It has been quite a journey since we last saw the Washington Spirit play back in October. Obviously, the biggest change is the addition of the Challenge Cup and the pause of the 2020 National Women’s Soccer League season.
The reasons for this change in format have obviously been outlined countless times at this point including the risks and benefits in running a tournament at this time given the current conditions in Utah. It is a difficult situation for all involved, as evidenced by the Orlando Pride having to pull out of the tournament due to players and staff reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. That will certainly come into play during this tournament as the Spirit and the NWSL become the first professional sports league in North America to return to play.
(Author’s Note: One quick point though on the Challenge Cup and change in format: Remember the big discussion about the Spirit playing in three home venues this offseason? How long ago does that feel? Let’s all make a pact to never complain about driving to a game in the DMV once things return to some level of normal. Agreed? Agreed.)
With pretty much every side in the NWSL, it is difficult to gauge a general outlook for how they will fare. A cup competition is very different in terms of the rigors and the expectations than say a league with a regular season and playoffs. While there will not be any interference from say National Team call-ups small injuries may end a player’s season entirely.
The good news for the Spirit is that their needs in the offseason seemed to align perfectly with what will help in this tournament: attacking depth. Last year the Spirit scored just 30 goals, which was the sixth lowest in the league. To help strengthen their attacking core the club brought in Canadian international Jenna Hellstrom and Japanese International Jenna Hellstrom as well as drafting UCLA standout striker Ashley Sanchez. Ashley Hatch had a breakout season last year for the Spirit, scoring 9 goals for the side, and the hope is that with additional attacking support she will add to her goal-scoring haul in 2020.
Having Rose LaVelle for the full tournament should also help the Spirit in finding their form up top. LaVelle made only six appearances for the Spirit last season due to playing for the USWNT at the World Cup. It goes without saying that LaVelle is one of the top midfielders in the world and her ability to create chances in tight spaces makes her an incredible asset for coach Richie Burke. The Spirit’s bread and butter last year was on the counter-attack with LaVelle and Andi Sullivan both showing a flair for finding the likes of Hatch and Jordan DiBiasi in open space. Sullivan is looking to cement her spot in the USWNT midfield and a solid showing with LaVelle may give her the upper hand against the pack.
As with any cup competition one of the key factors that must be considered is the schedule. While the Challenge Cup is unique in that all eight teams in the group stage will go on to the knockout stage, seeding for the second stage will play a massive role in determining how far each side goes. Washington have a bit of a bumpy road in the group stage starting with the Chicago Red Stars tonight (10:00PM EST, CBS All Access). Although Chicago lost Sam Kerr in the offseason, they still have ample attacking support in the form of Julie Ertz and Kealia Watt. If the Spirit fall behind early it will put a lot of pressure on their newly formed attack. While a loss against the Red Stars wouldn’t doom them to the bottom of the table it would put their Cup ambitions in peril. After the Red Stars Washington will the North Carolina Courage, the two-time defending NWSL Champions, and the Portland Thorns, a side that has never missed the NWSL playoffs
Washington Spirit
