NWSL Season is Over?

PLANTING SPINACH, CA, -- If you didn't know (and you probably didn't), the NWSL Challenge Cup Final was today.  Apparently, the NWSL website knows but didn't know the match was already over an hour ago as its headline still is "Houston Dash, Chicago Red Stars Square off in NWSL Challenge Cup Championship".  It header has scores but starts from June 27 (unlike the MLS which shows the day's matches first).  Because all 8 teams (Orlando Pride had to withdraw due to positive COVID-19 tests) automatically qualified for the Quartefinals after Group Play (it was used to seed the teams 1-8), the Final saw #4 Houston Dash play #6 Chicago Red Stars.  HOU got an early PK and a stoppage time goal to win 2-0.  As the first pro team to league to finish, there is still no word if the Challenge Cup ends the 2020 season or not.  The bubble in Salt Lake City (or Sandy, UT where Rio Tinto Stadium is located) was successful and players will be excited to see their families again but, what then?

Since I've been on the topic of nicknames lately (ugh, Charlotte FC and Washington FT), I forgot to mention one of the cool ones as NWSL's expansion Louisville team announced on July 8 they would be Louisville FC (actually, the owner is USL Championship's Lou team, which is already named Louisville City FC -- so the women have one up on the men already)!  Just kidding, it's Racing Louisville FC with great crest and awesome purple hues (lavender and midnight violet) and a nod to the horse racing culture being the city hosts Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.  I want a jersey!

Issue 2.1.1 "Are We Stable Now?"

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Friday, July 10, 2020

     AFTER ALL THE HOOPLA, MLS REVERTS TO TRADIATIONAL 24 TEAM TOURNEY
In 1st MLS pool, 5 entries from 12 people try their hand in our first Major League Soccer Pool

SAFER-AT-HOME DRIVE-IN: "PINOCCHIO", CA (smt) -- A lot of rust as the first four matches featured scoreless first halves including two 1-0 matches and one nil-nil match.  Orlando City FC, de facto host of the tourney, rallied to beat fellow Floridian Inter Miami CF 2-1 thanks to Nani's goal and assist.  The Philadelphia Union outlasted New York City FC 1-0 while the New England Revolution upset Impact de Montreal 1-0.  Big underdog San Jose Earthquakes held defending MLS champ Seattle Sounders FC to a scoreless draw.

The NYCvPHI was the first 9 am EDT match and it still felt like 99 deg F.  Just miserable with high humidity 24 hours a day.  Within minutes of the opening whistle, players and the ref were drenched with sweat.  The matches at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex take place on 3 natural surface fields as there could be as many as 3 matches a day (first time is July 12). 

Part of this experiment is a completely uneven broadcast with fake ads on the far sideline and behind the goals and a horrendous Adidas logo at midfield (that thankfully shrunk from the first match).  Not having fake crowd noise is a plus IMHO and it reminds me of the early matches of doubleheaders of less attended events like U-23 Gold Cup or something.  You can hear the players which is cool and the cheering became loud after Nani's stoppage time game-winner.  Seems more and more people are in the crowd.  Hearing instructions from coaches and players being yelled into the field is some neat behind-the-scenes action.  The opening match 8:46 tribute was powerful in its ambient noise of machinery chugging away in the background.

Calos Vela Out, NWSL Goes On

WALKING THE BEACH IN SANTA BARBARA  -- Losing a team in the tournament hasn't stopped the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) from continuing their Challenge Cup in Utah with 8 of their 9 teams.  The Orlando Pride withdrew June 22 due to 6 positive COVID-19 player cases and the tournament still kicked off June 27 with 8 teams.  The NWSL was the first major team sports league to get started back up in the USA.  Though you never hear about it.

So the MLS, with five teams still left to travel to Florida, may still be able to start July 8th as planned with 25 of the 26 teams after FC Dallas withdrew.  It could be Group B will just have 2 games per team with just the top 2 of the now 3 team group advancing.  As for the regular season, FC Dallas will be 3 games short and Seattle, Vancouver, and San Jose will be one game short (knockout matches do not count towards regular season records).

Meanwhile the reigning MLS MVP, LAFC's Carlos Vela will skip the tournament with a newborn on the way.  Considering players have to be quarantined for 30 or more days with no contact with family is tough and Vela being across the country from his wife made this a respectable decision in these pandemic times.  So we've lost one team and one superstart... who's next?