NWSL Preseason Action Begins, With Challenge Cup In Sight

On the San Diego Polo Fields, Alex Morgan and the San Diego Wave are busy preparing for the fast-approaching NWSL season.

While players like Morgan, fresh off her victory in her role with the national team’s efforts to get equal pay, are simply getting in shape, jobs and roles are being decided for others in Wave camp.

“We’re all here from one common goal and that’s to be the best team in the league and I think it shows on the field,” San Diego forward Amirah Ali said. “We all push each other and I think that’s what we really need from each other to keep pushing. We’re all fighting for a starting spot but it’s making ourselves and each other better on the field and I feel like we’ve been doing that very well and challenging each other and just want to keep the ball rolling.”

Just 20 days from this bit of light action until San Diego opens its season, in Game 1 of the Challenge Cup, against fellow expansion side Angel City FC on March 19.

Other NWSL teams managed to get into the action this weekend with preseason matches, including two facing off against one another.

The Kansas City Current wasted little time showing it plans to be a power in 2022, defeating the defending champion Washington Spirit, 6-0 on Saturday. Six different Current players provided scoring for the team in this one, including newly-acquired Lynn Williams, whose 21st minute strike increased Kansas City’s lead to 2-0.

First round pick Elyse Bennett turned heads early with a goal as well, the final score from a dominant performance.

Even so, it was a trio of rookies on the back line, and a corresponding clean sheet, that drew head coach Matt Potter’s praise following the game.

“I think, obviously we want to score goals, but more importantly we want to be known as a team that it’s tough to score goals on, and anytime you get a clean sheet you’ve earned that, and that’s what we want to be about,” Potter said.

Kansas City heads to Orlando on March 2 for an exhibition match against the Pride, but just 16 days after that, they’ll be in Louisville for the March 18 Challenge Cup opener.

The Pride already have a preseason win on their ledger, a 4-0 triumph over the University of South Florida last Friday night. Darien Jenkins scored a brace in support of new coach Amanda Cromwell, hired this offseason away from UCLA.

“Well, we came out flying,” Cromwell said following the match. “It’s always good to score the first five minutes of the game, so you set the tone. There was great energy, the weather was so nice… the ability to score early, maintain that pressure and high energy throughout the first 45 and score multiple goals was great.”

As for the Houston Dash, they got off to a winning start with a 1-0 win over TCU on Saturday. Shea Groom scored the deciding goal in this one, ahead of a preseason trip to UNAM Pumas Femenil in Mexico on Wednesday. Houston opens the Challenge Cup on March 20, hosting the Chicago Red Stars.