Tuesday Roundup: Breakers sign Swedish D/F Lotta Okvist

Also in today’s Roundup, Erin and Ella leaving FC Rosengard, Jonas Eidevall to coach at Rosengard, and Trinidad & Tobago will host 2018 U-20 CONCACAF Championship/U-20 World Cup qualifying

Today, the Boston Breakers announced the signing of Swedeish defender/midfielder Lotta Ökvist for the 2018 NWSL season.

The 20-year old most recently spent times in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan with Piteå IF during the 2016-2017 season where we appeared in 25 games. Ökvist spent part of the 2016, 11 games to be exact, with Uma and played in 27 games for Piteå between 2009 and 2015. At the national team level, Ökvist has seen time with both the U-19 and U-17 Swedish women’s national team. She made her international debut at the U-17 level in 2013. Since then, she’s played in both the UEFA U-17 and U-19 Women’s Championships where she helped Sweden with the U-19 UEFA title in 2015/2016.

“Lotta is a very technically gifted player with a wonderful left foot,” Boston Breakers head coach Matt Beard said in the club’s official release. “She is a versatile player, who plays in defense and attack and will be a great addition to our roster.”

The Boston Breakers, a team that was riddled with injuries and finished ninth in the 2017 NWSL season standings, will be looking to rebound come 2018.

“I’m really excited to play in the NWSL, and I’m thankful I got the opportunity to play with the Boston Breakers,” Ökvist said. “I have a really good impression of the club, from the coach to the medical staff, the team, the whole organization, everyone seems really professional. I am a team player and a fighter. I love to win, so I will always give 100 percent for my team. I hope the fans come out and support us next season and help us reach our goal of making the playoffs.”

Erin and Ella to leave Rosengard

Erin McLeod and Ella Masar McLeod are both set to leave FC Rosengard after the club offered a new contract to Masar but not to McLeod. Masar and McLeod were married in 2015 shortly after the World Cup during which McLeod was Canada’s starting goalkeeper. The couple went to Rosengard together though McLeod tore her ACL in her debut for the side in March 2016.

They gave me a chance because of her I earned my ‘right’ for her And my proudest moment, of the last two years, is to walk away from their contract offer with her. You see she is a better person than I will ever be. Because where I want to state the truth of why I am leaving, she tells me to take my pride, integrity, and 2x leading goal scorer of FC Rosengard with me. That doesn’t take away from some of the amazing friendships I have made or the many learning curves of living in another country for almost 22 months. And, of course, acknowledging the fact that without (my time with) Rosengard I would never have been able to prove you ALL wrong. Prove that you don’t need a national team or a political voting system to have your name respected. You see without them, without you, I would never have been given the honor to play with ….. Announcement coming soon but trust me, you won’t want to miss this ONE #bestintheworld #earnedit #respect #politics

A post shared by Ella (Masar) McLeod (@emasar3) on Oct 31, 2017 at 8:27am PDT

McLeod and Masar have both been prominent figures in both WPS and NWSL. They most recently played together for the Houston Dash in 2015. Both intend to seek out other playing opportunities elsewhere. Rosengard are out of season but will play Chelsea in the Round of 16 of the Champions League beginning next week. Masar and McLeod are expected to be available for that tie.

Eidevall Returns to  FC Rosengård

FC Rosengård announced Jonas Eidevall has the team’s new head coach today. He will lead last year’s Champion’s League runners-up in their quest to win next year’s title.  Previously, Eidevall worked for the club from 2012-2014 as an assistant coach and then later became head coach. The 34-year-old was at the helm of the side when they won theDamallsvenskan in 2013. Most recently, Eidevall coached at Helsingborg’s IF for the past two seasons.

Eidevall takes over the spot vacated by Jack Majgaard Jensen last month when the club and Majgaard Jensen mutually agreed to part ways.  Majgaard Jensen’s departure came have the team blew a 10 point lead over Linköpings FC in the Damallsvenskan to finish second in the league.

Trinidad & Tobago To Host CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying

CONCACAF  announced today that confederation’s 2018 U-20 World Cup Qualifying Tournament was awarded to Trinidad & Tobago. The tournament will take place at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad from January 18- 28, 2018. The three top finishers in the qualifying tournament will advance to the U-20 World Cup in France next August. In addition to the hosts, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rico, Nicaragua, Mexico, Canada, and the United States will participate in the tournament. The two final teams of the tournament will decide in Caribbean qualifying next month.

The official draw for the CONCACAF qualifying event will take place in Port of Spain, Trinidad on November 7th.  The United States won the last CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying tournament, defeating Canada 1-0 in the championship game. The team then finished fourth at the 2016 U-20 World Cup in Papua New Guinea after falling to eventual winners North Korea 2-1.