NWSL Playoff Finals – Sat night 8 pm CBS – Rapinoe last game Seattle OL Reign vs NY Gothem
Retiring legends Megan Rapinoe will face off against Ali Krieger in the finals of the NWSL at Snap Dragon Stadium in San Diego as a national audience watches OL Reign (Seattle) face NY/NJ Gothem. Both teams were founding members of the NWSL but neither has ever won a title – so one of these teams will bring home their first hardware. Coverage start at 7 pm with a 8 pm kickoff on CBS. Retiring legends Megan Rapinoe will face off against Ali Krieger in the finals of the NWSL at Snap Dragon Stadium in San Diego as a national audience watches OL Reign (Seattle) face NY/NJ Gothem. Both teams were founding members of the NWSL but neither has ever won a title – so one of these teams will bring home their first hardware. Also huge news that the NWSL has signed a record breaking deal with CBS/Paramount+, ESPN/ABC & Prime Video & Ion Network giving them oh double the coverage that MLS got. The important thing here is unlike the MLS which is out of sight and out of mind – (with Messi out of the playoffs) – the NWSL was smart enough to get their games on Network TV and streaming. Combine that with the huge signing of New US Women’s coach Emma Hayes from Chelsea (the most successful women’s coach in the game) who reportedly will make what Berhalter makes – about $1.5 million a year – and women’s soccer is really trending in 2023. (lots of stories below)
US Men Face Copa America Qualifiers vs T&T w/o Pulisic & Weah next week
The US men will go into their Nations League battles next Thurs & Sun w/o Pulisic and Weah as the US team was announced today. Still plenty of firepower for the US as forward Balogun and the Aasronson brothers take centerstage with 2 key wingers missing. Still T&T is terrible and anyting short of a 3-0 and maybe 2-1 result on the road would be disappointing. Again the US must win to qualify for both the next round of Nations League and the ever important Copa America which the US host’s this summer.
United States Men’s roster (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 9/0), Gaga Slonina (KAS Eupen; 1/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 35/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 14/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 30/2), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 53/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 14/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 37/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 27/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 7/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; 1/0), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 9/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 19/0), Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim/GER; 1/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 48/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 31/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 22/6), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 6/0)
FORWARDS (5): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 36/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 6/3), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 20/9), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 7/1).
Indiana University hosts Penn State in Big 10 Final Sun 12 noon @ IU
I had the distinct pleasure to join 2 Indiana University soccer legends to the Big 10 Semi-Final Wed night for their thrilling 4-3 win over Michigan. The atmosphere in Bill Armstrong stadium with an overflowing student section and IU Band was unrivalled at the College Level. IU is the most successful men’s soccer program of all time and it shows with the excitement conveyed in the stadium. We watched from the Former Players VIP section and the feeling of family and friendship was unbelievable. Mrs Yegley welcomed 1 and all warmly. What a special place! Oh and IU won a hard fought, somewhat disjointed game with interesting reffing decisions but the Hoosiers deserved the win and will now host the #2 seed Penn State at home on Sunday at noon (Big 10 Network) as they make their record 7th straight Big Ten Final appearance looking for their 34th conference title. The Hoosiers (11-4-4, 4-2-2) have won 8 of their last 9 games having beat Penn State earlier in the year. Its worth the little over an hour drive to enjoy some solid college soccer if you don’t have plans for Sunday. Tix are just $10, $5 for youth (3-18) and its well worth the visit – oh and the drive is still spectacular with the leaves changing.
GAMES ON TV
Thurs, Nov 9 — Europa League
12:45 pm Liverpool vs Maccabi Haifa
12:45 pm Para+ Ajax vs Brighton
3 pm Para+ West Ham vs Olympiakos
3 pm para+ Panathinaikos vs Rennes (Balogen)
Fri, Nov 10 –
7 am FS2 Spain vs Canada U17 WC
2:30 pm EPSN+ B Mgladbach (Scaley) vs Wolfsburg
8 pm Apple TV Miami FC vs NYCFC Messi Celebration Friendly
10 pm Apple TV Seattle vs Dallas (Playoffs)
Sat, Nov 11
7:30am USA Wolverhampton vs Tottenham
9 am para+ Lecce vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Heidenheim
9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Scally) vs Heidenheim
10 am Peacock Arsenal vs Burnley
10 am USA Man United vs Luton Town
12 pm Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Cagliari
12:30 pm NBC Bournemouth vs New Castle United
3pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Valencia
6 pm Apple TV Houston vs Real Salt Lake
8 pm CBS NWSL Champ Game OL Reign (Rapinoe) vs NY Gothem (Mewis, Kreiger)
Sun, Nov 12
7 am FS1 USA Boys vs Korea (U17 WC)
9 am USA West Ham s Nothingham Forest
9 am Peacock Aston Villa vs Fulham (Ream, Robinson)
9:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen vs Union Berlin
10 am Peacock Liverpool vs Brentford
11:30 am USA Chelsea vs Man City
1 pm Para+ Lazio vs Roma
3 pm Apple TV Philly Union vs New England ??
6 pm Apple TV Orlando City vs Nashville ??
7 pm FS1/Apple TV Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United ??
7 pm ESPN2 Charleston vs Phoenix USL Champ Game
Wed, Nov 15
9 am FS1 USA Boys vs Burkina(U17 WC)
Thurs, Nov 16
8 pm TNT, Para+ US Men vs T&T (Copa Qualifying)
9 pm Para+ Costa Rica vs Panama
Fri, Nov 17
2:45 pm FS1 England vs Malta (Euro Quals)
2:45 pm fuboTV Poland vs Czech Republic
7 pm Para+ Jaimaica vs Canada (Copa Qualifying)
9 ppm Para+, TUDN Honduras vs Mexico (Copa Qualifying)
Sat, Nov 18
7 am FS1, Tele USA Boys vs France (U17 WC)
9 am FS1 Armenia vs Wales (Euro Quals)
12 noon FS2 Latvia vs Croatia
2:45 pm FS2 Netherlands vs Ireland
Mon, Nov 20
2:45 pm fuboTV Ukraine vs Italy
2:45 pm ? North Madedonia vs England
7 pm TNT, Para+ US Men vs T&T (Copa Qualifying)
9 pm Para+ Panama vs Costa Rica
Tues, Nov 21
7:30 pm Para+ Canada vs Jamaica (Copa Qualifying)
9:30 pm Para+, TUDN Mexico vs Honduras (Copa Qualifying)
NWSL Finals – Sat 8 pm CBS
Megan Rapinoe’s last chapter was destined to be with OL Reign
Ali Krieger’s soccer journey fittingly ends in NWSL Championship
After hitting rock bottom, Gotham FC now 1 win away from NWSL championship trophy
Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe predicted their NWSL Championship clash JWS StaffNov 6, 2023
Rose Lavelle caps ‘frustrating year’ with ‘exceptional’ run for OL Reign
How to watch the 2023 NWSL Championship — Megan Rapinoe’s last game
Naomi Girma wins NWSL Defender of the Year in back-to-back seasons
Juan Carlos Amorós wins NWSL Coach of the Year for Gotham turnaround
Christen Press: NWSL playoff format ‘needs to be changed’
US Men
USMNT squad: Pulisic, Weah out with injuries Jeff Carlisle
Berhalter names 24 players for November; Weah & Pulisic are out, Aaronson brothers are in ASN
Christian Pulisic once again gets some good injury news
How hard would a Pulisic injury hit the USMNT vs. Trinidad and Tobago?
Pulisic subbed off after injury in AC Milan win
Will rebirth of Pulisic, Musah make AC Milan America’s team?
USMNT stock watch: Why Pulisic and McKennie are thriving, but Reyna and Turner are stuck ESPN
Analysis ASN – Where are the young American centerbacks? A look at the ongoing development gap in the back
Champs League, EPL Wrap up Americans
Gregg Berhalter calls up 24 men for USMNT’s Copa America qualification deciders vs Trinidad and Tobago
US Boys U17 World Cup
How to Watch the U17 World Cup on Fox
US Women
How will an Emma Hayes-led USWNT play?
From style to tactics, what USWNT can expect from Emma Hayes as manager
England coach Wiegman: USWNT hiring Hayes ‘good for the women’s game’
Hayes Called out US in World Cup
Euros & Champions/Europa League
Champions League grades: top marks for Shakhtar, United sink to new low
Toulouse 3-2 Liverpool: Lacklustre Reds suffer controversial defeat to Ligue 1 side
Luis Diaz’s father released by kidnappers in Colombia
Beware Erik ten Hag, the last time Manchester United were this bad they were relegated
Man Utd miss yet another crucial turning point and lurch to new crisis levels
Marseille v Lyon: Postponed game rescheduled for 6 December following bus attack
Diego Simeone: Atletico Madrid manager signs new deal until 2027
England vs Malta, Euro 2024 qualifier: When is it and how can I watch it on TV?
England squad announcement LIVE: Gareth Southgate reveals Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka decisions
Reffing
Soccer has refereeing ‘epidemic’ on its hands
Joe Cole splits opinion after VAR denies Liverpool late equaliser: ‘The ref got it right’
Var comes to West Ham’s rescue in victory over Olympiacos
Jurgen Klopp confronts referee after Var ruling on Alexis Mac Allister handball
Premier League players annoyed at ‘constant standing around’ waiting for VAR, says Tim Ream
What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?
Goalkeeping
Houston Dash’s Jane Campbell wins NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
Racing’s Lund a finalist for NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
EMMA HAYES – Chelsea Coach – Set to Take the Reigns of the US Women’s National Team
| JULIAN FINNEY – UEFA/UEFA VIA GETTY IMAGES Big soccer news broke on Saturday, after Chelsea announced that longtime coach Emma Hayes would be leaving the club at the end of the WSL season.Hayes has since been linked with the open USWNT head coaching job, which she would assume in May 2024.Long resume: Hayes is a well-respected figure in English women’s soccer, having won six WSL titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups and one Community Shield.She’s known for her eye for talent, bringing in players like Sam Kerr and Pernille Harder while also developing English talent like Fran Kirby.As part of her contract negotiations, Hayes will reportedly be in contact with interim management while she finishes out the season with Chelsea.With the 2024 Olympics around the corner, she’ll have a short runway to help the team move past a disappointing World Cup.Read more: What the USWNT can expect from next head coach Emma Hayes |
The NWSL Championship final is set
STEPH CHAMBERS/GETTY IMAGES OL Reign and Gotham FC will meet in San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 11 to compete for the 2023 NWSL Championship after two semifinal upset wins. Both clubs are founding members of the NWSL and will be playing for their first-ever titles. Upset watch: Seattle and Gotham won on the road Sunday, taking down No. 1 San Diego and No. 2 Portland, respectively. A Veronica Latsko cross found the back of the net for OL Reign, while a Katie Stengel wonder-strike gave Gotham the win in overtime .Each team closed out 1-0 wins after scoreless first halves. The Reign and Gotham both prioritize their full-team defenses, and fans can expect a low-scoring match in the final (Nov. 11, 8 pm ET, CBS). Seattle and Gotham are 1-1 in head-to-head matchups this season, though they haven’t played each other since May.
| USA TODAY SPORTS Since the NWSL expanded the playoffs to six teams in 2021, five of the last six finalists have been teams that began the postseason in the quarterfinals. The top two seeds coming off a bye round are 1-5 in three years of semifinals, including San Diego and Portland going 0-2 in 2023. Rest or rust: No. 4 OL Reign and No. 6 Gotham FC are the lowest collective seeds ever to reach the NWSL Championship. This year marks the first time since playoff expansion that none of the top three seeds have reached a final. The bye for top seeds was compounded by the international break that took place between the quarterfinal and the semifinal rounds. Bottom line: When top teams struggle this mightily after being awarded time off, one has to wonder if it’s actually an advantage. |
| Krieger and Rapinoe aren’t done yet |
| BRIAN ROTHMULLER/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGESThe NWSL Championship will also give fans one more chance to say goodbye to retiring legends Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe.The longtime USWNT teammates will go head-to-head for a chance to walk away from the game with one final win.Part of the team: Rapinoe and Krieger are intrinsic parts of Seattle and Gotham’s respective game plans.Rapinoe played all 90 minutes against San Diego on Sunday, while Krieger went the distance for 120 minutes against Portland.“I feel like it seems a bit poetic that the championship game is ending with Krieger and Pinoe’s last game,” Seattle midfielder Rose Lavelle said on Sunday.Read more: Retiring stars Rapinoe and Krieger meet in ‘fairytale’ NWSL final |
Gotham turnaround leads to Coach of the Year
| VINCENT CARCHIETTA/USA TODAY SPORTS Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós has earned 2023 NWSL Coach of the Year honors, the league announced on Tuesday. Amorós oversaw a stunning turnaround for Gotham, leading them to sixth in the regular season after a last-place finish in 2022.The team will also contend for their first NWSL Championship on Sunday. |
NWSL announces 4-year TV deals with ESPN, CBS, Prime Video: Why it’s a win for the league
By Meg Linehan and The Athletic Staff
The NWSL will reach more viewers in 2024 with its new broadcast deals with ESPN, CBS Sports, Prime Video and Scripps Sports, the league announced Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The NWSL agreed to four-year deals with each partner, who will show at least 20 games apiece on their platforms next season.
- Fans will be able to stream regular-season matches on Friday nights on Prime Video and watch two prime-time matches on Saturdays on Scripps’ ION network.
- A package of regular-season matches will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+, with CBS Sports showing additional matches.
- ESPN will show matches across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as stream them on ESPN+ in English and Spanish.
More about the deals
- The agreements will double the number of cameras for matches, which will also help with video replay review efforts.
- The remainder of the regular-season schedule will be part of a direct-to-consumer package produced and distributed by the NWSL.
- ION will air the 2024 NWSL Draft in January. A date for the draft has yet to be announced.
- ION will also lead off its Saturday doubleheaders with a studio show at 7 p.m. ET. The games will start at 7:30 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET.
Where can I watch the playoffs?
- Prime Video and CBS will broadcast one quarterfinal each, while ESPN/ABC will air the other two quarterfinals.
- ESPN/ABC and CBS will each have a semifinal game.
- CBS will continue to air the championship game in prime time and make it available to stream on Paramount+. (The league’s three-year media rights deal with CBS wraps up at the end of this year.)
The deals are a win for NWSL
Considering the media rights landscape, $60 million a year combined across all the new partnerships for the four-year deal has to be considered a major win and improvement for the NWSL — while not getting trapped in super long terms (compare it to MLS’s 10-year term with Apple, or U.S. Soccer’s eight-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports).
NWSL Championship tactics: How OL Reign, Gotham can win
- Joseph Lowery
No matter what happens in NWSL final on Saturday, there will be a new NWSL champion.OL Reign, who took down the top-seeded San Diego Wave last weekend, and NJ/NY Gotham FC, who pushed past the Portland Thorns in extra time, will battle for a first NWSL Championship win in club history. Neither team entered the playoffs as favorites, though in the parity-filled NWSL, sometimes there simply aren’t any favorites. Gotham snuck into sixth and final spot in the playoff bracket, while OL Reign finished fourth.
Now all that’s left standing between each of these teams and the trophy is the other.
To help get you ready for Saturday’s matchup, we’re digging into each team’s title hopes and giving you a few things to watch out for during the game. How did they make it this far, and will what worked for them all season be enough to win the NWSL Championship?
How OL Reign reached the final
It’s been a season of consistency for Laura Harvey’s OL Reign squad. They finished eight points off their Shield-winning pace from 2022, but stayed above the playoff line for 21-consecutive weeks after a 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit to start the year.
Following up their fourth-place finish in the regular season, OL Reign snuck past Angel City by a 1-0 scoreline in the first round of the playoffs. A strong header from winger Veronica Latsko in the 87th minute sealed the game for the Reign, pushing them in a semifinal meeting with the San Diego Wave.
That matchup between the two best NWSL defenses in the regular season — based on expected goals allowed, per Fbref — looked an awful lot like what you’d expect a matchup between the two best NWSL defenses to look like. Neither team gave an inch, with just as many shots coming from outside the box as from inside the box. To break the deadlock and book their spot in the final, OL Reign needed one of, uh… they needed one of whatever this is:
How OL Reign plays
OL Reign — named for their affiliation with Olympique Lyonnais — don’t feel the need to dominate control of the ball. This year, they averaged 48.5% possession, which put them seventh in the 12-team NWSL.
Instead of prioritizing the ball, Harvey prioritizes defensive compactness and quick attacking transitions in her team. The Reign typically play out of a 4-2-3-1 shape, defending in a mid-block to frustrate opposing teams and limit their space in the attacking half. They’re not opposed to pressing high up the field, but it’s not their go-to, either. OL Reign finished 10th in the NWSL in PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action) with 11.5 in the regular season, according to Opta.
In possession, the Reign tend to look for the home run more often than they look for the base hit, to borrow baseball terms. According to FBref, the Reign played more long balls than any team in the league during the regular season (78.4 per 90 minutes) and crossed the ball more than all but two teams (18.7 per 90). In the final third, Megan Rapinoe runs the show out on the left wing, with her 33.2 touches in the attacking third per 90 a full 14 more than the next closest teammate.
How the Reign can win the NWSL Championship
The short answer? By staying the course.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- From ‘mess’ to NWSL Championship contender: how Gotham FC’s nightmare ended7dJeff Kassouf
- Source: USWNT set to appoint Chelsea’s Hayes5dJeff Carlisle
- From style to tactics, what USWNT can expect from Emma Hayes as manager4dSophie Lawson
During their two playoff games so far, the Reign showed they can get results by grinding defensively and producing a moment of magic in the final third. Against a Gotham team that likes to spread the field and use the ball, defensive discipline will be key. If they maintain their shape and Emily Sonnett has a strong performance in her defensive midfield role, it will be a long night for Gotham — just like it was during the playoffs for Angel City and then the San Diego Wave.
After winning the ball inside their own half, there will be opportunities for the Reign to stream forward on the counter. Gotham have defended well this year, but they let their opponents shoot closer to goal (16.4 yards, on average) than every team in the NWSL not named the Chicago Red Stars, who finished last in the league standings.
With Rose Lavelle expected to start as the No. 10 in the central midfield, OL Reign will have a conductor in central areas. She’ll help balance all of the crosses from Rapinoe on the left and Sofia Huerta on the right. With quick, efficient touches from their creators and sharp off-ball movement from their forwards inside the box, the Reign can find one more magical moment to finish off their playoff journey.
How NJ/NY Gotham reach the final
It’s been a wild turnaround for NJ/NY Gotham. After finishing last in the league in 2022, they’re now playing for a trophy in the NWSL Championship this weekend on the back of a sixth-place finish in the regular season. Gotham never came close to repeating their lows from last year, staying above the playoff line for the entire season and even sitting in first for two weeks.
In the first round of the playoffs, Gotham traveled to North Carolina to take on the Courage, winning 2-0 in the process. Juan Carlos Amorós’ Gotham team didn’t have Kerolin to deal with due to an injury, but they still did an admirable job of wrestling control and chances away from the Courage. In the semifinals, NJ/NY Gotham faced a tougher task: beating the Portland Thorns at Providence Park. Amorós’ squad was unfazed, however, and controlled the game in regulation before finding a 107th minute winner.
How Gotham FC play
Gotham — nicknamed the Bats by the team’s players — seem to never run out of energy. They press. Then they press a little bit more. And then, for fun, they press just a little bit more. According to Opta, Gotham pressed more than any team in the NWSL during the regular season.
Gotham allowed just 8.8 passes per defensive action and forced 367 high turnovers — those numbers both led the league. A big chunk of those pressures come right after they lose the ball in the final third. Gotham finished with more possession than every team outside of North Carolina in the regular season, averaging 54.1%.
Under Amorós, Gotham typically play out of a 4-3-3 shape. He wants his team to spread the field in possession to create as many one-v-ones as possible all over the field. With Lynn Williams and Midge Purce lurking in the attack, a lot of those one-v-ones tend to go Gotham’s way.
Williams, in particular, is a major threat in the frontline as a winger or a striker. She finished fifth in the regular season in non-penalty goals (6) and is one of the NWSL’s most versatile attackers. Per FBref, she also finished fifth in non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists (9.4).
How Gotham FC can win the NWSL Championship
Two things will define NJ/NY Gotham’s success on Saturday: what they do with the ball against OL Reign’s compact defense and how they defend right after losing possession. We’ve already covered the Reign’s defensive solidity — Harvey’s team is incredibly difficult to break down — but Gotham, as the much more ball-dominant and expansive team, will have to find a way through.
Gotham have been good, but not great at turning possession into chances this year: They finished fourth in the NWSL in expected goals in the regular season (30.7), per FBref. In the final, if they can stretch OL Reign horizontally with the threat of their wingers, Gotham will create space for midseason striker signing Esther González to exploit. González, who started as a free No. 8 in the semifinals, will crash the box regardless of where she starts in possession.
Keeping the tempo high and switching the ball from side-to-side to force the defense to shift will be non-negotiable for NJ/NY Gotham this weekend. But Gotham have to be purposeful in possession — and they have to be sharp after losing the ball, too. With the Reign ready to attack on the break, Gotham’s counter pressing will be tested. They’ve been sharp in defensive transition this year, allowing fewer progressive passes and recording more tackles in the final third than any team in the league.
If Gotham maintain their usual energy levels and react quickly after the ball turns over, they’ll sniff out most of OL Reign’s attacks before they even start. Then they can clean up the rest with sharp defending in their box on the Reign’s crosses.
Berhalter names 24 players for November; Weah & Pulisic are out, Aaronson brothers are in
Gregg Berhalter’s roster for November has a lot of continuity from October but the big story is that Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic are missing due to injuries. But that will open the door for others to fill the void, including youngsters Paxten Aaronson and Kevin Paredes. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster with his thoughts. USMNT analysis BY BRIAN SCIARETTA NOVEMBER 09, 2023 11:30 AM
ON THURSDAY, United States national team manager Gregg Berhalter announced his 24-player roster for the upcoming Nations League quarterfinal against Trinidad & Tobago which will be played over two legs this window. Should the U.S. team advance, it will play in the tournament’s semifinal and qualify for 2024 Copa America.
Here is the roster along with some thoughts.
ROSTER BY POSITION
(CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 9/0), Gaga Slonina (KAS Eupen; 1/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 35/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 14/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 30/2), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 53/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 14/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 37/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 27/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 7/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; 1/0), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 9/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 19/0), Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim/GER; 1/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 48/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 31/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 22/6), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 6/0)
FORWARDS (5): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 36/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 6/3), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 20/9), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 7/1)
WEAH AND PULISIC ARE OUT
Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic are not included in this roster. Tim Weah was subbed out of Juventus’ win over Verona at halftime on October 28 due to hip-flexor issue. It was later announced that the club expected him back towards the end of November.
Pulisic’s recent injuries are not as clear. He left AC Milan’s 2-2 draw with Napoli at halftime due to muscle “fatigue” and then did not suit up over the weekend in a loss to Udinese. Then Tuesday in a Champions League win over PSG, he left the game in second half stoppage time grabbing his hamstring. It was reported on Wednesday that there was no muscle tear, but rather a strain and he would miss the upcoming game this weekend for Milan. Given the ongoing nature of this injury, he was left off U.S. national team roster.
YOUNGER AARONSON ARRIVES
Paxten Aaronson is most likely a U-23 option given that he still does not get regular minutes for Eintracht Frankfurt yet. But his versatility to play on the wing or in the middle opens the door for him at this camp. With Weah and Pulisic out and Reyna likely to have his minutes heavily managed again, there is a huge void to fill in several different positions including both wing positions and in central midfield.
Aaronson will now get the chance to fill those voids. Once these key players return to full fitness, Aaronson could shift back to the U-23 team, but if he does well, perhaps he is here to stay. On another note, this call-up marks the first time both Aaronson brothers have been called up together for a U.S. team. Brenden Aaronson has been a mainstay for years, but now he will join his brother. The two recently played against each other as late substitutes when Eintracht Frankfurt defeated struggling Union Berlin 3-0.
HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR PAREDES
For me, Kevin Paredes is the most important player to watch on the roster for three reasons: 1) he is now playing well and starting for Wolfsburg, 2) he will likely get a big opportunity to fill the void left by Weah and Pulisic because he now has spent time with the team and should know what is asked and 3) he remains one of the more talented young players in the system.
The question is now whether he can contiue his recent surge with the national team.
SLONINA GETS THE NOD
Gaga Slonina also has an opportunity in this camp given that he has had a few good games recently for Eupen. The fact that he is playing is also huge because Matt Turner appears to have lost his starting spot with Nottingham Forest and Ethan Horvath is not even registered to play league games for Forest. Slonina is in a great position simply because he is a young goalkeeper who is playing.
Slonina is also another player who could shift to the Olympics next year but is still on the bubble of the full team now.
ROSTER CONTINUITY INTO 2024
We are starting to see right now that Berhalter is moving forward with rosters that don’t change very much from camp to camp. Of the 24 players on this roster, 20 were on the roster for the October camp. If Weah and Pulisic were healthy, it would have been 22 players. Then whenever Tyler Adams returns, he is likely to be a constant with the group.
It doesn’t mean Berhalter is set on his team. There are still some players who are in vulnerable positions. Lennard Maloney still has much to prove. Alex Zendejas has not made the most of the opportunities yet that have come his way. Ricardo Pepi’s minutes are limited and there could be more competition for him as the season progresses. Tim Ream is playing well but he is also older and at some point Father Time will win the battle. Kristoffer Lund will also face competition from a deeper American left back player pool. But Berhalter also must play the short game too. The Copa America is only seven months away. That is a huge tournament and an important barometer for this team and for Berhalter. After that, there is the Olympics and many of those players will have taken big strides in their game. Some will impress at the Olympics and as Berhalter said, after next summer, he expects the U-23 pool to merge into the full national team pool. Then at that point, it will open the doors for even more competition.
Pulisic, McKennie up; Reyna, Turner down: USMNT stock watch
- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentNov 1, 2023, 09:29 AM ET
The current European league season is about two months old, depending on the league in question. As such, a fair bit of data is now available in terms of American players performing overseas, Some have established themselves in new clubs. Others have found the going a bit tougher, though the season is long, leaving plenty of time to turn things around. All of them continue to look to use their club form as a spring board for the U.S. men’s national team.
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With that in mind, here is ESPN’s stock watch for those USMNT players abroad. This isn’t an assessment of every American abroad — just those that have caught the eye and have had a noteworthy couple months, for good or for ill.
⇑ Stock up: Christian Pulisic, forward, AC Milan
Christian Pulisic has encountered some tough sledding in the Champions League, but there can be no complaints about his league form for AC Milan. He contributed his second assist of the season over the weekend on Olivier Giroud‘s opener against Napoli as Milan held on for a 2-2 draw. He’s also chipped in with four goals in league play.
The biggest worry for Pulisic right now is that he had to come off at halftime with a tight adductor muscle, but the injury isn’t expected to be serious. So far Pulisic’s summer move to Milan has been a huge positive — he immediately became a starter, and he continues to have the trust of manager Stefano Pioli.
⇑ Stock up: Weston McKennie, midfielder, Juventus
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Weston McKennie has seemingly proved his worth to Juventus manager Max Allegri. It’s helped his case that two Juve midfielders, Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli, have been suspended for allegations of doping and gambling, respectively, but it’s still a positive that McKennie is starting and playing regular minutes.
His versatility in playing as a wing back or as a central midfielder has served him in good stead, too. He played in both roles in Juve’s 1-0 win over Verona over the weekend, creating a team-high three chances, and McKennie looks set to get consistent playing time going forward.
⇑ Stock up: Luca de la Torre, midfielder, Celta Vigo
Luca de la Torre has long had a habit of betting on himself, with positive results. His move back in 2022 to Celta Vigo from Dutch side Heracles Almelo is a case in point. While injuries slowed his progress initially, he’s gradually taken on a bigger role.
This season, De la Torre has been a consistent presence in manager Rafa Benitez’s lineup — even as the team has struggled, De la Torre has not been the one to get the hook. The question now is to what extent can he parlay his club form into more playing time with the USMNT.
⇑ Stock up: Yunus Musah, midfielder, AC Milan
After looking like he would have a hard time cracking Milan’s lineup, Yunus Musah has gradually proved himself to manager Stefan Pioli. It has helped that Musah has been able to play in a variety of midfield roles.He played as a defensive midfielder in the Champions League outing against Borussia Dortmund, but was pushed a bit further forward last weekend against Napoli. He still needs to play a bit quicker when in his own half, but overall he’s made a positive impression with the Rossoneri.How concerning are AC Milan’s UCL struggles for Pulisic and Musah?
Herc Gomez debates whether or not USMNT fans should be worried by Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s struggles in the Champions League with AC Milan.
⇑ Stock up: Johnny Cardoso, midfielder, Internacional
Johnny Cardoso has made steady progress since locking down a starting spot in Internacional’s midfield in 2020. This year he helped the club to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores, and he’s gotten steady playing time, playing more than 2,000 minutes so far this season, earning two goals and two assists.
Now he’s poised to take his talents to a bigger stage, reportedly securing a move to LaLiga’s Real Betis. If the reports are true, that would represent an important step up in the 22-year-old’s development.
⇑ Stock up: Sergiño Dest, defender, PSV Eindhoven
Last season’s nightmare — in which Sergiño Dest played just 626 minutes in all competitions while on loan at AC Milan from Barcelona — is now firmly behind him. In its place is a loan move to PSV, and while the level might not be the same as LaLiga or Serie A, at least Dest is back on the field again.
Are there still questions about Dest’s overall defending? Indeed, but at least there is now an opportunity for that aspect of his game to improve and get sharpened. Between the Eredivisie and Champions League, he’s featured in 678 minutes this season, which is already an improvement from last season.
⇑ Stock up: Ricardo Pepi, forward, PSV Eindhoven
Ricardo Pepi is off to a solid start after securing a summer move from Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, having spent the previous campaign on loan with Eredivisie side Groningen after struggling at Augsburg. Pepi has taken on the role of supersub, and scored twice in 151 minutes of play this season.
The challenge for Pepi is to try and displace Luuk de Jong in the starting line-up. It’s no easy task given that de Jong has eight goals and six assists so far, but Pepi has at least put the frustrations of his time at Augsburg in the past.
⇑ Stock up: Malik Tillman, midfielder, PSV Eindhoven
Malik Tillman is another player making his way at a new club and, despite a brief setback, it’s been going well. He was making steady progress with three goals and an assist before sustaining an injury that prevented him from joining up with the USMNT for the October international window. But Tillman is now recovered and has started PSV’s last two league games.
If Tillman continues to get playing time at PSV — and is effective with the time he gets — a bigger role with the USMNT could be there for the taking, especially given Weah’s injury and Brenden Aaronson’s lack of offensive production.
⇔ Stock even: Tim Weah, midfielder, Juventus
Timothy Weah had been making inroads at Juventus as well, often playing in a right wing back role that plays to his ability to contribute on both sides of the ball. But he’s played an entire match just once so far for Juventus, and the sight of him hobbling off with a hip flexor issue last weekend could see him forced to the sidelines, and may cause him to miss the Concacaf Nations League matches in mid-November.
Given that Weah has been one of the most consistent U.S. men’s national team players, Weah’s injury is a potential blow to manager Gregg Berhalter. For Weah, though, it could be a big setback in his trajectory at Juve.
⇔ Stock even: Folarin Balogun, forward, Monaco
Folarin Balogun‘s first season with Monaco following a summer move from Arsenal, has been whiplash-inducing. He missed two penalties in a game against Nice, followed that up with goals in each of his next two matches, only to be subbed at halftime of last week’s 2-0 loss against Lille.
Balogun still figures to continue to get playing time, despite his up-and-down journey so far, but he’ll need to find consistency if he’s to remain in Monaco’s starting line-up as a first-choice player.
⇓ Stock down: Gio Reyna, midfielder, Borussia Dortmund
Giovanni Reyna‘s recovery from a lower leg fracture sustained in the Concacaf Nations League last June has been slow. Yes, he dazzled while on international duty with the U.S., but his time on the field at club level has been limited.Reyna did make his first start of the season for Dortmund last weekend — but was subbed out after 45 quiet minutes, leading him to be rated the second-worst of Dortmund’s players by German outlet Kicker. The good news is that he’s still regaining his fitness, but with rumors of an impending move circulating, time may be running out for Reyna at Dortmund.Herc thinks Gio Reyna is ‘done’ at Dortmund. Herc Gomez thinks it is a case of when, rather than if, Gio Reyna leaves Borussia Dortmund
⇓ Stock down: Tyler Adams, midfield, Bournemouth
This assessment has nothing to do with Tyler Adams‘ play, and everything to do with his lack of fitness.Since Adams sustained a hamstring injury in March of 2022, he has struggled to get back. He signed with AFC Bournemouth in August, reinjured his hamstring again and has seen the field exactly one time this season. He needed surgery again, and now this latest one will have him likely out until February.USMNT fans can only have their fingers crossed that Adams can make it back in time for the Copa America this summer.
⇓ Stock down: Matt Turner, goalkeeper, Nottingham Forest
Matt Turner has been the first-choice goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest so far this season, but the season has been something of a struggle.Out of all Premier League goalkeepers with at least 200 minutes this season, Turner ranks 17th out of 22 in terms of goals prevented with -1.15. (“Goals prevented” is a measure of xG conceded from shots on target minus goals allowed.) The miscommunication with teammate Harry Toffolo that led to Liverpool‘s third goal last weekend wasn’t a good look either.Greek international goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, who Forest signed in September for a reported fee of more than €5 million, is waiting in the wings. Can Turner hold him off?
⇓ Stock down: Chris Richards, defender, Crystal Palace
As solid as Chris Richards has been for the USMNT of late, he’s struggled for playing time with Crystal Palace, logging just 109 minutes in league play this season.Given that Richards encountered similar difficulties last season, it may be time for the former Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim defender to look for other options come January. Otherwise, he’ll continue to be on the outside looking in for the USMNT.
⇓ Stock down: Brenden Aaronson, midfielder, Union Berlin
Brenden Aaronson finds himself in a tough spot, playing on loan for a team with the fourth-worst attack in the Bundesliga, with a total xG of 11.5 through nine league games. Union Berlin isn’t a team that likes to have the ball either, with just 43.8% possession on average, and that shows with how little Aaronson has gotten on the ball.Style of play aside, Aaronson has yet to make much of an impact, failing to record any goals or assists. And while he’s started the last two league matches for Union Berlin, he’s been subbed out both times. There’s still time to turn things around, but after last year’s disappointing campaign with Leeds United, his career seems to have stalled.
⇓ Stock down: Ethan Horvath, goalkeeper, Nottingham Forest
Ethan Horvath was left off Forest’s Premier League roster this season, meaning he won’t see the field again until the January transfer window. That is a massive blow considering that Horvath helped Luton Town gain promotion to the Premier League last season while on loan. The situation won’t help Horvath’s international prospects either as he looks firmly outside the preferred pecking order of goalkeepers at the USMNT.
After going from last place to NWSL finalist, Go FC adds key new investor
By Meg Linehan nov 8, 20239
Nothing about Gotham FC’s playoff run has come easily.On October 15, the players and staff of Gotham FC waited for a few agonizing moments to find out if they’d squeak into the playoffs. It was Decision Day, and they had just wrapped up a 2-2 draw with the Kansas City Current — not good enough to control their destiny. As the final whistles blew for North Carolina and Houston, the celebration could finally begin. They started their playoff run as the six-seed against the Courage on the road in the quarterfinals, before making the trip out to the West Coast to square off against the defending champions, Portland Thorns FC. On Sunday night in the pouring rain, Gotham had to wait a little longer for their first shot at a NWSL Championship, needing extra time and a superb goal from substitute Katie Stengel to advance again. “The weather, the elements, it didn’t matter,” owner and club chair Tammy Murphy told The Athletic on Monday. “We were determined, and we played like pros. I could not have been more excited.”For Murphy, who has been a part of Gotham’s ownership from the beginning, when the team was still Sky Blue FC, the semifinal win represented years of work and progress that had been anything but smooth (“turbulence” was Murphy’s word choice). NJ/NY Gotham FC is a team a long way off from the Sky Blue FC of 2018, which made headlines for poor training conditions, including a lack of running water and even actual toilets at the training site.“We’ve just all been working so hard to make sure that we are as excellent on the field as we are off the field, in every space. It’s a work in progress, but we have made incredible strides,” she said.Last season, Gotham finished dead last on the NWSL table, picking up only four wins, a draw, and 17 losses. They were 20 points off the playoff pace; the club finished with a shocking -30 goal differential.“Last year, we were really focused on the soccer side of the organization. Look at where we are now,” Murphy said.
Gotham hired head coach Juan Carlos Amorós on a three-year deal, acquired forward Lynn Williams via trade and signed World Cup winner Esther González, amongst other moves led by general manager Yael Averbuch West. On Tuesday, Amorós was announced as the 2023 NWSL coach of the year.This year, Murphy said, the focus has been on ownership and the business side. “We can go wherever we want to go, and I am super enthusiastic,” she said. “I’m always the one who says, ‘Let’s just put our heads down and get it done.’ That’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re just getting it done. There’s so much opportunity now that we have Carolyn coming in. It’s fantastic.”That Carolyn is Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, announced on Wednesday as Gotham FC’s new minority owner and strategic investor, as well as the club’s new alternate governor on the NWSL board. Tisch Blodgett is the founder of Next 3. She oversees the firm’s investments and serves as a strategic advisor for her family’s ownership group of the New York Giants. Tisch Blodgett is leading the investment into Gotham, backed by Laurie, Jon and Steve Tisch. She also has an extensive background in marketing, having led global marketing at Peloton — helping to bring not just money but valuable skills to her new NWSL role.Tisch Blodgett told The Athletic that she and her family had started Next 3 as a sports investment platform to ensure they were at the forefront of the changing nature of sports. When the company started, they went into research and listening mode: “Where do we think sports is? What do we think sports is going to look like in the next 30 years? And sign after sign pointed to women’s soccer, and specifically the NWSL.”
When she started considering potential investments, Gotham wasn’t the only team she was looking into. She kept coming back to the story of her grandfather buying into the NFL, though. Before Preston Robert Tisch became 50% owner of the Giants, he had the opportunity to buy the full shares of other teams. But h was a New Yorker. “We are the third generation now,” Tisch Blodgett said. “We couldn’t write a better script than coming into the New Jersey/New York women’s soccer team.”The Giants connection is certainly one that could help boost the profile of Gotham FC — but it’s really Tisch Blodgett’s experience that Murphy referred to time and time again. To be fair, Gotham had some links to the nearby NFL team before Tisch Blodgett entered into the picture, thanks to both former Giants quarterback Eli Manning and the team’s CBO, Pete Guelli, already present in Gotham’s collection of minority investors.“We aren’t as big as the Giants,” Murphy said. “We don’t have as many people in the marketing, the sales, the ticketing area as they do. But I think just having that somebody who has a little bit more experience than we do, who has been there and done it, this is going to be a home run for us.”AD Tisch Blodgett called the merging of her two worlds of sports investment/operation and her background in marketing in this new role with Gotham her “perfect dream all coming together.” When she considers the opportunity ahead, there are three areas she wants to focus on: turning their players into true stars; the fan experience side — whether that’s in stadium, watching the game at home, or engaging with the team; and building upon the community aspect of women’s soccer.
“There was a watch party (on Sunday) in Jersey City; there were about 200 rabid fans, dressed in all the gear, screaming, cheering,” Tisch Blodgett said. “Our opportunity coming in as owners and operators is really to help tell that story to the rest of New York City, the rest of the tri-state area, and then hopefully globally.”Unlike a deeply entrenched NFL team like the Giants, who have existed since 1925, Gotham’s relatively young history — again, full of its share of “turbulence” — still means the team has plenty of work ahead to grow its profile, particularly in finding greater consistency and growth in attendance and other metrics.According to the latest figures from Sportico, Gotham is currently valued at around $48 million, bringing in a little over $5 million in annual revenue. That’s far off the top of the league, but considering the market, aiming for $10 million doesn’t feel like an impossible task. Gotham will have to wait for generational fandom to truly kick in the way that it has for older men’s sports leagues, but there are many other avenues for growth in the meantime.Building the consistency of their attendance numbers during the regular season has to be at the top of the list for Gotham. They set a new attendance record of 15,058 this summer in a match against the San Diego Wave, but Gotham struggles to keep the lower bowl of Red Bull Arena full week in and week out (the stadium’s total capacity is 25,000).“We grew 42 percent year over year in the season that just ended, but the base is lower. If our average is 6,300 or so, the average in San Diego is about 20,000 and about the same in Los Angeles,” Gotham president Mary Wittenberg told the New York Times last month.They also can’t take their foot off the gas in making improvements on the sporting side, especially now that they’ve reached the Championship. The investments the ownership group made over the past year have proven their worth — and there are plans for more.
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“We are absolutely looking at training facilities,” Murphy said.
Currently, the team trains at a facility owned by the New York Red Bulls and has a temporary solution for their own dedicated spaces for staff to work. The trend in the NWSL, however, is investment into facilities, with teams like the Kansas City Current opening a $19 million training space for the team, and multiple others either actively in the works or looking for land.
“We’re looking at everything, anything. Everything is on the table,” Murphy continued. A Gotham FC training facility has been on the list for a while though. “We’ve scoured the market and I can tell you, we’ve been having weekly meetings about various opportunities and what’s best for us in the here and how, and what’s best for us in the long run. And part of that depends on where the league goes.”
With details of the league’s new media deal expected this week during the NWSL Championship festivities, two more expansion teams coming into the league in Utah and the Bay Area — and a $53 million expansion fee for Bay FC, another waiting on deck in Boston for 2026, the NWSL’s days of worrying about its basic existence feel like an increasingly distant memory. Gone are Gotham’s days of hoping a thousand people would cross through the gates at Yurcak Field out in Piscataway, NJ, too.
“There’s a fan movement happening, there’s the cusp of a new media deal, so there’s about to be a visibility moment. There’s a sponsorship moment, thinking about what Angel City has done in getting multiple millions of dollars in their jersey sponsor,” Tisch Blodgett said. “There’s all these signs pointing that the world is starting to wake up to women’s soccer. And we sat here for a long time, as professional owners, saying, ‘What do we want our role to be? Do we want to be watching from the sidelines or do we want to go help write that story?’”“I always felt that we should be the gold standard. We should be the club in the league that everybody looks to,” Murphy said. There’s history here for Gotham, even if some of it is painful, and the team’s rebranding gave them both a fresh start and a more appealing identity to draw in fans. “We are in the number one market in the world. We have enormous potential.”On Sunday, Gotham FC will have a chance to write another chapter of the team’s story with a shot to win their first NWSL championship and make team captain Ali Krieger’s final game one to remember. But no matter the result, the work for 2024 and beyond continues on.
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