FiredUp Network
Tuesday, August 6: NWSL Timeout KC Summer Cup
Welcome in to Time Out Kansas City Soccer. I'm Gerald Bentley. This is the fired-up network. We're talking about the semi-finals coming up for the familiar summer cup. It's happening at CPKC Stadium here in Kansas City later on tonight as Angel FC and Gotham FC face-off in the first game and then the second game to determine that championship matchup is going to be the Kansas City current taking on the North Carolina courage. This summer tournament matched up teams from the NWSL and Liga MX and it ended up being very one-sided as the NWSL advanced all four teams to the final four. We had a chance to see a couple of Liga MX teams here taking on the Kansas City current at CPKC Stadium. Pachuca and then Tigreese and it kind of followed the trend around the league. They were fairly one-sided matchups. We had a chance to talk to players from both sides from the current and from Tigreese and we'll take a look at some of the highlights from that game against Tigreese and the current. Before we get to that I do want to let you know the best place to get the fired up network is to download that true TV plus app. You can get it on the Apple App Store, on Google Play, on your Chromecast, Amazon, Roku, anywhere you get your apps, totally free and available. Now let's get into the highlights first then we'll get into the game. A lot of scoring for one matchup for the current, including goals from a couple of people that haven't really scored a whole lot. Here's one off of Ellie Wheeler driving in the header. Let's check it out. That put the current up to nil. They were really kind of rolling along in the game. It wasn't going to be much of a matchup at all and then Tigreese gets a chance and they punch in a goal to make it a one-goal matchup. She's been training with the squad but officially available because the secondary transfer window started today August 1st. Katlana, Oviye, Katlana again in the 18 shoots and it's in. Timbiketlana, Tigreese making it interesting. A close game was short-lived as Debenia who's been playing the best that she has all year after struggling with injuries during the first half of the season. She responded quickly. She's been quiet for a while since she after two goals in the last match against Pachuca and now they're celebrating well. I was hoping Tigreese were going to make a match with it. They did for a few moments and then the wrap-up the scoring. rookie midfielder Claire Hutton converted her first goal of her career. Nice turn from Hutton launches a shot. Claire Hutton, her first pro goal and what a finish. After the game we had a chance to talk to head coach Flacco and Claire Hutton about the matchup and about the whole familial summer cup tournament experience. It was pretty amazing. I think anyone knows to score your first professional goal is just surreal so to finally be able to do it is amazing and being able to do it for Kansas City is just unreal so I think just when I saw the shot open up and took it and it went in it didn't feel real but it went in so it's exciting yeah I think any game we play is going to challenge us and give us a new look on how to play there are some things we need to work on from this game but ultimately came out with the win so it's exciting we move forward and into the semifinals now yeah what he says just start simple and it'll come so I think it just kind of waiting for those opportunities to present themselves I think sometimes I've been caught rushing things or forcing things and that was the moment where it presented itself and then I was able to take it so it's just adjusting the process thing and so much gratitude to the coaching staff to help me understand that and just so much more to come I'm sorry you're asking about Alana I thought she was very good she she brings companies to the team the companies to the back line we saw that she had some great actions and great interventions and the starting point for her is very high I'm actually looking forward to see where this is gonna end yes of course I mean that's one of the reasons one of the reasons why we wanted to bring her in because I know her qualities I know what she can do we had a chance to work together for four years and we have a great working relationship understanding and she knows and is familiar with a big portion of the principles so her acclimation to the team was a little bit easier and now we like I said we're just looking forward to for the next game and the future of Alana with this team I mean one thing Claire mentioned was start simple and let things come to you and I thought that there were maybe a few moments throughout the season that we we had to have a conversation but but it's a it's a great great process a great journey for her because it wasn't a conversation that she she just brushed off it was a conversation that she took to heart processed it and wanted to get better and I'm glad that we didn't have to go back we take a step back before we take a step forward she you know she kept marching forward she kept getting better from game to game she she kept proving herself she kept proving to herself first and foremost that that she's a she's a good pro she's she's a player that it's not just gonna represent this team but also is a player that that is ready to represent this country as well I mean there were so many things that we took in consideration and minutes management obviously the weather and other circumstances but we could not manage it as probably as well as we wanted it because Claire for example was one player that was supposed to come out early but we couldn't afford because someone else had to had to come out and there was another player that had to come early but we we couldn't do it so we had to prioritize and and do things and with the technology nowadays is easy or lucky we're lucky to have the technology and support that we can manage that we can monitor every player throughout throughout the game and it seems like Claire and the other player were doing very good and I'm glad that they both stayed all the way through because the goal actually happened after the the the mark that Claire was supposed to be out I think it just kind of starts with what happens off the field I think the chemistry and the environment we've created in the locker room and at the training center we eat meals together we spend all day together and the relationships we have off the field you can then see translate to on the field so just being able to trust the people next to you and know that everyone's got your back you can you can see it directly go from off the field now to on the field yes it's an unfortunate moment but also fortunate moment obviously because we you know Claire's an amazing player and it's someone that we enjoyed having on the team true professional true competitor but in same time she was presented with a with an opportunity and she she made a decision that she believes is the best for her career and we just want to support it we you know we don't want to stay in her way obviously you know like I said we enjoyed having her on the team and as good as she's I think that the fact that she wasn't able to get as I mean a lot of minutes just speaks about the roster and the players that we have on the team you know sometimes players like Claire or her caliber are not going to get the the minutes that maybe she or they would be able to to get another team like I said it's unfortunate moment for us to lose someone like like they're but also very fortunate because she's making a decision that is best for her career and we're here for her I think it's funny it's always funny to have someone else your name on the team so it just kind of was like a little bit of a coming up with joining the team and stuff having the nickname junior and I feel like it's gonna always be there it's kind of stuck and of course it's always hard losing a teammate but I wish the best for her and gonna stay in touch with her and you always want want what's best for other people so I'm excited to see what happens I was just gonna end with with the names sometimes she took advantage of it and if I got mad and she always told you were talking to the other Claire yeah it's take what you can get sometimes when I was gonna yell that little too much at practice I was like okay this one is gonna pass to her yeah I mean I want to say first she has to take the right steps obviously the youth wanted World Cup is coming I would be shocked if she's not on the team I mean she's she's a seasoned pro it's not like she she's on this team she's contributor she makes this team better she makes this team successful and it's not just any team it's a team that is ultra competitive competitive with with great players and she starts contributes and makes us better I think that she's shown that she's ready for even even though she's just 18 I believe right so just 18 she's she's ready for it under 20 and I think once once that comes comes in at the next step I just just naturally that she she was into the to the full team I'll be very happy to see her there so no I'll take any moment I have on the field so I'm always happy to be out there so it's a blessing that I stayed on so like he said if I didn't stay on I wouldn't have scored that goal and I just want to give a shout out to my little brother cuz I get a text after every game and it's like whenever I have a shot or something you always text and be like you know the ball's supposed to be in the net so like just shout out to Scott Hutton so this one this one's for you 14 yeah yep no no he's a little baseball stud but yeah someone someone's got to keep me no yeah and then he'll send me clips of his home run and I'm like all right it's like I'll have much to say to you and she wasn't plan to come out early so that's why we had to change things but it was a moment that we felt like it's probably best like I said we were monitoring everything live and our medical personnel and the high performance suggested that it's probably best for for her help that she comes out early so we had to make decision on the spot now of course with it being a championship tournament there's plenty of extra press conferences today before the matchup we had a chance to talk with coach Flacco again and team captain Walt Levanta about this opportunity to be in position to win a championship room nice just how ready are you to be in the semifinals of the summer cup no it's obviously a great opportunity for us that we said all along since the beginning of the tournament that we take any opportunity that we can to to continue developing and to continue getting better as a team and regardless when we talk about development we don't want to forget that even though the winning mentality is a development so we go into every game that we want to win we want to be successful we want to we want to get positive result of every game and it's not gonna be any different in this upcoming game we're excited to be in this situation to play to play this game to play this game in front of our own crowd to to put up a show out there for for everyone that that attends and like I said once again get a positive result and then I think every team goes into a game hoping to win but will these games be more intense more serious I mean more serious I don't think the other ones were not serious or they were they were not at the level that did not meet the expectations of the spectators I thought that we were very serious every game that we went into I mean getting out there and displaying that displaying that the performance that we did that we did in those the last three games I thought was very good scored a lot of goals 10 goals in three games I was very happy with it I know the team was very happy as well low head opportunity to celebrate her goal so everything was up up to standards and like I said this game is not gonna be any different where it's just that obviously it means more because now that that one gets you in the in the final gets you closer to the trophy but the approach is going to be same as a every other game thank you Jillian hey guys coach there's been a lot of firsts this year obviously the stadium historic start to the season the first River goal of course but the first now knockout round in CPKC stadium you know what does that mean to you knowing where women's soccer in Kansas City came from and now we're it's headed personally I'm being Kansas City and considering myself a Kansas City and it just brings lots of joy and pride for for the opportunity to hold such an event and these games and as you said being that the first time I just hope that this is just first of many and obviously we have the final here at the end of the season hopefully we're gonna we're gonna be participating in a in a game and from there would love to see more more events and more games like this and then low from a players perspective this summer you're getting two tournaments in just talk to us a little bit about what these tournaments can do for your season and how you're feeling about them obviously congratulations by the way for making it thus far but just what these tournaments bring to as far as the the year and as a whole yeah I think for us you know non-national team players when they all go playing these big tournaments us peasants are left back here and we have to train and scrimmage a lot and so it's almost more mentally draining I think having these games you know you train all week for the game at the end of the weekend and that's what we live for and we've been you can see out there we still are having fun just like we do in season but we're still you know honing our skills trying to execute our game plan as best we can and when we are successful you know big man gives us a day off so it's been fun you've had a lot of fun specifically the banger of a goal just talk to us quickly about the celebration I don't feel like you've had your chance to share a little bit about it what did it mean to you I mean I love obviously watching all the Olympic events that have been going on and team USA the gymnastics team was crushing it all day I don't think I got my game day nap in like I usually do because my adrenaline was up from watching all that and I had to give the go a shout out I think you came up to me after the game and you definitely verified it but yeah she's the go even today getting another metal um it's fun to you know empower other female athletes it's just a question of health where you guys are at I know a few players have been missing is there any players that were out for the last game we'll be back in for this one yeah we're we're still looking to the the health of everyone and like I said in the previous games for the previous press conferences that we're we have to be very careful obviously we want to be successful in every game game that we go into we want to we want to have the best team out there but we also have to be very careful and not jeopardize anyone's health especially this this time of the of the season when we're going into very important time after these games we're going into very important time of getting into playoffs and so on so that's why we we have to look at look into a couple of players carefully and see what are they gonna get any minutes and if they do how how long they're gonna be out there I know Vanessa came off early in the last game is she one of those that's in that question precautious area yes I mean Vanessa is there obviously Tamois there is there is Rodriguez is in the boat so we're we're looking into every player very careful before we make a decision to step on the field and for you low what do you think you guys have as a team have learned especially from those two matches against some of the League Maki's opponents yeah I mean I think we've learned more we try not to focus on the opponent we try and focus on ourselves I think we've definitely learned more how each other like to play and you know people have had to play different positions so just to show the adversity of Haley mace for example like she was a center back and I think she was in the forward line half that game so just learning positions and our structure in our systems I think that's what we're really trying to focus on to get us you know through the playoffs and hopefully here at the end of the year then maybe if both of you could speak to this just seeing kind of the willingness for players like Haley like I think Reagan played at center back I mean like the players to to adapt to whatever the situation is and to you know embrace it and play well with it yeah I can speak for the player side a hundred percent you want to be on the field so wherever the coach says you're gonna play you're gonna buy into it to be on the field because we are having fun out there and you can tell every person wants to be out there but it also takes everybody so wherever you need to be you're gonna do what you can to be out there I mean for me personally it makes my job easier because it just speaks about the mindset of the players and how they approach the the message that we share with them or the task or that we that we ask them to do there's a there's no question nobody nobody doubts anything that we do and then in some ways makes it easier for us but also full it is fulfilling that they come in and then they execute the task and ultimately we when we're successful we're all successful we're you know we're all winning I did have a joke the other way I don't know if we had more goal scores or left backs this year it's true yeah I was there for a couple minutes and I think you made a sub and put someone else back there he's like no no no this isn't happening thanks well go to the zoom with Paul. Yeah she's now back after a similar day for something like that. Yeah obviously as a team any any player that is not a ninja released as a coaching staff makes us happy we're we're happy to have Hannah Glass available for selection and we know that she's a quality player but the fact that she has competition that she needs to she needs to overcome internal competition she needs to overcome in order to get minutes it just speaks about the quality of the players that we have in that in those positions from Haley mace to EZ Rodriguez and we see Haley Wheeler now I mean we saw her in the very beginning but now we just see a little bit a little bit better and more more mature Haley Wheeler as well so obviously it's the first thing is for the player to be available for selection and and healthy to be fit fit for minutes and then it's the internal competition what comes in play before before they get minutes. Oh yeah absolutely no she's she's healthy she's ready to play and we saw her in one of the games I I think it was a she played about 65 minutes I thought she had a great great performance and from their own we know what we can expect from her if we need her at any point in time. Okay you have a few things for leading us to the rest of the room. Thanks Paul we'll go back to the room with Jillian. We also have other players on the team that we're very happy if you guys want to know about. Quickly just with summer cup and then obviously in a couple weeks women's cup maybe from both of you if you don't mind just the importance of playing these international matches what it will continue to do for the women's game and strengthening different leagues across the world. I mean first I will speak obviously for our team like Los said are very important to keep to keep the team in rhythm in form because it's hard to keep to keep any team in form that don't have any any many meaningful games for six weeks so playing these games first and foremost are important for for for anything for our team especially the second team is just playing that playing teams that are unknown that I was sorry not unknown for us that that we have a no knowledge or haven't played them before it's challenging it's different and it brings brings different enthusiasm different energy so we were we were excited about it we wanted to we wanted to face them and we were preparing for them like every other game and we we prepared as best as we could now in general for for the sport and for soccer I think it's very important it's important for us to see what is going on outside of the of our league but also it's important for other leagues or teams in other leagues to see how things things are done inside of our league because I do believe that we do things very well we were very organized and especially I can speak about our organization I I love when teams are coming here to see the stadium to train at our complex to see the infrastructure that we have that the organization the logistics that go into into hosting a team here to to organize everything that that they need it's something that we as not just as team coaches and players pride or pride in but also the rest of the staff we want to be the best at every single aspect of of organizing the game and it's good for everyone to see how we do things and hopefully they can they can if they're not at that level they can grow and grow as an organization and also with that help grow the game I don't know as players again I think it's so much fun when you don't have to play the same NWSL team 10 times a year so it's fun to play different competition you know it's it's really cool to play these international teams one because I think we can use it as scout to get their good players and bring them here hopefully but you know we set the standard here and to be the best you got to beat the best of playing these teams from other countries is very fun for us I don't personally get much international competition so this is fun for me learning these players seeing these new players and then you you don't know the players that are on that team like there were like three UCLA players on that team the latter on both teams the last game so it's really fun just to have that crossover see people you haven't seen in years so it's fun to bring everybody here who would have thought in Kansas City not me thanks any other questions in the room get Brittany's traveling Mike it's a very similar question to that thread on playing kind of new teams for you as a player do you feel the difference when you're out there like does it feel like a different style of play compared to NWSL teams yeah I mean each you know the league in general is a very transitional league the NWSL what I noticed playing a lot of the Lea MX teams is that they are so tricky a lot of them like to dribble out of situations and that's a new test because some teams may try and play out of it others can dribble out so for us it's really fun to know you know just have that shock and learn how to adjust to the game out on the field I think that's a huge learning process for our team and that was fun I mean at the beginning it was not fun but learning and then adjusting that was fun realizing that we can't do that on the field Tigris has a championship player as well Timby who played and converted that one goal for Tigris she was one of the driving forces behind South Africa advancing into the World Cup knockout stage and she has played in the NWSL as well had chance to ask her about the experience of playing the NWSL teams and also whether she thinks it would be a benefit if some of these games were played in Mexico yeah I mean played in both leagues and both different coming into the NWSL we knew that obviously the travel is a long time for example we traveled the whole day yesterday and we arrived at like midnight so I think it would be better also some of the games to be played in Mexico because they reduced the time of travel the time of recovery we're in Houston and in today's way to come back here so all those things I think they need to be considered in the future but I think it was a good tournament between the two countries which gives the both leagues you know a bit of credit because a lot of games are not being played because of the Olympics but now the both leagues are playing and it makes them stronger then we also just asked about the learning experience of playing against the NWSL teams here in Kansas City and other states yeah I think it's a good start this tournament was not there before but I think it's something that needs to be considered as I played in the NWSL there were other tournaments that were taken away but also to bring this one between two countries and two leagues I think it's very exciting because once in a wide we are able to play against very highly ranked opponents we also have a champions league that's coming so I think the more we get to play the better it gets for those countries well that sets up the semifinals coming up tomorrow right here at CB KZ Stadium stay tuned to the fired-up network for more breaking news and some of the great sports reporting that you can get right here on fired-up network totally free download that true TV plus app so you can see it anywhere it's here to be thanks a lot for joining us here on Time Out Kansas City Soccer on Gerald Bank