebrations from Alonso and Houston's sideline, ruining Bay FC's big night.
Quick Hits:
Winger Tess Boade looks the best of a slightly-off bunch of Bay FC attackers. Her year with Nahas has clearly done her well, as her combination play and ability to jink inside has meshed nicely with Montoya's intended style. If I were Montoya, it would be Camberos and not Boade who loses her spot when Kundananji inevitably enters the starting 11.
Simmer down, Houston social media manager. Y'all gotta do a little more before you start tweeting reckless like this:
I mentioned Oshoala has been isolated, but it's worth reinforcing that point- It's early yet, but she hasn't really impacted the game at the level many thought she would when she signed from Barcelona. She, like Bay FC as a team, will undoubtedly benefit from the attention Kundananji will draw.
Alonso would be well-advised to lean more heavily on Houston's verticality. Get Maria Sanchez and Ordonez on the break in space! I promise it'll work better than whatever he's tried to do so far.
Sophie Schmidt is not a CB. I assume Alonso's theory behind playing her in the center of his back three was to help his team play out from the back.....but that simply doesn't work when you're outnumbered in midfield.
Player of the Week: Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City Current
Goal of the Week: I'm a homer, so let's give it to this thumper by Sam Coffey to draw the Thorns level.....
....but I would bet most would give it to Kundananji for her curler:
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