USWNT talents Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith continue to deliver as NWSL schedule picks up

The Chicago Red Stars and Portland Thorns FC settled for a 2-2 draw on Saturday to close out their first month of regular season play in NWSL, as Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith continued their impressive starts. Both scored for their respective teams, with Rachel Hill grabbing Chicago’s other goal and Hina Sugita getting Portland’ other. The two teams faced each other for the first time this season ahead of a heavy schedule as they now prepare to play multiple fixtures over the next two weeks. 

Here are takeaways from the match:

Early goals set the tone

Both teams pretended similar styles as they each rolled out in three-back formations. The familiar tactics led to some extra lanes and space on the wings for the fullbacks to try and exploit, and that’s exactly what they did.

Each team scored a goal in the opening ten minutes of the match as Pugh was played into space for an opportunity to go one on one, while the Thorns capitalized on a corner kick that stretched the Red Stars’ set-piece defense for the early equalizer. A a go-ahead goal in the 20th minute by Hill wasn’t enough as the Thorns conceded off a corner kick once more, and the failed attempt to clear led to a good finish by Smith in the box. 

During a postgame conference Smith moved past the idea that similar tactical styles were the cause for an even scoreline and believes the team can improve moving forward. 

“I think formation wise, we might have played similar to Chicago. I don’t think that played a huge role in the result. I think regardless [with] formations, it’s a soccer game, and you’re going out there to [see]  who can put away more chances and who can stop more chances,” she said. 

Despite the draw, Thorns head coach Rhian Wilkinson believes the familiar styles aren’t the main cause for an equal scoreline and the club can grow from a game that presented similar challenges.

“I think we have to recognize we came back twice. There’s a lot that I think we have to learn from and keep growing from,” Wilkinson said after the game. 

“I thought we stuck in it. We kept battling. We never quit on one another and to come back twice and get a point on the road. As a coach I’ve got to be pleased with that.”

Pugh and Smith continue impressive play in NWSL

The player profiles of Pugh and Smith have risen for both club and country. The two forwards have been a staple in recent U.S. national team camps and international friendlies. For club there is an argument that the two attackers are main producers on offense and without them their receptive teams could have very different opening months to the regular season. 

Smith currently leads the Thorns in total shots (20), shots on goal (10), and total goals (3) after a month of regular season action with the team. It took a specific moment against the run of play for her to connect on goal against Chicago, but her action bins in the final third were a bit of foreshadowing on her eventual breakthrough.

“It’s obviously great to get a goal, especially when we really needed one,” Smith said of her equalizer after the match. 

“I think for it being an away game, against a good team, coming away with a tie [is] good I think. We aren’t completely satisfied though. We always want to get three points, and we will go back and watch this game and figure out what we need to work on in order to win the next game.”

Red Stars felt the absence of Pugh after the USWNT forward exited the Challenge Cup due to a concussion sustained with a group match remaining. Pugh was averaging a goal a game for Chicago, and the Red Stars began their regular season without their star forward. The club welcomed her return last week after a massive second-half performance where Pugh subbed into the game out of halftime and recorded two goals and an assist in the 4-2 over the Orlando Pride. 

Against the Thorns, she opened the scoring in the fifth minute, where she needed approximately nine seconds to score after receiving the ball. Red Stars defender Kayla Sharples intercepted the ball and found Ava Cook, who headed Pugh into space. Pugh proceeded to take advantage of the wide areas of the wing to beat her defender and the keeper for the opening goal.

Pugh’s presence on the pitch is constant for opposing coaches, and for coach Wilkinson the transition of the game is something the team will work on for future games. 

“We know that this is a transitional league. We know that as a club, and it’s something that we talk about as a team. We want to build, we want to play, but we can’t be exposed on quick transitions against very strong powerful oppositions,” Wilkinson said. “You know, Mal Pugh, we know about her. We were prepared for her but obviously a very quick player, and [she] got that goal early in the first so that’s something we can’t allow to happen.”

Pugh has now scored three goals in her first two matches of the season, all as she continues to build her minutes as she returned from injury. The forward was in good spirits during the post game and spoke on the different challenges between her first two games this season. 

“Well, I feel pretty good. So that’s encouraging. But, yeah I think the game was just like completely different than Orlando,” she said. “I feel like in Orlando, I was able to like come in and make an impact because it was in second half and there was a lot of space. So I feel like that game was one that I could come into. Then this one was just good to kind of like [get a] start again, and kind of just be able to get playing again, and getting minutes underneath me. So hopefully, I can just keep building.”

What’s next for Chicago and Portland 

The Red Stars and the Thorns are just two of several clubs that have switched things up this year tactically as we see more teams this year implementing three at the back. For forwards like Smith and Pugh, the opportunities for more one-on-one battles will present themselves. If they continue to lead their respective on offense, it will continue to lead even more call-ups on the national team level where the duo are rapidly cementing their spots. 

Chicago face the Washington Spirit on Wednesday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Portland host Angel City on Friday, June 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET. You can watch both matches on Paramount+.