The Week in Women's Football: NWSL Challenge Cup 2020 first-round review; Orlando Pride scratched;

This week we look at how each NWSL team performed at the 2020 Challenge Cup first round involving 4 games. We also look at some player changes from each team from our previous league preview. We also present the seedings and playoff schedule below.

Within the next week or two, we will review the Challenge Cup playoff rounds, look at the larger implications of this tournament and some of the positive and negative critiques of it from followers of the game. We will also present some news from the Orlando Pride, who were a late scratch from the tournament after 10 of their players and staff tested positive for the Coronavirus during their Florida preseason camp just days before they were due to leave for Utah.

NWSL 2020 Challenge Cup First Round Review

The NWSL Challenge Cup was the first national professional league to stage games in the U.S. since virtually all sporting events were suspended in March of 2020, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. There have been a number of memorable moments including the first game between two-time reigning champions North Carolina Courage and the Portland Thorns on June 27 was shown on CBS—one of the three major traditional over the air networks—and drew over half a million viewers (572,000), more than double the next highest recorded figure on ESPN2 between Portland and Houston (190,000) in the 2014 regular season.

We examine the fortunes of each team below (in order of their 2020 Challenge Cup first round finish) and look at some roster updates from our previous 2020 NWSL team previews: (https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/the-week-in-women-s-football-national-women-s-soccer-league-2020-season-preview-part-one-4324793 and https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/the-week-in-women-s-football-national-women-s-soccer-league-2020-season-preview-part-two-4325621).

All eight competing teams made the playoffs but the first four games were for the knockout round seeding, and compared with 2019 playoff sides North Carolina, Chicago, Portland and (now) OL Reign, we have two new top four finishers in the Washington Spirit and the Houston Dash. It must be noted that Houston, Utah, Chicago and Sky Blue all finished on four points with a -1 goal differential, but Houston scored 5 goals to 4 for Utah and only 2 each for Chicago and Sky Blue.

The First Round Challenge Cup Final Table is shown below

2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Team-by-Team Review

North Carolina Courage (4-0-0—12 points—First)

The Courage made a fast start to the tournament with two straight wins, 2-1 over Portland on June 27 and 2-0 against Washington Spirit on July 1. Lynn Williams scored three of those 4 goals with Brazilian 2019 Women's World Cup Finals midfielder Debinha adding a goal and an assist. The Courage also had strong work in goal by Canadian international Steph Labbe. The Courage did seem to struggle with fitness at times in their first game but after Portland tied it up late on Simone Charley's goal in the 80th minute, they had enough left in the tank to push for what was ultimately a late Lynn Williams goal from a Sam Mewis cross in injury time to gain all three points. One negative about the game was that the Courage lost forward Ally Watt to an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her right knee after only ten minutes of play. The 6th overall draft choice in the 2020 NWSL draft choice from Texas A&M University came on in the 58th minute but then had to leave later in the half with her injury and will be out for the rest of the season.

On July 5, New Zealand international Abby Erceg scored the only goal over the Chicago Red Stars for the Courage's third consecutive win. The Courage outshot the Red Stars 15-5 and defensive back Jaelene Daniels lofted a ball into the penalty box from just beyond the eighteen yard area and found the head of Erceg, who scored her first goal of the Challenge Cup tournament to give her club the win. Katelyn Rowland in goal and defender Ryan Williams (in her third year in the league but who has only played 5 matches across the 2018 and 2019 season) recorded their first starts of the 2020 season.

The Courage finished the group stage with 4 wins and a perfect mark after a 2-0 win over Sky Blue FC on July 13, with goals from Sam Mewis and Crystal Dunn. What makes the Courage's achievement even more impressive is that they won 4 games and only one team won two (Washington Spirit) while all of the others had only one win, except for Portland which recorded three ties and one loss. The Courage led the table with 7 goals for and also had the league's best defense, surrendering just one goal to Portland in the first game. They are heavy favorites at this point to capture the Challenge Cup title.

Washington Spirit (2-1-1--7 points—Second)

The Spirit started very well in the tournament with a 2-1 victory on June 27 over the Chicago Red Stars, on goals from Rose Lavelle and Ashley Hatch's winner just after halftime, when she rushed in alone on U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher from the opening kickoff and stripped her of the ball in the box, then scoring on an unguarded net. The Spirit was then shutout by North Carolina 2-0 on July 1 against arguably their most difficult opponent in the tournament, but then tied Portland 1-1 four days later. Washington tied the Thorns in the 77th minute with a goal from second year back Sam Stabb on an assist from impressive Spirit rookie forward Ashley Sanchez; The Spirit then defeated a surprising and re-invigorated 2020 Houston Dash side 1-0 on July 12 on a sixteenth minute goal from second year Spirit midfielder Bayley Feist, from an Ashley Hatch assist.

Five newcomers joined the Spirit from overseas for the tournament including goalkeeper Devon Kerr (FC Metz of France), Brooke Hendrix (West Ham United FC of England), Jessie Scarpa (Lidkoping FK of Sweden), Jenna Hellstrom (KIF Örebro of Sweden), and Kumi Yokohama (AC Nagano Parceiro of Japan). All five players have professional experience, with all except Kerr and Scarpa made their NWSL debuts during the tournament.

Five members of the roster have recent United States Women's National Team experience, with midfielders Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan most recently joining the team at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup while goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, forward Ashley Hatch and midfielder Jordan DiBiasi were in national team training camps in November, December and February, respectively. Unfortunately, Andi Sullivan, the captain of the Spirit, tore her meniscus in her left knee in the fourth game against the Dash and will miss the rest of the tournament. She is expected to be out from three to six months. Head Coach Richie Burke said, "I'm coming to terms with losing such an influential player for the tournament, but my main thoughts are with Andi and her rehabilitation process. I'm super confident that she will return quickly from this injury as a better, stronger player. Her impact on this team during my time at the club has been immeasurable—and I know she will be pinging me and our players [via text messages] to keep us all on our toes even as she recovers from surgery."

OL Reign FC (1-2-1--5 points—Third)

OL Reign went through their first two games with no goals and one standings point, opening with a dreadfully boring 0-0 tie against Sky Blue, followed by a solid 2-0 defeat by a vibrant Houston Dash team. The third game against Utah was shaping up as another scoreless tie until 2019 NWSL Rookie of the Year Bethany Balcer scored on a clear header from Japanese international Yuka Momiki's pinpoint cross as she moved back up-field from the touchline before surprisingly lofting the ball unchallenged towards the net. Balcer, who came on as a substitute in the 69th minute for Shirley Cruz and stepped into the Costa Rican international and former PSG and Olympique Lyon star's central midfield attacking role in OL Reign's 4-2-3-1 formation. Balcer took six shots in 21 minutes, including three shots on target. Balcer nearly found the net twice more, forcing diving stops from goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart at the left post on both occasions. Balcer said after the match, "It feels really good. It feels like it's been a long time coming. Our first two games, we didn't really feel like we showed who we are, so it felt good to get the win." Keeper Michelle Betos made her first start since rupturing her Achilles tendon in a win against Sky Blue FC on May 18, 2019. The keeper made five saves to help the club keep its second clean sheet of the tournament.

First year French coach Farid Benstiti said after the Utah match, "It was a game like we wanted it to be. The pressure was good and positive for us. We had a lot of pressure to do well. The pressure on the players must be positive. Even if you have to get a result, you have to be calm to be good and to listen to what we wanted, what we expected them to do. That's the great thing. We expected that. The timing was good for everything. We were humble. We were passionate and we wanted our substitutes to come on the field fresh. It looks like a movie. They are happy because the result is positive." It was a good win for the much scrutinized Benstiti, who has won eight domestic league titles in three countries (France, Russia, and China) and taken both Olympique Lyon and Paris St. Germain to the UEFA Women's Champions League Final, but had no experience of the NWSL when he was appointed this past winter, after a long process of interviewing and vetting candidates in America and abroad.

On July 13, OL Reign's 0-0 tie versus the Portland Thorns condemned the Thorns to last place and vaulted the Reign into third on 5 points, with only 2 goals allowed and just a single goal scored in four games, but it's been enough for a strong seeding position in this very low scoring tournament. They finished with three shutouts in four games, which is impressive.

OL Reign had quite the shakeup in the off-season in ownership, head coach and on the roster as 16 players returned from the 2019 squad along with 12 new signings. Some of the new talent includes forward Sofia Huerta and defender Amber Brooks (both of whom were acquired in an offseason trade with the Houston Dash); Costa Rican international midfielder Shirley Cruz; midfielder Dani Weatherholt (who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Orlando Pride); Japanese international forward Nicole Momiki; defender Adrienne Jordan (who has played in Iceland, Sweden, Italy and this past season (2019-20) with Birmingham City in England; and midfielder Kelcie Hedge, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NWSL College draft.

In addition, a few weeks before the Challenge Cup tournament start, OL Reign added defender Alana Cook to a short-term contract, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. The Worcester, MA. native signed with PSG in January of 2019, making eight appearances with the club and helped PSG finish as runners-up in the 2018-19 Division 1 Féminine season. Cook has also appeared in five champions league matches for Paris Saint-Germain in the past two seasons. OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore said about their new signing, "Alana is a player we've been following for many years. We are excited to have her join the squad, if only on a short-term basis. We very much appreciate PSG allowing Alana to join for the tournament in Utah. Alana will add both depth and quality to the squad, which will be critical given the short rest between matches in the preliminary stage of the NWSL Challenge Cup." Cook played at Stanford University, which won the national championship in 2017. Cook has served as a captain for both the U.S. Women's National Team U17s and U23s. Eligible to represent England through her father, she trained with the Three Lionesses last September, before making her debut with the U.S. WNT under new head coach (and former Reign head coach) Vlatko Andonovski last November.

The roster includes four players returning from long-term injury, including Wales international midfielder Jess Fishlock, Michelle Betos, Jasmyne Spencer, and Taylor Smith, with the latter making her OL Reign debut in Utah after she was acquired during the 2019 season while recovering from an ACL injury.

Another new Reign acquisition defender Julia Ashley was unavailable for the Challenge Cup. Ashley, who was acquired by OL Reign in an offseason trade with Sky Blue FC, was placed on the 45-day disabled list on March 11 due to a back injury suffered while playing in the Australian W-League with Adelaide United prior to joining OL Reign. Ashley's injury prevented her from participating in pre-season training, but she is expected to be able to train in early August. Also, newly acquired forward Leah Pruitt, who was waived by the North Carolina Courage on June 19, is recovering from an injury to her knee and was unavailable for the tournament. Pruitt is a 2019 graduate of the University of Southern California after one year at San Diego State University and was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Courage in the 2019 NWSL College Draft; she had 2 goals and 1 assist for the Courage last season.

OL Reign expects to return to training in Tacoma after the conclusion of the NWSL Challenge Cup. At that time, the club will be joined by defender Sam Hiatt, who was selected by the club in the 4th Round of the 2020 NWSL College Draft. Hiatt has been recovering from an injury sustained while playing for Stanford. In addition, Meg Brandt, who was also selected in the 4th round of the 2020 NWSL College Draft, is expected to resume training with the club in August.

Defender Schuyler DeBree, who joined the club on January 15, 2019, has announced that she will be retiring from professional soccer. She said, "I am so grateful for everything soccer has given me, and all the people who have been a part of the journey. At the Reign, it was an honor to share the field with some of the best players and coaches in the world and be a part of the organization as a whole. For the next 2 years, I will be pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Engineering at the University of North Carolina. DeBree had no regular season appearances in her one season in Tacoma and for the Washington Spirit in 2018.

Houston Dash (1-1-2—4 points—Tied for Fourth and seeded Fourth on the number of goals scored)

The Dash was one of the surprising teams of the Challenge Cup, second to North Carolina (7 goals) in team goals with 5, which allowed them to finish in the top four and have a higher seeding than Utah, Chicago and Sky Blue FC, who all had an identical goal difference of (-1). Houston did surrender 6 goals—the worst total in the league. In their first game on June 30, they surrendered a 3-1 lead to end up with a 3-3 tie with host Utah. Rachel Daly had 2 goals but Shea Groom—in her sixth year in the league and with her fourth team and in her first game with Houston—scored a brilliant goal to give them a 3-1 lead. Groom's tally was a definite goal of the year candidate—burying it from the top of the box on her first touch with the assist going to former Royal forward Katie Stengel. In their next game on July 4, the Dash won 2-0 over OL Reign with Shea Groom leading the way again, with a goal and an assist, and Kristie Mewis scoring the other goal. Groom's goal came on a leaping power header in the box from Rachel Daly's cross on the near side that was a stellar effort. It was the club's second ever win over the Reign franchise in 17 matches, but they are undefeated in their last three matches, as their final two games with the Reign in 2019 were 1-1 draws.

The Dash then dropped consecutive games against Sky Blue FC (2-0) and Washington Spirit (1-0). American goalkeeper Jane Campbell has been suspect at times in goal but the forward attack of Daly, Groom and Kristie Mewis give the Dash an opportunity to make the final of this tournament.

Earlier in June, the Houston Dash waived Mexican international defender Ari Romero, who played in 10 matches last season. The Arizona native, who played at the University of Nebraska, has 31 caps (1 goal) for Mexico and also played abroad in Iceland, Norway and Australia (in two stints with Perth Glory). She originally played with the Dash in their expansion year of 2014, finishing with 21 appearances.

Utah Royals (1-1-2—4 Points—Tied for Fourth but seeded Fifth on the number of goals scored)

The host Royals lost to OL Reign 1-0 in their third game of the tournament on July 8, after a draw (3-3 versus Houston) and a win (1-0 over Sky Blue FC) in their first two games. There were a number of team debuts for the Royals in the Reign game as Maddie Nolf had her first start (after appearing in one game for one minute last season) and goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and Mallory Weber also had their first starts of the 2020 campaign. Defender Taylor Leach and French international midfielder Aminata Diallo made their club debuts when they came on as substitutes at halftime for Scottish 2019 WWC defender Rachel Corsie and Nolf, respectively.

The Royals first game, on the second game day of the tournament on June 30 was a fantastic match to watch, with Utah scoring first through Canadian international midfielder Diana Matheson before Houston scored 3 straight times (two in the second half) to take a 3-1 lead. Former Spanish international Vero Boquete led the fightback for Utah, scoring her first goal for the club in her second year with the franchise in the 83rd minute on a free kick. Vero then assisted rookie Tziarra King on her first goal in her first NWSL game, all in the last seven minutes. King was the club's eighth overall pick in the 2020 College Draft and scored 13 goals in 23 appearances last year at North Carolina State University.

The Royals last game on July 12 against Chicago became crucial for placement purposes. In the fourth game, a 1-0 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars on a late goal took some of the momentum from their tournament—when a win or a tie would have surely cemented a top four place—while the Red Stars jumped into a tie for fourth, though behind the Royals on goals scored (4 to 2).

A notable absence from the Royals attacking front line was U.S. international Christen Press, who chose not to play during the Challenge Cup. She explained, "It is deeply painful not to be able to play the game I love, and to watch the broader effects of the global pandemic on our league, sports, and our world. Regrettably, given the uncertainty created by COVID-19, I must elect not to participate in this tournament. I know how fortunate I am to be able to make this choice. I have enormous respect and gratitude for those who do not have the luxury to choose whether to report to work, including our selfless and heroic first responders. I look forward to supporting my teammates during the tournament in Utah." Fellow 2015 and 2019 WWC winner Kelley O'Hara was also considering passing on the tournament but she did end up playing with her teammates.

URFC brought a fairly stable squad to the Challenge Cup, with 20 players from its 2019 roster remaining with the club for the Cup (with 28 players on the roster). Forward Brittany Ratcliffe returned to action after missing the 2019 season due to injury. New faces included Marissa Sheva (ex-Penn State University), who spent the early part of the 2020 season in the Spanish second division with Deportivo Alavés until its season was cancelled in March due to the pandemic.

As late as May it was thought that Lyon's French international goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi and German international midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan would leave Olympique Lyon to join the Royals. However, in late June it was announced that both had re-signed for the current French and European women's Champions League side, with Bouhaddi inked through the 2023-24 season with Marozsan's deal expiring after the 2022-23 campaign. Marozsan has 46 goals in 113 games for Lyon, with four French league titles, two Coupe de France and three UEFA WCL crowns. Bouhaddi has been with Lyon for 11 years and played in 269 games. She has also won 11 French league titles, 7 French Cups and 6 Women's Champions Leagues crowns.

Chicago Red Stars (1-1-2—4 points—Tied for Fourth but seeded Sixth on number of goals scored)

Chicago only scored one goal in their first 3 matches, a 2-1 loss to Washington on opening day on June 26, a 0-0 tie with Portland on July 1 and a 1-0 loss to the high-flying Courage four days later. Clearly, the Sam Kerr hangover (the all-time league leading goal scorer who helped the side make the NWSL Final for the first time in 2019 but then left to join Chelsea in the FA WSL) remains. In addition, long-time Red Star midfielder Alyssa Mautz tore her ACL in her left knee in training the week that the Challenge Cup was due to start. Mautz has played in 124 matches for the club in the NWSL era. Prior to joining the Red Stars for NWSL, Mautz was part of the Red Stars in the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite (WPSL-Elite) in 2012 after a short time with Sky Blue FC in 2011 in WPS. She has played with the club in all of their NWSL seasons and had stints in Russia and Australia.

In their fourth game, Chicago scored its second goal of the tournament on July 12 and it was enough to defeat Utah 1-0, with Casey Short—who was a surprising omission from the 2019 American Women's World Cup final roster—tallying in the 85th minute. The win pulled them off of the foot of the table and tied them with three other clubs with 1 win in the first round.

Just before the tournament began, the Red Stars also announced the signing of goalkeeper Cassie Miller. A First-Team All-American at Florida State, Miller began her professional career in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven in 2018 before making the move to Cyprus to play with Apollon Ladies FC last year. Miller explained, "I am humbled and excited for the opportunity ahead of me. I hope to bring the experience I gained abroad back home to the U.S. I look forward to the Challenge Cup and am eager to continue training with the best, working hard, and learning week in and week out from an elite organization." TribalFootball.com interviewed the American goalkeeper two years ago after she joined the Dutch powerhouse and her goal is still ultimately to challenge for a U.S. national team spot (see: http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/the-week-in-women-s-football-exclusive-interview-with-psv-keeper-miller-uswnt-roster-for-mexico-fixtures-champions-league-quarterfinals-review-4226296). If she gets game minutes in Chicago, that will raise her visibility with the national team coaching staff.

Sky Blue FC (1-1-2—4 points—Tied for Fourth but seeded Seventh on number of goals scored)

Sky Blue FC (New Jersey) continues to make positive progress off the field along with mixed results on the field at the Challenge Cup, but overall their play showed improvement from past seasons during the group stage of the tournament. They amassed four points but only scored 2 goals in 4 games, starting with a 0-0 tie against OL Reign, losing 1-0 to Utah before shocking Houston Dash 2-0, when they secured the points within the first 35 minutes on goals by Paige Monaghan and Japanese international Naho Kawasumi. They then lost their last game 2-0 to the undefeated N.C. Courage.

A big pre-tournament loss was that two-time Women's World Cup Champion and twice Olympic Games Gold Medalist Carli Lloyd, who suffered a minor injury on her left knee during the off-season and had been undergoing rehabilitation; the club announced on June 21 that she would not be participating in the Utah event. Lloyd explained, "I have unfortunately picked up an injury while I was at home training. I was optimistic about being able to return in time for the NWSL Challenge Cup, but my injury is going to require more time to recover. I am disappointed I will not be able to compete with my teammates, but I will be cheering them on! The NWSL Challenge Cup is going to be an exciting tournament and will allow all players to play games this season. I look forward to continuing my recovery, and I am excited to get back on the field when I am ready." Lloyd's head coach and English national Freya Coombe said, "It's unfortunate that Carli has suffered this injury. We have been talking throughout the preseason and remained hopeful about her return. We'll continue to support her throughout the recovery process. Right now, I'm excited about the opportunity that our younger players and new signings have to step up, and I have full confidence in this squad." The 37-year-old midfielder scored eight goals and notched one assist in 14 appearances last season with Sky Blue and won her second Women's World Cup title in a row last summer in France. Fellow 2019 WWC winner Mallory Pugh also missed the Utah tournament due to a hip injury.

Sky Blue FC defender Caprice Dydasco also missed the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup after suffering a torn right ACL during a team training session. The defender from Honolulu, Hawaii, sustained the injury during a drill during small group training. She underwent surgery on Wednesday, June 17, and is now rehabilitating. Dydasco said, "I am heartbroken to announce that I tore my ACL in training last week and will miss the Challenge Cup. It is devastating to go through this again, but I know everything happens for a reason. I will be back stronger and ready for the 2020 season. I am motivated to start my journey back, and until then, I will be Sky Blue's biggest fan, giving my full support from home." Dydasco, 26, joined Sky Blue via a trade with the Washington Spirit in 2019 after four seasons with the Spirit. The defender from Hawaii started in 23 games in 2019. She tore her ACL in 2016 early in the Championship Final match as the Spirit lost to the underdog Western New York Flash on penalty kicks. I was covering that match in Houston and it was a sad sight to see her on crutches and not able to help her teammates.

The team announced on July 7 during the Challenge Cup that midfielder Kenie Wright (22) will miss the remainder of the 2020 tournament after suffering a torn right ACL during a team training session on July 5. Wright, 22, sustained the non-contact injury during a small-sided game. The Mount Laurel, N.J. native was selected with overall pick number 29 out of Rutgers University in the 2019 NWSL College Draft. Wright had yet to appear in the NWSL Challenge Cup as an available sub. She made five appearances in the 2019 season and notched one assist.

The club did add midfielder Sabrina Flores, who signed a two-year contract on June 21. Flores is a native of New Jersey and played in four matches in 2019 with the club on a National Team Replacement contract. Flores said, "It is an amazing feeling to be back with Sky Blue. I'm beyond grateful to be representing this club and my home state of New Jersey again. I can't wait to be out on the pitch in Utah next week for the NWSL Challenge Cup." Flores played at Notre Dame University in Indiana from 2014-18, finishing with 5 goals and 18 assists in 82 games, playing both in midfield and defense. She then played with the LA Galaxy OC of the UWS in 2018, recording 5 assists in 8 matches. She played 13 games with Seville in Spain's top division during the 2019 20 season. She played with the U.S. at the 2016 U-20 Women's World Cup in Papua New Guinea before signing up for Mexico at the senior level, playing with her twin sister Monica.

Sky Blue FC also signed defender Chantelle Swaby to a short-term contract ahead of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. Swaby (21) played four years at Rutgers University. In her last college season, she helped lead the squad to six shutouts in league games in 13 starts, while notching two assists. In 2018, Swaby made her Jamaican Women's National Team debut playing in three matches to help the squad qualify for their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup appearance. Swaby went on to start all three games for Jamaica at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

Sky Blue FC also signed defender Cassidy Benintente to a short-term contract for the Challenge Cup. Benintente spent 2019 in Sweden playing for Asarums IF FK in the Elitettan Division (second tier). Prior to that, Benintente played in Romania with Olimpia Cluj for 2018, where she competed in the 2018 UEFA Women's Champions League. Benintente played with Sky Blue FC briefly in 2017 and 2018 before heading oversees. In her college career at Rutgers, Benintente was a part of the team's historic 2015 season, where they reached the final four for the first time in program history.

Another short term contract signee was midfielder Nicole Baxter, who was previously with the team as a National Team Replacement player in 2019. Prior to that stint in NWSL, she also played with Asarums IF FK in Sweden in 2019, starting in ten games for the club. Baxter was with Telge United FF in 2018 in Sweden's first division [third tier], where she scored three goals and recorded six assists across 22 games. Baxter played at the College of William and Mary in historic colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.

Another short-term contract signee for the Challenge Cup has vast international experience—midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe with Ghana's Women's National Team. In her youth career, she represented Ghana in both the U-17 and U-20 Women's World Cups. She then went on the play for Ghana's full team, the Black Queens, and was named the Female Footballer of the Year by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana in 2015. Cudjoe began her career in the U.S. at Northeastern State University, where she earned the NJCAA Player of the Year award in 2014. She then played for Asheville City SC in the WPSL and was named to the league's All-Star team on three separate occasions. In the game versus the Houston Dash, Cudjoe completed 83 percent of her passes in 70 minutes and won the ball back 14 times for Sky Blue.

For the coaching staff, in early June Sky Blue FC Head Coach Freya Coombe named Becki Tweed as assistant coach. Tweed, a native of England, played professionally in England with Millwall and Bristol City and then in the U.S. with the Jersey Blues and Millburn Magic in the WPSL. Tweed has spent the past several years helping develop players throughout the New Jersey area. Before joining the Sky Blue staff, she coached multiple teams within the girls' academy at STA in Morristown. Tweed also worked previously as an assistant coach for Monmouth University's women's soccer program, helping guide the team to a conference championship.

Off the field, the club announced on July 3 that they had set a record in memorabilia sales in large part due to their popular new 2020 jersey, named "Lightning Strikes." Several sizes of the 2020 home jersey and other new offerings, including a Nike/Sky Blue FC lifestyle crew sweatshirt and a fan-designed scarf, sold-out within hours after being released. Sky Blue FC had over $30,000 in merchandise sales on June 25, an all-time high for the club. The new 2020 primary jersey (see below) accounted for more than half of total sales. The club had promoted the new jersey for 10 days prior to release and the effective campaign yielded a lot of interest and ultimately jersey sales to fans.

Sky Blue 2020 Jersey reveal (Photo Credit: Sky Blue FC)

Portland Thorns (0-3-1 W-T-L—2 points—Eighth)

Two goals in four games led to only 3 points gained and last place in the tournament and the Thorns were the only side to not win at least one match. This is a side that is still trying to figure out how they will play with so many new players added this season. Bella Bixby, a rookie in goal, has played well in four games and the Thorns are loaded at goalkeeper, with U.S. international Adrianna France, Britt Eckerstrom and now Bixby, all coached by former German national team WWC winner Nadine Angerer. Perhaps they will look to trade one later in the season. Their defense has been strong with only 3 goals allowed but their slack in scoring (only 2 goals) has been the problem.

Eight new players have joined for 2020 and nine were sent elsewhere after the 2019 season. One key departure was Australian international Ellie Carpenter leaving the league to join Olympique Lyon in France. One U.S. national teamer still on the side but not on the field in Utah was Tobin Heath. She said, "Although I want to be on the field with my teammates doing what I love, because of the uncertainty and risks created by COVID-19, I have chosen not to participate in the NWSL Challenge Cup. I can't even express how much I am looking forward to my next game in Providence Park." The league was overly generous to the players, guaranteeing them a full year's salary and benefits even if they chose not to play. It is interesting that the few who stepped out were all national team players, including Heath, Christen Press of Utah and Megan Rapinoe of OL Reign.

Playoff Schedule

No. 1 North Carolina Courage, will open knockout-round play on Friday July 17 against No. 8 Portland Thorns FC, followed by No. 4 Houston Dash against No. 5, Utah Royals FC.

The rest of the seeding is as follows for Saturday July 18:

No. 2 Washington Spirit to play No. 7 Sky Blue FC.

No. 3 OL Reign to play No. 6 Chicago Red Stars.

All the tournament games are streaming live on Twitch for all international fans.

KNOCKOUT PHASE 2020 NWSL CHALLENGE CUP SCHEDULE

Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women's football. Get your copy today.

Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey