NWSL 2017: Week 8

This is the last week before an international break. All teams are in action, beginning with four Saturday games. The first is in...

North Carolina, with the Courage hosting FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Katelyn Rowland are the goalies. North Carolina saw a yellow card for a thirteenth minute Ashley Hatch foul. Becky Sauerbrunn of Kansas City took a yellow card for her forty-third minute foul. In the fifty-seventh minute, McCall Zerboni of the Courage took a yellow card for a foul. North Carolina got going in the sixtieth minute on a Zerboni goal, assisted by Abby Erceg and Abby Dahlkemper, who took the corner kick. The Courage added on in the sixty-seventh minute with a Hatch goal, set up by Lynn Williams. This made it 2-0, with the woman of the match being Zerboni for her all-around game and the winning goal. Also starring for the Courage were right-back Taylor Smith, defensive midfielder Samantha Mewis, and forward Williams. Kansas City's best were Sauerbrunn, midfielder Desiree Scott, and forward Sydney Leroux.

Up in Maryland, the Washington Spirit welcome the Houston Dash. Lydia Williams and Stephanie Labbe protect the nets. Washington started in third minute with a Cheyna Williams goal, via Havana Solaun. Houston's Amber Brooks took a yellow card for her foul in the sixty-third minute. The Spirit added on in the sixty-ninth minute with a Mallory Pugh goal, coming off of Kristie Mewis. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the woman of the match being Pugh in a productive outing. The Spirit also saw good games from Labbe, Mewis, and Williams, while the Dash's best work came from right-back Rachel Daly, midfielder Andressinha, and forward Janine Beckie.

Nearby, Sky Blue FC hosts the Portland Thorns FC. Adrianna Franch and Kailen Sheridan are in the six-yard boxes. Sky Blue took a yellow card for a twentieth minute foul by Kayla Mills. Portland opened in the twentieth minute with a Lindsey Horan goal, via Nadia Nadim on a free kick. The Thorns added on with a forty-second minute goal by Horan, coming off of Meghan Klingenberg. Portland had yellow cards for Horan in the sixtieth minute and Meghan Cox in the seventy-seventh minute, both for fouls. Sky Blue took a yellow card for an eighty-ninth minute foul by Kelley O'Hara. The game ended 2-0, with the woman of the match being Horan for her brace. The Thorns also saw Franch and Nadim produce great games, while Sky Blue got their best play from the right-back O'Hara, midfielder Raquel Rodriguez, and forward Sam Kerr.

Saturday's last game sees the Orlando Pride bring in the Boston Breakers. Abby Smtih and Aubrey Bledsoe make the starts in goal. Boston keeper Smith took a yellow card for an eighth minute foul, which helped Orlando's Marta lead off the scoring with a ninth minute penalty kick goal. The Pride added on in the thirteenth minute with a Jasmyne Spencer goal, helped along by Camila. Alanna Kennedy of Orlando took a yellow card for a twenty-sixth minute foul. In the fiftieth minute, Camila had a yellow card for her foul. The Breakers saw yellow cards for fouls by Brooke Elby in the fifty-fifth minute, Rosie White in the fifty-seventh minute, and Natasha Dowie in the eighty-fifth minute. The final score was 2-0, with the woman of the match being Marta for her goal and solid play in attack all game. The Pride also saw good games from left-back Steph Catley and midfielder Camila, while the Breakers had good games from center-back Christen Westphal, and defensive midfielder Angela Salem.

On Sunday, the Chicago Red Stars host the Seattle Reign FC. Haley Kopmeyer and Alyssa Naeher are between the posts. Chicago began in the forty-ninth minute with a Christen Press goal, set up by Sofia Huerta. Megan Rapinoe of Seattle had a yellow card for her eighty-ninth minute foul. The game ended 1-0, with Huerta the woman of the match for her assist and two shots off the posts. The Red Stars also got good games from right-back Taylor Comeau and forward Press, while Seattle's best were Kopmeyer, left-back Carson Pickett, and forward Rapinoe.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Adrianna Franch
RB Taylor Smith
CB Becky Sauerbrunn
CB Christen Westphal
LB Carson Pickett
DM Raquel Rodriguez
AM Kristie Mewis
AM Lindsey Horan
AM Camila
FW Marta
FW Sofia Huerta

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