Centennial, Colo.- Denver Summit returned home at Centennial Stadium for only the second time ever. After a sour loss to Washington Spirit last time out 1-0, Nick Cushing’s side looked to bounce back against the Boston Legacy to begin a three-game homestand.
The lineup was as expected. Abby Smith in goal, Janine Sonis and Ayo Oke out wide, Lindsey Heaps at captain, and Melissa Kossler at forward. Summit were in their secondary kits. Formation was a 4-2-3-1.
It was an expansion side derby and an all-important match with Boston just below Denver in NWSL standings.
Denver put the pressure on Boston early with multiple chances in front of goal. Heaps nearly put the ball in the back of the net, before the offsides flag came up. goal, called back for offsides. Sonis had a near free kick 24 minutes in.
There was another big opportunity 30 minutes in, Kossler held up play, laying it off for Heaps, who gave it back to Kossler for a big chance.
It was much of the same for the Summit to begin the second half, they created more dangerous chances and controlled the tempo.
Cushing opted to go to his bench in the 58th minute for a tactical switch. Oke came off for Tash Flint and Melissa Kossler was subbed off for Olivia Thomas.
In the 70th minute, Boston conceded a penalty, bringing down Olivia Thomas in the box. It was the break Denver needed late on a night it didn’t seem to go their way.
Janine Sonis equalized off the penalty for Denver, who deserved a goal on the night. The last 20 minutes Denver pushed for the winner, but couldn’t find it, resulting in splitting the points.
Denver Control the Game, Couldn’t Capitalize Offensively:
Denver Summit finished with an xG of 1.64, they had seven shots on goal, Boston Legacy had two. They controlled large stretches of the match. The Summit came out firing on all cylinders for thirty minutes. Heaps had multiple opportunities. Kossler had a few good looks, but nothing fell for Cushing’s side.
Boston created some of their own opportunity, but it seemed to be all Denver. They were dangerous on the counterattack and off a goalkeeper punt, the Legacy found space in behind and Sammy Smith scored the opener.
Boston was able to capitalize on a deep ball that caught Denver’s defense out just before halftime against the run of play. It was the same story for Denver’s attack. A night where they should have walked away with all three points.
“It’s frustrating to create that much,” Sonis said on the attacking threat, “I thought for large periods of the game we really dominated, but when that doesn’t result in scoring goals, you leave a team like that in a game and they score in transition.”
Cushing told Burgundy Wave they were in the opponent’s box 38 times and it’s another two points dropped at home.
“We have another game we dominate; we now look at the game on chances, opportunities, and moments, all those moments are the times we should create a chance. It’s two points dropped again,” Cushing said.
Janine Sonis Scores Again:
She’s three for three from the spot this season, making her seven goals and two assists her most productive season in her career.
She’s having her most consistent season yet, and she brings an elite impact and mentality to Denver. On the penalty goal, she’s the one that crosses the ball into the box to put Boston in a tough spot and forcing a penalty.
“It means a lot to me that the team has faith that I’ll put the ball in the back of the net when we draw penalties,” Sonis said.
“I thought Tash and Lindsey both made an incredible run on my cross, when you do those things, you put defenders in a tough position.”
Despite her individual performances this season, she’d much rather see the team win and collect wins, rather than continue to score goals that don’t bring results.
“I’m happy with the season that I’m having.”
“I think this is my most consistent season, but at the end of the day, I’d trade it all to be up in the top four, so we will keep working,” Sonis told Burgundy Wave.
Sonis’s penalty goal secured at least a point on a frustrating night.
Denver “Next Moment Mentality” and Discontent:
Denver now sits 11th in the NWSL, a place Cushing is not pleased with.
“I’ve been through such a journey in my career that I was really lucky at Manchester City that my team won every week,” Cushing said on his mentality as a Coach now, “I learned so much about how to attack and how you can open teams up and how you have a threat on the game. My mentality is aggressive. Go win. I’m not content mid-table; this is not me.”
Attacking wise, Cushing wants “killers” in the box. A desire and a fight to go on and win the game. This mentality is something that’s missing for the Summit.
“On 93 minutes we cross the ball into the box, there’s nobody on the end of it, no nine across the front, nobody having the desire to go on and win the game for Denver Summit,” Cushing said.
“Three seconds later, we defend a corner. Come on, it’s not the trait of a winning team.”
Moments like tonight are what makes the difference for Cushing. Unfortunately, tonight ends in more dropped points at home for Denver Summit against Boston Legacy.
For Sonis, Cushing, and the Summit, it’s a quick turnaround for Wednesday against a strong North Carolina Courage side.
“It’s a next moment mentality, next game, and in September, the three game weeks come fast, and we need to focus on recovery and learning the lessons we’re going to take from this game,” Sonis said.
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Katherine Ammon 
Matt Pollard 
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