The NWSL season has officially come to an end.
At its final, the Portland Thorns were crowned the league’s champions after downing the Kansas City Current by a score of 2-0.
The first goal of that game was scored by their prolific forward, Sophia Smith.
The 22-year-old player helped her team secure the championship through an early goal and was crowned the game’s MVP.
The award was given to her alongside her MVP award for the season.
In this tactical analysis, we will examine what the American brings to her team on the pitch and her versatility.
This Sophia Smith scout report will assess her strengths and weaknesses, her ability to play on opposing defenders’ shoulders, creativity, intelligence, movements, and how her teammates benefit from her creativity.
It will also be an analysis of how she fits into the Portland Thorns overall tactics.
A Versatile Attacker
If there is one word that one could use to define Sophia Smith, it would be ‘versatile’.
Before Sophia Smith played in the NWSL final, she had to win the semi-final first.
The forward’s team, the Portland Thorns, defeated the San Diego Wave by a score of 2-1 during the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs.
Smith played a vital part in her team’s victory as she had five shots and five touches inside the penalty area.
The forward was even more impressive in the final against the Kansas City Current, where she had 11 touches inside the box, including the opening goal in the 4th minute.
Yazmeen Ryan spots an opening in the midfield and sends a through ball into the path of Smith.
Smith then times her run well and moves off-the-shoulder of the defenders marking her and quite literally leaves one of them on the floor.
The 22-year-old then scores her 15th goal of the season.
Smith has a natural tendency to play on the shoulder of the opposing defenders.
By doing so, she opens up the space for her teammates to attack into as she consistently puts defenders in tight spots.
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