NWSL 2017: Week 5

All teams are in action this week, with three Saturday games to lead us off. We begin with...

The Houston Dash hosting Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Lydia Williams protect the nets. Sam Kerr of Sky Blue had a yellow card for a seventeenth minute foul. Sky Blue opened in the thirty-third minute with a Sarah Killion penalty kick goal. Sky Blue added on in the fifty-third minute with a Leah Galton goal, helped along by Kerr. Raquel Rodriguez of Sky Blue saw a yellow card for her sixty-fifth minute foul. Houston got on the board in the seventy-sixth minute with a Poliana goal, assisted by Kealia Ohai. In the eighty-seventh minute, Amber Brooks of the Dash took a yellow card, and Sky Blue restored their lead to its fullest with a Kerr goal, passed from McKenzie Meehan. The final stood at 3-1, with the woman of the match being Kerr for her goal and assist.

Northwest to Seattle, where the Reign FC welcome the Washington Spirit. Stephanie Labbe and Haley Kopmeyer are the gloved women. Seattle started in the twentieth minute on a Christine Nairn goal, set up by Nahomi Kawasumi. The Reign added on in the thirty-fifth minute with a Beverly Yanez goal, via Kawasumi. Washington got on the board in the sixtieth minute with a Havana Solaun penalty kick goal. Seattle replied with a sixty-ninth minute Kawasumi goal, courtesy of Megan Rapinoe. The Reign extended the lead in the seventy-first minute as Rapinoe scored, thanks to Kawasumi, who completed her sock trick on the play. Seattle padded the lead in the seventy-sixth minute with a Rapinoe goal, coming off of Katlyn Johnson. The Reign continued in the seventy-ninth minute with a Lindsay Elston goal, fueled by Kawasumi's fourth assist of the game. The Spirit pulled one back in the eighty-eighth minute on a Kristie Mewis goal, made possible by Whitney Church. The final was 6-2, with Kawasumi the woman of the match for a record-breaking performance.

Saturday ended with FC Kansas City hosting the Portland Thorns FC. Adrianna Franch and Nicole Barnhart play goal. Kansas City's Becca Moros took a yellow card for a seventy-fourth minute foul. The final remained at 0-0, with the woman of the match being Lo'Eau LaBonta for her play on both sides of the ball.

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride bring in the North Carolina Courage. Sabrina D'Angelo and Ashlyn Harris are the keepers. North Carolina's McCall Zerboni took a yellow card for a foul in the tenth minute. The Courage's Abby Erceg had a yellow card for her forty-fourth minute foul. Orlando got going in the forty-ninth minute with a forty-ninth minute Chioma Ubogagu goal, assisted by Ali Krieger. The Pride added on in the fiftieth minute with a Camila goal, via Jamia Fields. North Carolina got on the board in the fifty-first minute with a Debinha goal, set up by Lynn Williams. The Courage went down to ten women as Erceg was sent off with a second yellow card in the fifty-sixth minute for another foul. Orlando added on in the eighty-second minute with a Jasmyne Spencer goal, helped along by Marta. The Pride had yellow cards for Krieger in the eighty-eighth minute and Toni Pressley in the ninetieth minute, both for fouls. Orlando won 3-1, with the woman of the match named as Camila.

Finally, the Chicago Red Stars host the Boston Breakers. Abby Smith and Alyssa Naeher are in the six-yard boxes. Boston dented the scoreboard in the sixty-ninth minute with a Rose Lavelle goal. Julie King of the Breakers had a yellow card for a seventy-third minute foul. Chicago got on the board in the eighty-ninth minute with a Christen Press goal, assisted by Sofia Huerta. The game ended 1-1, with the woman of the match being Lavelle for her goal and piercing runs in attack.

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