Boston Legacy FC suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Washington Spirit at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island.
The Swans (4-8-4) are back in 14th place with 16 points. The Spirit’s (9-3-3) win placed the team at the top of the table with 30 points.
Head coach Filipa Patão chose the same 3-5-2 lineup as the previous game. Casey Murphy started in goal, joined by Emerson Elgin, Jorelyn Carabali, and Bianca St-Georges on the backline. Lilly Reale and Nichelle Prince took the wings with Annie Karich, Alba Caño, and Barbara Olivieri in the midfield. Aïssata Traoré and Ella Stevens played up top.
Here are four thoughts from the game:
Goals and Low Blocks
The two teams played a level game until the Spirit slotted two goals halfway through the first 45. Tara Rudd opened the scoring in the 25th minute by heading the ball over Murphy and into the net. Minutes later, Trinity Rodman received a perfect pass as she made a run into the 18 and shot it past Murphy with three Boston defenders trailing behind.
BLFC increased its tempo at the end of the first half, and carried some of that momentum into the second. Sammy Smith (59’), Amanda Gutierres (72’), and Aleigh Gambone (90’) entered the game to get some fresh legs on the field.
The Spirit only took three shots in the latter part of the game and settled into a low block, staying compact and limiting Boston to six shots. Washington had sparse opportunities and Boston’s attack was made up of crosses into the box and long balls. The Swans had 10 touches in the opposition’s box.
Elgin kicked the ball long in the 88th minute, placing it directly in front of Smith, who buried the Legacy’s lone goal.
“We [were] down 2-0, but we never gave up, and we were fighting until the end. And we had a lot of chances that we just didn't put away early in the game,” Smith said after the match. “That's our next step–is focusing on those and putting those away and closing games out early so we don't go too behind.”
Don’t Talk About the Refs
Nichelle Prince was taken down in the box at the 66th minute, and referee John Matto ruled that there was no foul, leading to resounding boos and VAR chants in the stands. VAR reviewed the incident and cleared the play, according to the game broadcast.
“The referee determined the contact was normal soccer contact. Both players moved into the same space while challenging for the ball, resulting in side-by-side contact,” Matto wrote in the pool report. “In the referee’s opinion, the challenge was fair and did not constitute a foul; therefore, no penalty was awarded.”
The inconsistency in NWSL officiating has always been a hot topic among fans, coaches, and players alike.
Coach Patão shared her thoughts about the refereeing earlier in the season, and though she prefers not to comment too much on it nowadays, it is still a sore spot.
“I already gave up inside this league talking about the referees,” the coach alluded to the no call after the match.
This instance added on to the several unconvincing referee decisions, both for and against Boston, in the last matches, but the coach continues to reiterate the need to focus on what she and her players can control within the game.
Silver Lining
Despite the unfavorable result, Patão was pleased her team created goal-scoring opportunities. Though the Spirit had 59% possession throughout the match, Boston Legacy outshot its opposition in both halves. The Legacy took 11 shots while Washington took seven.
“We need to be positive because playing against the Spirit and creating more chances than them says a lot about our team’s progress,” the coach told reporters after the match.
One of BLFC’s struggles continues to be decision making in the box and taking advantage of opportunities. The team is currently second in the league for shots taken (158), but is 12th in goals (17).
“[The players] need to understand that you need to have the mentality of a killer when you are inside the box,” Patão said. “And if you have five opportunities, you need to score five goals, because in football it's about that: [either] you score, or you don't score.”
Bonus Thought by Adrián González
The Washington Spirit had the pleasure of scrimmaging (and likely losing to, though the Legacy would not confirm nor deny) the Swans in preseason, and head coach González was able to witness Boston’s preseason form.
When asked about his impression of BLFC on Sunday, González said he enjoys seeing the team’s improvement considering the players and staff had to start from scratch while adjusting to a competitive league.
“They’re continuing to connect and compete better; things may be getting easier for them and the players look more confident,” he said after the match. “This league is very evenly matched, and it’s good to see teams grow … I think they’re doing a great job and I wish them the best.”
The Boston Legacy will face the Kansas City Current on Saturday, July 25 at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island.
