It feels like it was just yesterday the USL announced their new women’s pre-professional league, the USL W. Since then, it’s been a marathon of new expansion teams, exciting new announcements, player signings, and clip after clip of absolute bangers.

The bangers, typically, from the two teams in the final: South Georgia Tormenta FC and Minnesota Aurora FC.

Minnesota Aurora FC has had a storybook inaugural season. After announcing themselves as a community-owned women’s team in Minnesota, they received astounding interest and support from all across the world. 3,080 women’s soccer fans, excited to be a part of something they knew to be special, invested in the team, raising $1 million. Since then, they’ve built a soccer powerhouse in the Twin Cities, employing multiple staff members and creating an environment for their players to flourish.

And flourish they have. Aurora FC’s record is 11-0-1, only drawing to Green Bay Glory in their opening match at TCO Stadium.

South Georgia Tormenta FC’s story may not be as magical as Aurora FC’s but they’ve created something special as well over in Statesboro, Georgia. Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a premier academy with USL League One and League Two men’s teams. In 2021, when the USL announced the W League, they quickly jumped on the opportunity to field a USL W team and showcase the talent of their local women’s soccer players. They’ve even attracted international talent, signing forward Amy Andrews from Birmingham, England, as their third rostered player. The Western Illinois University star won the league’s first ever Golden Boot Trophy, leading the league with 16 goals.

Andrews’ goals account for almost half of Tormenta FC’s overall goals this season. They had 12 different goal scorers over the course of the season, but only 3 who scored more than two goals. Aurora FC will be looking to shut down Andrews early and manage midfielder Jaida Nyby, Tormenta FC’s assist leader.

Meanwhile, Tormenta FC will have to contend with 6 different players on the Aurora FC roster who have scored more than 2 goals this season - one of which is a right back, Mackenzie Langdok. Mariah Nguyen and Maya Hanson are extremely effective together up top and when supported in the midfield and supplied balls by their fullbacks, can either create or score at a moment’s notice.

Both goalkeepers, meanwhile, are quite evenly matched. Although comparing stats for goalkeepers can be difficult, given defenses have a lot to do with certain stats like number of saves, it still must be mentioned how absolutely clinical both teams’ starting goalkeepers have been this season. Tormenta FC’s Sydney Martinez made 36 saves this season, only allowing 6 in for a .857 save percentage. Aurora FC’s Sarah Fuller, similarly, had 28 saves this season, only allowing 5 goals total, for an .848 save percentage. One thing can be said, if either team makes it past the other’s backline, they’ll have to contend with a brick wall in front of the net.
The two will face off on Saturday, July 23rd at 8:00 PM EST. You can catch the livestream on Eleven Sports.

- Elisabeth Schendel