Spirit lose NWSL Final, Colorado Springs win USL Championship, and more: Monday Freedom Kicks
Happy Monday, everyone. I’m on my way out of town for the holidays, but we start with a gut punch that is mixed with a lot of thanks:
NWSL Championship: Washington Spirit narrowly miss second title, lose 1-0 to Orlando Pride (DP)
Ugh, so close. The Washington Spirit lose 1-0 to the Orlando Pride in the NWSL Final, giving Marta her first NWSL championship. Probably was a foul on the build up to Orlando’s goal, but cannot take anything away from a team that has dominated the league all season. Congrats to Orlando on their first league championship.
Powered by love, the 2024 Washington Spirit are ahead of schedule (DP)
Despite the loss, how could you not love this team? They gave us a run for the ages, and though they came up short, they made DC rise up and unite behind them. This team was powered by the love they have for one another, and that love was felt throughout Rowdy Audi all season long. We lost the Rookie & Midfielder of the Year, our captain, and our starting 9 – who scored 8 goals this season – to injuries late in the year and still came within a post of sending the match to extra time. This team was in it until the very last second.
The Spirit are having a Fan Appreciation event tonight outside Audi Field from 6-8pm. You can get your free tickets for that here and head there to welcome home the team and celebrate an amazing year.
Next year, it’s our time to dominate. The future is bright.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks sweep to victory in Championship Final against Rhode Island FC (USL)
The Colorado Springs Switchbacks destroyed Rhode Island FC 3-0 to claim their first USL Championship title. They took the lead fairly early and then poured it on to run away with it.
NWSL expansion race down to Denver, Cleveland, Cincinnati (PSW)
The next NWSL franchise could be either Denver, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. Which one do you think it should be and which do you think actually gets it?
Canada Soccer’s culture problem (G&M)
A wild look into what Canada Soccer was doing, from the bad to the ugly to the downright disgusting. A lot of people need to be held accountable here.
Inter Miami’s new coach is, unsurprisingly, a Messi favorite (PSW)
Javier Mascherano, who has no head coaching experience but happens to be Lionel Messi’s friend and former Barcelona teammate, is going to be the next Inter Miami coach. That only adds more pressure to the team from South Florida.
DC Power traveled to face Fort Lauderdale FC, and they were able to win on a 93rd minute goal by Anna Bagley. It’s the 3rd win of the season for DC Power, and they did it in some new kits.
The rise of football’s ‘arrival fits’, putting player fashion in the spotlight (The Athletic)
Player fits are important. They not only tell us their style but give us a glimpse into their personalities. May every pregame entrance be a runway for them to express themselves.
Rise Up! 👏👏 DC! 👏👏
Indeed, the Spirit’s next season has all the potential to be a true banger, and I think the fanbase senses that and will be there for them from the jump.
Now, Mascherano as coach of Inter Miami. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard in the coaching hiring department, and I’ve heard “Phil Neville hired as coach of Portland Timbers” after showing his complete uselessness in Miami.
I think it’s a riskier move for Mascherano than it is for Miami, oddly enough. Sure, they waste a year (or less?) of Messi time if he’s that bad, but Mascherano himself would come out of it as the guy who couldn’t even win with the deck stacked in his favor.
There is the chance that he improves their defense, because it’s not like he can coach Messi & Co all that much (though I’m sure Messi at least respects his thoughts as a long time teammate).
I love Masche, the player, wish him well but not when they play against us. I gotta think that his main goal would be to shore up the defense as you say. Speaking of coaching Messi, he kind of already did during that disastrous World Cup in 2018 when the team turned against Sampaoli, they had a players meeting and they decided to coach themselves with Masche as their leader. They ended up losing to the eventual champ, France 3-4. I would say yes, Messi respects Masche, same as everyone else who played with him in Argentina. El Jefecito. The little boss.
Denver would be great for an NWSL team. The stadium is a bit out of town but still a good gameday experience. And always interesting to see the altitude dynamic. (of course I’m biased because I live in Colorado!)
I think Denver makes the most sense geographically. It provides something of a link between Utah and Kansas City, and the facilities already exist. I would kind of like to see Cleveland get it, just because they haven’t had a top level soccer team there before, and it would be a great chance to expand the sport’s footprint. I’m also from Ohio originally, so I’m happy to see the Buckeye State have two of the finalists (and a Cincinnati/Louisville rivalry could be really good).
Apparently Juana Mata has joined the ownership group for San Diego FC:
https://mlsmultiplex.com/juan-mata-revolutionizes-mls-and-makes-history-01jd9t55x03v
Wow–so much to discuss in this post.
First, totally agree with the points about Canadian soccer (though people tend to focus on the women’s program because that’s the most recent example). The FA is incompetently run (it took MLS to sort out their coaching situation and provide bucks). They’ve skipped NT practice days because they didn’t have the bucks to support the NT. Yeah, teams spy. But this drone thing is above the pale. What next–bugging locker rooms for your home games?
Second, it will be fascinating to see with Giraldez does this offseason given: (a) he’s now spent 1/2 a season in MLS and Gonzalez has been here a full season (b) there is no draft (c) Washington (because of Kang and because of Audi and because of the investment in women’s physio/training dept.) and (d) well, Jona is a huge draw–just ask Esme Morgan! I don’t see us standing pat or making 2-3 personnel changes. I wouldn’t be shocked to see major turnover on the team–simply because Giraldez now has the opportunity and insight of the personnel to do that.
Third, I don’t know about the ownership teams for the respective NWSL expansion sides (and that should be a critical factor). But based solely on location, I’d go with Cincinnati. They’ve got a good stadium, a good soccer culture. I think they’d get Rose LaValle. I love Denver–but altitude is a big advantage. Cleveland–big city but it’s unclear for me about their support for the sport right now. While women’s soccer is hot, I think MLS showed (at a similar stage) that “mid-markets” (like Columbus) are often better because you become the only game in town (or one of the few games in town) rather than competing against professional football, baseball, hockey, basketball, and a couple of colleges.
Last of all, I have one more point to make (that is relevant to NWSL expansion). I know the CBA is wildly popular with the players–you have to approve trades, no draft. But I don’t care for most of the Euro leagues (and definitely women’s soccer in Europe) because it’s not competitive. You have 1-2 top teams and then everyone else for the most part. I see the strong getting stronger in NWSL. Teams like Houston, Salt Lake–I think they’re still going to struggle. Maybe Orlando is a template for turning around your franchise–maybe. But we talk about Washington getting better. No reason that isn’t also true of Orlando, Gotham, maybe even KC (who are all preferred destinations for a variety of reasons). I worry that NWSL have be moving away from parity, creating a bunch of super clubs and a bunch of minnows. And that would be a bad thing. Women’s soccer is not strong enough yet in this country for a club to be a perennial bottom-feeder and stay in business.
As more teams announce their end of season roster decisions, one stuck out to me from Montreal, Lassi Lappalainen. Left winger and would have some rapport with Peltola from the Finnish national team. I think he’s a bit expensive at his current price point ($720k), but assuming he goes to the waiver draft, and he makes it to the second round, that could be negotiated down
New England just released theirs and there are some very interesting names coming available. Tim Parker seems like he would be a very solid veteran CB pickup, and he should be a free agent. Nacho Gil also got let go, but Parker was really the one that stood out here.
It looks like the Galaxy may get their sixth Championship and I really hope it doesn’t happen. Logically though they have been the best team this year, regardless of the amassing of points by Miami. The few games I saw them play, you could definitely see the type of team they were becoming. It is like something clicked for Puig once he found out Messi would be joining MLS, he decided he would play to his potential and then the team went out and got him help. So I won’t be surprised if the Gals ended up winning but I would hate to fall two Championships behind them. So of the four teams left, I’m hoping for our own happiness, that Orlando ends up the victor. Having said that, I would much rather see the Galaxy win a sixth than the Jersey team win its first.
Yeah, I realized that Orlando was my preferred rooting interest of the four teams remaining, and that was a weird thing.
On Saturday, the USA Men’s Eagles closed out 2024 and the November international window with a tightly contested 26-23 win over Spain. The Eagles won all 3 of their November test matches and rose to 15th in the rankings and stayed there with the victory over Spain. The Match Day 23 included 3 Old Glory DC players: Jack Iscaro, Ethan McVeigh, and Cory Daniel.
https://eagles.rugby/news/usa-v-spain-20241123
https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/11/23/eagles-edge-spain-to-cap-perfect-european-tour/
https://eagles.rugby/news/match-day-23-named-for-november-finale-against-spain-20241121
The USA Men’s 7s, who lost in the quarterfinals at Paris 2024 18-0 to Australia, being the 2024-2025 HSBC 7s Circuit this coming weekend with the Dubai 7s. They then continue to the Cape Town 7s the next weekend. Simon Amor, the new head coach, has named his roster for both tournaments. Four Olympians from this past summer are on the roster along with some familiar and some new faces. All time 7s great Perry Baker who announced his retirement after Paris 2024 is on the coaching staff.
The US is in pool c and will face New Zealand, Fiji, and Spain.
https://eagles.rugby/news/simon-amor-selects-first-usa-mens-sevens-roster-for-dubai-and-cape-town-20241124
The USA Women’s 7s, who took the Bronze Medal in dramatic fashion at Paris 2024, also return to action at the Dubai and Cape Town 7s at the same time as the men. The Women are also returning 4 Olympians to the roster for this first pair of tournaments on the HSBC 7s circuit.
I’m not sure of the pool letter as I can find it anywhere. However, as per the source below, the US will face Great Britain, Spain, and France in the pool stage.
https://eagles.rugby/news/womens-sevens-ready-for-2025-as-first-svns-roster-is-announced-20241124
The 2024 World Rugby Awards were announced recently. Several Americans were honored with awards for 2024. Hope Rogers of the Women’s Eagles (15s) was named to the Women’s 15s Dream Team. While Olympians Ilona Maher and Kristi Kirshe were named to the dream team for Women’s 7s.
https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/11/25/wins-at-world-rugby-awards-for-players-from-three-americas-countries/
Oh, wow, Alyssa Naeher retiring from the USWNT?!?!
That’s pretty big news. There will of course be scouring of the depth chart behind her, I’d be surprised if Kingsbury isn’t given another shot.
These last two friendlies against England and Netherlands will be her last, reportedly. One commentator said that unsentimentally closing it out in Europe instead of at home is the most Alyssa Naeher thing to do ever.