By Caitlin Murray
With the National Women’s Soccer League on break until it returns next spring, many players are heading overseas to play soccer professionally. Here’s a look at where some of the NWSL’s players will be in action this fall and winter.
Russia
Three NWSL players from three different teams have been loaned to FC Zorky Krasnogorsk in Russia.
Sky Blue FC midfielder Ashley Nick, Chicago Red Stars midfielder Alyssa Mautz and Western New York Flash defender Amy Barczuk will play for FC Zorky through December. Nick and Mautz made their debuts for the team last week and Mautz scored a goal in a 3-1 victory over WFC Zvezda.
Zorky plays in the Russian Supreme League and are reigning champions from the 2012-13 season. The club will compete in the 2013-14 UEFA Women’s Champions League round of 32 in October.
Cyprus
Two NWSL teams have loaned three players to Apollon Limassol LFC in Cyprus.
Boston Breakers midfielder Joanna Lohman (pictured at right) and midfielder Lianne Sanderson will play for Apollon until February 2014, the Breakers announced last week. They will be joined by Washington Spirit forward Jasmyne Spencer. The players join Apollon as its looking to advance to the round of 16 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
As part of Apollon, Lohman and Sanderson will reunite with three of their former Philadelphia Independence teammates from Women’s Professional Soccer – Kelly Ann Henderson, Tina DiMartino and Gina DiMartino.
Germany
FC Kansas City is loaning NWSL Rookie of the Year Erika Tymrak and backup goalkeeper Bianca Henniger to FC Bayern Munich in Germany. The pair made their first appearance in the club’s season opener earlier this month and will play there through the end of December.
They join fellow Americans Amber Brooks, Sarah Hagen and Niki Cross, who also play for Bayern Munich.
Scotland
Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock has been loaned to Glasgow City FC for three months. Fishlock joined earlier this month and has five goals so far this season for Glasgow City. The club is reigning champion in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, having won the past six finals. Glasgow City will compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League round of 32 in October.
In November, Fishlock will head to Australia for another loan with Melbourne Victory FC in the A-League before returning to Seattle for NWSL in February.
Sweden
Seattle Reign forward Renae Cuellar joined Sundsvalls DFF in mid-August following the NWSL season. Sundsvalls plays in the second division of Swedish women’s soccer.
The Washington Spirit have allowed two players to play for Tyreso FF in Sweden. Defender Ali Krieger and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris joined Tyreso in late August. The club is reigning champion of Damallsvenskan, the highest division in Swedish women’s soccer. Krieger and Harris are joined by fellow U.S. National Team players Christen Press, Whitney Engen and Meghan Klingenberg.
France
USWNT players and late NWSL additions Tobin Heath (pictured at left) and Megan Rapinoe both return to France, where they played for the first part of the inaugural NWSL season.
Rapinoe returns to Olympique Lyonnais for a second season, having again agreed to return to the NWSL late next season in June. Reign coach and General Manager Laura Harvey told the Seattle Times last month she expected Rapinoe would be with Reign for the full 2015 and 2016 seasons without interruption.
Lyon are defending champions in France’s division 1 league having won the last six seasons and will compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League with round of 32 action in October.
Heath returns to Paris Saint-Germain, which competes in the same league as Lyon and will also participate in the Champions League round of 32 next month.
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