After this week, we'll be halfway through the season. It's a rare six-game week, and we begin with single-game days, the first on Wednesday. We begin with...
The Portland Thorns FC hosting the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Michelle Betos are the keepers. Watch the game at that link. The early part of the game saw some struggles in keeping possession and getting chances going. Katherine Reynolds had a cross in the fourth minute toward Christine Sinclair, but Sam Johnson stopped it for Chicago. Nadia Nadim went around Vanessa DiBernardo to keep the Thorns attacking, but her pass to Lindsey Horan ended in a handball as Casey Short harassed the Portland midfielder. Julie Johnston had an error in the box, taking a heavy touch tight into Sinclair's path, allowing the Thorns striker to strike for a goal in the sixth minute, leaving Naeher with no chance. Tobin Heath, while she didn't get an assist, helped pressure the Red Stars' Johnston into the mistake as Portland takes a 1-0 lead. Reynolds had a long cross in the seventh minute, broken up by Chicago's Alyssa Mautz. In the eighth minute, Heath earned a corner kick against Johnston, and Heath served it in to Emily Sonnett, who flicked it to Amandine Henry, who chipped it over the bar. Mautz did brilliantly on a Chicago counterattack, feeding Sofia Huerta and avoiding the offside Amanda Da Costa. Betos came way off her line, and Huerta beat her but the post got the last laugh to save the Thorns. Short tried a long ball in the tenth minute, but Betos was there. Mautz had a second attempt, but no one was on the end of it. Mautz and Da Costa combined to get the ball central to Christen Press, but she was out of position. Henry played the defense for the Thorns. Danielle Colaprico had a good takeaway from Sinclair in the thirteenth minute. Arin Gilliland's cross was cleared by Henry, and the next two efforts were cleaned up by Portland's Allie Long. Betos ended the Red Stars attack with a save on a Press shot. Mautz couldn't quite find Da Costa in the fifteenth minute, but Meghan Klingenberg got there first. Long fouled Huerta in a good spot for Chicago, and Colaprico served it into Mautz, who put it well over the bar. In the eighteenth minute, Sonnett took a free kick and found Horan, who headed wide left. Henry broke up a rush by Da Costa on the counterattack as Chicago has taken a good share of possession after falling behind. Reynolds had a cross toward Horan that didn't work out, all after Sinclair outran Johnston the Red Stars to get the ball for Portland. Da Costa had a half hit, and when Sonnett miscleared off a teammate, Press fired just wide in the twenty-second minute as Chicago continues to swarm. Johnston fouled Sinclair, and Nadim took the ball from there, getting a long shot to go wide right in the twenty-fifth minute, although a corner was earned. Heath took the kick to Henry, who flicked on to Nadim for a shocking goal to put Portland up 2-0 in the twenty-sixth minute. Nadim's positioning left Naeher no chance again. Henry took the ball away from Press in the Portland box in the twenty-ninth minute, allowing Sonnett to clear away. Colaprico kept it for the Red Stars, and passed to Huerta, who chipped a shot just wide right, sending Betos diving. Mautz ran over Klingenberg to keep the ball with Chicago, and then a cross found Betos' hands in the thirtieth minute. Long blocked a DiBernardo shot, and then Press whiffed on a Colaprico through ball. Heath went by Gilliland, Johnston, and Mautz before passing to Henry, who shot high from distance in the thirty-third minute. Nadim tried to pick out Heath, but Johnston intercepted the pass from the Thorns. Heath blocked a shot by the Red Stars' Press in the thirty-fourth minute, and then Mautz shot wide right after a popped up header by Sonnett. Henry went long to Nadim in the thirty-fifth minute, allowing Nadim to win a corner kick off of Short. Heath's service went toward Sonnett, who put it just over the bar. Heath went straight around Gilliland but couldn't get past Naeher, who blocked it to a teammate and returned Chicago to possession. A good spell of Portland possession ended with Gilliland winning the ball from Klingenberg. On the other side in the forty-fifth minute, Gilliland had a cross against Klingenberg, but Betos was the first one there, giving the Thorns the ball again. Press had a knockdown to give Huerta another shot at the end of the half, which went wide left. The Thorns have a 2-0 lead, and have seen great efforts from RB Reynolds, CB Sonnett, DM Henry, RW Nadim, ACM Horan, and striker Sinclair. The Red Stars have had good performances from RB Gilliland, DM Colaprico, RW Mautz, LW Da Costa, LF Press, and RF Huerta. In the forty-sixth minute, Short fired a decent shot low but wide left, with Betos covering it to prevent a Chicago rebound. Long prevented Da Costa from getting a cross off as the Red Stars have come out strong in the second half. Short tried a cross into Mautz in the forty-ninth minute, but it was long and Mautz had no angle on it. The Thorns tried to make a break, but Horan lost the ball to Colaprico. Chicago had a fifty-first minute free kick from Colaprico, and the onrushing Johnston collided brutally with the Thorns keeper Betos as the latter punched it out. Johnston proved to be okay after taking the worst of it. Johnson had a strange cleared for the Red Stars, and ended up gifting Portland a corner kick. Heath's service went away from any Thorns, and Johnston sent it away for Chicago. In the fifty-sixth minute, Horan and Colaprico crashed into each other, and it was Chicago's Colaprico who stayed down a bit before getting up. The game has taken a physical turn. Short couldn't quite get around Reynolds in the fifty-seventh minute as the Red Stars keep pushing well. Horan nutmegged Press, and then Press fouled Henry in a bold move for the Thorns in the midfield. Horan took a heavy touch that Johnston poked away. Sinclair touched around Johnston in the sixtieth minute and then fired, skimming the top of the net on her shot as the Thorns couldn't quite make it three. Heath went against Johnston after a Sinclair pass, and Johnston got the better of it to halt the Portland attack. Huerta and Emily Menges of Portland had a good battle in the sixty-fourth minute, with Menges eventually winning the ball for the Thorns. Klingenberg found Long in the sixty-fifth minute, but Johnston recovered after her misplay to take it back for Chicago. Heath had a shot for the Thorns in the sixty-sixth minute after Nadim laid it off from a Reynolds cross. It took Klingenberg and Menges to stop fancy footwork from Gilliland before Betos got to the ball in the sixty-seventh minute. Klingenberg cleaned up Short's cross in the sixty-eighth minute, giving the Red Stars a corner kick. DiBernardo's service went long and was cleared out by Horan, and then Horan cleared a Press effort too. Heath earned a corner kick off Huerta in the seventy-first minute, and took it short to Klingenberg. Dagny Brynjarsdottir had the cross, and it found Long, who was then fouled by Jen Hoy of Chicago. The Thorns saw Heath take the free kick in a good spot, and put it well over the bar. In the seventy-fifth minute, the Red Stars got a free kick after Reynolds fouled Short on the left wing side of the box. DiBernardo did the free kick, and Horan got to the service and then Betos caught it in the mob. Heath shoved Huerta down in the seventy-seventh minute, teeing up another Chicago free kick. Sonnett got on the end of the DiBernardo service. DiBernardo earned a corner kick and took it after Klingenberg's mess up. Press put it into the box from up high, and Betos got there just before Short as the Red Stars flurry of activity continues. Press had a good cross in the seventy-ninth minute, but Klingenberg got it out of danger for the Thorns. Colaprico continued with a shot low and wide right at the seventy-nine minute mark. Menges outran Hoy to limit Chicago to a corner kick in the eighty-first minute. Betos punched it out very cleanly after DiBernardo served it in. In the eighty-third minute, DiBernardo did another corner kick after Hoy earned it, and this one landed on top of the net. Gilliland and Huerta combined for a play, but Menges and Klingenberg were up to task. Sonnett sent out a Press pass intended for Hoy. Johnston tried to pick out Hoy in the eighty-eighth minute, but the through ball went long to Betos as the Thorns continue to weather the attacks. On the counterattack, Portland's Long found Hayley Raso, and just a poke from Chicago's Katie Naughton prevented a shot. The Thorns took the corner kick short to stay deep in the attacking zone as they try to kill the clock. Raso eventually crossed to Dagny, who just missed getting a shot off. DiBernardo went long to Press, and Sonnett shielded Press, but she still managed a half-chance with Betos blocking it. Gilliland had a cross in stoppage time, which Betos caught cleanly, neutralizing another Red Stars attack. Raso went around Gilliland on a Thorns attack, and then found Mallory Weber, who just flubbed the shot wide right with Naeher way out of position. Press made a deep run but ended with a weak and wide shot, and this left the game at 2-0 for the Thorns. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is Horan, who didn't have a hand in either goal, but played well on both sides of the ball and helped shut the game down. Improving in the second half for the Thorns were GK Betos and LW Heath, while the Red Stars had CB Johnston and LB Short also look much better.
Thursday saw the Orlando Pride welcome the Houston Dash. Lydia Williams and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. Here's the game. Orlando's Kristen Edmonds looped a ball into Alex Morgan in the second minute, but she headed it out of bounds wide left. Jamia Fields got a good ball into Morgan, who tried to cross back to Sam Witteman, but Ellie Brush blocked it for Houston in the third minute. The Dash tried a counterattack that saw Kealia Ohai pass to Rachel Daly, but in an offside position. Morgan Brian then had to make a block on Fields in the fourth minute. Brian tried to find Daly for Houston in the sixth minute, but Toni Pressley made the stop. Daly then served in off a pass from Ohai, and Denise O'Sullivan headed it over the bar. Josee Belanger broke up a pass from Becca Moros in the eighth minute, and then Houston was offside again as O'Sullivan was caught on a Cari Roccaro pass. Chioma Ubogagu's cross went long, cleared by the Pride's Steph Catley. Houston has had the bulk of possession so far. Fields set up Morgan for a tough-angle shot, and Morgan put it over the bar for Orlando. The Pride had a massive play, with Fields finding Maddy Evans, then Belanger crossing into Morgan, who headed high in the twelfth minute. Witteman had tracked the ball down to make this happen. Fields had a cross in toward Witteman, who nearly found it, but fouled the Dash's Poliana in the process to turn possession over. Ubogagu got stolen from by Belanger of the Pride after running into trouble in the seventeenth minute. Edmonds took a shot on goal that Williams stopped on the next Orlando foray forward. Ohai crossed into Daly, but the latter Houston forward couldn't control it. Brush went with a long through ball, but it was just too long for Ubogagu to get to, and Harris scooped it up for the Pride. Witteman had a good steal for Orlando against Ohai in the twenty-fourth minute. Catley took a pass from Pressley, and then found Morgan in the box, but Poliana did a wonderful job of shielding the Pride forward off the ball to allow Moros to clean it up. Daly passed to Ubogagu in the box, but she shot wide right in the twenty-seventh minute for Houston. Roccaro slipped a pass in to Daly in the box in the twenty-eighth minute, and Daly's shot for the Dash forced Harris into a save. Ohai then crossed in, but Harris came up with it again. Moros blocked a Fields attempt to cross in the thirtieth minute. Pressley did well to kill a Houston counterattack by intercepting O'Sullivan's pass. In the thirty-first minute, the first water break of the year was taken in game #46. Ohai tried a cross into Ubogagu in the thirty-fourth minute, but it was long and Ubogagu shot wide left. Witteman had a cross after a pass from Morgan, but Roccaro cleared it. Edmonds had a cross into Morgan for a second try for the Pride, and then Williams caught it to give Houston control. Poliana took a shot that Pressley deflected out for a corner kick in the thirty-sixth minute. The Dash's corner kick came from Andressa, who served in to Brian, who headed it high over the bar. Ubogagu had a poor cross after Daly passed it wide, and Belanger cleaned it up for the Pride in the thirty-seventh minute. Brian had a cross in the fortieth minute intercepted by Catley. Ubogagu had a cross, where Daly whiffed and then O'Sullivan hammered a shot off of Pressley, bouncing harmlessly into Harris' hand after a few bounces. Edmonds crossed on an Orlando counterattack, punched out by Williams and then poked out on the second attempt by Fields. Belanger and Fields strung passes together before Morgan nearly had a chance, but it was sent out for a Pride corner kick. Catley served it in short and the play didn't work. Moros made a good breakup on a Morgan pass for Fields. Ubogagu tried to find Daly in the box, but Catley was there just in time to save Orlando. Ohai had a bit of a weak cross on the second effort, caught by Harris. The game went into halftime tied 0-0. The best Dash players have been RB Poliana, RW Brian, LW O'Sullivan, and RF Ohai, and CF Daly, while the Pride's best play has come from GK Harris, LB Catley, RB Belanger, DCM Edwards, RW Evans, RF Fields, CF Morgan, and LF Witteman. Morgan had a forty-seventh minute shot off of a through ball by Pressley, challenging against Roccaro. Edmonds worked around Moros, but the Pride midfielder's cross went straight at Williams as she tried to put it across goal. Evans had a cross in, half-cleared by Moros, and then Fields just missed on the juicy leave. Poliana had a huge cross for Houston in the fiftieth minute, but O'Sullivan struck the right side netting on the outside of the goal. Andressa crossed the free kick to Poliana, but Pressley hit it out for a corner kick. Andressa had the corner kick, into Brian, who shot wide right. Ohai passed to Andressa in the fifty-fifth minute, and after a few steps, she shot, with Harris two-handing it over the bar. Andressa's corner kick was punched out by Harris, and then Poliana took a shot off Pressley for another corner kick. Andressa tried from the other side, crossing in out of bounds after Ohai took the corner kick short. Ohai found Daly in the box, but Pressley blocked the effort, and Ohai ran over it in the fifty-seventh minute. Daly had another shot against Pressley, going just wide right as Harris held the post. Fields took a shot on a pass from Morgan against Roccaro, who blocked it enough for Williams to grab it. In the sixty-second minute, Catley had a good cross for the Pride, but Williams dove onto it. The game has gotten stuck in the midfield a bit lately. Ohai tried to cross into Daly after a Brian long ball, but Laura Alleway broke up the pass for the Pride. Ubogagu's cross was blocked by Belanger in the sixty-sixth minute. Brian then tried a cross for the Dash, between Daly and O'Sullivan. On the counterattack, a foul by Poliana drew a yellow card as Witteman went down. Fields had a cross blocked by Roccaro. Edmonds had a good cross in to Morgan, who just missed settling it. Poliana had the clear for the Dash. Brush blocked another one away from Morgan in the seventy-third minute as Orlando has taken control. In the seventy-fourth minute, Brush fouled Morgan from behind, earning a yellow card. In the seventy-fifth minute, Edmonds drilled a long shot, forcing Williams into a big diving save. Jasmyne Spencer earned Orlando a corner kick off of Brush. Edmonds took it and crossed in toward Monica, but it was cleared out by the Dash. Cami Privett took a cross in the seventy-seventh minute, grabbed by Harris. Witteman blocked off Daly just after that, and then drew the foul for an Orlando free kick. Spencer tried to get behind the defense, but Roccaro broke it up as things open up late in the game. Daly took a long ball down and then passed to Ohai after Witteman tracked Daly down. Ohai shot high. Andressa broke up a Morgan pass intended for Spencer after Brush and Roccaro covered Morgan in the eightieth minute. Daly had a cross in the eighty-third minute, going right at Harris. Houston had a massive sequence, with Daly's shot blocked by Witteman, Poliana passing to Privett, who missed, and then Moros headed wide, and it went out to bail Harris and the Pride out. Evans tried to find Sarah Hagen in the eighty-sixth minute, but she couldn't turn and shoot for Orlando. In the eighty-eighth minute, Stephanie Ochs took a free kick for the Dash after Ochs was fouled by Catley. Morgan made a huge run in open field, shooting ahead of Moros and saved by Williams as Houston got off easy. Spencer received a ball in the ninetieth minute, running around Poliana but shot high over the bar. Houston had four more chances, two from Ochs, one from Daly on a bicycle kick, and one from Poliana, with Harris making multiple saves. The Pride got a late dagger, as Spencer buried a pass from Hagen, with Fields and Morgan getting chances in on the play as well. This gave Orlando the 1-0 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was Fields, for helping key the play for the late winner. Also impressing for the Pride were the LW Edmonds and LF sub Spencer, while the Dash saw good play from DCM Andressa.
On Friday, the Western New York Flash bring in the Boston Breakers. Jami Kranich and Katelyn Rowland are the backups in goal. Watch the game at that link. Kyah Simon had a shot in the first minute for Boston, blocked by Western New York's Elizabeth Eddy. Euncie Beckmann earned the Breakers a corner kick in the second minute after a Whitney Engen free kick. Louise Schillgard served it in near Beckmann, but Rowland caught it in time. Engen stole away from Jessica McDonald in the box as the Flash miss an opportunity to start their attack. Lynn Williams took a shot after Engen missed her clearing effort, but it went off the right post and then rolled out wide of the left post in the fifth minute. Engen knocked out a McDonald long throw, giving Western New York a corner kick. Abby Dahlkemper's service was cleared by Julie King in the eighth minute. McDonald had a second effort, and Kranich dealt with it for Boston. Christen Westphal took McCall Zerboni down hard, giving the Flash a free kick in their offensive third, but they made nothing of it. Possession has favored the Flash early on. Stephanie Verdoia also fouled Zerboni in the twelfth minute, with a more dangerous Western New York free kick. Dahlkemper put it in for Samantha Mewis, but the play didn't work out as planned, and Boston managed to clear it. Alanna Kennedy managed to clear under the pressure of Brittany Ratcliffe in the fifteenth minute. The Breakers kept it in with Beckmann, Simon, and then Verdoia put a shot on goal. On the counterattack, McDonald passed to Williams, but it was intercepted by Engen with Kranich out of position. Makenzy Doniak then tried a shot but it went wide in the seventeenth minute, as Western New York isn't quite sharp yet. In the nineteenth minute, Eddy stole it from Kassey Kallman, feeding Doniak, and then going long for Williams, who ran around the backtracking Engen to shoot it over Kranich's arm, giving Western New York a 1-0 lead. Beckmann had the ball in the Flash box on a pass from Ratcliffe, but Eddy slowed her down long enough to get Rowland onto the ball. Zerboni tried to cross in the twenty-first minute, but she couldn't get a foot on it for Western New York. Simon of the Breakers got hurt challenging Eddy, and had to come off temporarily in the twenty-fourth minute. Eddy tried a long cross for Western New York, and Zerboni nearly got a shot off anyway in the twenty-fifth minute, keeping the Breakers in their own half. Engen blocked a shot by Williams after a wonderful cross from Doniak, and a prior pass from Eddy. In the twenty-seventh minute, Eddy won a corner kick off of Kallman, who is getting really burned tonight. Jaelene Hinkle took the corner kick, low, and two Flash players missed it before Salem cleared it. Zerboni broke it up with a steal from Ratcliffe. Doniak passed to McDonald as Western New York countered back, but missed. In the twenty-eighth minute, McDonald struck with a goal on a pass from Mewis after Hinkle served it back in for the Flash. It's now 2-0 for Western New York. Schillgard had a free kick go near Beckmann in the thirty-first minute, but the Breakers couldn't manage a shot. Schillgard then fouled Zerboni to neuter the Western New York counterattack. Schillgard took a cross in the thirty-third minute for Boston, which Simon headed wide left. Williams crossed in toward McDonald in the thirty-fourth minute, heading high as the forwards continue to be dangerous. In the thirty-fifth minute, Kennedy fouled Verdoia, and Kennedy took a yellow card for it. Boston's free kick was in a dangerous spot, and taken by Schillgard, forcing Rowland to dive and send it out for a Breakers corner kick. King shot wide left after service from Schillgard. Boston got on the board with a thirty-eighth minute goal by Westphal from distance, on the shot-cross that drifted over Rowland and into the net, making Zerboni look bad with the deke by Westphal, cutting the score to 2-1. Western New York shot right back as Williams scored in the thirty-ninth minute, just flicking the cross from McDonald into the upper left corner. Zerboni was the one passing into McDonald on the win. Doniak had a cross in the forty-first minute that Westphal cleared out after Doniak danced around Simon, who is bandaged but playing on. Eddy crossed in to Zerboni, but just missed a shot, after Williams and Mewis strung passes together. Beckmann had a lay off for Ratcliffe, but she was just ahead of the play. Doniak, Mewis, and Eddy combined for an amazing set of passes before Eddy crossed to McDonald on the far post to head it back into the back of the net for a 4-1 lead for the Flash. The goal came in the forty-third minute. Doniak and Abby Erceg cleared for the Flash as the Breakers finally settled a bit late in the half. Hinkle's stoppage time cross toward McDonald was barely taken away by Engen. Doniak's cross was deflected by Kallman, but Kranich beat McDonald to the ball in the box. In stoppage time, Mewis found Doniak on a through ball, and Doniak shot it in easily around Kranich. Doniak went right between Kallman and Engen for the goal. The game went into halftime at 5-1 for the Flash. Impressing for the Breakers are virtually no one, but the RB Westphal and CF Beckmann have been the best so far. For the Flash, the top players are RB Eddy, CB Dahlkemper, DM Mewis, RW Doniak, LW Zerboni, and forwards McDonald and Williams. Western New York's McDonald fed Williams, who then passed to Mewis in the forty-eighth minute, but Mewis shot high with Kallman in defense for Boston. The Flash scored as Dahlkemper went long to Hinkle, who crossed in to an onrushing McDonald, who scored just in front of Engen to make it 6-1. This completed the hat trick for McDonald, her third goal of the evening. Erceg had a long ball in the fifty-first minute, but Kranich got there just before Williams to clear it, as the Breakers can't stop the counterattacks and build-up play of Western New York. In the fifty-second minute, Beckmann tried a long shot that went way over the goal. Williams danced around King before a long shot in the fifty-third minute, saved by Kranich (an uncommon phrase tonight). Engen took one away from the Flash with an interception of Zerboni's pass to McDonald. Schillgard couldn't find Beckmann in the fifty-fifth minute, as Hinkle shielded the ball out. Things slowed down a bit, as the result is practically certain, with only the number of goals left to be determined. Schillgard had a weak cross grabbed by Rowland in the fifty-eighth minute. A McDonald long throw in the fifty-ninth minute was cleared by King. In the sixtieth minute, Zerboni took a yellow card for a foul on Beckmann, although Beckmann was the aggressor on the play. Western New York made it 7-1 on a sixty-third minute Taylor Smith goal on a give-and-go from Williams. Smith made the initial steal to get the play going, and the Flash are on fire in this one. Mewis blocked an Elisa Krieghoff cross, and sprung Adriana Leon, who was only stopped by a diving Kranich on a rush toward goal. Smith had a through ball for Leon, but the forward fouled King and gave the Breakers the ball in the sixty-sixth minute. Engen's free kick found Kallman, but she turned and shot wide left in the sixty-seventh minute, as Boston is struggling badly. The Flash had a corner kick in the sixty-ninth minute, taken by Hinkle and punched out by Kranich. Dahlkemper handled the near-side corner kick, crossing toward McDonald, who had a header and a shot blocked before the Breakers cleared. Smith made Mollie Pathman look bad, earning another Western New York corner kick. Hinkle's service went toward McDonald but cleared by King. Zerboni tried a cross that Westphal blocked out, but Smith got a shot off, and it went high over the bar in the seventy-first minute. Westphal managed to get around Zerboni, but her cross was blocked away by Mewis. Leon and Kallman had a collision in the seventy-fourth minute, and both players were down for a short time. Mewis took a long ball toward Kristen Hamilton, but Kallman cleaned it up just in time for Boston. Pathman found Simon with a cross in the seventy-seventh minute, but the forward took a poor shot after beating Kennedy with position, and Kennedy blocked it away. Leon took a shot high in the seventy-ninth minute after a pass from Mewis. Hinkle had a cross cleared away by Engen in the eighty-first minute. A Schillgard foul led to a free kick for the Flash in the eighty-second minute, taken by Dahlkemper and shot wide left on a rocket shot. Pathman had to put one out for a corner kick against Eddy. Hinkle did the service, sending it into the box and knocked out by Rachel Wood for a corner kick on the other side. Dahlkemper's service went to Kennedy across goal, and then Leon had a volley try go just wide right off of Kennedy's return into the six-yard box. In the eighty-fifth minute, Boston had another defensive breakdown, allowing Zerboni to make a steal and take a long shot just barely off target. Schillgard's eighty-sixth minute cross was deflected by Erceg and grabbed safely by Rowland. On the Flash counterattack, Hinkle got a low cross in, but no one was there to shoot on it. Leon had a decent cross on a give-and-go with Mewis, but Mewis couldn't get a good shot off in the eighty-ninth minute. King did enough to break it up. The game was ended mercifully without stoppage time, ending 7-1 for Western New York. McDonald is your Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. For the Breakers, the DM Salem could be considered strong for being most invisible, instead of being the cause of the problems. For the Flash, DM Erceg and LB Hinkle looked good in the second half as well in a punishing and dominant performance.
On Saturday, the Washington Spirit hosted Sky Blue FC in the first of two games. Caroline Stanley and Stephanie Labbe guard the woodwork. Here's the game. Estefania Banini tried to go long in the second minute, but it was too long for Crystal Dunn as Washington starts off alright. Diana Matheson and Banini tried a similar thing with a similar result. Kelley O'Hara had a cross for Sky Blue go over Natasha Kai's head and out of bounds. Matheson tried to pick out Francisca Ordega in the seventh minute, but the Spirit lost control to Sky Blue's Christie Rampone. Another Spirit attack saw Dunn shoot low, forcing Stanley to make the save. In the eighth minute, Sky Blue started the scoring with Leah Galton tracking the ball down on the left flank and then passing back to Raquel Rodriguez, who fired a laser into the top corner for the goal to make it 1-0. Rodriguez had acres of space to shoot, with Tori Huster the closest defender. Dunn tried to find Matheson but Erica Skroski got in the way and Washington had to regroup for a more patient attack. Erin Simon's thirteenth minute cross for Sky Blue was intercepted by Megan Oyster. Ali Krieger found Ordega in the fourteenth minute, and the latter was fouled by Sky Blue's Erin Simon, giving the Spirit a good free kick. Christine Nairn took the free kick, serving into the box but cleared out by Rampone. Shelina Zadorsky killed the counterattack by breaking up the outlet pass toward Galton. Skroski made a good steal of an Alyssa Kleiner pass toward Dunn in the seventeenth minute. Nairn managed to keep a Washington attack alive by going around Sarah Killion, only to take a heavy touch and lose it out for a goal kick. Kleiner had a nice cross in the eighteenth minute, but Simon sent it out after Banini couldn't get to it, proving a sturdy defensive play for Sky Blue. Kai couldn't get a ball to O'Hara in the twentieth minute for Sky Blue, with Labbe grabbing it first. Taylor Lytle passed to O'Hara at the top of the box in the twenty-first minute, but Oyster blocked and cleared. The Spirit had a counterattack through Dunn, who found Banini, and she took a shot herself, going high as the Spirit were pretty close to equalizing. Lytle had a bad pass picked off by Zadorsky, but Dunn turned it right back over shortly after. Galton and O'Hara almost had a give-and-go, but O'Hara's return went too close to Labbe. Rampone did a good job to block off Ordega from a pass by Krieger in the twenty-fifth minute. Dunn did well against Skroski and Kristin Grubka, then passing to Matheson and Banini, who lost it to Rampone as Sky Blue held up in the twenty-eighth minute. Dunn had another foray forward, getting around Rampone but not Simon. Galton had a cross run long, but O'Hara crossed it back in for Sky Blue, and Kai tried a diving header that Labbe was in great position to make the save on in the thirty-first minute. Galton had a good cross that Labbe punched out in the thirty-fourth minute, and then Oyster finished the clearance before Lytle could get there. Kai had a shot on the next Sky Blue attack, but it was a bit weak and Labbe had no trouble making the stop. Dunn had two attempts in the thirty-fifth minute, a cross broken up by Simon and a shot blocked by Grubka. Washington held more possession, with Krieger's cross blocked by Grubka, and then Galton countered briefly. Dunn found Banini after Sky Blue had a turnover, but the shot by Banini went high with Skroski pressuring. Kai tried a passed in the forty-first minute that Oyster picked off. On the other end, Washington's Dunn tried dancing through the defense, but Killion took a foul call on Dunn. Nairn's free kick in the forty-second minute was taken as a shot, going into the wall. Huster had a weak shot on goal after Nairn passed it over, and Stanley made the catch. O'Hara managed a cross against Kleiner after a pass from Lytle up the right wing, but Kai shot it wide left between the center backs in the forty-third minute. Dunn made a huge run, twisting Grubka around multiple times before her shot was blocked by Rampone. The game went into halftime at 1-0 for Sky Blue, with their best players being CB Rampone, RB Skroski, DM Rodriguez, LW Galton, and LF Kai, while the Spirit's top players have been GK Labbe, CBs Oyster and Zadorsky, RW Matheson, and LF Dunn. Rodriguez challenged Labbe in the forty-sixth minute with a long ball intended for Kai. On the other side, Washington couldn't quite connected with Matheson, Nairn, and Katie Stengel. O'Hara tried to pick out Lytle in the forty-eighth minute, but Sky Blue was again shut down with Oyster's clearance. O'Hara and Lytle had another, more successful combination in the fiftieth minute, but it ended with O'Hara's cross caught by Labbe without any true danger as Kleiner played the solid defense. O'Hara had another cross in the fifty-second minute blocked by Oyster and then cleared out for a corner kick by Zadorsky. O'Hara had the corner kick, and crossed in toward Kai, but Labbe made the catch. Stanley nearly flubbed a clearing ball, with Stengel pressuring and blocking but proving unable to gain control. Dunn tried a cross in the fifty-sixth minute for Washington, but Grubka slid it out for a corner kick. Nairn's service went short to Dunn, who returned it for a true cross. Kai headed it out cleanly for Sky Blue. Huster then won a corner kick on the other side, and Nairn's effort this time went to Krieger, but Rampone put it back out for another corner kick. Nairn tried again, going over Stengel's head and into the arms of Stanley, who juggled it a bit. Nairn's corner kick in the sixtieth minute went toward Huster, who sent it back out wide on the flying kick, and then Nairn crossed it out of bounds again. Washington has had the bulk of possession in this second half. Nairn did a free kick for the Spirit in the sixty-first minute, serving in too far and caught by the keeper Stanley. Banini took a shot in the sixty-second minute, going low, and Stanley sent it out for another corner kick from Nairn, serving in toward Oyster but cleared by Grubka. In the sixty-fourth minute, Galton made a great cross to Sam Kerr, who volleyed it past Labbe for another Sky Blue goal, giving them a 2-0 lead. O'Hara tried a cross that Oyster blocked. O'Hara had a corner kick in the sixty-sixth minute, but Labbe caught it after bobbling a bit. Kleiner saw her cross in the sixty-seventh minute blocked by Rampone and cleared by Grubka. O'Hara and Kerr connected in the sixty-ninth minute, but Oyster came in for a block for the Spirit as Sky Blue still has a fair share of chances. Stengel got a half-shot off from a Dunn pass in the seventy-first minute, but Stanley smothered it to keep Sky Blue safe. Washington got a corner kick in the seventy-third minute, with Matheson doing the service now. It was easily caught by Stanley. Lytle tried a cross for Sky Blue, cleared by Krieger. Stengel and Dunn played well in the seventy-fifth minute, but Rampone blocked, and then Rampone made another block on a Krieger cross, sending it out for a Spirit corner kick. Matheson served over everyone in the seventy-sixth minute. In the seventy-seventh minute, Banini crossed in to Matheson, who headed it in with Stanley getting a touch but not enough. Sky Blue leads 2-1. Banini handled a cross from Zadorsky, but couldn't get a shot off under the smothering defense of Sky Blue. Stengel found Dunn who fired a shot blocked by Grubka. Stengel had a shot soon after for the Spirit, but Rampone made the block. Matheson had a cross in toward Joanna Lohman in the eighty-second minute, but Nikki Stanton put it out for a corner kick. Matheson did the duty on the set piece, going with a high ball to Lohman before the play ended in a foul. Dunn tried another cross in the eighty-fifth minute, but Grubka sent it away. O'Hara turned a free kick from Killion into a cross toward Kerr in the eighty-seventh minute, but Labbe was there first. Rampone turned over to Dunn, but Stanley made a good punch to keep Dunn's shot off target. Matheson's service on the corner kick was cleared by Grubka. The Spirit got a free kick in the eighty-eighth minute, and Matheson took it from a dangerous position. She chipped it toward Lohman, but nothing came of it. Galton tried to get around Oyster, but the center back steered her toward Labbe, who sent it free for Washington. Dunn tried a cross in stoppage time, but Stanton disrupted her a bit. Washington had a flurry in the last minute of stoppage time, but couldn't equalize, and Sky Blue took the 2-1 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was the LW Galton for her two assists. Also joining the honorable mentions are the CB Grubka and sub forward Kerr for Sky Blue and the CF Stengel for the Spirit.
The other Saturday game saw FC Kansas City welcome the Seattle Reign FC. Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart tend the nets. Watch the game. Kansas City's Becky Sauerbrunn thwarted the first Seattle attack with a steal from Seattle's Beverly Yanez in the second minute. In the third minute, Lauren Barnes took a deep ball in to Yanez, who dropped back for a shot by Kim Little, deflected out by Barnhart for a Reign corner kick. Barnes' service went long, and Desiree Scott cleared for the Blues. A fifth minute corner kick went long from Barnes toward Rachel Corsie, but Yael Averbuch cleaned it up for Kansas City. Seattle had a seventh minute corner kick. Barnes served it in, with Averbuch putting it back out for a corner kick on the other side. Little handled this one and sent it in, where Shea Groom headed it away. Merritt Mathias squashed the counterattack by Kansas City. Groom and Kendall Fletcher of the Reign got tangled in the ninth minute, giving Seattle a free kick. Groom tried to pick out Erika Tymrak in the tenth minute, but Elli Reed stopped it to shut down the Blues attack. Mandy Laddish fouled Corsie as the Kansas City midfielder couldn't reach the ball. Laddish had a cross in the twelfth minute blocked out by Keelin Winters for a Blues corner kick. Heather O'Reilly did the set piece, headed out by Yanez. Scott's second effort was sent away by Winters. Tymrak took a long shot that went high for the Blues in the fifteenth minute. In the sixteenth minute, Averbuch and Yanez got tangled, with the Reign awarded a free kick. Barnes sent it long into the hands of the keeper Barnhart. Little tried a cross for Mathias in the eighteenth minute, but Averbuch cleared it for the Blues. Corsie fouled Groom on the Kansas City counterattack, earning a yellow card for the Seattle defender. Averbuch served in on the free kick, with Groom heading it wide left. Brittany Taylor and Katie Bowen couldn't connect thanks to a Barnes interception in the twentieth minute. A long span of Seattle possession ended with a long Fishlock through ball. Fishlock made a huge tackle in the twenty-fourth minute to disrupt a Kansas City attack, stealing from Tymrak in her usual clean fashion. Yanez did well to win a ball away from Alex Arlitt, but her cross was off the mark. Fishlock chipped a ball into the box in the twenty-seventh minute, but Barnhart caught it again. Bowen crossed into O'Reilly, who had a shot-cross go just a bit left in the twenty-eighth minute, marking the Blues most dangerous chance. Yanez had a ball forward for Mathias in the thirty-first minute after a hydration break, but it didn't bend enough to find the Reign forward. In the thirty-second minute, Havana Solaun took a shot that went wide left, with Sauerbrunn cutting the angle down well. Winters and Mathias hooked up for a play, but nobody got on the end of Mathias' flick, and Barnhart picked it up to give the Blues control again. Sauerbrunn did a long throw in the thirty-fourth minute, with Groom getting a head on it, but Solaun cleared it for Seattle. Mathias had plays to Little broken up by Averbuch and Arlitt in the thirty-fifth minute. Yanez tried a shot on another Reign attack, but Taylor made the block. In the thirty-sixth minute, Groom and O'Reilly broke through the Seattle defense, but the play ended with O'Reilly taking a shot after she got around Solo, but it went into the outside of the side netting as Kansas City misses a brilliant chance. Winters couldn't pick out Mathias because of Averbuch's block to key a Blues counterattack. Arlitt had the cross in the thirty-ninth minute, blocked out by Elli Reed for a corner kick. O'Reilly served it in for the Blues, picking out Scott after a give and go with Tymrak. Solo punched it away, and then Mathias cleared it as Seattle continues to let Kansas City be dangerous. Reed again made a defensing play to lead to a corner kick. O'Reilly tried again for the Blues in the fortieth minute, but Solo made the catch this time to give Seattle control. Bowen, Tymrak, and Groom strung passes together, ending with a wide shot in the forty-first minute from Groom. Tymrak made a solid steal from Little after she had knocked down Laddish. In the forty-fifth minute, Winters picked out the run of Solaun, but the header was off target for the Reign. Barnes fouled O'Reilly as she made a run forward, giving the Blues a stoppage time free kick. Averbuch's free kick was knocked out for a Kansas City corner kick by Fishlock. O'Reilly served this one in, where Solo punched it away. Groom knocked out down for Laddish, for a deflected shot that led to another Blues corner kick. O'Reilly's service this time was popped up and out by Laddish. The score at halftime was 0-0. The Reign's best players have been LB Barnes, DCM Winters, LW Fishlock, LF Mathias, and CF Yanez. The Blues have seen good play out of CBs Averbuch and Sauerbrunn, DM Scott, RW O'Reilly, LW Tymrak, and striker Groom. Winters couldn't quite find Fishlock in the forty-sixth minute as Seattle continues their strong play early in the second half. Mathias had a cross against Sauerbrunn, but Averbuch cleaned it up before Fishlock could find it. Tymrak looked to have a good chance, but Reed slid in just in time to send it out for a corner kick. O'Reilly put the service in, where Fletcher sent it away. Sauerbrunn and Averbuch combined for a chance, but it was offside. O'Reilly had a corner kick in the fifty-third minute, punched by Solo and cleared by Solaun. The Blues continue to draw corner kicks, getting another in the fifty-fourth that saw O'Reilly cross out of bounds on a sloppy service. O'Reilly tried another cross in play, with Fletcher of the Reign putting it out for yet another Kansas City corner kick. O'Reilly did it again, with no success as Yanez cleared it for Seattle. Little never fired a shot on the play, as Scott broke it up. Barnhart made a save on the second Reign effort. Groom had a cross in the fifty-sixth minute, but Little intercepted it. In the fifty-seventh minute, Mathias went around Averbuch and shot, straight at Barnhart for the save. Mathias passed to Solaun in the fifty-eighth minute, who tried to return it despite being plenty open for a shot. O'Reilly and Groom tried to combine on a Kansas City counterattack, but it was offside. Scott took a yellow card for fouling Fishlock in the fifty-ninth minute, leaving the Reign midfielder injured. Little and Fishlock had a couple of connections disrupted by Averbuch in the sixty-first minute. The Blues countered with O'Reilly charging for a cross that Solo fell on easily. Solo then grabbed an O'Reilly long ball intended for Groom as Kansas City has taken control a bit. Fishlock had a cross in the sixty-fifth minute that Manon Melis couldn't get to in her first appearance since her injury. Corsie kept Groom off the ball nicely in the sixty-seventh minute. O'Reilly had a cross in the sixty-eighth minute, but Carson Pickett blocked it out for a corner kick for the Blues. O'Reilly served in for Tymrak on the short play. Winters cleared it away from Sauerbrunn, and the play was offside anyway. A Blues attack through Groom was stalled when she got away from goal. Seattle's Solo covered it when O'Reilly and Groom couldn't connect in the sixty-ninth minute. Pickett's seventieth minute cross went out without danger. The second half hydration break occurred in the seventy-second minute. O'Reilly went direct at Pickett after taking a Tymrak pass, forcing Solo to dive down for a grab. Fletcher knocked a ball away from Groom, giving Kansas City a corner kick in the seventy-seventh minute, where O'Reilly's service was sent away by Yanez. Scott tried to pick out Groom, but the striker collided with Solo, and the play was called dead. Taylor's seventy-ninth minute cross went a bit long for Arlitt, and Mathias eventually chased it out for a throw-in for the Blues. O'Reilly won a corner kick off of Fletcher and took it in the eighty-second minute, serving in low with Yanez and Melis clearing. Seattle earned a free kick in a good spot after Fran Silva fouled Mathias. Little took the kick, serving in to Winters under pressure from Laddish. The Reign failed to produce a shot. O'Reilly had a cross in the eighty-sixth minute against Pickett, who tipped it enough to keep it from Silva. Winters couldn't Kiersten Dallstream due to Arlitt making a huge stop. Groom got around Corsie in the eighty-eighth minute, and Solo did enough to make Groom lose control of the ball. In the eighty-ninth minute, Pickett took a straight red card for a high kick on O'Reilly, a questionable call. In stoppage time, Groom couldn't get a shot off in the box, and then Corsie shielded away Sauerbrunn. Kansas City is expected to attack a lot in the five minutes of added time. Reed cleared out for a corner kick against Arlitt. Alexa Newfield went long for Sauerbrunn, who headed it wide right. Solo kept the pace slow to nurse the even score for the Reign. Melis won a corner kick about halfway into the extra time, going against Arlitt. Little served it in, but Barnhart made the catch. Deep in stoppage time, Sauerbrunn took a yellow card for a foul on Fishlock, giving Seattle a late free kick. Little did the service this time, but Fishlock couldn't manage a shot. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is CB Averbuch, who made many critical stops. Earning honorable mentions from the second half are Blues LB Arlitt and the Reign's RB Reed and RW Little.
Finally, the Orlando Pride get their second game of the week, hosting the Portland Thorns FC. Michelle Betos ans Ashlyn Harris are in the six-yard boxes for the second time this week. The game can be found by following the link. Christina Burkenroad of Orlando made a strong steal from Nadia Nadim of Portland in the fourth minute, as the game has started a bit slow. Steph Catley broke up a pass out wide in the fifth minute, as the Pride are looking defensively sound. Catley's long ball intended for Alex Morgan in the sixth minute was broken up by Emily Sonnett of the Thorns. Josee Belanger twisted Meghan Klingenberg all around in the tenth minute, but her cross toward Jasmyne Spencer or Morgan was errant and Orlando went without danger. Kaylyn Kyle was called on to disrupt a cross from Amandine Henry of Portland. Morgan earned a corner kick off Sonnett in the twelfth minute, and the Pride's Kristen Edmonds had a try, but Portland cleared. Belanger sent it back in, and Kyle headed it up, but Betos caught it. Burkenroad had a through ball that Betos had to clear in the thirteenth minute. Orlando has looked more dangerous recently. Henry went long with her through ball, scooped up by Harris in the fourteenth minute to end the Portland attack. Orlando's Spencer was ruled offside just before Betos fouled her on Edmonds' through ball. Portland's Christine Sinclair got caught off side in the sixteenth minute on a Tobin Heath pass. Katherine Reynolds and Sonnett held strong against Burkenroad in the seventeenth minute. Edmonds had a shot wide right after Spencer headed it to her, giving the Pride another strong attack. Catley switched fields to Spencer in the twenty-first minute, but Spencer couldn't get a shot for Orlando and turned it over to Henry. Horan took the ball in midfield and gave it to Sinclair, who then passed to Heath, who shot and put it in the net, but was ruled offside, leaving the game scoreless as the Thorns nearly made a breakthrough. Reynolds had a steal from Spencer, but Morgan passed back to Dani Weatherholt, whose shot was saved by Betos, and then Spencer shot and Betos put it out for a corner kick. The play saw Edmonds cross into Laura Alleway, who headed it over the goal in the twenty-fifth minute. In the twenty-sixth minute, Heath took a free kick with service bouncing in front of two Portland players, Allie Long and Sonnett. Harris fumbled it, but the defense shielded it to let Harris recover. Spencer beat Klingenberg and then won a corner kick off of Emily Menges. Catley took the corner kick that fell to Morgan, who had to turn before shooting and went over the bar in the twenty-eighth minute as Orlando continues to challenge. Klingenberg managed a cross after Belanger and Kyle couldn't stop her, but Nadim couldn't corral it and Edmonds cleared in the thirtieth minute. Heath had a header fall short after a through ball from Sonnett. Harris picked it up. Klingenberg had another cross in the thirty-second minute, which Alleway sent out for a corner kick. This brought on the hydration break. Heath took the corner kick in the thirty-sixth minute, sending it to Henry and putting it wide right. Menges made a block on a cross from Morgan in the thirty-eighth minute. Belanger had a cross dummied by Morgan cleared by Reynolds, and then Sonnett cleared the shot attempt in the fortieth minute, with the Thorns just holding on here. In the forty-third minute, Alleway and Nadim knocked heads, with the Pride's Alleway taking a yellow card for the foul. The free kick from Sonnett found Heath, who shot around Catley and hit the crossbar, with the Thorns missing another great chance. Spencer has tried to do damage in stoppage time, but no crosses or shots have come from her plays. Menges cleared a Catley through ball in the final minute of added time. Belanger lost control late and Horan took it away for Portland. Kyle tried a shot that Long blocked. Heath than fouled Morgan outside the box on the right wing. Orlando's free kick came from Catley at the end of the half, but Henry blocked it. The game went into halftime scoreless. The Thorns top players have been GK Betos, RB Reynolds, CB Sonnett, DM Henry, ACM Horan, and striker Sinclair, while the Pride's best efforts come from RB Belanger, LB Catley, DCM Kyle, RW Edmonds, RF Spencer, and CF Morgan. Heath had a forty-sixth minute cross for Portland caught by Harris on the hop. Heath and Spencer collided on the next Thorns attack, and Heath got the worst of it with a bad fall on her arm. Nadim's deflected through ball caught Heath offside in the fiftieth minute, as the winger is alright. Weatherholt and Morgan each had efforts for Orlando that didn't go according to plan. Belanger, Weatherholt, and Morgan did well under pressure from Menges and Klingenberg, but couldn't produce a shot. Catley did a cross in the fifty-third minute on the other side of the field, but Morgan directed it out wide right. Monica fouled Heath in the fifty-fourth minute, giving the Thorns a decent free kick. Heath served it in to the box, cleared by Edmonds. Spencer won a corner kick for the Pride off Klingenberg. Catley's service led to nothing due to a foul call. Morgan got a steal from Menges and tried a shot that looked to deflect off Sonnett, but a goal kick was given. Morgan and Catley both were slow to react but sent Portland players to the turf before Morgan's pass to Weatherholt got picked off. Spencer got another corner kick off of Klingenberg. Jamia Fields popped a header up but Kyle was unable to get a head on it. Sonnett then broke up a pass from Catley to Morgan. Catley went around Nadim in the sixty-fifth minute, finding Fields, but her cross went to Sonnett, who cleared it for the Thorns. Fields won a corner kick off Reynolds, and the Pride's Edmonds put it in the box for Betos to punch away. Orlando's holding a lot of possession, and finally scored as a deep ball to Morgan got Betos off her line. Betos punched it, landing at Spencer's feet, and she took a couple of steps before striking to the top left corner for a 1-0 Pride lead. This has breathed new life into the Pride, and they keep the pressure high with Kyle, Morgan, Spencer, and Fields on a sequence. Henry made a run and long distance shot in the seventy-second minute to challenge Harris, who caught it with ease. Weatherholt picked out Morgan on a great through ball, cutting back on Menges but not quite beating the outstretched hand of Betos that caused an Orlando corner kick. Alleway took a stab at it after Betos dropped it on the service from Edmonds. Shortly thereafter, there was the second hydration break. Sonnett went deep for Horan, and a miscommunication between Belanger and Harris led to Horan shooting wide left. Portland tied it in the seventy-ninth minute on a Dagny Brynjarsdottir goal on a headed pass by Sinclair from the deep ball. Dagny got around Alleway to strike it home. This made it 1-1. Orlando had an eighty-first minute Edmonds corner kick, which Klingenberg cleared out. Belanger just got a poke in on Hayley Raso after a pass from Long to keep the Thorns from taking the lead. Portland's had some trouble with offside calls as they have upped the pressure to try for a tiebreaker. Menges made a good breakup on a pass from Spencer toward Morgan in the eighty-eighth minute. In the ninetieth minute, Horan scored on a great pass from Raso after receiving a cross from the opposite side. In stoppage time, Raso fouled Catley and took a yellow card for it. A long ball went too long for Morgan, with Betos grabbing it. Catley had a cross that Betos managed to punch away from the hard-charging Sam Witteman of the Pride. Spencer saw Menges block her cross. Catley had a poor shot on the next frenzy, with Orlando buzzing for their equalizer. Portland held on for the 2-1 win, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being ACM Horan. Other Thorns doing well in the second half were CB Menges, and subs Dagny and Raso. The Pride saw a decent second half effort from the LW Weatherholt before she was subbed out.
Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI Week 10
GK Michelle Betos
RB Elizabeth Eddy
CB Yael Averbuch
CB Emily Sonnett
LB Steph Catley
DCM Samantha Mewis
AM Lindsey Horan
AM Leah Galton
RF Jessica McDonald
CF Christine Sinclair
LF Lynn Williams
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