Commerce City, Colo.- NWSL expansion teams can build really good rosters and do good work. At the same time, they can outplay a top team then get humbled in the end. Denver Summit defense hosted top-of-the-table San Diego Wave on Saturday at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park. In front of a crowd of 16,932, they balled out against a top them, but
Nick Cushing made one change from the Seattle game. Ayo Oke was in the attack for Yuna McCormack. For the visitors, Kennedy Wesley started as captain off her great international break.
Summit had arguably their most dominant half of the season. The entire team did well to contain Wave during the build up. They didn’t press the whole time, but when they did, they won the ball. San Diego had half chances, from distance and set pieces.
Denver attacked in waves with possession, but it was their counter attack that made the difference. In the 16th, direct passing off a goal kick opened the scoring. Tash Flint delivered a great through ball to Yazmeen Ryan. Ryan galloped towards goal and squared it to Melissa Kössler for a tap in. It was the German’s fourth goal through seven games and Ryan’s first goal contribution.
Flint would double the lead in the 32nd. It was a 4-v-4 in transition. Flint ghosts into space and shot, but the ball was cleared off the line. Englishwoman headed in the rebound. The half ended 2-0 with a Summit free kick that went off the crossbar. Kössler could have drawn a penalty but was called for a handball.
The league leaders would not go quietly. They had renewed intensity and did well to create space. Summit made mistakes and it would cost them.
Four minutes into the second half, Lia Godfrey played a nice one-two with Kimmi Ascanio and then cooly slipped the ball past goalkeeper Abby Smith. Just before the hour mark, a great attacking sequence led to a corner. Wesley had a smashing header that Smith let through. Suddenly it was 2-2-.
Center back Kaleigh Kurtz threw her arms in the air before the restart and the crowd responded. That proved not enough come the 65th. Captain Janine Sonis was beat on the dribble into the corner. Carson Pickett had an attacker on the door step. She tried to prevent a tap in but ended up committing an own goal.
The game devolved after that. Sonis was pushed away from the ball with the crowd wanting a foul and a yellow card at one point. Summit had a counter attack on the final play of the game. Ryan went solo down the right flank but skied the shot. The match ended 2-3.
Game of two halves, as defensive mistakes cost the game:
Summit scored two goals in the first half. That might have been their best stand-alone 45 minutes. The counter attacks, the possession, the pressing at times. In the second half, Wave played their game. They moved the ball through the midfield better. Summit gave up space and got burned. The counter attacks led in shots off target for the home side.
The backline got pulled apart on the first goal. Smith wants a second chance on the free kick goal. The third goal, there was too much space. Sonis was directly involved in the two open play goals. That’s disappointing for the captain. It’s hard to fault Pickett on the own goal. If she doesn’t try to clear the ball, it’s a tap in.
“They (San Diego) didn’t do anything different. We knew they were going to come for us. We want to be a team that plays for 95 minutes the way that we play. We didn’t do that. It’s a really good lesson in the difference between good teams and great teams. I saw that in the first half, the potential to be a great team. Second half shows we’ve got work to do,” Summit head coach Nick Cushing said. “We didn’t have the rhythm and control that we had (in the first half).”
“It’s definitely a game of two halves… We become too open, too expansive. Given them too much space to operate… Our positioning was off in the first half,” Wave coach Jonas Eidevall told Burgundy Wave.
“We were overcomplicating things for ourselves and weren’t playing the usual soccer that we’ve been having success with. Going in at halftime and reminding ourselves of what we’re capable of and doing the things that we do best,” added Wave defender Amelia Van Zanten
The attackers keep attacking:
Regardless of the result, the Denver Summit attack put up numbers. The team finished play before the international break with two scoreless draws. There’s clearly a key attacking corp forming. Kössler is getting open and is a fox in the box. Flint is a creator and distributor. Ryan has done well between the boxes. This was a breakout match for her, getting on the scoresheet.
“We know that we have the right ideas. We’re definitely on the right track. The next step for us… is finishing those chances. Always putting the team in a position to score,” said Ryan.
“I was definitely happy to be a part of that. It was a great ball by Tash to get us in there. It was a great team goal,” she said of her assist. “
Throw in Ayo Oke being a speedy live wire, and this team will score goals. In bunches. By committee. When they take care of the ball, they will score with their possession. When they work in transition, they have an approach that will get big chances. Still need to work on set pieces.
Summit fans show up:
The atmosphere was great. There were only a few hundred tickets available on Friday night. The get in price was $60. Can’t remember the last time the Rapids had that going for regular season game. The attendance was lower than the permanent capacity of the stadium, but maybe parts weren’t made available.
The crowd went wild in the second half. They responded in the second half. Got behind the team to spark a comeback. They let the ref have it as well.
“The fans are great. Whether it’s 63,000 or 16,000 the fans turn up. It helps us on and off the pitch. We’ve got the support. Even the other 45,000 that couldn’t come today, I’m sure they’ll be out there supporting us,” said Tash Flint.
Summit head to Boston Legacy FC on Sunday May 3, for a 1:00 p.m. MT kickoff. They return to DSGP May 16 vs Orlando Pride.
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