USWNT triumph, Spirit Champions Cup group set, broken noses, and more: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/735309
The above is an article about a certain USWNT winning yet another game, this time 4-0 against Jamaica. A first half brace from Ally Sentnor and a second half one from Lynn Biyendolo was enough for victory. Also a lot of Sauerbrunn respect on the night, as it was the match celebrating her legacy in retirement.
The Spirit have a group for the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, and it’s Group B! Will include Gotham, Monterrey, and teams from Canada and El Salvador. Prepare Ricketts!
Diego Luna is motivated, which is good, but also a little crazy, which is, in this context, good!
The title implies what most people’s focus for this heinous player killer will be, but it’s happening, so check out what you can.
This story I believe made the comment section yesterday, but here it is!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/03/soccer-analytics-jesse-davis-leuven
Finally, ah, soccer analytics. Thank Belgium, apparently!
That’s all I’ve got, feel free to post other breaking or overlooked news, and have a great sporting day!
Also, I really loved this interview with Phallon Tullis-Joyce by Sam Mewis. She’s been around a while, but the breakout with Man U has been pretty dramatic, and I absolutely adore who this keeper turned out to be, what a cool player!
https://youtu.be/2LSraX8fCyA?si=NvDGTIFvnXY0Nims
Re: Luna, the broken nose and assist were something he would’ve done anyway, not because he thought any coach would give him brownie points for it. He’s that kind of player, and the kind that we need to show up more often. I was actually a fan of how he handled getting snubbed for the Olympic team – sure, he turned down a spot as an alternate, but he was focused on continuing to perform rather than be distracted as a “maybe.”
I’ll admit, I did not think much of Luna up until recently, especially thought he was part of an incredibly low soccer IQ squad that blew it against Uruguay when they had a chance at a final, but perhaps his dedication to improvement has been evident of late. Wish we could transplant his drive and commitment to the team to some jerks we consider stars.
I always questioned his maturity on the field and his decision-making. But given the flaws this USMNT pool has, they need someone with some internal drive and external fire. And he qualifies.