Expected Own Goals

We last checked in on the Kansas City Current in Week 1. What a difference a month makes! They're sitting atop the table on 10 points, have a potential superstar in Temwa Chawinga, and got a road point against Evan and Eric's preseason title favorite, Gotham FC. But is Chawinga the real deal? Were Juan Carlos Amorós's tactics too clever by half? Who looks like the better bet to keep succeeding in the weeks to come? Dive in, baby! 

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The USWNT is SheBelieves Cup champion once again. Woo...hoo? The Twila Kilgore era comes to a close on a second penalty shootout win over Canada in a month, and leaves us wondering: what did Kilgore do well? What did she miss on? Is the team in better shape now than it was back in August? Furthermore, who is in pole position for each Olympics roster spot? Eric and Evan answer all these questions and more! (Evan may or may not sing at the end of the episode. Fair warning.)

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No fewer than three NWSL games were decided in the final moments of stoppage time last weekend, but each were decided in different ways. San Diego survived its battle of attrition through well timed bravery, while Portland's overwhelming attacking talent finally breached Louisville's walls. Bay FC and the Houston Dash fully embraced their stubborn, attack-loving identities and the Dash tripped into victory. Eric and Evan ponder how these teams all managed a late result, hear from Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya on his side's approach, and parse what it means for these teams' talents more broadly.

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A jam-packed, wackadoo weekend unfolded in the NWSL, with golazos and refereeing madness and everything in between. Eric, Evan and Arianna drill down on the Washington Spirit's 2-1 victory over Bay FC. Are Bay's tactics naïve? Has their depth been exposed? Is Croix Bethune the resurrection and the life? 1) Maybe 2) Probably 3) Get on your knees and pray. 

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The greatest league in the world has returned, and boy was it a doozy! From first-minute penalties in Seattle, to the Naeher-aissance denying Utah their first-ever win in front of a "sold out" crowd, to 17-year-old Kennedy Fuller making as many headlines as Bay FC goalscorer Asisat Oshoala, there were narratives galore. 

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​​We did it. NWSL Season Preview Week concludes with last year’s champions and Shield winners, who square off tonight in the NWSL Challenge Cup. The Wave added a genuine playmaker in Savannah McCaskill, but otherwise remain largely unchanged from their table-topping campaign. Will McCaskill and USWNT phenom Jaedyn Shaw be enough to keep Casey Stoney’s offense sparking? Meanwhile, Gotham signed four gálacticos and maintained a remarkable amount of depth. They’re the favorites to win it all again, but can Juan Carlos Amorós make this group start gelling quickly together? 

Click here to read ASA's written preview of today's teams

Art by Eli Elbogen

Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

​​The day has arrived! Arianna “Doc” Cascone makes her xOG début as we head into the homestretch of NWSL Season Preview Week. First up, Eric and Evan consider another team whose offseason was influenced by ownership transition. The Thorns replaced Crystal Dunn with Jessie Fleming (lol) and blended veteran re-signings with some young and untested internationals on the backline (hmmm). Even if they’re a touch leaky, will they score enough goals to still win? Then, Arianna comes on to break down the Courage, and whether Ashley Sanchez is a bright enough spark to help them score goals in Kerolin’s absence. 

Click here to read ASA's written preview of today's teams, one of which was written by Arianna herself!

Another two-episode day here at xOG for NWSL Season Preview Week. We’re heading out to the best coast to talk about two playoff teams at a crossroads. Angel City seems to be tightening budgets as the bill comes due for their previous offseason work. Will now-permanent head coach Becki Tweed be able to recapture the magic of their playoff run, with Messiah Bright and Rocky Rodríguez in tow? Then, Eric and Evan welcome Reign reporter Susie Rantz to unpack how the still-not-closed sale of the Reign has affected their offseason, and whether there is enough spark in the roster to get to the postseason for the eighth time in the club’s 11-year history.

Click here to read ASA's written preview of today's teams (both written by Evan!)

**RECORDED BEFORE SIMONE CHARLEY’S AND RAFAELLE’S INJURY ANNOUNCEMENTS**

​​In part two of today’s entries in xOG’s NWSL Season Preview Week, Eric and Evan dive into the fetid swamps of two teams making big moves but also not completely certain of their futures. Pride GM Haley Carter made a big, late splash in signing Barbra Banda. Orlando will score goals, but will they be able to do much else? Is there a Marta succession plan? Will Adriana be their only hope? Then, writer, analyst, podcaster and all-around bon vivant André Carlisle dives deep into the Washington Spirit, and how incoming head coach Jonatan Giráldez will bring his Barcelona DNA to a team that barely managed 46% possession last season.

Click here to read ASA's written preview of today's teams

Our second episode today heads down south for the next edition of NWSL Season Preview Week. Louisville has a clear recruitment strategy—buy low on young internationals—but are hoping for a clear stylistic identity with new head coach Bev Yanez. The Dash are doing something similar with Fran Alonso and players like Cece Kizer and rookie Avery Patterson. Dash reporter and Squad Depth podcast host Theo Lloyd-Hughes breaks down Alonso’s approach to making the Dash a playoff contender. This is a good one, folks!

Click here to read ASA's written preview of today's teams