Articles: Football-soccer

Gotham FC arrives in Orlando leading the NWSL, but its most pressing problem is not the Shield race. It is how to penetrate a defense without two of its most influential attacking players. With Jaedyn Shaw and Rose Lavelle sidelined, Gotham must find another route into dangerous central positions. Orlando’s opportunity is to disrupt that […]

Cristian Roldan wants Seattle Sounders to commit more players forward. He also knows exactly what that could cost them. “The minute you start committing a little bit more numbers in the attack, you start being more susceptible to counterattacks.” That warning frames Saturday’s visit to San Diego FC, where two teams chasing postseason security face […]

Sophia Wilson is suspended. Pietra Tordin is approaching an extraordinary statistical milestone. And North Carolina Courage are arriving at Providence Park with their playoff hopes hanging over every attacking decision. Friday’s NWSL match between Portland Thorns and North Carolina is more than a contest between two closely matched teams. It tests whether Portland can replace […]

Seattle Reign has three games left to rescue their season. Their reward for this delightful little emergency? A trip to face the NWSL‘s bottom club, whose defense has already conceded more goals than any team in league history. Surely, Laura Harvey can collect three points, thank Chicago politely, and head home. Except Seattle has just […]

“We need to now bounce back on Saturday.” Cristian Roldan isn’t interested in excuses. Seattle’s captain knows the Sounders have a chance against CF Montréal, and squandering it would be especially painful. But Montréal arrives at Lumen Field with a rather more complicated agenda. Wednesday brings the Canadian Championship final. Saturday brings a cross-continent MLS […]

Ashley Sanchez is one goal away from owning the NWSL single-season scoring record outright. San Diego Wave FC would prefer that she spend the evening admiring their defensive organization. Unfortunately for the visitors, Sanchez isn’t chasing history in a meaningless exhibition. North Carolina Courage sit eighth, just two points above the playoff cutoff. Their leading […]

Gotham FC can practically smell the NWSL Shield. Unfortunately, Trinity Rodman has no obligation to help with the celebrations. The league leaders arrive at Audi Field with their first regular-season title within reach, but Juan Carlos Amorós has an uncomfortable problem. His defense is losing personnel just as Washington welcomes back a player who can […]

Thomas Müller’s hamstring injury has stripped Vancouver of its most recognizable creative presence just as Los Angeles FC prepares to unveil a new tactical direction. That sounds like an invitation for Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga to attack the Western Conference leaders. It could also tempt LAFC into opening precisely the spaces Brian White has […]

Dejan Joveljić returns to a Seattle side that has won three straight without him. Brian Schmetzer now faces an awkward calculation: bring back his most dangerous finisher without disrupting the defensive discipline behind an eight-match unbeaten run. Meanwhile, New England has Carles Gil and a formidable home record waiting to test both. Seattle’s improvement has […]

Sporting Kansas City finally found the attacker who changes the geometry. Now Raphael Wicky has to decide how long he can use him. André Luiz has scored four times in his first four SKC starts and produced five goal contributions in his first five appearances. Yet Wicky confirmed after Saturday’s win in Houston that André […]