The Rise of Sarah Gorden: The Defender’s Journey to Angel City
One exciting comeback to watch as the 2023 NWSL season gets underway is that of Sarah Gorden. She is one of the most underrated defenders in the league that brings a calming presence to the backline while also being able to use her speed and service to create chances on the offensive side.
Early Years
Sarah Gorden is from Elk Grove Village, Illinois, and began playing soccer at a young age. She played youth soccer with Eclipse Select Soccer Club, an ECNL club in Chicago.
The defender stayed home for college, attending DePaul University, where she was a two-sport athlete playing soccer and running track. While with the Blue Demons, she appeared in 77 matches, starting all but one between 2011 and 2015.
Gorden sat out the 2013 season while she was pregnant with her son, Caiden, who was born in 2014. It didn’t take her long to get back on the field, and she had one of her best seasons in 2014. During that 2014 season, she was an anchor in the defense that led DePaul to a 20-game unbeaten streak.
Drafted by the Chicago Red Stars
She became the first player from DePaul to be drafted into the NWSL when her hometown team, the Chicago Red Stars, selected the defender with the 22nd pick in the 2016 draft.
During her first two seasons in Chicago, Gorden struggled to find consistent minutes. That changed in 2018 when she started to break into the lineup earning more minutes as the season went on.
She began to emerge in 2019 when she played in all but one match that season. Her play that season earned Gorden her first call-up to the senior USWNT national team.
During the 2021 season, Gorden was an iron woman for Chicago playing every minute of that season. Gorden worked her way up and became one of the best defenders in the league. With her speed, she’s able to wreak havoc on the sidelines while also being a terrific defensive presence.
While in Chicago, Gorden also created a nonprofit organization called HoodSpace Chi that focused on giving girls of color resources for mental health. The hope is that the organization will also expand into Los Angeles now.
The Switch to Angel City
Ahead of the 2022 season, Gorden was traded to Angel City FC for their inaugural season. Unfortunately, during the pre-season, she suffered an ACL injury that sidelined her for the entire season.
Angel City failed to make the playoffs despite showing promise. So there was always that question of what the team would be with Gorden back on the pitch. She completed rehab and physical therapy on her knee.
Gorden was able to make her debut for Angel City in their first match of the 2023 season, where she played a full 90 minutes. Her speed, defensively, is something that sets her apart from other defenders. So, it will be exciting to see Sarah Gorden play this season as she continues to improve after her injury and as she looks to help take Angel City to the playoffs for the first time!
Featured image via Daniel Gray
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