Katrina Gorry was scheduled to arrive Wednesday in Salt Lake City, finally uniting the Utah Royals FC roster in Utah.
Gorry, who was helping the Australia women’s national team qualify for the World Cup, was the last missing piece in the inaugural roster. She will work with the coaching staff in the upcoming days to determine her availability for Saturday’s match against Portland.
Gorry reports to her new club after four matches in the Women’s Asian Cup.
“I think her ability on the ball, her ability to find a pass and her ability to score goals is something she can jump into this team [with],” Royals coach Laura Harvey said. “She’s a very good footballer who knows what it takes to play in this league.”
The 2014 Asian Football Confederation Player of the year earned that honor after winning the NWSL Cup with FC Kansas City. Gorry left the NWSL after the 2014 season, and Harvey said she was pleased by how much the 25-year-old playmaker has developed since.
Gorry’s late arrival this season is emblematic of the challenges the Royals (0-1-3) have faced. The NWSL schedule opened April 15 last year, three weeks later than this season’s March 24 opening day. For a team stocked with international and federation players like the Royals, the earlier date meant much of its team was away on international duty until about two weeks before its first match.
Utah has been able to pull out three draws on the road. But ahead of the Royals’ home opener, a 1-0 loss to Chicago, key players like midfielder Gunnhildur Jonsdottir didn’t return until midweek before the match.
“I think for the players that came back from Europe and straight to Salt Lake, it was really tough, the home opener, because of the altitude and stuff,” Harvey said. “So we’re conscious of that. But it’ll be great to see her on the field if we can.”
Harvey has yet to settle on a regular starting lineup. That lack of stability stems from the short amount of time the Royals have had together as a full team. For example, Kelley O’Hara has played both right and left back for the Royals, and five players have rotated in and out at winger.
“It’s taking a little bit more time to nail down those tendencies,” O’Hara said.
While the Royals have gotten to know each other’s habits and preferences better through each practice, the new team likely will see an elevation in play as its players grow more comfortable with each other.
“Soccer is a fluid game,” O’Hara said, “so not having to think or wait to make a decision, just knowing what it’s going to be based on knowing your teammates, is everything in this game. So it’s a very, very big component of a team’s success.”