After the international break, the NWSL is back in action. All games took place on June 17; my publishing delay is due to technological difficulties on my end. We begin with...
The Chicago Red Stars hosting the Washington Spirit. Stephanie Labbe and Alyssa Naeher are the strong keepers. Chicago had a yellow card for a thirty-first minute foul by Katie Naughton. Washington led off in the forty-second minute with a Francisca Ordega goal, via Cheyna Williams. The Spirit's Meggie Dougherty Howard had a yellow card for her foul in the sixty-second minute. Washington's Shelina Zadorsky took a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-first minute, leading to a penalty kick goal by the Red Stars' Christen Press to tie the game. This made it a 1-1 draw in the end, with the woman of the match being Labbe, who stopped three of four shots on goal against her, including a pair of strong saves. Also impressing were right back Estelle Johnson and the forward Ordega for the Spirit, while Press, Julie Johnston Ertz, and Danielle Colaprico played well for the Red Stars.
East to North Carolina, where the Courage welcome the Boston Breakers. Abby Smith and Katelyn Rowland are in goal. North Carolina began in the third minute with a Kristen Hamilton goal, assisted by Samantha Mewis. The Courage added on with a Hamilton goal in the fifteenth minute, her second of the game passed from McCall Zerboni. North Carolina extended the lead as Ashley Hatch scored in the thirty-eighth minute, thanks to Makenzy Doniak. Boston got on the board with a seventy-third minute goal by Adriana Leon, made possible by Natasha Dowie. Rosie White of the Breakers had a yellow card for a foul in the eightieth minute. The game ended at 3-1, with the woman of the match named as Hamilton, for her brace. Also showing well were Hatch and center back Abby Erceg for the Courage, while White and Leon had the better of the efforts for the Breakers.
Back west, FC Kansas City hosts the Seattle Reign FC. Haley Kopmeyer and Nicole Barnhart protect the nets. Kansas City opened in the twenty-third minute with an Alexa Newfield goal, assisted by Erika Tymrak. Seattle tied it on a Megan Rapinoe goal in the thirty-first minute, courtesy of Nahomi Kawasumi. The Reign saw yellow cards for fouls by Lindsay Elston in the seventy-third minute and Carson Pickett in the seventy-fourth minute. Kansas City's Shea Groom had a yellow card for her seventy-sixth minute foul. Seattle retook the lead on a Kawasumi goal in the eighty-first minute, set up by Christine Nairn after a frenzy in front of the goal. Kansas City retied it on a Maegan Kelly goal in the eighty-fourth minute, helped along by Yael Averbuch. Sydney Leroux of Kansas City had a yellow card for a ninetieth minute foul. The game ended at 2-2, with the woman of the match being Kawasumi with her goal and assist. The Reign also saw good games from Rapinoe and Elston, while Kansas City got good efforts from center backs Averbuch and Becky Sauerbrunn and Lo'Eau Labonta and Newfield.
Down in Texas, the Houston Dash bring in the Orlando Pride. Aubrey Bledsoe and Lydia Williams play in goal. Orlando started in the sixteenth minute with a long-distance goal by Camila, set up by Marta. The Pride added on with a Marta goal in the twenty-second minute. Orlando extended the lead as Marta scored again in the fifty-seventh minute, thanks to Jasmyne Spencer. Houston's Janine Beckie took a yellow card for a sixty-fourth minute foul. The Pride saw a yellow card for Camila's time wasting in the sixty-fifth minute. Orlando padded the lead with an Alanna Kennedy goal, coming off of Marta in the sixty-eighth minute. In the eightieth minute, Janine Van Wyk of the Dash had a yellow card for her foul. Houston got on the board in the eighty-ninth minute with a Poliana goal, guided in by Andressa. The Dash pulled closer at the end of the game with a last-second goal by Nichelle Prince in stoppage time, again passed from Andressa. The final stood at 4-2, with the woman of the match being Marta for her brace and pair of assists. The Pride also saw good games from center back Ali Krieger, right back Kristen Edmonds, and midfielder Camila, while the Dash got their best games out of midfield substitute Andressa, center back Van Wyk, and right back Poliana.
Finally, the Portland Thorns host Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Adrianna Franch are between the posts. Sky Blue struck first in the first minute as Raquel Rodriguez's goal at the twenty-five second mark matched the fastest goal to start a game in league history, on a pass from Sam Kerr. Sky Blue added on with a Kerr goal in the seventieth minute, courtesy of Maya Hayes. In the seventy-fourth minute, Kelley O'Hara of Sky Blue took a yellow card for dissent. Sky Blue extended the lead in the eighty-eighth minute with a Kerr goal, coming off of Madison Tiernan. Nikki Stanton of Sky Blue had a yellow card for a foul in the ninetieth minute, as did Portland's Amandine Henry a minute later. The Thorns avoided the shutout with a last-second goal by Christine Sinclair, who followed up her own penalty kick in stoppage time to bury the rebound. This was small consolation, as the final rested at 3-1, and Sky Blue's Kerr was the woman of the match. Helping her were center back Mandy Freeman, and the midfielder Rodriguez, while the staunchest opposition came from Sinclair and Henry.
NWSL Team of the Week
GK Stephanie Labbe
CB Mandy Freeman
CB Yael Averbuch
RB Estelle Johnson
LB Kristen Edmonds (out of position)
DM Raquel Rodriguez
AM Camila
AM Marta
FW Nahomi Kawasumi
FW Sam Kerr
FW Kristen Hamilton
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