NWSL Challenge Cup Goalkeeper Power Rankings
/By Bill Reno
Round one of the NWSL Challenge Cup didn’t give us much time to rest, and round two kicked off just 10 hours after the opening round’s conclusion. For this recurring string of posts, we’ll be looking at the goalkeepers’ performances in the tournament and (power) ranking each one’s chances of being named the Challenge Cup’s best goalkeeper. At the end of the tournament, we’ll name ASA’s top goalkeeper of the tournament. We’re in the early stages right now so it’s still anyone’s game, but here are the NWSL Challenge Cup goalkeeper power rankings after round one.
1) Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) - For those that remember the last World Cup, Naeher made a devastating error in the 9th minute of the round of 16 matchup against Spain to squander the US’s early lead. Two games later she re-emerged as the star of the semifinal match against England, saving a rocket that was headed for the top corner and a penalty. So when we’re considering the top-performing goalkeepers once the Challenge Cup is finished, Naeher has to be considered, despite a catastrophic error in the first match. The commentators were much too kind to the US number one, glossing over the fact that she gifted the opposition a goal on such a simple pass back. Even though every team makes it to the knockout stage - and she actually had a fantastic high bar save late in the match - she cost her team points at the end of the day and it isn’t good enough for the USWNT starting goalkeeper. However, if you want the error to happen to any goalkeeper on this list, it’s probably Naeher as she has a history of being able to bounce back from such a massive mistake.
2) Kailen Sheridan (Sky Blue) - At just 24 years old, Sheridan seems to be playing well above her age. Although OL Reign only had a handful of attempts to occupy Sheridan with, she looked like a weathered veteran, especially considering the near-1v1 situation in the 85th minute after long stretches without seeing a shot. While defenders were pressuring the shot, Sheridan’s patience to remain on her feet, instead of recklessly sprinting out, paid off huge dividends and preserved the tie. There were times during the match where Sheridan’s movement in the box felt apprehensive, but so far she seems to have found a good groove for herself and gave Sky Blue a solid start to the tournament.
Naher gifted Washington their second goal.
3) Aubrey Bledsoe (Washington Spirit) - Bledsoe’s finish to the W-League with Sydney FC was disappointing to say the least. After a stellar year with the Washington Spirit (where she won NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year), Bledsoe lead Sydney to the final, only to throw an easy low shot into the back of her own net. Entering the Challenge Cup, the W-League final was Bledsoe’s last game, now three months ago. In her first match back she rebounded with a 2-1 win and earned the match’s save of the game. For a goalkeeper who has only had three months to dwell on a massive error, it’s encouraging to see Bledsoe make a game-winning save in the 89th minute. The Washington netminder makes the save look easier than it was as the shot comes at her in a few tenths of a second in the dying minutes. As for the goal she conceded, ask Bledsoe and I think she’d like to have another chance at it, being just a few inches off her ball line and could clean up her sloppy footwork to parry the shot around the post. Regardless, the weekend was a positive outing for a goalkeeper who can now move back the W-League final.
4) Bella Bixby (Portland Thorns) - I think it’s safe to say that most viewers couldn’t tel that last weekend’s match was Bixby’s first professional start. After finishing her senior year at Oregon State in 2017, Bixby has waited two and a half long years and her patience has finally paid off. Although the U23 US goalkeeper has an impressive resume, it took two injuries in the depth chart ahead of her (AD Franch, Britt Eckerstrom) to earn minutes. However, if the time on the bench slowed her development (which it absolutely did, just to be clear) she didn’t show it against the reigning NWSL champions. Bixby did exceptionally well on crosses - an underrated skill at this level - looked thoughtful and fluid when facing attacks in the box, and was inches away from pulling the winning goal out of the net. Although the Thorns lost 2-1 in the opening match, Bixby outplayed the opposing veteran goalkeeper, a Canadian international, no less (more on Labbé below). Bixby is a little slow due to lack of exposure at this level and while her athleticism isn’t going to top any charts, her patience and tactical awareness should calm Thorns fans’ worries about their goalkeeping situation.
5) Casey Murphy (OL Reign) - Murphy’s 0-0 shutout tie against Sky Blue can be marked but how uneventful it was. Murphy had little to do for most of the match but what came her way she handled without issue. The one question mark I was left with was her footwork, as it felt like it dragged a couple of times. The long frame has its advantages but if her feet are too cumbersome to make minute adjustments, she’ll struggle on short-range chances on goal. Hopefully OL Reign’s July 4th match against the Dash will feature a few more challenging attempts for Murphy but after the opening match, there’s not a whole lot to say just yet.
6) Jane Campbell (Houston Dash) - Campbell’s round one was a mixed bag. After I praised her for being a goalkeeper to watch back in May, her decision-making was all over the place. In the second minute, she made a Naeher-esque mistake and was fortunate to get a deflection (ending up in a goal kick). As Utah got the ball to the end line or set up for crossing chances throughout the match, Campbell didn’t check her shoulder and rarely organized the defense. On the free kick, she positioned herself in an odd spot with the wall, although nearly saving it. But most damning, she sinks her chances on saving the third goal by retreating five yards from her starting position, ending up a yard inside the goal once the shot is headed on frame. For a goalkeeper of her caliber and strength, challenging the cross seems like the easier option but even if she’s going to concede space, she needs to do it correctly, which she doesn’t do here.
On the other hand, Campbell looks extremely confident in shots from medium to long-distance and her movement in the box does look promising. For these types of situations, I can’t think of another goalkeeper that can cover as much as the goal, except maybe German international Almuth Schult. She also possesses an ideal poise about her, which we saw a glimpse of after the second goal when she stiff-armed Diana Matheson off the ball. It’s the type of arrogance you want from your starting goalkeeper who is in a difficult situation. Perhaps it was just shaking off the rust, but we’ve been waiting for Campbell to take over games for a few seasons now. At 25, Campbell is entering her peak years but if she has eyes on the national team, she needs to continue cleaning up her game. And from the Dash’s perspective, who don’t have the strongest of defenses, they need a goalkeeper who can shutdown crosses with consistency, handle a backpass with confidence, and be a game manager when the opposition is barreling down the field.
7) Stephanie Labbé (North Carolina Courage) - While Labbé’s sneaky stepover pass was a lot of fun, the Canadian international’s attempt on the goal in the 80th minute was disappointing. It’s a simple drop step and push over the bar but Labbé mistimed the header and could only get the ball to roll off her fingertips into the crossbar, never actually pushing the ball up when her hand connects. The sloppy save was salvageable, had Labbé hopped on the loose rebound, but somehow she stumbled out of it, letting Portland tie-up the game. It’s a series of errors you’d expect from Bixby, who was the goalkeeper on the other end of the field making her first professional start, and not from someone capped 70 times by a top international side.We’ll give some grace on this being Labbé’s first match in eight months, but if the Courage want to maintain their dominance in the league, they’ll need more out of Labbé in these moments.
8) Abby Smith (Utah Royals) - Smith’s playing time since joining the league in 2016 hasn’t been too bad. Between the NWSL and W-League, she’s made 47 starts over four years. Compared to goalkeepers at the same age as her, she’s essentially in the top 1%. But for those who followed her in Australia this winter, she was consistently caught between making two decisions and we see it again here with the Royals. On the first goal, she didn'’t know if she should stay or go, with end line-situations consistently being difficult for her. She looked incredibly overwhelmed on the second goal, and on the final goal she gave up the back half of the goal, overprotecting her near post. Fortunately, a rough outing wasn’t made worse as she was bailed out in the 61st minute by barely holding onto a looping cross and then not knowing an opposing forward was standing in front of her on her ensuing dropkick. The blocked punt was countered for a goal but the ref (correctly) waived it off, but it’s a mistake Smith shouldn’t be making this late in her career. Smith earned save of the game on a well-played cross (featuring good, efficient lateral movement) and smothered the shot to deny any second chances on goal. It was a nice save but if Smith’s contributions are going to be limited to saving shots near her body, this will be a short Challenge Cup for Utah fans.
Hopefully we see the goalkeepers pick up their game and shake off the rust in round two. I’ll be back with updated rankings for round two next week.