Racing v AC Milan Preview

Courtesy Connor Cunningham

Racing now knows its Women’s Cup semifinal opponent for Wednesday’s 8pm match and it’s AC Milan. Milan got the better of Tokyo Verde in the first quarterfinal matchup at Lynn Family Stadium by mostly absorbing pressure and scoring on the counter. It was the less physical of the two matchups, but that isn’t saying much as the level of contact and intensity in both matches that were technically “friendlies” was way more than I anticipated. Welcome to the United States of America where our soccer officials can’t even control a friendly match! From the start of the first match, the officials decided to “let them play” and players in both matches had to leave the field with worrying injuries. Come to America and play in a league where your career could be over in an instant because the officials are afraid to make calls! That’s probably not the NWSL’s pitch to foreign-born players, but it might be an accurate one.

Also, Tottenham immediately lost upon finding out there was a chance to win a trophy.

Enough on our terrible American soccer officiating problem…let’s move on to Racing who signed another goalkeeper on Monday in Kelsey Daugherty. The answer to the question “Why does a team need 4 goalkeepers on its roster?” is: it doesn’t. Realistically this move was made to allow Racing to have cover if/when Beall and Bloomer go out on loan. Wherever either of them is loaned, that club’s season is bound to overlap with the beginning of the NWSL season, so Daugherty seems like an insurance plan to next year. There’s room on the roster (AHEM) so why not?

Before Beall and Bloomer travel the globe to break in their professional mitts, they could be called on for a match this week. It’s a tough call, but I say start Bloomer on Wednesday. If Racing wins its semifinal match, then there is another selection headache. If they lose, I think Beall gets a shot on Sunday. I’m not sure if there is a limit on subs (because I am too lazy to look it up or ask), so theoretically Racing could play two completely separate teams in each half. I don’t think that’s the plan, so I expect some changes but honestly nobody on the roster concerns me in the starting lineup. Last year’s final starting XI, did make me wonder if it was going to be 0-3 at half. Since I have no earthly idea on Wednesday’s lineup, let’s speculate…

That lineup looks fairly crazy, so let’s go with that one. I do expect Martin, Ekic and Holloway to get starts but who knows? Racing will try to win the match, but I think the players that have 16 league starts (DeMelo, Howell, Lund, and Milliet) should get the evening off.