not much of a Challenge Cup challenge
[this is gonna be a short one because these quick turnarounds don’t let me rewatch games. Casey Stoney is right, crunching these games in before the World Cup is wearing us all down!]
Despite the disproportionate xG (SD 0.2, POR 1.1), there is plenty to be happy about on both sides of the ball. The defense minimized mistakes and had some home-field luck in the air against the second-best striker in the world, word to Sam Kerr. The offense was much more fluid in their build up, connecting multiple passes and finding isolated wingers and wingbacks to work 1-v-1s. (They matched their season high of take-ons with 21)
Off the top, I thought both teams would play stronger lineups, considering the $1M prize pool. They really didn’t let us see an extra Naomi Girma vs Sophia Smith this season smh. From what I can tell, Thorns sat 5 regulars including their starting keeper Bella Bixby, but did start last season’s MVP Smith. On the other side, our Wavé had 6 players making their first starts of the season, including first round pick Sierra Enge.
The early minutes looked bad. Sophia Smith was doing whatever she wanted, creating open looks and sliding dimes through the backline. But the debut center back pairing of Enge and Kaleigh Riehl held their own for 45 minutes, Kailen Sheridan had 3 saves, and Danielle Colaprico was everywhere…again!
In the second half, Smith came off, Girma came on, and the chess game of player rotation worked. Thorns used their best hand in the first half and couldn’t break through. For the second 45, Stoney shored up the backline and added her two best offensive weapons in Alex Morgan and Jaedyn Shaw, who created the game-winning goal.
We need to shout out Taylor Kornieck and her massive bounceback game after the nightmare against OL Reign. Kornieck played her familiar central role in the attacking third and was great at finding spaces where she could receive the ball with plenty of time to make decisions. That time and space led to completing 3-of-5 long pass attempts.
[Hoping to do a supercut of the passes if I get time this week.]
Sofia Jakobsson also had A GAME. She’s so fun to watch in 1-v-1s. Jakobsson probably earned herself a start next game, unfortunately it will probably be in place of Amirah Ali. Everything Jakobsson does I believe Ali can do a little better. The difference in this game was Jakobsson was receiving balls with space she could run to, whereas Ali has had to battle for long balls in the air with her back to goal.
NEXT MATCH - April 23, Angel City FC away (7th, 1-1-1, 4 pts)
In another timeline, Christen Press and Sarah Gorden stay healthy all season, Wavé suffer two key injuries and our seasons reverse. They’re good, and they’re getting better.
ACFC had a rollercoaster of a debut year but the fanbase shows up so away games are tough and they’ve gotten up for games against Wave. Last season they played 4 matches, all bangers: 1-1 draw and a 4-2 Wave win in the Challenge Cup, a terrible 2-1 loss where a last minute goal was conceded to a 10-player side and of course the 1-0 win at the Snap’s debut via Shaw’s goal and iconic celly.
The defense will face old friend Katie Johnson and newly-signed Julie Ertz, who last played in August of 2021 before seeing minutes with the national team this past international break.
[leaving with a draw would be nice.]
