If you had a time machine and told someone back in 2019 that Portland was playing the formerly known Sky Blue FC for a trophy, there’d be some weird looks. Maybe even a scoff or two. Sky Blue was under poor management. Players lived in rough conditions, didn’t have functioning showers or toilets in their training facilities and the lack of care manifested itself in a team that was perennially at the bottom of the NWSL league table. Well, time machines don’t exist and neither does the old Sky Blue. They’re ready for the Challenge Cup final.
Gotham FC’s first season away from the Sky Blue moniker embraces their on-field improvement of 2020 with a strengthened off-field presence that’s a long time coming. Now, when Portland and Gotham take the field, on Saturday, they both go into the match knowing that it’s where they belong. They each made it staying undefeated, overcoming deficits, and winning with team depth.
Area to Watch
An interesting battle to watch is between the Gotham front three and Portland’s back line. A more specific question to consider is can Gotham break through it? They don’t lack in skill upfront. US International Carli Lloyd, fellow US teammate Midge Purce, and Paige Monaghan all have a goal to their name in the Challenge Cup. Monaghan scored the 79th-minute game-winner in their first match of the tournament, against Orlando.
The only other match in which they scored was the 4-3 goal-fest against NC Courage. Purce had a brace and Lloyd added a goal of her own. A concern for Gotham is if they can make the best of their opportunities, which lacked against Washington and Louisville. Both matches ended in 0-0 draws, but the chances were there. Against Louisville, poor finishing in the final third led to easy saves and only one shot having a real chance. Portland won’t make it any easier.
Portland has only two matches, compared to three for Gotham, with the return of all of their international stars. Becky Sauerbrunn has stood out in her two starts, returning from duty as the US captain. She has 12 combined interceptions and tackles to go with two blocks. Next to her is defender Kelli Hubly. Hubly played every minute of the tournament so far, amassing 11 blocks, nine interceptions, and eight tackles (five in her own defensive third). The work doesn’t stop there. It stretches to the defensive backs.
Natalia Kuikka and Meghan Klingenberg have had great tournaments. Both flexed into different positions, before their teammates returned, and excelled anywhere on the field. Kuikka filled in for center back and Klingenberg played midfield. In the first match, a 2-1 win against Kansas City NWSL, Klingenberg had an assist from a free kick.
Players to Watch
DiDi Haracic – Gotham FC
For all the positives about Portland’s defense, only one goalkeeper has three clean sheets in the tournament. It’s Gotham’s DiDi Haracic. Haracic stepped in when an injury took Canadian keeper Kailen Sheridan out of the tournament. Sheridan sustained the injury in the SheBelieves Cup, on international duty, making Haracic the starter from minute one all the way to the Challenge Cup final.
In four matches between the posts, Haracic stopped 15 shots, second only to OL Reign’s Karen Bardsley with 17. As Gotham has rotated their center back duos throughout the matches, the Bosnia & Herzegovinian international goalkeeper played consistently well. Haracic reads offensive player’s movements and puts pressure on shooters, and Portland has their fair share in that department. She’ll have to watch out for Simone Charley, Sophia Smith, and Christine Sinclair and their attacking runs. Then behind them are Crystal Dunn and Lindsey Horan.
Haracic hasn’t backed down yet this tournament, and Saturday will be no different.
Jennifer Cudjoe – Gotham FC
In 2020, midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe came out of nowhere to impress supporters at the first Challenge Cup. She’s continued impressing in 2021. The defensive midfielder doesn’t rest and will give Portland issues in the middle third of the field. So far, she leads the tournament in tackles, with 28, nine more than second place. She also clogs passing lanes, with 10 interceptions in four matches.
Offensively, the Ghanaian will shoot her shots and distribute. Against the Courage, she assisted Purce’s first goal. Outside of that assist, she’s put six shots towards net, and two on frame. She isn’t needed in the offense for Gotham, but when she finds space created by the movement of the teammates around her, she will take her chances. She’ll make an impact in the Challenge Cup Final.
Simone Charley – Portland Thorns
On the wing, for Portland, Charley is a threat to Gotham’s defense. If you only look at the box score and see a single goal in three matches, you miss a lot about the forward. That goal was important, coming against rival OL Reign in her second match of the tournament, but there’s much more to her game. Charley breaks through defensive lines and creates chances for her teammates.
A big example came in their final match of the tournament, against Houston. The Thorns already locked up the championship game but started their best XI. In the final 15 minutes of the match, she used a pass to dart past the Dash defense. She wasn’t credited on the assist, due to a deflection, but her cross made it to forward Sinclair to earn the draw. Her passing in dangerous areas and shots on goal created a total of nine goal-scoring chances for Portland, in only two matches.
Natalia Kuikka – Portland Thorns
To stress an earlier point – Portland’s defense is good. Kuikka is a huge reason why. In her first season in the NWSL, the Finland international is shining bright. So far, she’s made 12 tackles, and they stretch across the field too. As a fullback, and playing two matches at center back, she’s been all around the pitch, disrupting the opponent’s possession along the way. In four matches, with Kuikka starting them all, Portland gave up just two goals.
She leads the team with five blocked shots and 20 combined interceptions and tackles. Offensively, she touts an 82.2% pass completion percentage and has 1,300 yards of passing that moved the team towards their opposing goal.
How to Watch
Overall, this match is a lot of strength vs. strength. For all the positives surrounding Portland’s defense, Gotham’s has given up just a goal less and led to the only team with three shutout performances. Supporters have an exciting match ahead of them. It also ushers in the regular season, starting a week later on May 15.
Here’s how you can watch the Challenge Cup final:
When: Saturday, May 8 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Where it’s played: Providence Park, in Portland, Oregon
Where you can watch: USA & Canada: CBS; International: Twitch
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports all year for coverage of the NWSL, WNBA and more. And follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.
