The 2022 NWSL season will hopefully bring to an end the search for a title for the two oldest franchises in US women's professional soccer, the Boston Breakers and the Chicago Red Stars. Twelve other teams will have their say on whether either franc...
Both the US National Team and those players from Canada and Australia who attended Chrsitie's funeral were en route to Minneapolis and Edmonton for the second games of their international break twinbills. Sleep was hard for a few American players both the previous night and on the plane, resulting in some necessary naps once in the Twin Cities. Laura Harvey decided to play the same first XI against Norway that she did on Saturday, a lineup that included four players from the 2015 World Cup championship team (Alyssa Naeher, Morgan O'Hara, Julie Ertz, and Christen Press), all of whom were most deeply affected by the events of the past week. Rhian Wilkinson, on the other hand, took a more guarded approach with her personnel, choosing to sit Steph and Shelina and starting Sabrina D'Angelo over Kailen. Sam Kerr was back in the Aussies' starting eleven.
Norway took advantage of the US' less-than-enthusiastic response to playing tonight by taking back to Oslo a workmanlike 2-0 victory over the Americans. Despite some well-regarded performances from Savannah Jordan, Sofia Huerta, and Christina Gibbons, the team's leaders all came up short and proved that Harvey's ultracompetitive instincts had gone awry for the second successive camp, which will make the two matches against Canada a test of her leadership heading into World Cup qualifying at the end of October.
The lack of Labbe and Zadorsky on the field in Edmonton proved to be too much to overcome as Australia, behind a goal and an assist from Sam Kerr, defeated Canada by a 2-1 margin. Rebecca Quinn picked up the lone goal for the home side, heading in an Ashley Lawrence corner kick.
***
Wednesday morning for everyone involved returning to their NWSL clubs in preparation for Matchday 16 games except for those from the Reign and Breakers, who had a bye this week due to their midweek fixture in July as part of Boston's west coast trip. As a result of the bye, Steph and Yael stayed in the Edmonton area for a couple of days to visit Steph's family and introduce them to Yael and their soon-to-be newest family member.
On the flight going back to Los Angeles, Christen had a talk with Lynn about her situation with Julie.
Lynn: CP, you ok?
Christen: Eh. Been better. Part of it is all the travel the past three days and then playing a bad game last night.
Lynn: And the other part?
Christen: Julie. I had been avoiding her for the first half of camp, then stumbled back into being her leaning post when Cap passed. After we both stunk up the joint last night, we ended up spending the night together. I hate myself SO MUCH for not staying strong and letting her use me again.
Lynn: How do you really feel about what happened last night?
Christen: It was like always for the two of us, great sex and the full range of positive emotions expressed to each other.
Lynn: Then why do you feel bad about it?
Christen: Because it didn't come with the commitment I want from her and that she has continued to be so reluctant to fully give to me. When she came out here for the Charge's game against us, we got into a bit of a snit over her seeking to drag out this timeline for getting her here and with me. She continued to think I'll just wait for her and last night in my mind proved her right, that I can be her punching bag and will always be there for her even when she couldn't care less about the opposite.
Lynn: Have you talked to anyone else about your conundrum with Julie?
Christen: Just Shelina, because she can understand a bit about the wavering emotions of a long-distance relationship.
Lynn: I remember seeing the two of them talking on the way out to New Jersey on Monday. Maybe she knows something about her frame of mind and what might really be going on. When we get back, maybe wait around the airport for her flight to come in and the two of you catch up on this topic.
Christen: I think I might do that.
***
Alyssa and Steph McCaffrey talked while on the short trip back to Chicago.
Alyssa: You seem to know your way around women, Steph. Well, one woman at least.
Steph: Believe me, one is enough trouble. I don't know how some people juggle multiple partners, like Julie with Zach and Christen.
Alyssa: I'd be satisfied with just one. Haven't really had a lot of luck among the Chicago people. Maybe I need to start thinking post-career and find someone back east that I can be with in the off-season and can then settle down with after I hang it up, which would look to be after this cycle.
Steph: Any front-runners?
Alyssa: Well, there are a couple of old teammates that I seem to recall being good possibilities.
Alyssa pulled out her phone and showed Steph some pictures from when they were with the Breakers.
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Steph: Uh, no. Not letting you get my Kratcheeta.
Alyssa: Relax. That was the just the first one that popped up in my stream. How about this one?
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Steph: Hey now! Never realized she was as cute as that. Think you got a chance if you want to take it?
Alyssa: Only one way to find out. Ask.
Steph: I've got some connections that got some connections that could get to her for you.
Alyssa: In other words, ask Sam and Abby to do my dirty work.
Steph: Precisely. She'll probably be here for the wedding.
Alyssa: Forgot about that for a second. Hmmmm.......guess it can't hurt to have your surrogate sisters ask about and see if she'd have an interest.
