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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 20 — Are Gotham on the Ascent? Are San Diego on the Decline?
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Savannah DeMelo's collapse on Lumen Field on Sunday quickly became the most important story in the NWSL. DeMelo was responsive and alert before she was stretchered off the field, and thankfully, the league tried to learn from their poor handling of the Savy King incident by suspending the match. The guys offer some quick thoughts on DeMelo as a player, and what has made her special throughout her career.
After the whiparound, the guys dive into Gotham FC's decisive 2-0 road win over the San Diego Wave. Can Gotham continue this rich vein of form, now that most of the attack is healthy and Jaedyn Shaw is among their ranks? What can the Wave do to stop the bleeding, aside from another swing of luck? Who can stake a claim to a top-four place by season's end?
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 5 Game of the Week — Washington Spirit Dominate the Kansas City Current
35:56|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join our Patreon to get exclusive bonus content and discounts on merch! This week's featured match drills down on two of the league's titans whose fortunes are careening in different directions. The 4-0 scoreline suggests the Washington ran riot over the Kansas City Current, but it's a bit more complicated than that. What isn't complicated is that Washington's results are catching up to their performances, while Kansas City find themselves in a pit of mediocrity that needs to change fast. The guys pick all of it apart. Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 5 Whiparound — Luck, Bad Luck and More Bad Luck
48:03|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join our Patreon to get exclusive bonus content and discounts on merch! On today's NWSL whiparound, we examine why so many results didn't match the performances, from Chicago's and Louisville's absurd wins to San Diego looking less like a 3-goal monster in the second half against Denver. Gotham, meanwhile, did exactly what was expected of them, and the less said about Seattle and Utah, the better. Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 3 — Emma Hayes Enters Final Boss Mode
33:57|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join Patreon and use the code "XOGNEW2" to get 50% off an annual membership! The final of the USWNT's cold, unpleasant friendlies against Japan concluded on a high, with a close-to-A-team squad taking down the Nadeshiko 3-0 in Commerce City, Colorado. Was Japan held back by altitude and sub-optimal personnel choices? Is Rose Lavelle the preferred option to defend from the front with Sophia Wilson? Did any player's stock rise higher than Kennedy Wesley's? The guys reflect on a week of highs and lows for the Stars & Stripes, and what comes next when they face Brazil in June. Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 2 — The Kids Couldn't Lock it Down
34:24|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join Patreon and use the code "XOGNEW2" to get 50% off an annual membership! Emma Hayes rotated heavily when the USWNT headed up to Seattle on a cold, rainy, windy Tuesday evening, and lost 1-0 to a Japan who just looked better, especially without the ball. What are the lessons here? What should we expect in Colorado on Friday? The guys ponder a tricky performance and its stakes for the World Cup in 2027. Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 1 — Is This Emma Hayes's Preferred Lineup?
27:05|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join Patreon and use the code "XOGNEW2" to get 50% off an annual membership! The U.S. women's national team got past Japan 2-1 on a cold, wet Saturday in San Jose, and this might portend a lot for the World Cup knockout stage in 14 months' time. The guys try to determine what looked good, what needed work, and whether Emma Hayes is committed to this group going forward, or if there are some positions that can still be challenged for. (Yes, this is mostly about Lindsey Heaps.) Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 4 — Checking in on All 16 Teams
01:36:49|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join Patreon and use the code "XOGNEW2" to get 50% off an annual membership! The NWSL is taking three weeks off, so the guys decide to see where things stand with every club. Is Kansas City maybe not as bad as they seem? Is Haley McCutcheon working as an attacking midfielder? What's good about the Boston Legacy? All that and much more! Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 3 — Angel City is Top of the Table, and the Houston Dash are Evolving
53:36|Buy our scarves and more merch at the xOG store now! Join Patreon and use the code "XOGNEW2" to get 50% off an annual membership! The three-game week so early in the NWSL season did a number on many teams, especially ones that traveled. After the guys round up the weekend's slate—including Eric being pitchside for the Denver Summit's record-breaking home opener—they dig into the top-of-the-table clash between Angel City and the Houston Dash. Are these teams really good? What has Houston changed since last year? What are Angel City doing well and what's smoke and mirrors? Early-season weirdness abounds! Like & subscribe to our YouTube page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!Follow us on TikTok and InstagramDid we make an own goal? E-mail us at xog@xowngoals.comArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs