Every once in a while, the CBS broadcast will cut to a spectator that somehow found his way into Zions Bank Stadium for the NWSL Challenge Cup. On closer inspection, it’s former Reign head coach and current USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski.

Often, Andonovski is seen writing in his notebook. While he may be journaling about the playground, sunset or the farm, it is much more likely that he is taking notes as he evaluates a roster for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Before the Olympics were postponed, the likelihood of roster turnover was low given the one year gap between the World Cup and Tokyo. Teams can only carry 18 players at the Olympics, and it was widely expected that those 18 would be chosen among the 23 who won in France.

The postponement of the Olympics has changed all that. Players for whom the Olympics would have likely been their last tournament with the national team are now another year older. Their spots are less secure. Someone like Alex Morgan, on the other hand, would seem to be a shoo-in; originally it was unclear whether she’d be able to come back in time after just giving birth in May.

The extra year of preparation also gives the Challenge Cup added significance, as it may be the only opportunity for many national team hopefuls to play competitive games this calendar year.

Be like Vlatko. Wear a mask ???? pic.twitter.com/uW8gto54cp

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 6, 2020

Heading into the tournament, the opportunity seemed perfect for someone like Mallory Pugh, an immensely talented player, still young, who looked to have apparently been left off the initial Olympic roster. Traded to a new team in Sky Blue FC and playing with a chip on her shoulder, there was a chance she could have played herself back into contention. Instead, an injury has forced her to miss out on the tournament.

Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, Christen Press and Morgan all opted out of the tournament, but their spots are all but assured. Ali Krieger, Emily Sonnett and Ashlyn Harris likewise won’t have it held against them that Orlando was unable to play. And while Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn and Carli Lloyd have either been limited or unable to play due to injuries, they can feel confident about heading to Tokyo, even if Lloyd will be 38. Tierna Davidson, on the other hand, has struggled with injuries since her final (junior) year at Stanford and could have used a strong showing to cement herself as the future of the defense.

As Andonovski looks towards the future, my bet is he’s currently feeling a bit overwhelmed with the number of world-class goalkeepers he’s seen performing at the Challenge Cup.

So far, Aubrey Bledsoe, who has brought into Andonovski’s first camp for friendlies against Sweden and Costa Rica, has been a brick wall for the Washington Spirit. Jane Campbell of the Houston Dash has also looked strong after being invited to a January camp alongside the three keepers who went to France.

What about the surprise of the tournament, Bella Bixby? Bixby leads the Cup in saves and has allowed one goal per game. She has also allowed 2.03 fewer goals than expected according to American Soccer Analysis, which is second in the league.

Honestly this save is just rude.

This MASSIVE stop from @bellageist is worth another look. #BAONDX pic.twitter.com/5CqSE3Wpwr

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) July 6, 2020

Andonovski is familiar with Casey Murphy from her time with the Reign and brought her in for December camp last year. There has probably not been much added to her page in the notebook, but she did keep a clean sheet against Sky Blue and has four saves across two games.

Of course, this all comes with the caveat that Alyssa Naeher still looks the part of the best goalkeeper in the world.

On the other side of the pitch, Lynn Williams is making a very convincing case that she should be on the Olympic roster. She had three goals during Olympic qualifying and has carried that form over to the Challenge Cup. She has three goals in three games and leads everyone in both shots and shots on goal. Her goals added score according to American Soccer Analysis, which measures the goal value a player adds compared to an average player at their position is 1.25. The next closest player is Julie Ertz with 0.50.

LYNN WILLIAMS. That's the tweet. @lynnraenie #NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/aMtUn4R8PR

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 2, 2020

Andi Sullivan was also on that Olympic qualifying roster and seems poised to be a feature on the national team squad for many years to come. She is tied for fourth in the league with six tackles won, and her six interceptions is tied for second.

Teammate Ashley Sanchez has excelled on the dribble. Andonovski has certainly made note of her five successful dribbles, second most in the league behind Debinha, out of 12 attempts. The rookie has not shied away from the opportunity and that confidence will serve her well. Finally, her creativity and reflexes on Sam Staab’s tying goal against Portland will not soon be forgotten.

Back heel flick from @ashleynsanchezz ✅
Equalizer from @SamStaab_ ✅pic.twitter.com/jPXSsTeQIu

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) July 6, 2020

Although Chicago fans would have liked her to learn how to go down in the box, Kealia Watt has otherwise had a solid tournament. Her seven shots are tied for fourth and her 10 crosses are tied for the team lead. The advanced statistics say she is tied for eighth in the league with 0.39 goals added. Like Sanchez, she has also been effective on the dribble with 4-of-7 successful dribble attempts.

Since coming to the Houston Dash, Shea Groom has as many goals (2) as shots and games played. No one has more than her 1.13 goals per 90 minutes. The two brilliant goals showcased her full range of ability, one a soaring header and the other a screaming shot. She also has an assist and has been a focus of the revitalized Dash, with the team up four goals when she is on the pitch. She is also on the leaderboards with four drawn fouls. Back in 2016, she was called in for two friendlies with the national team, but was not capped. Even if the Olympics is not the venue, she should get a chance soon enough.

???????????? Shea Groom has been cleared for take-off. #NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/5Ol0bsqHu7

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) July 5, 2020

Groom has partnered well with Kristie Mewis, who has a goal and an assist of her own. Since receiving 15 caps in 2013-14, Mewis has been left off the national team roster, until Andonovski showed renewed interest and invited her to the December camp. In this cup, her 10 crosses are tied for sixth and her five fouls drawn is second. Her younger sister Sam is a sure bet for the national team, but Kristie Mewis has shown she still has a lot left.

Another player who was shown that she is still capable is Amy Rodriguez. While the Utah forward is probably not going to get a chance to return to the international stage, she is making the most of the stage. Through two games, she has a goal, an assist, and six shots. The pace that set her apart when she was a World Cup champion remains an asset.

Savannah McCaskill has six caps at the senior level and her upside is on full display. Coming on in the 64th minute against North Carolina, McCaskill’s entrance put Chicago on the front foot. She has nine crosses, tied for tenth in the Cup, despite coming off the bench in two games. It is this playmaking ability that is appreciated by her coach and makes her appealing for the national team.

“If I’m being honest, I thought outside of Sav [McCaskill], when the other players came off the bench, the game fell off completely,” Chicago coach Rory Dames said after the last game.

Andonovksi’s notebook of attackers, to the disappointment of some, does not contain Sky Blue’s Midge Purce. So far, she has been used exclusively at right back. While she does make up a significant portion of the team’s touches, 11.7% or the tenth highest rate in the league, she is completing just 66.4% of passes and seems buried. It seems that Purce, who has one cap, thinks that her best chance at the senior level comes in defense.

“I think every player who plays in the United States, we all know Vlatko is here,”  she said in a postgame interview. “He’s hard to miss; he’s kinda tall. Yeah, absolutely, I want to be that outside back. I want to be on the national team.”

Still, the competition at outside back is steep. In addition to the current stalwarts, Casey Short has been brought in for past camps and is tied for fourth in the tournament with six tackles won.

Washington Spirit’s left back Tegan McGrady has also impressed. She passes with 79% accuracy and her 1.65 passes completed over expected is eighth in the league, one spot behind Abby Dahlkemper. She debuted with the national team in 2018, and in the constant search for elite wing backs, has a potential path to the roster.

In the center, Alana Cook is at 87.5% pass accuracy with an average of 25 yards per pass. Playing in front of an American audience for the first time as a professional on loan from PSG, Cook has shown the same poise that allowed her to step in as a freshman at Stanford and start every game over her four year college career. The former captain of the United States U23s in 2019 looked much more comfortable next to Lauren Barnes than Amber Brooks, who also played her first game as the Reign center back in match two.

It is not hard to imagine that Andonovski has made some notes on Bethany Balcer’s sophomore campaign. While she has yet to have the same impact as she managed during her rookie year, much of that may be attributed to the lack of a game plan for OL Reign. On Wednesday, she broke the team’s scoring drought.

.@bethanybalcer the hero! ????‍♀️@OLReign get their first goal at the #NWSLChallengeCup and their first win.

0-1 | #UTAvRGN

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch. pic.twitter.com/5AFh69fQwn

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2020

Ashley Hatch has 0.28 fewer goals than expected goals, which is the most of any player who has scored this tournament. Her pace is elite, but her finishing leaves something to be desired.

Second overall pick Morgan Weaver has generated chances with the Portland Thorns, but the team is still reliant on Lindsey Horan’s creativity.

Of course, Andonovski is there so he can evaluate everyone. There will be players that were not on his radar as Reign head coach but now pique his interest as coach of the World Cup champions. There will be surprises and disappointments.

This tournament has been of such high quality that any attempt to recreate Andonovski’s notebook is bound to come up short. We’ll simply have to wait until Tokyo to see what the one fan in the stands has been scribbling all this time.

The New York Liberty dominated Indiana on Thursday night, winning by a whopping 36 points in the Fever's home opener. 

A sold-out crowd of 17,274 was in attendance to watch as star rookie Caitlin Clark finished the 102-66 defeat with nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists. It’s the first time since January 2021 — her freshman season at Iowa — that Clark's been held to single-digit scoring. 

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"The physicality is definitely up there... I'm easily pushed off screens," she told reporters after the loss. "The game seems a little fast for me right now. The more I play and the more comfortable I get, it's going to slow down a little bit. It will be easier for me to make reads, see things develop."

The Fever were outscored by a combined margin of 57 points in their first two games — the largest two-game point deficit in WNBA season-opening history, according to @ESPNStatsInfo.

"We've got to get to a level of toughness," Fever coach Christie Sides in her own postgame remarks. "When things are going south on us, we're not stopping the bleeding."

"I have great perspective on everything that happens," Clark added. "It was the same in my college career. There were some moments that were absolutely amazing. And there were some moments I was not happy with how I played and how my team performed. That's just life, that's just basketball."

Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who herself experienced a rocky rookie season following a much-hyped college career, offered up some insight on the matter.

"In this league, there are tough defenses all centered around not letting you get the ball, trapping, not letting you score," Ionescu said. "There were many factors that played into what was a tough first season for me in the league, but it helps you be able to figure it out. You have to have those experiences."

But it was reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart that truly stole the show, racking up 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks on the night.

"In general, I just wanted to come out more aggressive coming off of last game," Stewart said after putting up the 24th 30-point game in her career.

Stewart she also commended the fans inside Indianapolis's packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse, noting that she hopes that level of support to continue across the WNBA.

"This is how you want every game to be and when it's a sell-out crowd, it gives you a similar playoff atmosphere feel," she said. "People want to be a part of this and the thing now is to continue to sustain it, continue to take the momentum that we have and turn it into something more."

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert admitted to a "faulty rollout" of the new charter travel initiative on Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Ahead of Tuesday's season opener, it was announced that the only teams flying private this week would be Indiana and Minnesota. The announcement came mere days after the league made a new charter flight program for all WNBA teams public. At the time, they said it would be implemented "as soon as we have the planes."

But as two teams out of 12 chartered to their first games of the season, others like the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky were forced to fly commercial.

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A town hall meeting between Engelbert and the players was held in response to the confusion. Everything from the league's new media rights deal to private travel was covered in the meeting, with players submitting their questions ahead of time. Sky center Elizabeth Williams told Sun-Times reporter Annie Costabile afterwards that cross-country flights were prioritized.

"Flights that are across the country like [the Lynx] going to Seattle, crossing multiple time zones, or flights that usually require a connection, those were the priorities," Williams said. "That’s why New York didn’t go to DC with a charter, but Minny goes to Seattle."

What’s unclear under that metric is that the Atlanta Dream played the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, which could technically be classified as a cross-country flight. 

On Tuesday, rookie forward Angel Reese shared a photo on her Instagram story lamenting the league's use of commercial flights.

"Just praying that this is one of the last commercial flights the Sky has to fly," Reese posted. The team still has at least three commercial flights awaiting them in the near future.

"Obviously, I think all teams should be able to get chartered," Reese told the Sun-Times. "But I know moving forward... going in the right direction, being able to have some teams [chartering] is cool. Within the next weeks, everybody will be flying charter, which will be really good."

On Thursday, Lindsay Schnell of USAToday Sports confirmed that the league intends to have all teams on charter flights by May 21st.

Brazil has been named the host for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with FIFA announced early Friday. 

The decision came after a vote at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, with Brazil earning 119 votes to the joint European bid’s 78. 

This will be Brazil’s first time hosting the Women’s World Cup, with the country having hosted the men’s World Cup twice before in 1950 and 2014. It will also be the first Women’s World Cup held in South America. The tournament will follow the same 32-team format as the 2023 WWC in Australia and New Zealand.

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Brazil winning the bid was not entirely surprising after FIFA issued a report just last week, stating that the Brazilian bid had pulled ahead as host following technical inspection. After evaluation, Brazil was given a score of 4.0 out of 5, compared to the 3.7 awarded to the Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Brazil ranked higher in a number of key areas, including stadiums, accommodations, fan zones, and transport infrastructure. Though considered to be a frontrunner, the US and Mexico withdrew their joint bid prior to the technical inspection period, saying they would instead focus their efforts on 2031.

On Friday, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues called it a "victory." 

"We knew we would be celebrating a victory for South American women's soccer and for women," he told reporters. "You can be sure, with no vanity, we will accomplish the best World Cup for women."

"We are working on a transformation, not only for the country but for the continent," added bid team operational manager Valesca Araujo.

Brazil intends to use 10 of the venues utilized at the 2014 men’s World Cup, including holding the final in Rio de Janeiro on July 25th. The CBF's proposal outlines that the 2027 tournament run from June 24th through the end of July. Last summer’s World Cup began at the end of July and concluded on August 19th.

Another notable element of Brazil's newly unveiled plan to grow of the women’s game is that "all [men’s] clubs wishing to take part in high-level national and continental competitions must now provide a structure for a women’s team." While the definition of "structure" was not specifically identified, the country has set targets with CONMEBOL to help increase the number of women’s club teams in the country.

In last week's inspection findings, FIFA noted that selecting Brazil as the next WWC host could "have a tremendous impact on women's football in the region."

Chelsea did what they needed to do on Wednesday in order to make Saturday's slate of season-ending WSL fixtures interesting: Beat Tottenham.

The Blues are now number one in the league, with an edge over Manchester City on goal differential thanks to an eight-goal outing against Bristol City last week. 

Yesterday's result tees up a league finale for the books as Chelsea looks to send coach Emma Hayes off with another trophy to add to her cabinet. The Blues will play FA Cup winner Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, while City is away at Aston Villa.

"We will be leaving nothing on the pitch, we will be giving everything and no matter what the result is," Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert said after Wednesday's win. "At least we can look each other in the eye and say we gave everything."

It makes for a thrilling end to Chelsea's Emma Hayes era, as the decorated WSL coach will take over the USWNT in June. And it comes after Hayes all but conceded the title race early this month after Chelsea fell to Liverpool 4-3.

"I think the title is done," Hayes said at the time. "Of course, mathematically, it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.

"We will never give up. But the title is far from us; it's not in our hands. I think City are deserving, their consistency has put them in that position. Of course, we will go to the end, but I don't think the title will be going to us this year."

Be it mind games or Hayes truly thinking her team was that far off, her words lit something in Chelsea. Their following two performances showed the team’s determination to have a shot at some silverware.

As for Saturday's schedule, Hayes believes her team is facing the "tougher of the two games."

"It's a fitting finale for me, being my final game," she told BBC Sport. "As I said to the players if someone gives you a second chance in life, make sure you don't need a third one. We're in the position we want to be in, and we'll give it everything on Saturday no matter what."