Alex Morgan's Final Match, Abby Dahlkemper Interview & NWSL Matchday 19 Recap | Attacking Third

hey everyone happy Monday welcome into attacking third we've got a huge show for you plan a big interview with Abby doll camper we're recapping nwsl we got a West back on the desk alongside Daren Jenkins and Aaron West on Lisa Carlin but the big talk has been Alex Morgan and her retirement her farewell and Darien and I had the pleasure of covering her final match yesterday with San Diego wave against the North Carolina courage and we paid homage to Alex Morgan wearing some pink PR wrap Aaron and we just we didn't want you to feel left out I didn't want you to feel left out so you got PR for today put he puts it right on what a sport what are we doing here're absolutely doing this have you worn PRP before now the question is is Aaron the like spread out you roll it or spread it out I'm going to uh I got to spread it out a little bit Yeah you spread it out I like that I have actually worn pre words PRP uh pre wrap before this was actually before Alex Morgan though because I'm a little bit older you made it cool before she did I don't I wouldn't say we I made it cool but I did wear it before I I used to have pre I used to have knee issues uh ash good slider I grew way too much you wrap it and then you roll it up your leg roll it up so I take a little extra put a little hair did she wear pre WP I don't believe she was a prepper that was not her yeah she was not really an accessories person she was all business this makes sense it's s doesn't it well Aaron you look good I'm glad you right on wasn't really expecting you to do that when you his own twist with the rap the tie on the side hey man come on he makes everything everything cool well Alex Morgan had a very emotional weekend just last Thursday she announced that she was retiring from the game and Sunday yesterday would be her final match take a look at Alex Morgan as she says goodbye to the game Alex Morgan has come in number 21 she's still in college and Alex Morgan delivers go go this just always feels good to be called the [Applause] champion I'm going to get to the point quickly um I'm retiring growing up watching Alex Morgan what was there not to love she's a Goliath in this game she's meant so much on men off the field with two Olympic medals and two World Cups she helped Forge a legacy of excellence and put US Women's Soccer back on top I think she's left a massive mark on the game she's left it so much better than when she entered the professional space she carved a path for domestic professional women's league helping Define a road to sustainable success when we look at her history we're gonna not only see all of these titles and all of these championships and medals that you won but all of the strides that she's helped make for women's soccer a legend that has done it all and touched so many am13 with her iconic pink headband caps off a stellar career there has been so many incredible moments in my career but this one this last moment I will cherish forever San Diego wave hosted North Carolina a courage in an incredibly emotional farewell for Alex Morgan family and friends joined her on the pitch pre-match and then she had a big game because North Carolina Darion they were there to win woo Haley Hopkins Soares over her Defender and gets the first of quite a few goals for North Carolina tonight or excuse me last night but in the eth minute here Mackenzie doniac inside the 18 offs to shoot and hits directly off of Denise OS Sullivan's hand the referee points directly to the spot and who else to step up but am13 we were all rooting for you we were rooting for you and Casey Murphy had to spoil this attempt she makes a really great save blocking Alex Morgan shot but this wasn't all the action yeah the the drama would continue Kennedy Wesley would indeed find the back of the net making it 1 from the Maria Sanchez corner and then we would see the sub Alex Morgan comes out ends her career takes the boots off waves goodbye it's a massive moment in the sport a massive moment for her really really emotional moment but unfortunately for for her and for the fans the game does go on it's it's not over uh well I guess it it it's fortunate for for for North Carolina felic this rout from uh the corner Rises High heads this one home makes it 2-1 it's a strong header strong leap pushes Naomi GMA offer no foul there but makes it 2-1 45th minute Berkeley again on the attack this is such a beautiful through ball she finds Bianca St George back post it does get a little bit of deflection here on the defender and it just a tough day at the office for Sheridan stoppage time North Carolina I mean they're not done yet foot on the gas pedal and they keep rolling this ball Down The Far Side Meredith spec on the back post wide open that that ball looked amazing and she just continued to run through it and North Carolina gets the 4-1 win for more we welcome in our good friend Sandra Herrera to talk about Alex Morgan because Sandra it was a big game and a pretty quick announcement to playing her final game 13 minutes she says goodbye she does the speech post game and then that's it but Sandra what is Alex Morgan's Legacy it's everything I think when we look on the chapter of women's soccer this one specifically we're going to know who the players were that were involved in kind of elevating and changing the game during this time and a big name is going to be Alex Morgan she is going to be the player that perhaps a lot of soccer historians look to as really a kind of game cultural shifting type of player Aaron we really haven't had a chance to get your full take on this I mean her career span so long from 15 years professional over a decade with US Women's National team in the face of US soccer um where does Alex Morgan rank among the greats I I think she will go down as as one of the greatest US Women's National team players to to pulled on the shirt it's been really really unique for me to to see her career because I she was on y L's team as a as a rookie she was on that Western New York team I got to see her as a a very raw young player with a lot of Promise a lot of of potential but still you could tell she had the tools she needed to develop them and watching her every single year the work ethic the the desire to learn uh the the way that she applied herself was just it it was special to see you could see she was going to be a special player and then watching her actually achieve that potential you don't see that very often when someone you can see the ceiling and then they actually hit it she's done everything in this game she has given everything back to this game so it's been a real pleasure to watch her and as a fan and as someone who works in this sport for me the biggest thing that I I love about Alex Morgan is the narrative with women especially women's sports is you should be thankful to be here your opportunity can go to millions of other people um and just accept these low standards she's been unapologetically herself so confident critical when she needs to be putting her name her reputation her playing career on the line to make standards much better that is her Legacy to me that we will never forget and she's inspired so many of us you know what yeah we just erve better this needs to be better uh and I think she has left such a beautiful mark on the game globally at the international level Alex Morgan was really at the Forefront of the fight for equal pay with us soccer and the Women's National Team and since they won that fight with eal pay she's reached out and talked with other federations and women's teams about how they can raise the standards at their own Federation and even within the nwsl in 2021 when all of the abuse Scandal was breaking she put her face and name publicly on that to support the players around her and give a voice to those that had been silenced for so long and Sandra it's so easy when we think about Alex Morgan to reflect on everything she's done on the pitch off the pitch but there is still so much more in the future how did Alex Morgan change the game for the future Generations you know what I think it was really poetic her final game I think it was reflected literally in her last ever appearance I mean this was a game that was so Monumental that there were six different platforms and methods for people to tune in and watch that would have been unheard of a decade ago maybe even five or six years ago if we're being completely honest and and that's what it is this this person this player who had such an impact on her teammates uh her the game that she played in love and really kind of her commercial reach that that came with all of the weight of the responsibility that she took on that was really placed upon her shoulders and she was kind of elevated as as this the face of women's soccer in America and with that kind of comes all of those those things like we're talking about now and and how broadcast seals look and how final games for a player like this looks I thought it was an incredible way and kind of homage to kind of say farewell to her the fact that you could have tuned in almost anywhere and and watched her say goodbye there are a million favorite moments that we can pick from I mean she's done some pretty iconic things heck like the pink pre WAP but we're going to pick our favorite Sandra I'm tossing to you first what is your favorite Alex Morgan moment I'm so happy that we're getting to do this because there's so many and we're already talking about today and prior days leading up to this moment about her Legacy in terms of off of the pitch and how Monumental that is and we've even talked a lot about about her efforts on the pitch I mean this is a phenomenal player she's in the record book she's one of the players who's who's got the most goal contributions for US soccer so there's all these accolades but for me what I'm going to miss the most about Alex Morgan which I don't think has been talked enough is all of her offthe ball efforts I mean there's not a lot of them but whenever there were moments for Alex Morgan to get a little bit rough and tumble she did not shy away from that on the pitch and that is what I'm going to miss the most about her yeah she's got all these goals and she's set up a bunch of them for her teammates as well but she had to a take a lot of punishment and time to open things up for those players and every once in a while she had no problems throwing the fist of Cups a little bit maybe giving a little bit of shoving I love the quarterfinal against Colombia in the Gold Cup and who would have thought at that moment this was going to be one of the final International tournaments that she participated in it was she channeled some of that am7 energy which I don't know if any of us were actually prepared for but there it is she showed up and showed out and that's what I'm going to miss the most about Alex Morgan the am7 energy I love that this is a really good moment uh feisty Alex Morgan we we need that we that's an inspiration in itself My Moment although I hate the name of this tournament the she believes cup the inaugural the inaugural tournament in 2016 her goal against Germany the double volley she pushes her Defender little dink a volley and then she gets hit hops right up and has a little cheeky couple of touches on the ball I remember watching this game in college just so impressed by her finesse her ability to get around her Defender I'm pretty sure I went and was working on volleys like this day uh on the trading pitch but that is a moment for me where I was like oh shoot she is it she's creating something out of nothing splitting her Defenders and then get up with so calm and Cavalier and just have some touches on the ball like and she's swaggy I love it Alex Morgan scores goals in every single way the really pretty ones the gritty ones the voles Left Foot Right Foot headers she does it all but my favorite moment is the celebrations 2019 Women's World Cup against England she scores the goal and then hits the sipping tea Sy uh silences everyone creates some backlash too in England she did say hey this is just a little nod to Game of Thrones and Sophie Turner and just spilling the tea it has nothing to do with England but I don't know I think it might have I think it might have I love that mine is is the same moment this this world cup is really really special to me personally uh I got to work this entire world cup in France uh talking to some of the players during it after the Thailand match where they got so much Flack for their celebrations I spoke to Crystal Dunn and she was like what should we do and for the next one I my suggestion was just chill just just very calm celebrations and then when Alex broke out the tea celebration it was absolutely iconic I remember yelling real real loud cuz everyone of us Americans loves to get it over England you knew it was a pointed Barb it was a fantastic moment a fantastic celebration and the way she defended it afterwards why are women taking this Flack for celebrating when men every single day we we celebrate them for celebrating uh she talked about a player who had grabbed his crotch and was not casting ated for it the way that she stood on business and defended her celebration the entire thing incredible moment overall that's truly one of the themes of Alex Morgan's career Dari and the fact that she was able to go against the Green in so many different aspects from a CBA to player rights to just celebrations yeah she's completely professionalized women and I think given the women's game so much more respect even as Aaron was sharing that story I was thinking the men do the dumbest thing sometimes and there's nothing said about it Alex Morgan sipping some tea with her pinky up playing against England I mean come on but that is just on the small scale on the big scale she has done so much for equity and personally for me being one of those nendo players that was reporting coaches that was falling on deaf ears for her to use her platform to come out and actually defend and call out the nwsl and the lack of support for the players is massive because now we're seeing other federations follow suit and players is unafraid to speak out and I think Alex Morgan is one of those catalysts that has given everybody the confidence to demand better the end of an absolute incredible era for Alex Morgan Sandra what's next for her any idea what's on the horizon for Alex Morgan yeah I love that she shared a little bit of that in her pregame availability kind of mentioning the fact that what's most important is the fact that their family is growing and so they're going to welcome a new addition to that growing family but she's already kind sprinkled around some of her next steps she talked a lot about her foundation the Alex Morgan Foundation she launched a media company as well we've we've seen all of the together shirts they're incredible you've see them in every single event uh women's sporting event especially nowadays and and those are maybe some of the the channels in which she's going to use to remain a huge part of the women's sport landscape in general she definitely alluded to the fact that she is not interested in being on the sideline when it comes to coing but that she wants to be more involved in the investment of women's soccer which is something that she believes in and that that shouldn't be shocking at this point because of everything that she did to kind of help uplift the sport grow the league here in the United States of course Alex Morgan's next step is going to want to be the continuity of that moving forward so I love it it's a it's the pinky for me love that SRA obviously waxing poetic about Alex Morgan but last night the ladies in our own desk got to wax poetic about this lady honor her you got to love that we got everybody in the building everybody drinking cosplaying as Alex correct with the uniform um and then Aaron we got you a little piece of the prank for your app Sandra you're next we're gonna send some for me yeah I had to throw it on Alex Morgan thank you for an incredible career for being able to watch you from growing up to a little girl to covering your game now as a broadcaster um it has been an absolute honor can't wait to keep watching your game don't go anywhere we've got plenty more attacking third because we had nwsl action outside of Alex Morgan's farewell game and we're recapping it all [Music] next welcome back to attacking third big nwsl this weekend of action um and a lot of games that mattered in this one when we take a look at Friday night how the action started it was with Angel City taking on Seattle and this was a big match because there were playoff implications on the line depending on how things shook out it was going to mean uh fireworks for Orlando Pride as we take a look at Sydney laroo getting things started at bimo Stadium 8 minutes in Aaron LA on the attack yeah Alissa Thompson here with her fourth goal in three matches she's on a little tear she's got her confidence back she's scoring looking good but Seattle would fight back in the 28th 29th minute this ball through here Dei haraches is going to come out and commit the foul Jordan haa gets taken down and Sophia wera would step up Tuck that one home make it 1-1 even it up for Seattle just before the half J so young the right footed strike from the top of the box a nice little header knotted down there she turns well gets it out of her feet what a strike that is just Direct under her but she pings it into that corner it's a great strike from G makes it 2-1 for Seattle but they would then make this one 31 in the 58th minute this Tiara King makes it 3-1 from the chich uh assist but La would get one back just at the death trying to make it a little interesting a really really good ball from ma venola Sid Laro there you can never count Sid Laro thatle get the 3-2 win meanwhile Washington Spirit hosted the Portland Thorns Magic Johnson the newest investor of the spirit in attendance second half is when things started to unfold Darion the Ever So Graceful H sugita just gets this ball here and wraps her foot around it and the bend the angle facing away from the goal Aubrey Kingsburg can't do anything but watch it go into the back the net but Spirit had an answer Ashley Hatch sends this ball forward to turnning to Robin 2v one who cares she's going to cut it inside go near post and finish my favorite part of this though is the slam dunk she does to Magic Johnson over on the side legendary she said she was trying to get a little alley from him but he didn't quite Pi he didn't catch on he didn't catch on it's it's it's the J thing it's a little behind it's Rodman again who gets endline crosses this in for Lacy Santos with kind of a diving header gets her first goal for the club one goal one assist for Trinity Rodman as gives the Washington Spirit three points in the win over Portland that is 41 points on the season for Washington a single season Club record Aaron what's the X Factor right now at Washington Spirit they're they're starting to put it together I think that Hanan hiades has got this team really really cooking they seem very very comfortable with each other they've got a lot of really strong attacking options uh in this in this front three front four whatever you want to call it however they're playing they but I I think that they're really just starting to click I I think heraldez is confidence is rubbing on them the way that they play they move the ball is is is starting to look very dangerous at this point in the season I think meanwhile for Portland Thorn that's three straight losses just one win in their last seven it's crunch time for the Thorns elsewhere in the nwsl Kansas City current they bounced back with a 1- nil win over Utah Royals Aaron and the fans were out even Patrick Mahomes Britney Mahomes but second half who else who else yeah we got momes magic and then we got chwinga magic look at her takeoff on this run is absolutely nothing the defender can do it's a perfectly weighted ball from LOL la bont eight consecutive games with a goal for Timo chinga her 15th of the season and she is The X Factor there may not be a bigger xfa factor in this league than her for me MVP candidate Daran absolutely want to fight me about it come on I mean when you look at what she's done this year 15 goals in just 19 matches she leads the Golden Boot but it's really eight straight matches with a goal Daren how hard is it to score that consistently in the nwsl it's incredibly difficult especially when your team isn't winning there are things that are going wrong with Kansas City they haven't been able to solve conceding goals especially in those transition moments off of their own mistakes in the back doesn't matter you can still rely on t wataa two score goals that's why I think should possibly get MVP 100% because even when Kansas City's not doing great you can send a ball forward you can expect her to create something out of absolutely nothing she also does some unorthodox things even just then watching her go One V one against the keeper she doesn't do any sort of move she doesn't try to make the goal bigger in any sort of way put it to a preferred foot she goes straight at the keeper makes her but with such a quick trigger of a shot it's it's so fun to watch it's so different the way she technically is and for me I don't think there's anybody that's been able to really lock her down in a game MVP is definitely a player that changes the game without them on the pitch they can't do it so is she a nominee for you Darion or is she gonna win it I believe she'll win it Aaron what do you think I for me it comes down between her and Barbara Banda uh it I don't think there are really other candidates for it at this point those two are are far I would have argued C Bon could have been in there before she got injured I think if there weren't seven matches left in the season she was on track to be in that conversation absolutely but right now I think it's Barbara Banda and Timo Chingo and how important Tima is to this team obviously Barbara Banda they where Orlando goes Barbara is taking her but without chwinga I think this this Kansas City team would be a mid to lower half team oo I I like Barbara Banda in this race for MVP though she you can't take her out of it cannot it's really going to be who scores more in the next it's I think it's who scores more and like where they end up in in the the top of the table obious even wins the Golden Boot I think Banda could still win MVP to me those are not phenomen it doesn't mean yeah it's the impact that Banda has off the ball and being able to set up her teammates and do more of an allaround player imagine those two playing together we need an allstar game we need an nwsl allstar game we're getting there we're getting there there were more games for this one it was Bay FC taking on race in Louisville Bay in this matchup they're at home at PayPal Park aisat uala getting some pregame ritual in 75th minute Daren it is aisat ashaala who gets the lone goal just keep your eye on her movement here in the 18 she's getting around her Defender she sees the deflection wraps her foot around it and sends it into the back of the net just look she loses her Defender comes back in is reading where the deflection goes this is what an out and out nine does this is what makes ashalla such a lethal player and then her the golfing celebration I love it let me put this away so good uh that's two straight wins for Aisa or for Bay FC meanwhile Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena taking on the Houston Dash uh this match Aaron 10 minutes in of course it's Gotham on the front foot yeah eser Gonzalez is going to find Yasmin Ryan there nice little slip through ball she with the composure Yasmin Ryan makes it her second and her last three matches third goal of the season but a little bit against the Run of play Houston would find an equalizer it's a good ball to the back post from Avery Patterson Diana ordones Diana ordones loses her Mark it's a good header from her makes it 1-1 and we would have to wait until 90 plus three they made a sweat yesterday in the stadium but eventually Ester Gonzalez did find The Equalizer it pops out from Lynn Williams she digs it out of her feet as stair finds the back of the net on the turn it's a good touch it's a good turn on a very very good Defender and a great win for Gotham 11 regular season wins for Gotham setting a new club record this year and a lot of it having to do with this Spanish International Esther Gonzalez I mean take a look at these stats from yesterday she played a full game one goal one assist four shots the efficiency Daren is there how does she change the game for Gotham she brings energy if you watch aair play this is for everybody that enjoys watching the game and really wants to learn about how to just be a buzzing forward how to really affect the game without touching the ball so much watch how Ester moves she's constantly checking in and out constantly asking for the ball shifting Defenders around and that leaves a lot of space for the likes of Lynn Williams Crystal Dunn Rose LEL other players to eat up space just because she causes so much confusion for a defense huge moments for Gotham as they pick up that win it's now a four match home win streak for Gotham at Red Bull Arena Chicago took on the Giants Orlando pride and Orlando clinched a playoff spot even before stepping onto the pitch that happened Friday in Seattle's win but in this match in the 37th minute it's it's obviously Marta I feel like we got good impressive legendary goal scorers this weekend yeah she's let me get on the score she only scissor go the way I did it and then wrap her foot around this I mean what a brilliant shot in traffic through the number of players in front of her from distance low far post that is such a difficult technique and she makes it look so ever graceful so easy what a legend on the game but in the 75th minute Orlando had another attempt Barbara Banda gets on the end of this cross but it's Kaa here such a smart defender on the goal line makes this diving header save n it was going past her fingertips and even Banda can't believe that that was saved but a brilliant win from Orlando and a hard fought loss for Chicago take a look at this momentum chart the purple is Orlando and the blue is the red stars Aaron they never had a chance huh the red stars that is actually ridiculous this is insane it I mean it is a perfect representation of the match though it it really is Chicago was not in this at all it was all Orlando definitely should have had more goals than one uh but what a performance what a season for this Orlando team Orlando remain unbeaten extend their streak to 20 straight games and of course they clinch a playoff spot with the match on Friday night with Seattle getting the win over Angel City now Orlando just fighting for the shield they want that number one spot but right now in the nwsl it is all about the standings and the top eight with the newly expanded playoffs this year in the nwsl mean that the top eight go through here's a look at the top half of the standings of course Orlando Pride at the top running all the way through Bay FC expansion side in seventh place Aaron out when you look at these teams no team has clinched the shield so far um Bay can no longer win it but who is most likely to win the shield the team is sitting in number one right now the best team in the league Orlando Pride they are so comprehensively just a comprehensive team they're really really well coached they have a fantastic defense really really strong Midfield and then an elite an S tier striking unit attacking unit so they are so well set up to go into the playoffs they have an incredible Squad overall I think they will secure the shield but this this is the team right now Daren you know nwsl probably better than anyone with seven matches left how much movement can you predict will happen it's chaos we know this it is unpredictable uh I think there's going to be upsets teams are going to change their tactics you have teams that like an angel City for example we saw last year make an insane playoff run Seattle are heating up with G um Chicago I don't foree them making it I think that they've fallen off I haven't seen enough of a convincing season from them to be honest so I think there's going to be a lot of upsets a lot of different high-scoring games a lot of hardfought wins but it's going to be very telling who has the right attitude to get through this final push to make playoffs it is all about about that attitude and the playoff push is definitely on in the nwsl who will crack into the top eight and make the expanded playoffs format don't go anywhere we've got plenty more attacking third Abby do camper newest member of bay FC joins us [Music] next perhaps the biggest trade happened on Monday with Defender Abby doll camper being traded from San Diego wave to Bay FC this is a world class Defender I grew up in mow Park 20 minutes away and just thankful to represent such an amazing club that is pushing the standards for women's soccer she's one of those players that's won every single thing at every stage of their career so for BA to acquire her was massive you're getting the leadership and experience the ability to play out of the back which is something B has really struggled with when you add an international over ilk just in training it makes you a little bit sharper you've got that leadership she's an all round player so this won't just help keep goals out of the back of the net I think this really really raises the level of this Bay team she's also a set pieace Taker and a finisher as she is proving in that neb cell backside Bailey lift in and headed in oh wow Abby DOL kepper makes an immediate statement in a BAC we are pleased to be joined Now by that Legend Defender ABY do camper Abby welcome in how are you I'm good thank you so much for having me I'm excited to chat to you guys you are back in the bay back at your hometown as you said it and played two matches there already but how did this trade come about cuz it took us by surprise here but it's good to see you fitting in how did it come about yeah I mean I think uh you know when the bay uh came last year and um was going to be an expansion side it definitely was something something that was um of interest to me just because I think it's rare in an athletes career that you're able to play in your H toown in front of um 20 plus friends and family every game so um I wanted to take advantage of that if possible and um thankfully you know San Diego wave was very understanding of me coming home and the bay wanted me so I'm just so happy to be here of course ba wanted you I'm sure every NW cell team was like please please but back to B I love this for you you're back home and you're back with our other bruan your bestie Capri diasco how is that being back with your best friend and working and playing again in that really pivotal relationship you two have on the field yeah I mean I think for me and I'm not trying to be biased but Caprice is one of the best outside backs in the league um both defensively and offensively I think you know her defensive g game has improved so much and you're seeing her you know win tackles and um really start the attack from the back and I think that's so important but I think just our relationship off the field has made our relationship on the field very seamless and um I feel like we're kind of telepathic where we don't need to like talk too much you kind of just see each other go somewhere and uh you know I'm I'm covering her and she's covering me so it's a great relationship now you you talk about uh your relationship with kis Brasco obviously you go way back with her you're forming a new Center back partnership with Emily mingz and I know how hard that can be to build especially in the middle of a season but you played two games only one conceded how is that partnership coming along and and what are you guys doing to work on that being thrown together yeah Emily is uh an amazing you know Center back she is athletic she's experienced she reads the game well and I think when you're playing with a um you know high IQ soccer player who knows what they're doing it it's very easy to or she makes my job easier so um I think you know again it's been um really great to work with her she's awesome she's leading the team she's Captain um she's you know played every minute almost and um she's so important to this team so I'm just honored to be able to play next to her um continue to build that relationship and stop more goals being back playing with Capri iasco that's not the only reunion for you you also have a prior relationship with albertine Montoya and you've worked with him before in your youth playing days now seeing Montoya as a head coach in the professional game how is he different as a coach I'm just proud of him uh I'm so proud of him and it's amazing to see him uh you know coaching at the highest level um nbsl is extremely hard um it's it's you know the parody in the league um competitiveness and you know I think he's doing an amazing job and I think it is not an easy job to come in as an expansion side uh and as a head coach the first year and um to be able to be in the playoff hunt um and everything to play for is incredible and credit to albertine and um the coaches for getting the group to where we need to be right now and just focusing on what we can one day at a time Abby you were with San Diego wave uh one of their first signings as an expansion team in the WSL and you jumped from one expansion team to another but you really helped build up San Diego what experiences are you bringing from San Diego as an expansion side to Bay yeah I think just the important um the the most important thing for me I think is just culture I think um building and forming the right culture um getting the right pieces in the players um getting to know each other and you know really I think this first year there's there's nothing nothing to lose and I think you know everything to gain so I think um as I've come in I think just tried to bring my leadership experience um helped be myself uh I like to laugh um make jokes and um the girls uh the staff the support staff have been amazing here so um anything I can do to help this team I will and it's just been incredible and so enjoyable so far all right now Abby you've been on both sides of the coin with Alex Morgan you've had years as her teammate you've also played against her what does it feel like to you is it a bit Bittersweet knowing that she is exiting the game but also that you don't have to mark her anymore yes yes I mean I can go on and on about how incredible Alex's not only as a soccer player but just a person um you know and she so many you know boys girls um just look up to her and she's changed the game on and off the field and um to be able to have a a part of her in my journey and to be a part of her journey is just incredible and I'm just so proud of her and proud and excited for her to you know be expanding their family and um her to take you know the next step in her journey of of life and to close the chapter and um I was watching you know the whole game even when she got subbed out and just um you know the game will definitely miss Alex uh but she's left a permanent stamp on on this game re tweet uh back to Bay Ba's in seventh place with a really big playoff push with you guys just catching Steam and you coming in and scoring some goals which I'm going to ask you about that later but what is the mindset like for this final push to make that playoff cut off and postseason yeah I mean I think of course we want to make playoffs but I think just um focusing on what we can control and I think that's our game ahead of North Carolina and that's a game away against North Carolina which um you know they are um heating up at the right time you know they scored four goals yesterday so um definitely I think just like focusing on what we can control and just taking it one day at a time and um just focused on our performance and what we can do and I think um letting other teams worry about us I love that letting other teams worry about you and especially you when you're up in the freaking 18 because we got two goals in the last two games sneak E I want now they now we know everyone's circling you as if they weren't before but AB you're scoring goals what's the next s gonna be we need to come up with something yeah well listen I did do not expect to score goals but when I score goals I'm so happy and um you know I've had amazing service Maria's left foot is incredible and dorian's ball back in was just incredible too and just there to um don't it in off my head so um but yeah I know I definitely should maybe come up with a goal celebration for next time but um yeah we'll see it's hard to celebrate when you're falling into the side netting of the gold life and limb on the line there Abby to get the goal um you played at UCLA with our one and only Daren Jenkins here at the desk um I I heard you live together as well I have to know what was it like living with Daren in college please say good things oh my gosh I literally was just telling my husband this morning that Daren was such a beast in college and um you know she had that unfortunate injury that um maybe just affected her a little bit and um you know the timing of when players retire is obviously not ideal when um it's kind of deals with an injury but um Darion was amazing you know the best teammate you could ask for an incredible person um she I just remember like looking up to her even though she was younger than me and um she was just so calm and poised on and off the field and she's incredible and killing it now so um yeah just proud of her make me cry all employees we don't get that up here we get chaotic and all over the place also an incredibly professional answer cuz she didn't actually say what it was like to live with you she said nothing about living together living expence she just said you were a calm person she said offer I'll tell you about it clean and calm clean and calm that is me that is okay Abby we'll talk we'll talk I need the the dirty details from that um we are creating an attacking third playlist and we have to know from you Abby what is the number one song on your Pregame playlist right now okay well this is new as of two weeks but um Rachel kumanji has put me on to Barbie Girl by Aqua so I'm just like totally into that song and we have it on repeat in the locker room sometimes so we get hyped to that which is so funny and ridiculous but it kind of slaps Che it up chew it up put it on the pregame rotation for us in studio Abby thank you so much and good luck the rest of the way with ba thanks guys appreciate you taking the time hi and we'll be in touch about Daran with her living with her don't go anywhere plenty more attacking third when we get back stick with [Music] us welcome back to attacking third br You by CarMax the way car buying should be we are in the midst of a lot of football happening right now one of those tournaments is the conaf W Champions Cup this is an inaugural tournament that the group stage running from August through October the top two teams in each group will advance to The Knockout round but that's not until next Spring May 2025 we we'll catch you up on that once we get there but this serves as qualification tournament for the inaugural FIFA Women's future Club work World Cup as we take a look at the group stage results from match day two Santa Fe taking on the Vancouver White Caps and white caps winning 2-1 Portland getting the 3-1 win over clbe America Gotham putting away alente four goals in on them and Monteray putting five in over Frasier's whip it's been a pretty exciting tournament so far just two match dayss in as we take a look at the tables only two groups and the top two teams will advance so right now Gotham tiges alente Monterey All Tied on three points with Frasier's whip uh still searching for their point their first point meanwhile in group b Club America sits at top of the table at three points and then Portland San Diego Vancouver and Santa Fe so the way that the group stage will work each team gets a bye um play two home matches and two away matches so a little bit of travel mixed into all of this but in match day two the results were pretty big for Gotham FC they put away four over alente Gonzalez stangle Nish schwanger and shean getting goals Aaron but what difference do you see in Gotham from their nwsl play to this Champions Cup play uh none this is Gotham I think they their playing style is so just imprinted in how how they do everything they don't change the way they play for any any opponent it was a good win uh trip down to Costa Rica which was a probably a very very sweaty trip you see how warm it was it was it was wet out there but the biggest thing is you you try to get out of these without any injuries you get some playing time for players that might not necessarily be First Choice in in N WSL play but yeah th overall this this tournament for me is I think we're going to see some Growing Pains but the fact that we are we have this tournament and the fact that we have this InterContinental competition uh the fact that we are getting these clubs from different parts of of of our our our landscape is amazing we need more that it opens the game up it's it's just beautiful to see uh if I recall correctly we did a wish list always laughing at me we did a wish list maybe last Christmas or something like that sometime last year and I think you said you wanted there to be Club World Cup that was it I got my wish look at the universe someone's listening look at the universe give me milon someone in power is is listening yeah it's really cool to kind of watch it unfold and we still get a lot more of this because the group stage runs through October of course with the knockout round starting next spring but take a look at the action that'll start again on September 18th some big matchups here on golazo network and a big one Gotham against Monteray on CBS Sports Network we got a little nwsl Clash too 10 pm. on September 18th San Diego wave taking on the Portland Thorns in Club America against Santa Fe FC on September 19th that'll be match day three in this tournament three points on the line a lot for these teams pushing for qualification Into The Knockout rounds then of course to compete in the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup a lot more to come from the conap W Champions Cup and of course we keep you updated when you're watching attacking third and don't go anywhere because we are filling you in on all of the news that's coming up next in the nwsl the transfers and trades and everything that has happened around the nwsl welcome back to attacking third big news out of Utah as they announced the mutual termination of contracts with midfielder amadin enri and forward eoma Anam Manu uh enri she was traded from Angel City to Utah in April and just four match days into the season she's played 10 matches with nine starts in Utah meanwhile eoma she was traded to Utah from Gotham at the end of 2023 spent the entire of this year in Utah with five appearances and there's been a lot of change at Utah Addison Merrick Defender also leaving Utah she played Seven matches this year but with forward eomo Anam Manu the Nigerian Striker she signs with MTI the first Nigerian player to sign there and she spent her entire career in the United States so big moves for Anam Manu as she moves over to France some other big signing news forward CeCe Kaiser she left left Houston a few days ago and now she has signed with Gotham FC through 2025 she appeared in five games with three starts for Houston recording 216 minutes this season with the dash Aaron this is a big acquisition for Gotham it feels like ju Carlos zos is just gobbling up all the goal scorers yeah I think especially with a a player of CC Kaiser's profile maybe didn't have hasn't had the greatest season this year but she's a goal scorer she's an efficient striker of the ball she her off the ball movement is great she's a hard worker she's 27 years old right in her prime I think it's a great pickup for Gotham meanwhile for EO Anam Manu she leaves Utah and she signs in France D is this a good move for her career it's a great move playing overseas especially in France it's going to ask different qualities of your game to improve you have a lot more time on the ball Defenders give you space no one's in your face like they are in the nwsl I think this is a good move a fresh start she's going to go ball out in France shout out e is not a bad city either it's great not place to be you got to give her some rcks for where to go what to do all the things it's exciting you're already planning a trip out there aren't you I'm going to De summer I saw it in your eye she was like Rex I'm going to be there she is thanks everyone for watching Today's show it was a lot to catch you up on as we said goodbye to Alex Morgan and recap the nwsl weekend but it was a good one thanks for being with us this episode of attacking third was brought to you by CarMax the way car buying should be Andrew and I will be back on YouTube on Wednesday and we're back in studio on Thursday to fill you in on the weekend see you then