NWSL dominated by newcomers and rookies in Week 1

Week 1 of the 2016 NWSL season is officially in the books. There were a few upsets among the results, with Western New York defeating FC Kansas City and Sky Blue FC snapping the Reign’s 22 game home unbeaten streak. Only two teams failed to score in their respective matches (hint: remember all ten teams were in action and Boston is one of those ten teams), and all but one of the weekend’s five games ended with the teams separated by a single goal. But the scorelines aren’t the only similarity among this week’s games. From Washington to Portland and everywhere in between, Week 1 saw some big games from players making their NWSL debuts.

Sonnett was far from the only rookie to have a solid NWSL debut. Washington’s Cali Farquharson played just 26 minutes in her first pro game, coming in for fellow NWSL debutante Katie Stengel, but Farquharson registered two shots, including one on goal, and caused Boston constant problems.

There was also Sky Blue’s Raquel Rodriguez, who, like Sonnett, has international experience, though hers is with Costa Rica. Rodriguez didn’t look quite as comfortable as Sonnett did, but facing the always dangerous Reign, the rookie midfielder held her own through 74 minutes. Fellow Sky Blue rookies Erica Skroski and Erin Simon were part of a defense that did well to shut down the Reign’s usually dangerous attack. Simon, who played her college soccer at Syracuse, earned her spot with Sky Blue through an open tryout. Another Sky Blue rookie, goalkeeper Caroline Casey, made seven saves, including one on a point blank shot. Casey allowed just a single goal in her NWSL debut.

NWSL debuts aren’t limited to rookies though. Several players made their first league appearances after playing overseas, or in some cases, taking some time off. Both of Sky Blue’s goals came from players who’d spent some time away from the game. Tasha Kai last played professional soccer as a member of the Philadelphia Independence in 2011. That’s five years and one league ago. Kai, who played for Sky Blue in WPS in 2009 and 2010, scored on a header in the 15th minute. Kai’s teammate Kelly Conheeny, who, due to concussion issues, hasn’t played since 2012 when she was a member of the W-League’s Ottawa Fury, scored the game-winner on Sunday night, handing the Reign their first-ever loss at Memorial Stadium.

On the other side of the field was Manon Melis, a Dutch international who made her NWSL debut after nearly a decade playing for several teams in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. Melis played 75 minutes in her first game for Seattle, registering three shots, two of them on goal.

Some 170 miles south of that upset at Memorial, two more new but not new faces were taking the field in Portland. Lindsey Horan and Dagny Brynjarsdottir both pulled on NWSL kits for the first time on Sunday night, and like Kai and Conheeny, were responsible for both of their team’s goals.

Unlike Kai and Conheeny though, both Horan and Brynjarsdottir haven’t exactly been sitting out this whole time. Horan’s is name that might be familiar with USWNT fans. She’s made a handful of appearances for the team, including during Olympic qualifying this past February. Horan is perhaps even better known though for the decision she made in 2012. With a scholarship to UNC on the table, Horan instead decided to sign a six-figure deal with French club PSG, where she scored 46 times in 58 appearances. Fellow Thorn Brynjarsdottir is also a veteran player, though other than a short stint with Bayern Munich in the Frauen-Bundesliga, she’s played most of her pro soccer in her native Iceland, where she also plays for the national team.

If anyone was concerned about how retirements might affect quality of play early in the season, they can put those concerns to rest. NWSL’s new faces are already making a huge impact.

Scores