Royals top Sky Blue FC, move up table

The Utah Royals pulled ahead to second place in the NWSL Challenge Cup with in a 1-0 win over Sky Blue FC on Saturday.

After pressuring throughout the opening half, the Royals burst out of a hydration break to net the only goal of the match in the 41st minute. Midfielder Vero Boquete sliced a ball between two defenders to set up striker Amy Rodriguez to tap in a point-blank shot past the keeper.

Utah entered the tournament dogged by questions about its ability to pose an offensive threat without star striker Christen Press and Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott. But the Royals now have netted four goals during their first two matches in the Challenge Cup, each from a different player — Rodriguez, Boquete, Diana Matheson and rookie Tziarra King.

Boquete has become the heart of the Royals’ attack, dishing out assists and picking up a strike of her own in the opening match. The development of her partnerships with her fellow attackers will be a key to Utah’s success throughout the tournament.

“I absolutely love playing with Vero,” Rodriguez said. “She’s one of the best midfielders in the world. How lucky am I, as a forward, to play in front of her and to make runs off of her. She’s so dangerous and she makes my job very easy.”

In her 12th year playing professionally, Rodriguez is also one of the handful of mothers playing in the league. After netting the goal, she pointed to her husband Adam and sons Ryan and Luke, who alternated throughout the game between cheering in the stands and playing on the jungle gym positioned at the corner of the field.

The loss illustrated Sky Blue’s continued struggle to find a footing in their attacking third without key attackers Carli Lloyd and Mallory Pugh. The team barely set foot in the Utah attacking box and took only three shots on the game, none of which fell on frame.

This lack of attacking edge was exacerbated by the fact that Midge Purce — one of the team’s most talented goal-scorers — continues to play at fullback. Purce also plays fullback when she is called up to the United States national team.

United States head coach Vlatko Andonovski was in attendance at Saturday’s match in Utah, his presence weighing on players like Purce, who continues to battle for a spot on future national team rosters.

“I want to be that outside back,” Purce said. “I want to be on the national team. If that’s the position I can take and that’s the position they see me in, no matter how many games it takes, no matter how frustrated I get, I’m just going to keep getting better at the position.”