Photo credit: Denver Summit FC
Summit scores multiple goals in the same match for the first time in nearly two months
Denver Summit FC’s cohesion on and off the pitch has never been a question. But at some point, results must match.
The completeness of Sunday’s performance against the Houston Dash, at least offensively, was in head-scratching contrast to the 2-all draw in which it ended. It was a good response to the 3-0 beating at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park a week prior to the Kansas City Current.
“I felt it today in the locker room and in the warm-up: the approach and the hunger and the belief and the ambition to win, you can see is evident,” Summit FC coach Nick Cushing said. “(There are) small details that we have to work through, and it’s another one we should win, but we didn’t.”
Summit FC dominated when it had the ball, notching 17 more shots than Houston (26-9) and six more on target (10-4). A growing partnership between Yazmeen Ryan, who played on the right side of the attack, and right back Ayo Oke was at its best, creating numerous chances out wide which played a large part in Denver creating 27 crosses.
Ryan scored a dream goal to go ahead in the 14th minute. Off a short corner, she beat her defender one on one, found an opening and rifled a shot to the top-right corner from about 20 yards away. She said she was supposed to lob a ball in from that angle, but saw just enough space to creep in a world-class effort.
“Coming (to Denver), I immediately felt like myself. I immediately felt the energy with this group and Nick as a coach just giving me the green light to be myself as well,” Ryan said. “It’s so easy playing with these players. And especially the fans, every game they come out and just give it their all, so I’m happy to be able to score and then to celebrate with them.”
Cushing joked that as long as they go in, anybody can have a go from that distance. But against Houston, he thought his team tried it a few times too many.
Summit FC’s weakness on the night, and maybe on the season, was in the moment following the goal. On the ensuing kickoff, Houston lobbed the ball down the left flank where Maggie Graham beat Oke to the punch. She put in a good cross to Linda Ullmark, who mishit it straight to Kat Rader for a simple clean-up.
Denver took the lead again at the spot in first-half stoppage time via Janine Sonis for her fifth goal of the season. Three of those have come against Houston. Summit FC made it to halftime with the lead, but it only took three minutes of second-half play for Ullmark to equalize for Dash. Neither team looked particularly dangerous after the score was leveled.
Denver sits in 11th place (4-5-4) with a game in hand on the top six teams in the NWSL. It has won consecutive games just once (Dash and Orlando Pride back-to-back in May) this season. The club is confident it has the talent to be better than the table would suggest, but it hasn’t quite latched on yet.
“To me, the best teams are player-led, the best locker rooms are player-led and are driven within,” Cushing said. “…I think I said to the staff, ‘Tell me if you feel this is normal for a new team. Is this meant to be like this as a new team, or are we missing something? Do we need to do something?’ I don’t necessarily think it’s the senior leaders, it’s everybody. Whether you’re in the team, out of the team, whether you’re off the bench. The best teams I’ve always won with, they’ve had that dynamic feel in there.”
Starting next week, Cushing should finally get the final link of the chain onto the field. With the NWSL transfer window opening on Tuesday, Colorado-born legend Lindsey Heaps will be allowed to play in matches for Denver starting Saturday against the Portland Thorns. The U.S. Women’s National Team captain and trophy-hoarding midfielder should add a level of leadership and tactical prowess between the lines Summit FC needs to start stacking wins.
The match on July 18 will mark the first at Centennial Stadium, Denver’s temporary home while its permanent stadium at Santa Fe Yards undergoes its construction. It will also be a homecoming of sorts for USWNT and Thorns star Sophia Smith, who was born in Windsor and has won countless trophies alongside Heaps at the national team level.
