NWSL 2018 Week 2

Another four games on this weekend before the season's first International Break. We begin on Friday with...

The Houston Dash hosting the Utah Royals FC. Abby Smith and Jane Campbell are the young goalies. While chances were hard to come by at times, there were a few, but nothing went in. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the woman of the match being Campbell for a clean sheet with five saves. Also starring for Houston were Rachel Daly and Kristie Mewis, while the best for Utah were Rachel Corsie, Becky Sauerbrunn, Diana Matheson, and Gunnhildur Jonsdottir.

On Saturday, the North Carolina Courage welcome Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Sabrina D'Angelo protect the nets. In the sixty-fifth minute, Christina Gibbons of Sky Blue took a yellow card for a foul. Sky Blue's Rebekah Stott received a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-sixth minute. North Carolina won it 1-0 in stoppage time with a Jess McDonald goal, set up by Jaelene Hinkle. The Courage's best were Hinkle, Abby Erceg, Merritt Mathias, Denise O'Sullivan, Lynn Williams, Crystal Dunn, and McDonald, while Sky Blue got good games from Sheridan, Erica Skroski, Sarah Killion, and Carli Lloyd. 

Also, the Washington Spirit bring in the Orlando Pride. Ashlyn Harris faces her former backup Aubrey Bledsoe in goal. Washington's Whitney Church had a yellow card for a foul in the forty-fourth minute. The Spirit got going in the eightieth minute on a Mallory Pugh goal, via Ashley Hatch. Washington added on with a Hatch goal in the eighty-eighth minute, coming off of Pugh and Mallory Eubanks. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the woman of the match being Pugh. Other strong performers for the Spirit were Hatch, Andi Sullivan, and Bledsoe (four-save clean sheet), while Orlando's best were Carson Pickett, Shelina Zadorsky, Rachel Hill, and Sydney Leroux.

Finally, the Chicago Red Stars host the Portland Thorns FC in the second half of the MLS/NWSL doubleheader between the cities. Adrianna Franch and Alyssa Naeher are the strong keepers. Portland struck first in the ninth minute with a Lindsey Horan goal on a second chance after a Meghan Klingenberg corner kick. Chicago tied it in the thirty-first minute with an Alyssa Mautz goal, set up by Sofia Huerta and Summer Green. The Thorns retook the lead in the fortieth minute on a Christine Sinclair goal after Naeher missed clearing the through ball. Portland's Celeste Boureille took a yellow card for a fifty-eighth minute foul. The Red Stars' Danielle Colaprico saw a yellow card in the sixty-fourth minute for a handball in the box. The ensuing penalty kick was converted by Sinclair to add to the Thorns lead. Chicago got one back in the sixty-seventh minute with another Mautz goal, made possible by Huerta. The final stayed at 3-2, with the woman of the match being Sinclair. Other strong Thorns were Emily Sonnett, Horan, and Midge Purce, while the Red Stars got good games from Nikki Stanton, Mautz, and Huerta.

NWSL Week 2 Team of the Week
GK Jane Campbell
LB Kristie Mewis
CB Rachel Corsie
CB Abby Erceg
RB Merritt Mathias
DM Sarah Killion
DM Lindsey Horan
LW Sofia Huerta
ACM Christine Sinclair
RW Alyssa Mautz
FW Mallory Pugh