Helmari defender Natalia Kuikan represented by the Portland Thorns advanced to the finals of the US women’s main series NWSL the night before Monday.
At the same time, Kuika becomes the first Finnish player to play in the finals of the NWSL, which was founded in 2012.
In the semifinals, Portland knocked off by Alex Morgan captained by San Diego 2–1. The decisive hit came only in extra time of the match, when Crystal Dunn shot the ball into the net after a corner kick.
Dunn, who has appeared more than a hundred times in the US women’s national team, gave birth to her first child in May and returned to the playing fields in September.
Sports expert Pauliina Miettinen not surprised by Portland’s finals spot.
– They have done really well in recent years, they have a quality coach Rhian Wilkinson, a high-quality organization and good fans behind it. Last year they won the (in-season) Challenge Cup and it was disappointing not to reach the final. Now Portland lived up to the expectations they have.
Last year, Portland was at the top of the league at the end of the regular season. This year, the ranking in the regular season was second. Portland has celebrated the championship twice: in 2017 and 2013.
On the other hand, Miettinen highlights the difficulties the club has faced. Portland is one of the clubs at the center of the harassment scandal that rocked the US women’s major league.
– In that sense, the performance is really big. The extra alarms must have bothered them more than many others. I think the players have suffered somewhat mentally. But now they have shown their true level, after last year they fell somewhat unexpectedly in the semi-finals.
Kuika plays a significant role
The versatile Finnish player has enjoyed himself in Portland since 2021, and recently signed a contract extension covering next season. (you switch to another service) General manager of the club Karina LeBlanc praised Kuikka in connection with the extension contract as one of the best fullbacks in the league.
This year, Kuikka has played in 20 matches for Portland.
– If you play such minutes, you have to be an important player for the team. A few times he has been allowed to start with a change and whistle, but there is definitely some kind of recycling involved, Miettinen reflects.
Many of the players from the US women’s national team play in the US NWSL, and the series is one of the best in the world. The audience has also found the matches in a different way this season, and many audience records have been broken. More than 22,000 people watched the matchup between Portland and San Diego, the second most in NWSL history.
Miettinen reminds that the NWSL differs from other top leagues in the world precisely because of its consistency. In many of Europe’s top leagues, the level differences between the top teams and the tail end are huge.
– Maybe with the exception of Orlando, every team has been able to surprise. The series is perhaps the most consistent of all series. That’s why the quality is harder, there are no easy games. In England, for example, last season there were weaker teams and big differences in level.
Will Kuikas become the first Finnish champion?
Finns are not often seen in the US women’s major league: the previous Finnish player was Laura Österberg Squid, who represented Sky Blue coached by Miettisenki in 2010–2011. Before that, they had only played in the main series Anne Mäkinen and Minna Mustonen.
Österberg Kalmari played Sanna Valkonen with in the North American USL W-League in the 2002 season, when Boston they represented won the championship.
However, Kuika has a chance to make Finnish history next weekend, as he would become the first Finn to win the NWSL.
The final opponent, Kansas City, unexpectedly knocked out the Reign, who won the regular season, from the finals, whose ranks include, among other things, the best chosen of the World Cup Megan Rapinoe. Kansas finished fifth in the regular season.
– Quite a surprise when you look at where they started from last year. The team moved Utah to Kansas (switching to another service)and it didn’t quite work out, Miettinen begins.
Last year, the team finished last in the regular season. It collected points from 24 matches in 16. For this season, the owners of the club Angie Long, Chris Long and Brittany Matthews decided to invest in the activity with a contract.
– Now a lot of good things have happened there, investment has been made in the team, a new coach has arrived and operations have moved forward. The team is clearly mentally strong. It is certainly due to the coaching, but also the environment. The first big stadium made exclusively for women is being built for them, the owners have put a lot of money into the operation and take care of the players, Miettinen enumerates.
Despite that, Miettinen believes that Portland will enter the finals as the favorite.
– Small things matter, as they always do in big games. Portland is more experienced and they have a longer and more consistent track record of success, but Kansas is a surprise team with nothing to lose. They are a surprise team with a boom on and things are great. However, experience has something to do with these roughs, but anything is possible, why shouldn’t the surprise last until the end, Miettinen reflects.
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