Flying Kiwis – June 30
Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)
A pair of games this week and the Courage weren’t holding back. Racing Louisville were up first in the midweek round and that was an opportunity for starting debuts of Angharad James, Brittany Ratcliffe, and Ryan Williams to all make their NCC debuts meaning that Abby Erceg was involved in yet another back four... but that didn’t hold them up at all as the Courage took control of the contest in the first half and limited Louisville to just four total shots in the entire match.
Lynn Williams was the star. A brilliant finish in the 27th minute cutting back onto her right foot after Sam Mewis had picked her out in transition and that was the opening goal. Then in the 33rd minute Carson Pickett delivered a supreme ball to the back stick after a short corner routine and Williams was there to head that one in from close range. Too tall, too well positioned, too good of a cross. The Courage were 2-0 up barely a third of the way through and they had zero troubles from there on out against a team they’d beaten 5-0 in the corresponding home fixture not so long ago. Chances continued to flow, including a Williams header attempt at a hat-trick, but they weren’t able to make another one count. Not that they needed to. Comfortable enough 2-0 win with the clean sheet to boot.
Then on the weekend Lynn Williams did it all over again. A pair of goals to lead the Courage past major rivals Portland Thorns, a huge win as their season seems to be finding a groove now finally. Not that this was an easy win by any means. Casey Murphy had to be sharp to get low on the dive to save a third minute crack from range by Natalia Kuikka as the teams traded blows throughout. Williams set up Jess McDonald midway through the first half only for J-Mac not to get a clean strike away, then down the other end Morgan Weaver drilled one on target with Abby Erceg in close attention, Murphy saving that one too. Debinha shot straight at the Thorns keeper after beating a couple defenders, then Portland responded with a header just over the bar.
Battling stuff between two teams with title ambitions... but Williams broke it open in the second half. About five minutes after Weaver had rounded Murphy on the run but was unable to get a shot away when a heavy touch took her too deep, a Carson Pickett corner kick for NCC met Williams at the back post for the four-yard tap-in on the volley, 1-0 up after 57 mins, then in the 66th another Pickett cross, this time from open play, picked out LW once more and her downward header was perfectly placed for 2-0. Erceg and the crew were able to shut it down from there with no major hiccups. Six big points this week which lift them up to second on the ladder.
Also this...
She’d already long since burned that marker if you count playoff games but Americans are weird like that. This was Erceg’s 124th NWSL appearance (including nine in the playoffs), which is miles ahead of Katie Bowen’s 80 apps which in turn are well clear of Rosie White, Rebekah Stott, Ali Riley, and Emma Kete who are the other NZers to have played in the NWSL.
The Courage have confirmed that Erceg’s last game before departing for the Olympics will be the week after next against Washington Spirit. So two more matches until she’s gotta hop on a plane to Tokyo... would imagine the other two NZers in the NWSL who are in that squad will be on similar timelines. Olympic players from other nations may well leave earlier depending on what preparation they’ve got (the Football Ferns have no friendlies whipped up before they arrive in Japan so no rush).
Up Next: Orlando Pride vs NCC, Monday 5 July at 10am (NZT)
Ryan De Vries – Sligo Rovers (League of Ireland Premier Division)
Ooh yes, that’s the spot.
It’s been a sec since RDV last popped up in Flying Kiwis, Sligo Rovers had been going through a mini dip in form and De Vries hadn’t necessarily been playing every game – the one against Bohemians was just his fifth league start out of 18 games (coming on as a sub in six others). That was also his first goal of the campaign... so them starts might start rolling around more often now.
Bohemians were the form team in the comp, rocking up in Sligo having taken 13 points from their previous five matches... but they got smoked by Rovers with RDV among those who threatened early on before Johnny Kenny scored in the 13th minute with a follow-up after Jordan Gibson’s free kick had been saved. Kenny would create a second on 22 mins with a deflected shot off a cross that went down as an own goal and the chances blossomed from there – although Bohemians did have one disallowed for offside.
Onwards and De Vries scored the third with that superb solo run early in the second half to pretty much ice things, while Johnny Kenny did eventually get his second goal of the evening with ten minutes to play courtesy of a smooth left-footed finish. That’s 4-0 to Sligo Rovers final score and they push the gap between themselves in third and Bohemians in fourth out to eight points. Though when we say they’re third, they might as well be first. St Patrick’s Athletic, Shamrock Rovers, and Sligo Rovers are all on 35 points after 18 matches and all have a goal difference of +13. It literally could not be closer at the halfway stage of the LOI.
Also it’s a handy time for RDV to be coming into some form given that their UEFA Conference League qualifiers begin early next month. The Bit O’Red, as they’re known, will face FH of Iceland in the first qualifying round – with Ryan De Vries to become the first New Zealander to feature in the new third-tier UEFA club competition if he features.
Up Next: Away to Longford Town on Sunday at 6.30am (NZT)
Katie Bowen – Kansas City (American National Women’s Soccer League)
It’s still a struggle for KC. The midweek round swung by with Orlando Pride on the fixture list and this was technically a Flying Kiwis Derby but Ali Riley was rested for the start of it and only played the second half. Subbed on for Marisa Viggiano as one of three HT subs for Orlando (KC also made two, blame the heat for that). Clearly the Pride were using this top vs bottom midweek contest as an opportunity to spare a few legs and Riley was one of those.
While Bowen had the FK’s focus all to herself it was a pretty bonkers game. Winless KC were right up for the match against a weakened Orlando side... although Sydney Leroux did hit the post early on with a header. But after that they threw plenty at the Pride and Amy Rodriguez in particular was looking sharp. It was also absolutely sizzling in Kansas so there was a hydration break and a few extended injury rests which led to eleven minutes of stoppage time. In the eighth of those minutes Mariana Larroquette gave KC the shock lead with a close range stabber. However there was so much stoppage time that there was still enough room for Sydney Leroux to equaliser in the tenth min. A deflected shot off balance. Bit of a sneaky one but 1-1 at the break and then the cavalry arrived for the Pride.
Leroux scored again in the 49th min after slicing in from the left and unleashing a sharp finish. That had Orlando in the lead and with the intense heat and the lead in favour of the stronger team things settled down from there. The Pride took charge and with six mins remaining they clinched it for sure as Marta scored a genuinely astounding goal from long range. Almost halfway. Guess who enjoyed that one?
So that game ended 3-1 to Orlando. Full game for Bowen, at least, while Orlando extended their unbeaten start to seven games. But if that game was a bummer then just see what happened on the weekend against Washington Spirit...
Amy Rodriguez scored in the third minute to give KC the lead. Convincing finish on the cut-back there and Kansas City were looking good, going close to adding to that lead a couple times. Bowen started on the bench since KC were playing their third game in seven days after the international break however she was subbed on for the last twenty, at which point they were still leading 1-0. Then proceedings took a turn.
A great take by Trinity Rodman off a long ball in the 77th min led to a slippery pass back inside to Ashley Sanchez who dropped a shoulder and trickily moved past her marker and scored. KC had to swap keepers after that following an injury to Abby Smith and new GK Nichole Barnhardt had to be sharp to get a surging Washington team out... which Kansas City managed up until the fifth minute of stoppage time when Rodman dashed back onto her left foot and won it for the Spirit 2-1. Bugger. Kansas City still without a win despite twice scoring first this week. Can’t be much fun.
Up Next: Gotham vs KC, Saturday at 11am (NZT)
Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Already talked about one Orlando Pride game as they beat KC 3-1, staying unbeaten on the top of the table. The next game was away to Houston Dash and Ali Riley was back in the starting team along with most (but not all) of the usuals... and yet there were hints from the start that this was going to be One Of Those Days, culminating in an eight minute spell between the 18th-26th mins as first Maria Sanchez scored for Houston after Ashlyn Harris’ initial parry save had come back off the post and fell for Sanchez at the second attempt. Then Veronica Latsko beat both defender and goalie to a chipped ball into the box and midway through the first half the undefeated Pride were down 2-0. Not even against the play either – the Dash were all over them.
But a quick start after the break changed the complexion of things as Marta’s corner kick was flicked in by Gunny Jonsdottir in the 49th min and it was game on again. Sort of. At least until tired legs after three quick games caught up with them and the Pride just couldn’t muster the extra gear that they needed and were left exposed on the break several times down the stretch. The Dash held on for the 2-1 win and Orlando taste defeat for the first time this NWSL season. Still top of the table but it all just got a lot closer.
Riley talked specifically in the post-match about tiredness being a factor...
Gotta get rid of that bad taste in the mouth and serve up some Girls Gone Veg now. This one’s an extended episode with the channel’s main man Brandon Marshall, ex-NFL wide receiver hero...
Up Next: Orlando Pride vs NC Courage, Monday at 10am (NZT)
Rosie White – OL Reign (American National Women’s Soccer League)
You already know about this because it’s been discussed with Rosie White missing the Olympic squad but turns out she’s fallen ill and actually ended up in the hospital for a spell. White hasn’t been playing much for OL Reign lately but it was only last week when she dropped out of the matchday squad entirely so it’s been a relatively recent thing. Obviously she wasn’t involved this week either as the Reign split a 2-0 win against Chicago with a 3-0 defeat to Gotham. White was listed as out with illness on the injury report – fingers crossed for a swift recovery.
Up Next: First things first, gotta get back to a hundy percent
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Minnesota United unexpectedly lost to expansion side Austin FC the first time they played. This next time, in front of a home crowd and having found a little form lately, they were taking no such chances. Within twenty minutes of kickoff they’d scored all the goals they needed and it was a couple new signings who did the damage: Franco Frangipane with a rocket into the top corner on the half-volley on ten minutes then in the 18th Adrien Hunou nodded in from a corner kick and boom that was 2-0.
It’s not like they’d been completely dominating to that point, there had been chances at both ends in an open contest. More than once the Loons had been scrambling to keep things safe at the back. But they took their chances up the other end and that allowed them to dictate the way the game flowed from then on and they looked pretty comfortable by the half. The Loons then came out and threatened to start the next 45 the way they’d begun the first 45 but Frangipane couldn’t repeat the dose as he hit the crossbar after a pull-back. Manny Reynoso and Hasani Dotson also had close encounters with the goal as Minny bossed things. 2-0 was the final score so chalk up a clean sheet for Boxy and the boyz.
Granted, Boxy did have one lil scrappy moment with Austin striker Cecilio Dominguez that caused a bit of drama...
It’s not so much the headlock bit, that was six of one and half a dozen of the other, but the lunge at his chest/throat after they hit the deck will have wound a few folks up. But that was an immediate reaction to getting a bit of what they call the ‘squirrel grip’ coming the other way. A grab and twist of some description in an area you’d prefer to go untouched during a football game. Will just leave it at that... other than to say that if you mess with Boxy like that and come away alive then you can count yourself lucky...
Now for a hearty shout out to Minnesota United who did not have to release Michael Boxall for the Olympics as an overage player but they did so anyway and we love ‘em for that. He’ll miss at least two games, possibly as many as seven (ambitious but who knows) while he’s in Tokyo. Considering he hasn’t missed a minute all season that’s a tricky one for the Loons to overcome.
Adrian Heath, MNUFC coach: “Obviously, it's a big decision for us because he's such an integral part of what we do. We've still got a bit of stuff to sort out because the least amount of games he misses, the better. In one way, I'm pleased for him. In another, I'm disappointed for us because he's the cornerstone of our back four here. We could say no, but when you speak to the kid, I get it. Maybe the World Cup is something that's not going to happen for him. This is the next thing for him, so we reluctantly agreed. We're reluctant to let him go, but we hope he's back sooner rather than later.”
Boxy: “I don't need to tell anyone that I don't like to miss games at all, but we've got a full squad for a reason. These are the types of tournament that when you look back at your career, you can't believe you were there. Anytime you can play these big international tournaments, it's a massive honour. Growing up, ever since I was 5 or 6 years old, whenever the Olympics are on, everything stops. Anytime you get to be a part of it, it has always been something special.”
So that’s nice. They did play one more game this weekend too but let’s come back to that in a sec.
Up Next: Minnesota Utd vs San Jose Earthquakes, Sunday at midday (NZT)
Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
Midweek yarns for the Timbers where Bill Tuiloma and Dario Zuparic continued to start at centre back but this time with a twist: Zac McGraw joining them in a back three. Which is great news for Tuiloma as that means when Larrys Mabiala is ready to go from the start again after his injury there’ll be room for the whole trio and Bill Tuiloma can begin calling himself a regular first XI fella. In a role which allows him to step up into midfield more often too, no less. Sweet as.
Without Mabiala that back three looked rather sketchy in the first half. Houston Dynamo came out sparking and took a 15th minute lead when Fafa Picault headed in from close range after a corner kick had been slapped away and then another shot came firing in which was saved then... well, eventually Picault scored. And in the 33rd minute it was 2-0 as Tyler Pasher curled in low. A move that had begun when Tuiloma gave the ball away up the line out on the left – it looked like he might have been trying to win a throw off the shins of his marker but he missed him and Houston moved quickly into attack mode to score. Houston had hit the crossbar in between those goals too.
It was a terrible first half yet towards the end of it they did begin to do a few things. Eryk Williamson hit the crossbar with a sizzling volley on the run. Then Tuiloma headed wide from a corner kick in stoppage time. And five minutes into the second half the Timbers got themselves back into it as a defensive corner led to a thrilling counter attack with Dairon Asprilla and Claudio Bravo going back and forth before Asprilla chipped in delightfully for 2-1. A move that began with a Larrys Mabiala header... Mabiala having replaced Zuparic at HT.
Suddenly we had a real game on our hands. Houston thought they had a penalty soon after but replays showed it was a dirty old dive and the ref was correct to ignore it. Tackles flew in hard and fast. Portland looked a real danger from set pieces. Then what do ya know the Timbers equalised in stoppage time as Mabiala swung in a perfect cross onto the head of Jeremy Ebobisse who did the rest with a fine header. After all that it ended 2-2. Gotta take that given how it began. Full game for Tuiloma, get in there.
Up Next: Friday at 1.30pm away to Austin FC (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United / Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
After those midweekers we had a real treat as the two of them played against each other: Michael Boxall and Bill Tuiloma both starting for their respective teams (with Mabiala also in the XI for Portland). But of course there could only be one victor and Minnesota had the ideal beginning with their quickest ever goal as a club.
Emanuel Reynoso hit Franco Frangipane with the ball through in the second minute, that Argentine connection, and FF squared it to Adrien Hunou for the early lead. The back three then made it difficult for the Timbers to get numbers forward as they had been planning to play on the break only to find themselves behind so swiftly. It didn’t help that it was so hot in Portland that kickoff had had to be delayed for safety reasons. Not even sure how Minny didn’t score again – they were much sharper in this spell.
But the Loons have had their own dramas too, not always the most clinical team in front of goal and prone to the odd error themselves. Diego Valeri gave them a scare right at the end of the half when he rustled the side-netting with a shot and then in the second half it was a different story. Now it was Boxall’s turn to be on the back foot as Portland ended up with a 22-10 advantage in total shots. Wouldn’t have picked it after twenty minutes but there you go.
Williamson shot wide. Valeri stabbed a low cross off target. Ebobisse couldn’t get on the end of a loosie at the back stick. Valeri had a heavy one saved. All that in about seven minutes coming out of the sheds. Still Minnesota held on and they would have been further ahead but for two astounding saves by Steve Clarke in the space of a couple minutes. Then Ebobisse missed a header. Then Tuiloma put a header wide. Then Bravo hit the post. Exhausting scenes... in the end the Loons held on for a 1-0 win and their hot form continues with six undefeated on the trot. Full game for Boxall while Tuiloma was subbed off after 81 mins for an attacker.
Up Next: Already done that, mate
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
Collier didn’t play the midweek game, forced to watch as an unused sub as Chicago fell 1-0 at home to FC Cincinnati. The Fire only got two of their 19 shots on target. Alvaro Barreal’s 50th minute goal was the difference. Usually Collier ends up getting a go in those situations but not to be this time. However he was called upon in the game against Philly a few days later. Sort of. Subbed on in the 93rd minute of a 3-3 draw. Wild game but Collier didn’t even touch the ball so who cares.
Up Next: Chicago vs Atlanta, Sunday at midday (NZT)
CJ Bott - Vålerenga (Norwegian Toppserien)
Absolutely no kidding about here. Vålerenga took on Klepp at home, with CJ Bott in the starting line-up, and they utterly smoked them. Like, this one got out of hand and fast. There weren’t even ten minutes on the clock when Janni Thomsen was fouled in the box and Dejana Stefanovic stepped up to score the spottie. Stefanovic then picked out a great pass into the area for Andrine Tomter who controlled and nudged that ball in off the post eight mins later. Immediately after it was 3-0 on 19 mins when Synne Jensen beat the offside trap and finished sharply past the keeper.
That might as well have been that already but VIF were in a mood. Amanda Andradóttir, who had set up the third goal, scored one of her own with a 45th minute screamer, slicing past a closing-out defender from thirty yards out and then curling it into the top corner off her left foot regardless. Three minutes after the break Jensen tapped in her second and within ten minutes of that goal she had four. And she later hit the post too. Amazing from her and amazing from VIF overall as they won 7-0. Not a lot to say about right back CJ Bott who didn’t manage to get in on the goals/assists but she did play a full game for the first time this 2021 Toppserien season. Vålerenga and Rosenborg are the two teams remaining with perfect records after five games, VIF are ahead of goal difference (no surprises there after these activities).
Up Next: Away to Stabæk on Friday at 5am (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
Vålerenga are used to winning, they’ve won every game. But Avaldsnes not so much. In fact despite staying in the title hunt until late in the term last year they hadn’t won any of their first four games this time around. But now the wait is finally over. Home against Kolbotn, another team with zero points from four games, and they did what needed doing to put that first three-point-bag on the board.
Horrid start though. Vic Esson conceded in the sixth minute as Sara Hørte powered home a low header from a corner kick... but Avaldsnes were only behind for twenty minutes before Anna Langås Jøsendal got a toe on the ball amidst a scramble from an attacking corner of their own and it was all level again. And to be fair to AIL they were always the more likely team the rest of the way. Esson didn’t have too much to do while her teammates up front continued to ask questions.
Eventually Jøsendal put them in front. Pocket of space just inside the area in the 54th minute and she lashed it home off the left peg. Then Andrea Norheim made sure of it from the penalty spot in the 67th, a shot blocked by a hand leading to that opportunity. Kolbotn did throw caution to the wind in the latter stages which brought Esson back into things with a good low save at her near post and one that rocked her crossbar the major moments as she took care of her part. 3-1 was the way it ended. You’d hope that’s a turning point in their season now.
Up Next: Avaldsnes vs Lyn, 5am on Friday (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
As we know, Viking are a random team. Up one week, down the next. They were down last week... therefore they were up this week with a slick old 2-1 win away to Sarpsborg. It began with plenty of Joe Bell. He picked the ball off pressing in the Sarpsborg half in the sixth minute and fed it through to Veton Berisha as he was (probably) fouled but Berisha’s shot was deflected over. Then Bell took the corner and Viljar Helland Vevatne headed it towards goal... except it hit one of their teammates who accidentally cleared it off the line in the process. Damn. Soon after Bell lined up a free kick but hit it too close to the keeper who saved it easily enough.
The home side came back into it after that and following a few close calls a 38th minute long throw into the mixer was eventually turned in by Ibrahima Kone for the opening goal. Not where VFK wanted to be yet to be honest they were lucky not to concede again before the break. But tell you what, they were good in the second half. Much more aggressive, much more intent. And they were rewarded with an equaliser in the 56th min when Kevin Kabran mashed a loose ball home after a Bell corner. Took a few deflections before it got to Kabran but it does seem to have gone down as a JB assist, right on. His second of the campaign. Great hit too.
VFK kept on cracking and it was anyone’s guess how they didn’t put one away in the 65th min as they had about three great chances in the same phase of play. Including Kabran nearly munting in a second screamer. Sarpsborg held on that time but they couldn’t survive forever and in the 84th minute Harald Nilsen Tangen popped up with the low drive into the bottom corner. Get in. Kone then picked up a late red card for Sarpsborg when he lashed out at the goalie and thus it goes down as a 2-1 to Viking. With a Joe Bell assist. Log it in the books.
Up Next: VFK vs Stabaek, Thursday at 4am (NZT)
Nikko Boxall – SJK (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
Another win with another clean sheet. Nikko Boxall and the lads have one of the very best backlines in the Finnish league having conceded only seven times in nine games to date. That’s the third best record in the comp so far - HIFK have also only let seven in but that’s having played an additional match. HJK as you’d expect are even better as their undefeated start has seen them only let five in (no sign of Logan Rogerson for them yet, he’s been injured).
So SJK are clearly locking it down at the back... their problem is in trying to score goals. They’ve also only got seven of those which is worse than any other team outside the bottom three. But the seventh one was a charm. Ville Tikkanen in the 38th minute away to IFK Marienhamn, a side-footed volley from a deep corner kick. Nobody marking him and he buried it. Exactly what they needed at a time when they seemed to be getting frustrated at their inability to make much of the chances they were creating. They then continued to be wasteful the rest of the way... only they got away with it against the lowest scoring team in the division for a 1-0 win that keeps them in sixth place, right on the cut-off for the championship rounds. A full game for Nikko Boxall whose defensive headers were an important factor in this win.
Up Next: Same oppo, but at home this time on Thursday at 3.30am (NZT)
Moses Dyer – Valour FC (Canadian Premier League)
On ya, Moses. Six minutes into the new season and he’s already on the board. Austin Ricci added another in the 26th min as Valour claimed a 2-0 victory away against Forge to get things up and running in a perfect way. Full game and a yellow card for Moses Dyer.
Up Next: Valour vs Wanderers on Thursday at 11am (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
No rest for the wicked. You already know that includes all goalkeepers.
Up Next: Still more than a month away from the new campaign
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