NWSL 2018 Week 3

The games this weekend are evenly split between Saturday and Sunday. First up...

The Utah Royals FC have their first home game, hosting the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Abby Smith are in the six-yard boxes. Chicago opened in the twenty-seventh minute with a Danielle Colaprico goal, coming after Alyssa Mautz's initial cross was deflected out to the midfielder. The Red Stars made it stand for a 1-0 win, with Colaprico as the woman of the match. Taylor Comeau, Sam Johnson, and Arin Gilliland also played well for Chicago, while Utah's best were Desiree Scott, Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, and Elise Thorsnes.

East to Maryland, as the Washington Spirit welcome the North Carolina Courage. Sabrina D'Angelo and Aubrey Bledsoe are the keepers. Washington started in the third minute with a Mallory Pugh goal. North Carolina tied it on a Crystal Dunn goal in the twentieth minute, set up by Jessica McDonald. The Courage took the lead with a McCall Zerboni goal in the twenty-fourth minute, assisted by Lynn Williams. North Carolina added on with another Zerboni goal in the forty-eighth minute, coming off of Kristen Hamilton. The Spirit got one back with a Francisca Ordega goal, made possible by Havana Solaun in the fifty-eighth minute. The Courage countered with a Williams goal in the sixty-sixth minute, guided in by Dunn. Estelle Johnson of Washington took a yellow card for her foul in the eighty-fourth minute. The final held at 4-2, with Zerboni as the woman of the match. Williams, Dunn, and Denise O'Sullivan did best for the Courage, while the Spirit's top efforts came from Johnson, Andi Sullivan, and Ordega.

On Sunday, Sky Blue FC brings in the Seattle Reign FC. Michelle Betos and Kailen Sheridan start in goal. Seattle led off in the sixth minute on a Megan Rapinoe penalty kick goal after Theresa Nielsen's cross hit Sky Blue's Erica Skroski in the hand in the box. Savannah McCaskill of Sky Blue had a yellow card for a foul in the fiftieth minute. Kiersten Dallstream received a yellow card in the eighty-second minute for a foul for the Reign. The final held at 1-0 for Seattle, with Jess Fishlock as the woman of the match for her work in the midfield. Rapinoe, Nielsen, and Taylor also did well for the Reign, while Sky Blue's best were Mandy Freeman, Rebekah Stott, Janine Beckie, and McCaskill. 

Finally, the Portland Thorns FC host the Orlando Pride. Ashlyn Harris and Adrianna Franch protect the nets. Orlando began in the twentieth minute with a Chioma Ubogagu goal, assisted by Christine Nairn. Portland tied it on a Lindsey Horan goal in the twenty-eighth minute, set up by Christine Sinclair. The Thorns took the lead with a Sinclair goal in the thirty-ninth minute, coming off of Horan and Meghan Klingenberg. In the eighty-fifth minute, Toni Pressley of the Pride had a yellow card for a foul. The final stood at 2-1, with the woman of the match being Horan. Sinclair, Emily Sonnett, and Midge Purce also did well for the Thorns, while Nairn and Ubogagu earn merits for the Pride.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Michelle Betos
LB Arin Gilliland
CB Estelle Johnson
CB Emily Sonnett
RB Theresa Nielsen
MF Jess Fishlock
MF McCall Zerboni
MF Danielle Colaprico
MF Lindsey Horan
FW Lynn Williams
FW Christine Sinclair