Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Many pundits tabbed Utah Royals FC to climb the table in their second National Women’s Soccer League season. They retooled the coaching staff and the roster last summer and reaped immediate rewards. Their attacking prodigy Ally Sentnor prepped for the season with a breakout performance for the United States in the SheBelieves Cup.
But three matches into 2025, and alarm bells can already be heard in the Wasatch Valley. The Royals have taken only one out of nine points—less than the start of their expansion year—are being exploited trying to play out of the back, and remain without several injured players heading into Friday night’s home match against the Thorns.
“I think we made the right analysis and had a lot of individual talks as well,” Royals coach Jimmy Coenraets said Wednesday. “A lot of what we’re doing right now is not bad at all. It’s just making sure we fine-tune the individual things.”
A look at the Royals gameplay suggests they may have to do more than…
