NWSL Decision Day delivers in chaotic final day of action; USMNT start strong but flop against Germany
The playoffs are set to kickoff Friday after a wild day saw Los Angeles crash the top six and sneak into the playoffs
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6 min read
Welcome to a new week! It was a busy weekend in American soccer, and I'm Pardeep Cattry with a recap to start your week on the right note.
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📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, Oct. 16
🇪🇺 Euro qualifying: Greece vs. Netherlands, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Fox Sports 2
Tuesday, Oct. 17
🇪🇺 Euro qualifying: England vs. Italy, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Fox Sports 1
🌍 Friendly: USMNT vs. Ghana, 8:30 p.m. ➡️ TNT
🌍 Concacaf Nations League: Panama vs. Guatemala, 9 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌑Don't miss Kickin' It and the second part of Carli Lloyd's interview on CBS Sports Golazo Network, Wednesday at 8 p.m.
⚽ The Forward Line
🏆 Decision day delivers
NWSL Decision Day lived up to the billing on Sunday with several stunning results that solidified the playoff picture. The San Diego Wave won the Shield over the Portland Thorns, but both secured first-round byes. Competing in the quarterfinals will be the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, the OL Reign, and first-time postseason participants Angel City FC.
The playoff newcomers delivered the most dramatic performance of the day with a 5-1 drubbing of the Thorns that did not just ensure their fifth place finish but caused chaos all over the NWSL table. The Thorns slipped from first to second place and lost the Shield, but Angel City's drubbing contributed to Gotham dropping down to sixth and the Washington Spirit missing out on a postseason berth entirely.
The Reign also picked up a lopsided win, returning to the playoffs courtesy of a 3-0 win at the Chicago Red Stars. The win means Megan Rapinoe will play at least one more game before she retires, and also provided the opportunity for the star to put on another show. She scored the Reign's first two goals on Sunday, and head coach Laura Harvey noted post-match that she added to her on-field legacy with two stylish strikes.
- Harvey: "She actually said to me after the second goal, she went, 'What is happening?' And I was like, 'I don't know but keep doing it.' Big players come up big in big moments. She's done it all of her career. … She is who she is for a reason."
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🇺🇸 USMNT disappoint against Germany
Things started off well for the U.S. men's national team on Saturday after they took a 1-0 lead over Germany, but they quickly relinquished their advantage and eventually lost 3-1 to the European giants.
Even though Germany dominated throughout, the first half was a back-and-forth affair in which both sides created meaningful chances and got on the board. The second half was all Germany, though, and it was obvious that the USMNT missed injured duo Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson. As Chuck Booth argues, the voids without Adams in particular are glaringly apparent and requires head coach Gregg Berhalter to come up with a viable Plan B on days the midfielder cannot participate:
- Booth: "It's not a rosy picture when Adams captained the side at the World Cup, and his defensive cover can be critical against top teams. It's also why it was surprising why one of Berhalter's substitutes during the game wasn't midfielder Lennard Maloney. Born in Germany, the Heidenheim midfielder is among the top players at his position in distance covered which was something that the USMNT needed in the match. While it's tough to throw someone on for their first cap against Germany, it is a spot that makes sense for a Bundesliga midfielder."
The USMNT will have the chance to reset tomorrow against Ghana, when many eyes will be on Berhalter's midfield choices after an unimpressive second half against Germany.
🔗 Top Stories
🇮🇹 Calcio Weekly: Serie A is launching a weekly newsletter for North American fans with exclusive content from Italy, and the first edition drops on Thursday -- just in time for AC Milan's clash with Juventus. You can subscribe here.
🇺🇸 USMNT rewind: Though a handful of American players failed to make a mark in the latest batch of player ratings, there are still positives to take away from Saturday's matchup.
💰 United sale: Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani is out of the running to buy Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in the process of acquiring a minority stake -- but United fans who are bummed that the Qatari banker will not buy their club might need a reality check.
🇪🇺 Euro recap: Kylian Mbappe shined for France, Erling Haaland's Norway are in danger of missing out on next summer's tournament, and England manager Gareth Southgate criticized fans who booed Jordan Henderson following his move to Saudi Arabia.
🔮 Qualification continues: England and Italy will meet up in a rematch of the Euro 2020 final, while Portugal resume their qualifying quest but may not need Cristiano Ronaldo to ensure success.
🇨🇦 Trouble in Canada: The Canadian men's national team is without a coach, but can Canada Soccer afford a top-quality manager considering their current financial woes?
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Euro qualifying: Greece vs. Netherlands, Monday, 2:45 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: More than 2.5 goals scored (+120) -- The Netherlands are the oddsmakers' favorites to pick up all three points and usurp Greece for second spot in Group B. Expect the visitors to score and for the hosts to have some sort of response -- they have 12 goals in six games so far. - Euro qualifying: England vs Italy, Tuesday, 2:45 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: England to win 1-0 (+400) -- This match will likely be a closely contested affair that eventually favors England, especially since Italy has conceded four goals in five games during this qualifying run.
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 4 p.m.): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Watch Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4 p.m. this week as our analysts break down the best highlights and analysis and share insider information for all things women's soccer.
👟 Kickin' It (Wednesday, 8 p.m.): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered interview show returns Wednesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch. You won't wan to miss Carli Lloyd sitting down for part two of her blockbuster interview.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
