2023 Alumni Summer Soccer – last chance to Register !

Location: Shelbourne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel  (Ages: 18 – 35)  $105  Sign Up

Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up

GAMES ON TV

Wed, June 14

12 noon FS1                 Netherlands vs Croatia 

7:30 pm Para+            Washington Spirit vs NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) NWSL

8 pm Para+                 Racing Louisville vs Houston Dash NSWL

8 pm Pata+                  KC Current (Franch) vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL

10:30 pm Apple          LA Galaxy vs Houston

3 am FS2 Replay Netherlands vs Croatia National league Semi

Thurs, June 15

2:30 pm FS1                      Spain vs Italy Nations League Semi

7 pm CBSSN TUDN           Panama vs Canada

7 pm Grand Park Indy 11 Women vs St. Charles

9 pm FS2 Spain vs Italy Replay

10 pm Para+,  TUDN        USMNT vs Mexico  Nations League Semi’s

Fri, June 16

2:45 pm FS1                Malta vs England Euro Quals

2:45 pm FS 2               Poland vs Germany

Sat, June 17

9 am FS1                     Lithuania vs Bulgaria  Euro Quals

12 pm FS1                   Norway vs Scottland Euro Quals

2:45 pm FS 2               Iceland vs Slovakia Euro Quals 

4 pm CBS                    San Diego (Morgan, Girma, Korniack) vs Angel City (Ertz, Thompson)

7 pm Para+                 NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL

7:30 pm ESPN+           Indy 11 @ Birmingham City

8:30 pm Apple             Nashville vs St Louis City

10:30 pm Apple           San Jose vs Portland Timbers

Sun, June 18

9 am FS1                     Nations League 3^rd place

2:45 pm ??                  Nations League Final ? 

4 pm CBS                    Racing Louisville vs NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) NWSL

6 pm Para+                 Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL

6 pm Para+, TUDN      CONCACAF Nations League 3^rd Place

9 pm Para+, TUDN     CONCACAF Nations League Final ? Canada vs US/Mex

Sat, June 24

9:30 pm                                USMNT vs Jamaica (Soldier Field) Gold Cup

Wed, June 28

9:30 pm                                USMNT vs ??   St Louis Gold Cup

Sun, July 9

4 pm Fox?                           USWNT vs Wales  Send-off

5/7 pm Fox Sports?         USMNT Gold Cup Quarter Finals ?  in Cincy

Fri, July 21                           USWNT vs Vietnam Women’s World Cup

Indy 11 Schedule

NWSL Schedule

Soccer Saturday’s are every Sat 9-10 am on 93.5 and 107.5 FM with Greg Rakestraw

US Men Nations League Thur 10 pm

Predicted USMNT lineup vs Mexico in Nations League semifinal
Points to prove for all of Nations League final four

Scouting Mexico – Stars & Stripes

CBS Screws US Fans puts USA /Mexico on Streaming only
In Folarin Balogun, U.S. Soccer could have ‘a massive game changer’ for Nations League
‘I need to earn my place’: Flo Balogun, the USMNT’s savior striker, arrives for Mexico showdown
U.S. Gold Cup roster features mix of veterans, tseens and MLS players
Decision made: United States calls Crew’s Aidan Morris for Gold Cup duty
Turner among seven from World Cup on USA Gold Cup squad
AZ’s Mihailovic, Chelsea’s Slonina named to USMNT’s Gold Cup roster
Pulisic, Adams, Dest among USMNT players who need new club this summer Kyle Bonagura

USMNT 22-23 grades: How did American players perform abroad? ESPN

US Ladies / Women’s World Cup 

 USWNT hold top spot in pre-WC FIFA rankings
As USWNT Eyes Three-Peat, Fox Women’s World Cup Ad Sales Soar
Who will make the USWNT roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
How motherhood has shaped USWNT’s Crystal Dunn on and off the soccer field

World – Nations League & Europa Qualifiers

Spain need strikers to step up in Nations League semifinal vs. Italy Graham Hunter

When are the Uefa Nations League finals, who is playing and how to watch?
Euro 2024 qualifiers: When are England’s fixtures and how to watch on TV
Germany celebrate 1000th international match with dramatic Ukraine draw
Late Kimmich penalty salvages Germany draw with Ukraine
One year to Euro 2024: Who is on the plane for England and who has work to do?

WORLD CLUB 

Kylian Mbappe shocks PSG with notice to quit
Kylian Mbappe alerts Premier League clubs with surprise announcement about his future
Commentary: Pep Guardiola should leave Manchester City before sanctions tarnish his legacy
Jack Grealish’s 48-hour bender in pictures: Leather shorts in Ibiza to topless bus party in Manchester
Reports: Pep Guardiola to leave Manchester City in 2025
What next for Pep Guardiola? Champions League title leaves him wanting the world, and more
Man City’s Champions League celebrations in pictures: Haaland’s cigar, McDonalds, and beers
Chelsea identify two top targets to strengthen goalkeeper options

MLS

Messi’s Move Puts International Opportunity at Apple’s Feet
Soaring ticket prices and a social media boom: How Lionel Messi has already had an impact on US Soccer

LA Galaxy star Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández out for season due to torn ACL
Sources: Miami makes approach for Barca’s Alba Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens

Goalkeeping

Predicted USMNT lineup vs Mexico in Nations League semifinal

Joe Prince-Wright Tue, Jun 13, 2023, 10:38 AM EDT·2 min read

Is Balogun the United States’ missing piece? The USMNT square off against Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal in Las Vegas on Thursday and interim boss BJ Callaghan has some big calls to make.

[ LIVE: CONCACAF Nations League hub ]

We know the likes of Christian Pulisic, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Turner and Weston McKennie are going to start but there are plenty of spots up for grabs as this young USMNT side look to continue to impress whoever is coming in as the new permanent head coach.Below is a look at the predicted USMNT lineup, with some analysis on who should start in a huge game against a new-look El Tri side.

How to watch USMNT vs Mexico, CONCACAF Nations League stream link

Kickoff time: 10pm ET Thursday
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
TV channels, streaming in English: Paramount Plus
TV channels en Español: Univision

Predicted USMNT lineup vs Mexico (4-2-3-1)

—– Turner —–

— Dest — Zimmerman — M. Robinson — A. Robinson —

—- McKennie —- Musah —-

—- Weah —- Reyna —- Pulisic —-

—– Balogun —–

Analysis on USMNT lineup options

Matt Turner is going to start in goal, while the back four pretty much picks itself with Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson at full back and Walker Zimmerman at center back. Chris Richards could start over Miles Robinson and the battle for the second center back spot will be really intriguing to watch in the coming years.In central midfield, there is no Tyler Adams through injury so Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will likely fill the two deeper roles. Luca de la Torre could start in this role too but will likely play his part off the bench.There are plenty of options in attack and it is all about getting the balance right. Timothy Weah playing at right wing is a must, while Christian Pulisic on the left is also guaranteed. Gio Reyna starting in the No. 10 role is also expected, as he and Brenden Aaronson do battle for that central creative role.Up top, Folarin Balogun is the man everyone wants to see as the Arsenal youngster will finally make his USMNT debut. Ricardo Pepi was in superb form in the second half of the season in the Dutch top-flight so he could have a big impact off the bench too.

USMNT, Mexico face crucial summer at Nations League, Gold Cup

• Cesar Hernandez ESPNFC Jun 14, 2023, 01:25 PM ET
• This summer is a pivotal one for the men’s national teams of the United States and Mexico. Beginning with their Concacaf Nations League semifinal Thursday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — and an ensuing final or third-place match on Sunday — both teams will then need to quickly switch gears before the start of another competition: the Gold Cup, which begins later this month.For the U.S. men’s national team, as defending champions of both titles, this summer is all about maintaining regional dominance despite going all of 2023 without a permanent coach. If you’re keeping track at home, the USMNT is on its second interim coach, B.J. Callaghan, after Anthony Hudson accepted a club job in Qatar earlier this month. Hudson, who took over after Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired in December, had been expected to lead the USMNT at both these summer competitions.Adding a further wrinkle to the summer schedule is the USMNT’s gameplan to split their their roster into two squads. One filled with European-based stars such as Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie will make the trip to Las Vegas, while a Major League Soccer-heavy roster will lead the way at the Gold Cup.

As for Mexico, they’ll head into these games feeling arguably more pressure as the former longtime giants of North America. Seeking to wrestle back respect and status in the region, new manager Diego Cocca has selected his best group of players for both the Nations League and Gold Cup. Hired in February, the Argentine has taken small steps forward since the World Cup disappointment with a five-game unbeaten streak. Hoping to make a statement in his first year, Cocca will be judged on whether he can at least claim one piece of silverware back from their U.S. rivals this summer.

It’s safe to say that preparations for the 2026 World Cup have officially started, so here’s where the United States and Mexico stand right now.

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What have both teams been up to since the 2022 World Cup?

After a World Cup round-of-16 exit that neither surpassed nor fell below expectations, the USMNT have since had a rocky behind-the-scenes journey.In early January, U.S. Soccer announced that Hudson would take over as interim after revealing an investigation into a domestic violence incident in 1992 regarding the out-of-contract Berhalter and his wife Rosalind. The incident was disclosed by the mother of USMNT forward Giovanni Reyna after Berhalter’s comments at a leadership conference about an unnamed player, who was later confirmed as Gio.By late January, sporting director Earnie Stewart and general manager Brian McBride left the U.S. Soccer Federation, later leading to the hiring of Matt Crocker as sporting director in April (with an official start date in August). Then, late last month, Hudson stepped away and was replaced by Callaghan — a less than ideal situation as Crocker continues to interview candidates for the permanent coaching spot.It’s worth noting that while the interview process and coaching search is ongoing, Berhalter remains in the running to be rehired after that investigation found he didn’t break any laws or U.S. Soccer policies, and that he and his wife corroborated the events that happened.Results-wise for the USMNT, things have been a bit more calm on the pitch. Despite the staffing changes behind them, the U.S. breezed in their March matches with wins over Grenada (7-1) and El Salvador (1-0), as well as April’s 1-1 draw with Mexico in an oddly timed friendly that stretched their unbeaten streak against El Tri to five games.

Clint Dempsey ‘not happy’ with state of USMNT

Clint Dempsey joins “Futbol Americas” to discuss the state of the U.S. men’s national team ahead of the Nations League and Gold Cup this summer.Mexico have also had plenty of staffing changes. After a dreary early exit in the group stage of the World Cup and the departure of former manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino, Rodrigo Ares de Parga was selected in January as the Mexican Football Federation’s (FMF) new executive director of national teams. Cocca was chosen as men’s national team manager in February and by May, Jaime Ordiales left his role as sporting director for the men’s national teams.Although Cocca has built a good on-the-field foundation with his undefeated streak and a place in the Nations League knockout rounds, that hasn’t eased any worries about narrow results, with El Tri picking up three draws — against the U.S., Jamaica and Cameroon — from his five games in charge.

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Players to watch: USMNT’s Balogun, Mexico’s Gimenez

Lots of eyes and attention this week will be on the expected USMNT debut of Folarin Balogun, 21, the Reims forward who committed to the United States over England last month. On loan from Arsenal, Balogun finished the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season as the joint-fourth top scorer with 21 goals (only behind Kylian Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette and Jonathan David) and could easily be one of top players of the Nations League knockout round.”It’s a fantastic opportunity, not just for me, but for the team,” Balogun said last week about his likely debut. “Mexico and the U.S. have a big rivalry, so I’m looking forward to it. And, of course, there would be no better way to introduce myself than playing against a big opponent where it matters.”Balogun’s numbers have been impressive this season, as he became the first USMNT player to score at least 20 goals in a season for one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Alongside him, a number of his new USMNT teammates would greatly benefit from a good Nations League run. Players such as captain Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United) Weston McKennie (Leeds on loan, from Juventus), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan on loan, from Barcelona) and a handful of other key figures could use a nice change of club scenery that’s propelled by solid summer showings.A strong showing in Las Vegas would especially help Pulisic, who finished with just one goal for Chelsea this season after missing time with a knee injury and amid talks of a potential permanent transfer away from Stamford Bridge.”It’s been a really tough season for me personally and for our team of course at a club level,” Pulisic said last week. “So for me it’s just about coming in here and having a fresh start and being able to be a part of a team that hopefully can come out and win some games.”Better performing players at the club level, like Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg on loan, from Groningen) and Auston Trusty (Birmingham City on loan, from Arsenal), could also gain a leap to a different club through notable Nations League games.

EDITOR’S PICKS

• Sources: Berhalter in talks with América, Sparta2hJeff Carlisle
• Pulisic, Adams, Dest among USMNT players who need new club this summer6dKyle Bonagura
• USMNT 22-23 grades: How did American players perform abroad?7dESPN

For the Gold Cup roster, MLS-based players like FC Dallas‘ Jesus Ferreira, San Jose Earthquakes‘ Cade Cowell, FC Cincinnati‘s Brandon Vazquez, Atlanta United’s Miles Robinson, and New York Red Bulls‘ John Tolkin could increase their reported interest from clubs abroad through national team appearances and possible titles.As for Mexico, the big story is a change in the attacking guard that could soon be underway. With injuries to wingers Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Jesus “Tecatito” Corona, as well as a severe dearth of club minutes for forward Raul Jimenez, all three have been left out of consideration for the Nations League and Gold Cup.

Leading the charge in their place is Santiago Gimenez, who won the Dutch Eredivisie title with Feyenoord. With 17 goals in all competitions since January, the 22-year-old is one of the latest breakout European stars and an enticing transfer option for a bigger club abroad. On the flanks near Gimenez in the Mexico front-line, it’ll be a four-way race between Chivas’ Alexis Vega, Atlas’ Jonathan Ozziel Herrera, AEK Athens’ Orbelin Pineda and Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna for starting spots.Elsewhere in the Mexico roster, a handful of players such as Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Johan Vasquez (Cremonese on loan, from Genoa) and Cesar Montes (Espanyol) could help give fuel to transfer rumors through impressive performances in upcoming matches.Let’s not forget Barcelona right-back Julian Araujo, either. He made his senior debut with the team during a friendly last week in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe. Boosted by his appearance for the LaLiga giants, the California youngster who once represented the USMNT could quickly turn into a game-changing figure for El Tri.

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The best-case scenarios: Trophies and momentum toward ’26

If the USMNT can retain both the Nations League and Gold Cup titles with two wildly different rosters, it would be a testament to the depth of the player pool and the continued growth of American men’s soccer. Aiming to peak at the 2026 World Cup, more transfers abroad could follow in the near future for the USMNT setup that is gaining more respect in recent years.

Even without a full-time manager in place, it’s worth noting that during a news conference on Tuesday, Aaronson stated that the things have remained the same with someone like Callaghan that has been an assistant for the USMNT for four years.”He knows how we want to play, he knows the players that we have,” Aaronson said. “Not much has changed.”A win or draw against Mexico has often been regarded as a big accomplishment for the USMNT, but a win Thursday would make it six matches without a loss to El Tri — a potentially remarkable stat.For Mexico’s best-case scenario, stealing both titles would highlight that they can once again turn the North American tides in their favor. With Cocca guiding a gradual transition into a younger squad, Mexico could shed its image as an aging and uninspiring roster that is far past its prime.Within an inflated domestic transfer market that often makes it difficult for Liga MX players to move abroad, there’s also a chance that Cocca can provide a platform for more young options in the national setup, thereby making them more visible for potential transfers to European clubs.

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The worst-case scenarios: Coaching chaos, or a Canada takeover?

In a situation where the USMNT fail to hold onto both the Nations League and Gold Cup title, it would be easy to assume that the behind-the-scenes disarray has permeated onto the field. With the interim of the interim taking charge and no full-time manager just yet, it’s not tough to imagine a scenario in which the team’s individual talents won’t be enough to compensate for the lack of a consistent leader on the sideline.

There’s a lot of excitement regarding the potential of the up-and-coming USMNT squad, but problems this summer could also signal the possibility of wasting that talent or not giving the right groundwork for those American players to properly thrive.

If El Tri don’t win either trophy, the main narrative within the Mexican soccer world will be about the continued regression that the sport is taking on the men’s side. No matter the changes of manager or staffing at the FMF, a lack of trophies this season would mean that more serious improvements and changes would need to be made for the team that only has one regional trophy since 2016.

Pulisic: Berhalter should still be considered for USMNT job

Christian Pulisic shows his support to Gregg Berhalter as USMNT prepares their Concacaf Nations League semifinal clash vs. Mexico.

Also there is the question of whether Cocca would be fired if there’s no summer championship. Mexico’s soccer federation (FMF) is notorious for having little patience with their coaches, but Cocca can take solace in knowing that those in charge would give him the benefit of the doubt… for now.

“We’re starting a process,” Ivar Sisniega, executive president at FMF, said Monday about how bad results wouldn’t guarantee a firing for Cocca. “The objective isn’t right now, it’s the 2026 World Cup.”

Of course, there could be a situation in which neither Mexico or the U.S. succeed. Panama and Canada, set to face off in the other Nations League semifinal on June 15, will both be in the running for the title and will also be contenders for the Gold Cup. The Canadians are certainly a team who could make noise as they try to build on their World Cup appearance in Qatar (their first since 1986), and can make the case of having the best player in the region in Alphonso Davies — who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich but as a winger for his national team.

At the Gold Cup, countries like Costa Rica, Jamaica, Honduras and El Salvador won’t be pushovers. With regional dominance up for grabs, it all kicks off this week.

Analysis: Callaghan names USMNT roster ahead of Nations League semifinal

United States iterim manager B.J. Callaghan named a 24-player USMNT training camp roster ahead of the Nations League semifinal. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it down and looks at the Gold Cup provisional roster which will be used to field a separate team. 

BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED

ONE DAY AFTER being named the interim manager of the United States men’s national team, B.J. Callaghan has named a 24-player roster for at training camp ahead of the final rounds of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League where the U.S. team will meet Mexico in the semifinal on June 15 in Las Vegas.It was difficult for Callaghan to assemble this roster given injuries to key players. U.S. Soccer indicated a number of players who were unavailable due to injury

• Tyler Adams
• Cameron Carter-Vickers
• Daryl Dike
• Ethan Horvath
• Tim Ream
• Josh Sargent
• Zack Steffen
• Malik Tillman

During the media call, Callaghan said that Kellyn Acosta was left off this roster due to “an abundance of caution” in him dealing with an injury that has limited his time at LAFC.With that, here is the roster and some thoughts.

THE ROSTER  

GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Josh Cohen (Maccabi Haifa/ISR; 0/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)

DEFENDERS (7): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 24/2), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 8/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 34/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 39/3)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 14/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 43/11), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 25/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 18/4), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0),

FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)

MIDFIELD QUESTIONS

 

The biggest question mark for this team is the problems in the midfield with Tyler Adams injured. It has been a long-standing issue on this team as to who plays the No. 6 position when Adams can’t go. Kellyn Acosta had the job for awhile in qualifying, but Acosta has only recently returned from injury with LAFC and he is not on this roster (Callaghan said that Acosta’s absence is due to him “dealing with a little bit of an injury”). Obviously, this is a massive platform for Johnny Cardoso in Brazil, but Cardoso has only had limited minutes with the USMNT and is yet to be a standout performer. He’s a prospect but now it looks like he will have a real opportunity to prove himself as a player who can handle important responsibilities.

But the rest of the midfield has a lot of questions that should be a concern to the team.

• Weston McKennie: tough season with Leeds United, who were relegated.
• Yunus Musah: tough season with Valencia where he is no longer starting and has 0 goals with two assists.
• Gio Reyna: productive season but he only played 612 minutes for Dortmund in 2022/23
• Luca de la Torre: has been part of Celta Vigo’s possible collapse which could end in relegation this weekend. Like Musah, he has 0 goals and two assists on the season.
• Alan Sonora: he only had eight appearances and three starts for a Club Juarez team that was poor in Liga MX.
• Johnny Cardoso: Has played well recently for Internacional in Brazil but has yet to standout for the USMNT.

That is going to be a big area of concern for the team and will the midfield be lacking in confidence ahead of the Mexico game?

PLAYERS COMING OFF TOUGH SEASONS

 It’s not just the midfield either. Another dominant theme of this roster is the significant number of players who are coming into this camp on the heels of difficult seasons. Callaghan will have to hope that players are able to distance themselves from the year that they had.”I look at it as an opportunity for these guys,” Callaghan said. “A lot of them have come through some stressful seasons. What I can tell you, when these guys get together, they really enjoy their time together. So this is almost an opportunity to give them a release, a place where it’s safe for them to be themselves. They can get away from that pressure. They can enjoy themselves. They’re back in the United States enjoying all the things that you know, that they’re used to. And so for me, this is just an opportunity for them to put that aside, really focus on something that they’re really passionate about, which is the men’s national team. Another thing they’re really passion about is competing and winning another trophy.”

Just some of the areas of concern: Sergino Dest has been out of AC Milan’s plans since January and hasn’t even been making the bench. Chris Richards had just 442 minutes with Crystal Palace this past season and hasn’t played regularly since 2021. Matt Turner didn’t play a minute in the Premier League in 2022/23. Joe Scally has lost his starting spot at Monchengladbach in recent weeks. Walker Zimmerman has been dealing with injuries the past six weeks and Miles Robinson has shown progress in his return from an Achilles injury but is still not quite there.

In forward, Christian Pulisic and Chelsea had a well-documented tumultuous season. Tim Weah has played mostly fullback for Lille because it was his best way to even play. Alex Zendejas has dealt with injuries at Club America. Brenden Aaronson was also part of the Leeds team that was relegated.

In terms of players arriving in very good form, the list is short. Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Taylor Booth, and Ricardo Pepi have done well. A few have been mixed. But Calllaghan will now have to deal with a team where most of the players have had a rough time.  

BALOGUN MAKING HIS DEBUT

 As expected, Folarin Balogun will be making his debut for the U.S. team after scoring 20 goals for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 and filing for his change of association from England.”In terms of Flo,” Callaghan said of Balogun. “He was one of the guys, one of the first guys I called when I got the news. We had a great conversation. I can tell you that his commitment to the U.S. is unwavering. He’s excited to come in with the group. He’s someone that I spoke to about embracing the brotherhood that we have. It’s a welcoming environment The guys are going to welcome and they’re all excited and he’s excited. But at the same time, I challenged him and I said, listen, you have to put yourself out there and you have to integrate with the group.”

All eyes will be on him, but Callaghan is taking two forwards with Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, who is also coming off a nice season in the Eredivisie with a bad Groningen team. If Balogun can boost the team’s offense, it could be a spark of energy that helps boost many of the players who arrive not playing well.

“Ricardo Pepi is a guy who’s coming off of a great season, scored big goals for us already,” Callaghan added of the competition between Balogun and Pepi at striker. “And it’s going to be fun to watch these guys compete – as professional athletes and guys that want to make an impression on the U.S. men’s national team. That’s what you want. You want competition. I expect this to be a great camp for both of them.”

USA vs. Mexico, 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals: Scouting Mexico

The USMNT is looking to retain the title. By Brendan Joseph  Jun 13, 2023, 7:00am PDT  

The United States Men’s National Team opens a busy summer with the first of two tournaments, starting the busy slate in the semifinal round of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. The program is looking to defend the inaugural title, although the approach is being made from a far different position than the previous edition, currently under an interim manager. For the second time this year, the opponent is Mexico, adding another chapter to the rivalry lore. The match is set for Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, a 61,000-seat venue that opened in July of 2020.This is the 76^th all-time meeting between the two nations, with the visitors holding a 36-22-17 advantage and the recent Allstate Continental Clásico ending in a 1-1 draw. Ranked 15^th internationally by FIFA, Mexico qualified for the Nations League Finals by finishing atop League A Group A in unconvincing fashion with a 2-0-2 record. El Tri tied Jamaica twice (1-1 and 2-2) and racked up two wins against Suriname (3-0 and 2-0). Recent friendly results include a 2-0 victory over Guatemala and a 2-2 draw with Cameroon.Mexico is led by Diego Cocca, who was appointed to the manager role last February, his first job at the international level. The 51-year-old retired defender has extensive experience leading Godoy Cruz, Santos Laguna, Tijuana, Atlas, and Tigres UANL, among other club oufits. He has won three league titles and is known for his pragmatic “defense-first” style. Cocca named a 23-player roster for the Nations League Finals featuring some but not all of the program’s big names. The domestic Liga MX is home to 14 of the call-ups, with the usual representation from Santos Laguna, América, Monterrey, Cruz Azul, UANL, Pachuca, and Atlas. Centre-back Néstor Araujo and Wolverhampton striker Raúl Jiménez are in camp but were left out of the final group.

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GOALKEEPERS (3): Carlos Acevedo (Laguna), Luis Malagón (América), Guillermo Ochoa (Salernitana)

DEFENDERS (8): Julián Araujo (Barcelona B), César Montes (Espanyol), Johan Vásquez (Cremonese), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Israel Reyes (América), Jorge Sánchez (Ajax), Víctor Guzmán (Monterrey), Jesús Gallardo (Monterrey)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Edson Álvarez (Ajax), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Sebastián Córdova (UANL), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens), Luis Chávez (Pachuca)

FORWARDS (6): Ozziel Herrera (Atlas), Alexis Vega (Guadalajara), Santiago Giménez (Feyenoord), Érick Sánchez (Pachuca), Henry Martín (América), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul)

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Cocca has a preference for formations with a three-player back line, the deployment of which would require a holistic shift from Mexico’s traditional 4-3-3 set-up. He inculcates an orderly, defense-first style with “a highly-coordinated midfield core and pacey wing-backs” that look to harry the opposition and push into an aggressive attack. “Pragmatic” is the operative word, the understated limitation of opportunities and maintaining a solid structure that can lead to great success at the international level.

Almost two decades since his senior debut, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa continues to backstop for El Tri and recently spent half of a season helping Salernitana avoid relegation from Serie A. The 37-year-old maintains the necessary athleticism to pull off the acrobatic wonder-saves that can tilt the balance of matches. He has displayed renewed vigor as a shot-stopper with complete controls the goalmouth, rendering most long-range opportunities moot.Johan Vásquez thrives when shutting down dribblers on the outside, launching himself into tackles and scything away the ball. The 24-year-old can be a danger on set pieces and leaps above the crowd to win headers. In the central role is César Montes, who recently made the jump to Europe and joined Espanyol in the winter, making 18 total appearances in the second half of the season. He is a tough, technical presence and can be an occasional scoring option. The trio should be completed by Israel Reyes of América, a versatile dramatist who makes himself a focal point of the action. His combination of hard-nosed defending and productive forays into the attack designate him as one of the more intriguing all-around talents on the field.At left wingback is Jesús Gallardo, the modern option looking to push into the final third and overlap with the winger. He attempts to beat opponents off the dribble and will also occupy an advanced position up the field if the manager is attempting to press. On the other side of the formation is Jorge Sánchez of Ajax, a more defensive option with well-timed tackles, interceptions, and blocks. The 25-year-old is a fairly-accurate passer and can launch incisive crosses when match proceedings slow to a more adagio tempo.As expected, Mexico has seemingly endless options in the engine room. One of the best talents in the region, Edson Álvarez serves a key role, dropping deep to serve as an additional centre-back. The soon-to-be-former Ajax midfielder is impressive in the build-up phase, provides defensive cover, and wins an almost-impossible number of headers per 90 minutes. With a 3-4-3 formation, the choice could be made to deploy another protective player, which calls for Luis Romo of Monterrey. The 28-year-old is similarly strong in the air and looks to make late runs to the top of the opponent’s box, setting up for a long-distance shot.Having made his senior international debut this year, Atlas’ Ozziel Herrera is quickly emerging as a favorite of the new manager with three caps. The 22-year-old drives the ball into the final third with his loping stride and is always looking to put the ball on frame. On the other side of the formation is fleet-of-foot Uriel Antuna, currently on the books at Cruz Azul. He ended the Liga MX Clausura on a roll with three goals in as many fixtures, using his intelligent movement and exploitative nature to get behind opposing back lines.

Leading the formation is Henry Martín, who recently wrapped the best season of his career with 27 goals and 11 assists in 42 matches for Club América, doing his best work on frenetic counter-attacks. Whether the 30-year-old can finally convert his scoring touch to the international stage remains the eternal question that has beguiled El Tri. Standing at 5’10”, he is something of a dying breed as a fox-in-the-box striker, reliant on intuitive movement and an incomprehensible attraction to the ball that could be less charitably described as “luck.” His long-distance shooting is also accurate enough to prevent defenders from backing off and stacking the area.

This is the second match between the rivals in the past three months, which could be complemented by a third at the Gold Cup. While the USMNT appears to be on the upswing with a talented young core, Mexico always manages to show up in these fixtures and provide a challenge. Relying on some of the program’s remaining veterans, Cocca could put together a safe gameplan that is able to disrupt the match flow and turn proceedings into a cagey counter-attacking affair.

The match is scheduled for Thursday, June 15^th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include Paramount+, TUDN USA, Univision, and FUBO TV (free trial).

USMNT announces 23-man roster for 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup- GK Matt Turner leads returnees

By The Athletic Staff 48m ago

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The U.S. men’s national team revealed its 23-man roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Monday. Here’s what you need to know:

• Sixteen of the 23 players are based in Major League Soccer. FC Cincinnati and Seattle Sounders lead the list of 12 MLS teams represented on the roster with two selections each.
• Five players are also part of the USA’s CONCACAF Nations League Finals squad announced earlier this month: goalkeepers Sean Johnson and Matt Turner, defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Alan Soñora and forward Alex Zendejas.
• The roster features seven players from the 2022 FIFA World Cup team: Jesús Ferreira, Aaron Long, Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, DeAndre Yedlin, Johnson and Turner.
• The USMNT opens group play against Jamaica on June 24 in Chicago.

What they’re saying

“This is a group that we have a lot of confidence in as we look to win another Gold Cup trophy,” USMNT interim manager B.J. Callaghan said in a release. “It’s a roster that has a good mix of veteran players that have World Cup experience and younger players have earned an opportunity to come into camp and represent the United States in the Gold Cup.“Many of these players have performed well at their clubs as well as the previous opportunities that they have had in the national team environment. We’re trying to expose as many players as possible to tournament competition. Some have a lot of experiences that we continue to build on, while others are just starting out. In all cases it will be valuable for the group moving forward.”

Backstory

The USMNT will be in search of a second straight and record-tying eighth confederation championship this summer. Turner and Robinson earned Best XI honors during the team’s 2021 title campaign and are two of six returnees from that championship squad. The 28-year-old Turner also won the Golden Glove as best goalkeeper at the 2021 Gold Cup, recording five clean sheets and allowing just one goal in six matches.The U.S. is part of Group A this year along with Jamaica, Nicaragua and a team that will be determined through the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims. Either Curaçao, French Guiana, Sint Maarten or Saint Kitts and Nevis will be the fourth team based on the Prelims draw. USMNT stars like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and newly-committed Folarin Balogun are part of this year’s Nations League Finals roster. Team USA faces rival Mexico in that tournament’s semifinals on June 15 in Las Vegas.

Complete 2023 USMNT Gold Cup roster (club/country; caps/goals)

Goalkeepers (3): Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; 1/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)

Defenders (8): DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 2/0), Aaron Long (LAFC; 32/3), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati; 23/1), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; 2/0), Bryan Reynolds (Roma/ITA; 3/0), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami; 78/0)

Midfielders (6): Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 9/0), Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar/NED; 6/1), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 32/3), James Sands (New York City FC; 8/0), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0)

Forwards (6): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 3/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 18/8), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 2/0), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 52/11), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; 3/1), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)

Folarin Balogun breaks down ‘long process’ to commit to USMNT: ‘I just went with my heart’

By Paul Tenorio Jun 9, 2023

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Folarin Balogun made his first public comments to reporters since filing a one-time switch to represent the U.S. men’s national team on the international level, saying Thursday the move wasn’t based on any external “noise” and he just “went with (his) heart.”The 21-year-old Balogun, who was eligible to represent England and Nigeria as well, committed to the U.S. in May.

“It was a long process, to be honest,” said Balogun, who scored 21 goals this season on loan at Reims in France’s Ligue 1. “I was out in Orlando just doing some training and then the (U.S.) squad was also in Orlando as well at camp, and the manager reached out to me, he said that it’d be good for me to come in and have some food and sit down and talk with him. I was with my agent as well, so the timing was good. We spoke about a lot of things and he just explained the vision for U.S. Soccer. In the end, we had a discussion, I went back home, I still had some time to obviously think and take in what he was saying and then I came to my conclusion.”The wait around Balogun’s decision included plenty of off-field recruitment. U.S. fans certainly caught the attention of Balogun and his agent when the fans deduced via Instagram that he was in Orlando at the same time as the U.S. team, and they inundated his social media with U.S. flag emojis. England manager Gareth Southgate, meanwhile, answered questions about why Balogun had not been called up to the senior team. Southgate said the Three Lions would not give players opportunities just because they could play for other countries and said that if Balogun continued to produce at the professional level he would get a chance with England.Balogun, however, said none of it factored into his decision.“In terms of my decision to come here, it was just really, it was an internal decision between myself, my family and my agent,” Balogun said. “It wasn’t anything to do with the comments of Gareth Southgate or anything to do with noise that I heard from outside. It was something I wanted to do, something my family supported and at the end of the day, I just went with my heart and went with what I thought was best.”

Balogun is expected to make his U.S. debut next Thursday in a CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against rival Mexico. He joined the team for his first camp a few days ago in Los Angeles, where preparations for the semifinal were underway. The U.S. won the inaugural Nations League in 2021.Balogun said he doesn’t feel much pressure to live up to the hype in his first games.“The impression of the group has been really, really good,” Balogun said. “I came in a bit late because my season finished a bit later, but as soon as I got here, I said ‘hi’ to the boys, they were really friendly, made me feel welcome. I’ve been out for dinner with a few of them. I’m just settling in, getting to know everyone. There’s been a lot of noise surrounding me coming but I feel like this is just the nature of the sport. I’m obviously used to competing and I’m used to the pressure of playing at Arsenal and having that expectation of yourself. The pressure I have for myself is internal, so what I hear on the outside is never going to be more than what I expect for myself.”Balogun said watching the U.S. at the World Cup he saw “a young, hungry team — a team with a lot of ambition,” and that while it didn’t make an impact on his decision, “I really, really believe in the way U.S. Soccer is heading.”“They are now a side, from watching them at the World Cup, that want to compete,” he said. “They feel like they should be winning these (big) games and I saw that. And now being in camp and seeing the tactics the way that I’m seeing and the way (interim manager B.J. Callaghan) is talking to us, he’s definitely encouraging us to be a dominant team and to go out there and win games.”The U.S. will be led this summer by Callaghan, an assistant under former coach Gregg Berhalter who stepped into the top role less than two weeks ago. Callaghan replaced another former Berhalter assistant, Anthony Hudson, who had held the interim job since the start of the year. Hudson left U.S. Soccer to take a job managing Qatari club Al-Markhiya SC.

With Callaghan in charge, it’s not certain yet whether Balogun will step directly into the starting lineup in his first games with the U.S., or whether he’ll come off the bench. U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi is also in camp and is coming off of a season in which he scored 12 goals on loan with Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie. Pepi has been linked with a move to top Dutch side PSV in recent days.Balogun said he will be ready no matter the role.“It’s still very early, I’m still getting to know my teammates on the pitch and off the pitch,” Balogun said. “And of course, this is not something that will come overnight. So there’s an element of patience that we all need to have in order to get the right relationships, but we’re definitely working towards that. … I’m coming in with a mindset that I need to earn my place. I’m not assuming I’m going to come in and start. That’s not really the mentality I have in life.“So I’m looking to just impress the manager and if he feels that it’s right for me to play, then that’s great. And if not, if he wants me to come on and try to make an impact, then that’s what I’ll do.”(Photo: John Dorton / USSF / Getty Images for USSF)

USWNT remain top of FIFA rankings before Women’s World Cup

By Ben BurrowsJun 9, 2023

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The United States will head into the Women’s World Cup as the top-ranked team in FIFA’s rankings.The latest rankings from the world governing body sees the USWNT – the defending world champions – maintain the top spot they have held since June 2017.European champions England are fourth with Germany and Sweden above them. France round out an unchanged top five.Spain are up to sixth while Brazil are now eighth, both jumping one spot ahead of Canada and the Netherlands respectively.Australia, who will host the tournament alongside New Zealand, complete the top 10.This summer’s tournament kicks off on July 20 and will run to August 20.Tournament debutants Zambia will be the lowest-ranked team represented, coming in at 77th in the world.

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Which teams will be playing at the World Cup?

The nations in the top 10 of FIFA’s women’s world rankings will all be playing in the World Cup, as well as 22 others.

Four of those teams head into the tournament outside the top 50, with 77th-placed Zambia the lowest-ranked nation competing.

Panama (52), Haiti (53), South Africa (54) and Morocco (73) are the other teams facing a tough task to get out of their groups.

Here is how the groups were drawn:

• Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
• Group B: Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Republic of Ireland
• Group C: Costa Rica, Japan, Spain, Zambia
• Group D: China, Denmark, England, Haiti
• Group E: Netherlands, Portugal, United States, Vietnam
• Group F: Brazil, France, Jamaica, Panama
• Group G: Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Sweden
• Group H: Colombia, Germany, Morocco, South Korea

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When are the games taking place?

The two opening games — New Zealand vs Norway and Australia vs Republic of Ireland – kick the tournament off on July 20. The following fortnight will decide the group stage, with each day across the two weeks involving either two, three or four games. That varies depending on where you are watching the games from. Once the group stage has concluded on August 3, there will be one day without any games before the knockout stage begins with the last-16 ties. Two will be played on each day between August 5 and 8. Then, there are two more rest days before the four quarter-finals.

They will follow a similar pattern with a pair on each day on August 11 and 12.

The two semi-finals will be played on August 15 and 16.

The third place play-off is on August 19, with the final a day later on August 20.

• Group stage: July 20 – August 3
• Last 16: August 5 – August 8
• Quarter-final: August 11 & August 12
• Semi-final: August 15 & 16
• Third-place play-off: Saturday, August 19
• Final: Sunday, August 20

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How can I watch it?

Good question. Currently, there are no broadcasters in the UK, France, Germany, Italy or Spain allowed to broadcast the Women’s World Cup due to disputes with FIFA regarding the cost of the rights.

The Women’s World Cup will be broadcast in the US in the same format as the men’s tournament at the end of last year.Back in 2015, FOX and Telemundo signed a deal with FIFA to show all of the men’s and women’s World Cup matches between 2018 and 2026. This will be the fourth World Cup they have shown in that time — men’s in 2018 and 2022, women’s in 2019 and 2023 — with the last World Cup of their broadcast cycle being the marquee tournament: the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Who will make the USWNT roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

Nicholas Mendola Mon, Jun 12, 2023, 3:09 PM EDT·3 min read

The United States women’s national team can make it an unprecedented three Women’s World Cups on the spin, giving it more consecutive titles than any other nation’s claimed cumulatively since the tournament began in 1991.That would be some honor for a hallowed program that went 16 years between titles before winning in 2015 and 2019.The quest to play in the Sydney-based final is coming up fast. Who will be the players selected by Vlatko Andonovski in a bid to make it a “three-peat” this summer?

That could change over the next few weeks due to possible injuries, as Catarina Macario’s ruled herself out, Megan Rapinoe went off injured for OL Reign this weekend, and Mallory Swanson’s already been ruled out following an April patella tendon tear. All three would’ve been considered locks for most of the cycle.Only 35 players have been called into USWNT camp over the last 12 months, and that includes Rapinoe and Swanson.

Of that remaining 33 only 11 were on the squad that won the 2019 World Cup: Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Julie Ertz, Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Tierna Davidson, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, Adrianna Franch, and Alyssa Naeher.

Sauerbrunn, O’Hara, Morgan, Rapinoe, and Naeher are the only five holdovers left from 2015.

So who’s going to Australia and New Zealand this summer? Here’s who’s in the pool, hoping to get the call from Andonovski.

World Cup news

USWNT release 2023 World Cup jerseys 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup schedule – Groups, calendar, dates, times,… When is the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place? When are the…

USWNT 2023 World Cup roster projection – NBC

(Projections in italics)

Goalkeepers

Alyssa Naeher
Adrianna Franch
Casey Murphy
Audrey Kingsbury

Analysis: Kingsbury’s the long shot here as the only one of the bunch with under 10 caps (and she has one).

Defenders

Sofia Huerta
Becky Sauerbrunn
Kelley O’Hara
Tierna Davidson
Emily Sonnett
Alana Cook
Crystal Dunn
Casey Krueger
Emily Fox
Naomi Girma
Hallie Mace
Carson Pickett

Analysis: Fox, Krueger, or Davidson could be the odd person out here, and some have suggested that O’Hara’s place isn’t solid either due to injury. We’ll say she gets the nod in a bid to be a part of all three rosters. That’s often how this has worked in recent years, even if it wasn’t under Andonovski’s rule.

Midfielders

Lindsey Horan
Julie Ertz
Rose Lavelle
Andi Sullivan
Kristie Mewis
Ashley Sanchez
Taylor Kornieck
Sam Coffey
Jaelin Howell
Savannah DeMelo

Analysis: This one feels about as straightforward as it gets, but feel free to comment if you don’t agree with that.

Forwards

Alex Morgan
Lynn Williams
Sophia Smith
Trinity Rodman
Alyssa Thompson
Ashley Hatch
Megan Rapinoe
Midge Purce
Jaedyn Shaw

Analysis: This can change if Rapinoe is out but there are no indications yet that the 37-year-old’s World Cup is in real jeopardy.

Rapinoe leaves OL Reign game injured as USWNT World Cup roster announcement looms

Jason Anderson followJune 11, 2023 9:33 am ET

With just over a week until its World Cup roster is revealed, the U.S. women’s national team has a new injury worry.Veteran winger Megan Rapinoe had to depart OL Reign’s 2-1 win over the Kansas City Current on Saturday with an apparent calf issue.Rapinoe was in the starting 11 for the Reign, but within the first 45 seconds she could be seen touching her lower leg and trying to loosen up an issue that she suffered off the ball.After a chat with the training staff and an attempt to jog it off as play continued, the Reign opted to make a change, with Veronica Latsko entering the game in the seventh minute.“She’s OK, I think. I truly don’t know the severity of it,” OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey told the media after the game. “I’m glad she could get out quickly and not have to push through it.”

USWNT roster reveal looms

With just over a month until the World Cup kicks off, even a fairly short-term issue at this point could keep a player from being fully fit for the tournament.The Washington Post has reported that USWNT players will be informed if they’ve made the roster in less than a week, with an official announcement to follow shortly after.

Rapinoe battled an injury earlier in 2023, missing the USWNT’s January camp. While it is possible that she simply experienced some calf tightness, a full-on strain would make it very difficult for the star of the 2019 World Cup to be available for this summer’s edition.

Losing out on Rapinoe would add to a long list of USWNT attackers who are on course to miss the tournament. Catarina Macario has ruled herself out after a torn ACL suffered in May 2022, while Christen Press — while not giving up on her chances of being available for selection — has not yet returned to play after a similar injury. Starting left forward Mallory Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon in a USWNT friendly earlier this year, and in all likelihood is months away from taking the field again.

Rapinoe’s teammate for club and country, Rose Lavelle, has not played since April due to a knee injury, though she appears close to a return.

Related

Angel City boss Coombe insists Ertz will be fit for USWNT World Cup roster

USWNT forward Macario will miss World Cup with knee injury

‘Fun grandma’ Rapinoe embracing new USWNT role

Follow all of Pro Soccer Wire’s NWSL coverage right here.

USWNT midfielder Julie Ertz’s goal is ‘be fast but don’t hurry’ a comeback ahead of World Cup

By Steph YangJun 7, 2023 12

In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic tells the stories of players and teams as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Follow along as we track their progress as they prepare both mentally and physically for a chance to shine on the game’s biggest stage.

Julie Ertz is not jinxing anything.

In a call with The Athletic to promote her partnership with Abbott addressing child malnutrition, she didn’t even say the words “World Cup.” Instead, as she discussed how NWSL games can run quite long now due to VAR decisions, she said that playing the extra time is “definitely good practice for players getting ready for big tournaments.”Yes, unnamed players getting ready for random big tournaments. Could be anyone, really.Ertz isn’t oblivious, of course. She knows and we know and she knows that we know that she’s angling for a Women’s World Cup roster spot this summer.“It would be a joy to be on that roster,” she said.But the timeline for Ertz to get her legs back under her is short even for an experienced U.S. women’s national team player who knows exactly what to do and what will be expected of her — all while she continues to take on projects dear to her like feeding children and her 9-month-old son starting walking. There are fewer than 50 days to go until the World Cup kicks off, and even less time until USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski names his roster in mid-to-late June.

“Fifty days is a short amount of time when you wait for four years. It’s also a lot of time for a lot: to be focused, to be the most prepared, to try and peak at the most perfect time,” Ertz said. “I think my whole process, especially coming back from pregnancy, is (to) be fast but don’t hurry.”

As a veteran player, the two-time World Cup winner knows better than most that she’ll have to fight for a spot on a roster that had been somewhat ticking along without her for nearly two years before she got a run out in the team’s April friendlies against the Republic of Ireland. That’s not to say they didn’t miss her. At times, the United States midfield has needed some bite of the particular kind that Ertz is so good at providing. And she hasn’t looked completely out of step since then, gradually getting more minutes with Angel City, where she signed a one-year contract in April.As with many players returning, Ertz said that while her fitness and technical touches are coming along, the final elements to click into place will be speed of play and decision making. It helps that she has her return games out of the way for both club and country.“The first (game is) always the hardest,” she said. “You always have so much emotion, excitement, all this anticipation, noise, all that.”Club performance, in particular, is key. In a March media call, Andonovski said, “She needed to join a professional team to get consistent games to give us a chance to furthermore evaluate her before the World Cup.” With only a few months back in NWSL, Ertz said she felt the jump in play from her Angel City debut against the San Diego Wave to her performance against Portland Thorns, and she felt a jump again from Portland to her next game against the Washington Spirit.An early sign of Ertz’s comeback was a classic near-post header against the Thorns, a well-timed run on a free kick to dink in the ball in the 79th minute in a move familiar to longtime fans. Another sign is that when Ertz is available she has played solid minutes, going from 72 minutes against the Wave in late April to 100 minutes against the Spirit in May.So far, Ertz has been a net positive on the field for Angel City. When she’s clicking, she can add to the team’s press. She was able to jump right in for her first ACFC game against San Diego in April and helped maintain pressure in the Wave’s half with four recoveries high up the field that ended the San Diego’s possession and started Angel City on the ball again, although they ultimately lost 2-0.As Ertz noted, there was marked improvement against Portland, a game that definitely showed that her positioning is still there. According to Wyscout, she had 14 recoveries, 10 of them in Portland’s half, and frequently won the first ball off of Portland’s goal kicks, which contributed to her 10 interceptions. She had 10 interceptions against the Spirit as well. But Ertz’s most recent game against the Chicago Red Stars saw a dip, with only two interceptions in the 58 minutes she played.

Julie Ertz 2023 output for Angel City FC

OPPONENT	MINUTES	GOALS	SHOTS
vs. San Diego	72	0	0
vs. Portland	84	1	1
vs. Washington	90	0	0
vs. Chicago	58	0	3

*not including stoppage time

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It’s a small sample size to draw from, but from the way Andonovski has spoken about Ertz, there’s a sense that he prefers to look at her best performances rather than her worst and bet accordingly.

“We know the quality of the player that (Ertz is) and that if she comes anywhere near her best that she will certainly help us win a World Cup,” Andonovski said in March.

Later, responding to a question about choosing between healthy players who have been available for selection for the last year and a half versus someone coming back from injury or prolonged absence, Andonovski said, “Everything will be taken into consideration. What is someone’s best, and what is someone’s 80% or 90%? If somebody’s 80 or 90% is still better than somebody else’s best, then too bad…. We are very well aware that we’re not going to be able to take players that are not able to play 90-minute games, or we’re not going to be able to do that with multiple players. We may take an exception or a player that we know that in the first couple of weeks of the World Cup, we’ll be able to get them to 90 minutes.”

Right now, Ertz is focused on where she is, establishing relationships with the players around her, specifically her fellow midfielders Dani Weatherholt and Savannah McCaskill, and center backs Paige Nielsen and Sarah Gorden. Gordon, in particular, is a familiar comfort for Ertz, who spent years with her at the Chicago Red Stars and said her work rate this season has been “phenomenal.”

“I think (Gordon and Nielsen) bring confidence to the team which brings confidence to the next line,” Ertz said. “I can think of a lot of breakaways that they’ve had great footwork and been able to break up a lot of really good play collectively.”

On the other side of the equation, Ertz’s work at holding mid allows Angel City to push McCaskill higher, where she’s much more useful in tugging strings for players like Claire Emslie, Alyssa Thompson and Jun Endo, as opposed to having to dig the ball out of the midfield herself. You can see this in Angel City’s distribution out of the back where Ertz is often a target for goalkeeper DiDi Haračić to set up the rest of the team’s push, with Ertz receiving in the central area and looking upfield to play into space.

Ertz is aware that the team (currently in 11th place) is not quite delivering on what is, on paper, an ability to punch quite hard at opposing team goals, and she thinks everyone can tighten up play across the board, herself included.

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“If you’re getting scored on it means you’ve got to score more,” she said, matter-of-factly. “You see some good builds at times, you see some great set pieces as well. So I think it’s really just putting a full — I feel like it’s never just 90 (minutes), it’s 98 minutes, whatever — you gotta put a full-on 100 minutes into games.”Ertz can do the 100-minute games now, although it might take some more time to build her fitness into doing that for three or four games in a row. But it looks like the building blocks are there. “You want to continuously grow and peak at the right time,” she said.The implication of peaking at the right time is that there’s a “big tournament” that could use her at her peak. But again, Ertz didn’t speak in any absolutes and said peaking during the World Cup window was crucial for Angel City, too.“You got to get points, especially at this next third (of the season),” she said. “Points are really important for us and our team knows that.”Ertz seems well grounded in her day-to-day. Case in point, she had an excused absence from Angel City in May to open up her House of Hope children’s community center in Philadelphia, and she’s doing media to promote her partnership with healthcare company Abbott and the Real Madrid Foundation to talk about global child malnutrition.Ertz said she and her husband Zach talked about the projects and felt moved to help children in need well before they had their own child, Madden, in August 2022.“We’ve been able to travel the world and live in different states and really learn about what’s truly going on, and sometimes you’re so focused on one thing — especially in our sport — that it’s important to look at the bigger picture,” she said. “People need people at the end of the day, and I think sometimes (we) forget what is going on in the world and how to help.”There’s been no effort to push Madden towards soccer or football, Ertz said. With two championship-winning athlete parents, what she really wants is to support whatever he loves to do, even at nine months old.“(He’s) trying to walk so I’m trying to support him in good body mechanics,” Ertz said with a smile. “He’s definitely a determined, independent little guy.”If having to keep one eye on a very mobile baby at all times isn’t enough grounding, Ertz also said she has her religious faith. With the laugh of someone extremely busy — media tour, baby on the verge of walking, game day to prep for, national team roster imminent — Ertz said her approach to asking for support from her faith is adaptable.“You never want to get too ahead of yourself. But you also don’t want to hold yourself back,” she said. “So I think it’s also important to dream and have a goal. But you don’t ever want to expect anything and think you just get something.”

“TheJourney to the Cup” series is part of a partnership with Google Chrome. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo: John Todd/USSF/Getty Images)

Steph Yang is a staff writer for The Athletic covering women’s soccer in the United States. Before joining The Athletic, she was a managing editor at All for XI and Stars & Stripes FC and a staff writer for The Bent Musket, as well as doing freelance work for other soccer sites. She has covered women’s soccer for over seven years and is based out of Boston, Mass.

Your explainer on every NWSL team’s tactical identity and style (in 100 words or less)

• Joseph Lowery
• Jun 12, 2023, 10:42 AM ET

We all know the teams. We all know the stars, too. But how well do we know what actually happens on the field in the National Women’s Soccer League? How do each of the 12 teams in the league play? And how do teams try to get the best out of their star players?

We’re here to answer those questions by looking at each NWSL team’s on-field strategy and tactical identity. There’s a catch, though: we’re analyzing each team in rapid-fire fashion using 100 words or less. Let’s get to the analysis.

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Angel City FC

Coached by Freya Coombe, Angel City prefer a back four and use a 4-4-2 in defense and either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 in possession.

Coombe encourages her team to control the ball: they’re third in the NWSL in possession (53%). Angel City like to spread the field and build from the back, using defender Sarah Gorden‘s technique and speed at right center-back to help them break forward.

Angel City can string together some lovely possession sequences, but they lack precision in the final third to turn that possession into chances. That’s the next step for this team.

Chicago Red Stars

Once Mallory Swanson went down with an injury, Chicago’s biggest asset — a vertical, hard-running, flexible forward — disappeared. Since her injury, the Red Stars have been searching for the right combination of players and tactics to give them an edge. They’ve used back threes and back fours and tried players like Yūki Nagasato all over the field.

None of their tactical choices will compensate for losing Swanson, but using Nagasato as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 with right-back Casey Krueger providing service has promise. Still, it’s difficult to imagine Chicago climbing far up the table.

NJ/NY Gotham FC

If you want energy — and lots of it — Gotham have you covered.They love to press, usually out of a 4-3-3 shape, and are the most active defensive team in the NWSL. Gotham record a defensive action outside of their defensive third after every 9.3 passes from their opponents, which is the league’s top mark, per Opta.Lots of their pressure comes as counter-pressure after they lose possession. Gotham are fourth in the NWSL in possession (52.5%) and spread the field to isolate their forwards against opposing full-backs. When they successfully create those one-v-ones, good things happen.

Houston Dash

Playing out of a 4-3-3 in recent weeks, Houston have a clear midfield structure with a No. 6 defensive midfielder playing behind two box-to-box No. 8s, and wide players that rotate between different vertical channels. They also have a quality striker in Diana Ordoñez and wide attackers with varied profiles. Players know where to position themselves, especially in deeper spells of possession.

And yet, the Dash have the fewest touches in the final third in the NWSL per 90 minutes, per FBref. The ball must move faster in both possession and transition to turn Houston’s ideas into consistent results.

Kansas City Current

After a coaching change earlier this year and brutal injury luck, the Current are trying to find their identity. They’ve tried several different shapes and personnel groupings, using offseason signing and playmaker Debinha centrally and in the half-spaces.

All of the pieces haven’t clicked yet, but Kansas City have the potential to be a solid defensive team and an effective attacking one.

They’ve opted for a compact defensive block for large stretches of the year that limits their opponents’ space. In attack, Debinha’s string-pulling should maximize her teammates’ smart movement. We’ll see if the talent and the structure come together.

North Carolina Courage

You don’t often see full-backs dictate attacks, but that’s what U.S. national team defender Emily Fox does for NC.

Fox defends as a full-back in a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 shape, but pushes into midfield in possession. Her movement shifts North Carolina’s attacking structure into a 3-2-5, where the back three allows Fox and midfielder Denise O’Sullivan to run the middle.

No team in the NWSL keeps more possession than the Courage (58.5%) and they’ve clearly spent time on their attacking setup. They don’t create much — 10th in the NWSL in expected goals or xG — but there’s thought behind their play.

OL Reign

Few teams in the NWSL adapt to their opponents better than OL Reign.Laura Harvey’s team doesn’t need to dominate possession every game. Instead, they play in a fairly pragmatic 4-2-3-1 shape, using a mixture of high pressing and savvy mid-block defending to frustrate opponents.When they have the ball, most of their attacks flow through Megan Rapinoe on the wing. Per FBref, Rapinoe hits the second-most crosses per 90 (10.5) than any regular NWSL starter. The Reign probably rely too much on crosses, but there’s no denying that Rapinoe’s quality in the final third is an asset.

Orlando Pride

Using either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, Orlando prefer to play against the ball: they’re eighth in average possession (48.3%) and fifth in direct attacking speed in the NWSL, per Opta.While they’re not always blindingly quick building through midfield — and Marta, who plays as either a No. 10 or as a narrow right winger, appears to have lost a step — rookie striker Messiah Bright and Brazilian winger Adriana both love to run behind the opposing backline.Adriana, in particular, has been valuable in transition with her dribbling for the Pride in her first NWSL season.

Portland Thorns

If there’s one NWSL team that can rely on talent to brute force wins, it’s the Thorns.

Portland have a default structure: they attack and defend out of a 4-3-3 shape, using a single pivot (defensive midfielder Sam Coffey) to set the tempo in possession. But it’s the Thorns’ top-end talent and depth that makes them stand out.

With Crystal Dunn and either Christine Sinclair or Olivia Moultrie finding pockets of space as the No. 8s ahead of Coffey, and forward Sophia Smith punishing opposing defenses with her speed and control in tight spaces, Portland are incredibly difficult to stop.

Racing Louisville FC

Louisville’s tactical approach isn’t flashy: they use a 4-2-3-1 in possession and defend in a 4-4-2 shape. But their system does a good job of playing to the strengths of their strongest individual players.

EDITOR’S PICKS

• Predicting the USWNT’s roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup7dCaitlin Murray
• Teens are suddenly big NWSL stars: How a lawsuit and on-field dazzle changed everything7dOm Arvind
• Why Rodman is the best USWNT replacement for Swanson at the World Cup21dJoseph Lowery

They average the second-least possession (47.5%) and have the fastest attacks in the NWSL, per Opta, which gives midfielder Savannah DeMelo plenty of chances to lead counterattacks. DeMelo often acts as a point guard, making quick ball progression decisions while Jaelin Howell breaks up plays as a No. 6.

Louisville’s recipe isn’t one for mind-blowing attacking play, but they certainly don’t let opponents relax.

San Diego Wave FC

Manager Casey Stoney has a vision. That’s clear when you watch the Wave play.

With their biggest advantage coming through their spine, Stoney’s team doesn’t dominate games in wide areas or high press regularly. Instead, San Diego use compact defending, vertical passes to the 6-foot-1 Taylor Kornieck at the tip of midfield, and runs behind opposing defenders from striker Alex Morgan & Co. to create problems.

Because the Wave are built around their spine, losing Kornieck like they did for a stretch this season can derail them. However, Jaedyn Shaw‘s emergence as a flexible, clever attacker gives Stoney another tool.

Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit might just have the most distinctive tactical approach in the NWSL. Under Mark Parsons, the Spirit are hyper-focused on playing quickly and directly out of a 4-4-2 diamond shape.

So far this year, they have fewer sequences of 10 passes or more than any team in the league. With Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman up top, Washington have a traditional No. 9 (Hatch) and a forward who can stretch the field and drift into the wide areas on the counterattack (Rodman).

A two-forward front with four midfielders stacked underneath helps Washington zig when others zag.

#INDvSTC

St. Charles FC at Indy Eleven

Thursday, June 15, 2023 – 7:00 PM

Grand Park Sports Complex – Westfield, Ind.

Follow Live
Live Stream
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: #INDvSTC MatchCenter at USLWLeague.com

2023 USL W League Records

Indy Eleven: 5W-0L-1D (+16GD) 16pts; 1st in Valley Division

St. Charles FC: 0W-4L-2D (-18 GD) 2pts; 5th in Valley Division

Setting the Scene
Indy Eleven is back for its second home match in a row when it hosts St. Charles FC. Indy still holds the top spot in the USL W League Valley Division with 16 points while St. Charles sits fifth in the division with two points.

Series vs. St. Charles FC
Thursday marks the second meeting between the two teams with the Girls in Blue walking away from St. Charles with an 8-0 win in the first match of the 2023 season.

Recent Meetings:
May 10, 2023 | Away | W 8-0

Last Time Out
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 9, 2023) – A pair of second half goals lifted Indy Eleven over Lexington SC, 2-0, on Friday night at the Grand Park Sports Campus. With the victory, Indy improves to 5-0-1 atop the USL W League’s Valley Division, while Lexington SC falls to 2-3-1. Second half sub Katie Soderstrom broke the scoreless tie with her third goal of the season to put the Eleven ahead in the 60th minute. Soderstrom had a pair of chances just three minutes earlier that were denied by the Lexington keeper but connected on a through ball from Addie Chester into the lower right side of the net.Indy’s leading scorer Maisie Whitsett did what she does best and doubled the Eleven’s lead with an 81st-minute header off a Soderstrom cross. It was Whitsett’s sixth goal of the season to give the Girls in Blue a 2-0 lead.Indy also dominated the first half of play, led by Kanna Matsuhisa who had three of the Eleven’s four shots in the frame. The Girls in Blue had the upper hand for the final 10 minutes of the half as well, as Lexington’s Kelsey Kiesling was ejected in the 35th minute, and the visiting team was forced to finish the match a player down.

The Eleven outshot Lexington 19-4 in the match, including 15 in the second half, led by Soderstrom’s six. Emily Edwards earned her third shutout of the season in goal, making three saves.

Scoring Summary
IND – Katie Soderstrom (Chester) 60’
IND – Maisie Whitsett (Soderstrom) 81’

Discipline Summary 
LEX – Lesley Kiesling (Ejection) 35’

Blake’s late equalizer earns Indy a draw at home

View INDvHFD Stats on USLChampionship.com Match Center

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, June 10, 2023) – A late equalizer from Jack Blake salvaged a tie for Indy Eleven in a 1-1 match with Hartford Athletic Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. Indy moves to 4-5-4 on the season, while Hartford sits at 2-7-4.An early scuffle in the sixth minute off an Indy corner led to a caution for Hartford’s Antoine Hoppenot and a red card for Adrian Diz Pe to put the Eleven down a man for the remainder of the match. The Hartford goal came not long after in the 11th minute when Kyle Edwards took advantage of a giveaway on Indy’s back line to set himself up one-on-one with Yannik Oettl to slot it in the lower left corner of the net.Hartford outshot Indy 5-3 in the first frame, with three on target to the Eleven’s zero, but Indy held the narrow 51%-49% advantage in possession.The playing field was leveled in the 49th minute when Hartford’s Triston Hodge was shown his second yellow of the match and ejected.
Indy found the equalizer in the 85th minute off a long throw into the box from Douglas Martinez that found Sebastian Guenzatti waiting just outside the center of the six-yard box. Guenzatti collected the cross and laid it off to Blake for his second tally of the season. It was also the second assist for Guenzatti of 2023.Indy held the 56%-44% edge in possession for the match and outshot Hartford 15-14. Martinez and Rissi led the Eleven with three shots apiece and Oettl registered three saves. The Eleven played the final minutes of the match with nine men after Gustavo Rissi was shown a red card in stoppage time.
Next up, the Boys in Blue hit the road to take on Birmingham Legion FC for the first of two straight road matches. Kick is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Indy returns home Saturday, July 1 against San Diego Loyal SC. Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium and specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). 

USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1:1 Hartford Athletic
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.

Indy Eleven: 4W-5L-4D, 16 pts
Hartford Athletic: 2W-7L-4D, 10 pts

Scoring Summary
HFD – Kyle Edwards 11’
IND – Jack Blake (Sebastian Guenzatti) 85’

Discipline Summary
IND – Adrian Diz Pe (ejection) 6’
HFD – Antoine Hoppenot (caution) 6’
HFD – Triston Hodge (caution) 45+1’
HFD – Triston Hodge (caution-ejection) 49’
IND – Cam Lindley (caution) 50’
HFD – Luke Merrill (caution) 58’
IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 64’
HFD – Danny Barrera (caution) 77’
IND – Gustavo Rissi (ejection) 90+3’

Indy Eleven line-up (3-5-2): Yannik Oettl, Jesus Vazquez, Mechack Jerome, Adrian Diz Pe, Jack Blake, Roberto Molina (Solomon Asante 68’), Cam Lindley (Sebastian Velasquez 68’), Aodhan Quinn, Harrison Robledo (Gustavo Rissi 18’), Douglas Martinez, Sebastian Guenzatti (Captain) (Juan Tejada 89’)

Indy Subs: Tim Trilk, Diego Sanchez, Benji Chavarria

Hartford Athletic line-up (3-5-2): Joe Rice, Niall Logue (Edgardo Rito 40’), Conor McGlynn, Kaveh Rad, Matt Sheldon, Luke Merrill, Triston Hodge, Juan Pablo Torres, Antoine Hoppenot, Kyle Edwards (Robin Lapert 79’), Prince Saydee (Danny Barrera 63’)

Hartford Subs: Richard Sanchez, Ashkanov Apollon, Andre Lewis, Beverly Makangila

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