NWSL 2018 Week 10

We've got four games on over two days this weekend, beginning with...

The Washington Spirit hosting the Chicago Red Stars. Emily Boyd and Kelsey Wys are the backups in goal. A long lightning delay pushed the start time back by approximately five hours, actually making this game start after the next listed game. Joanna Lohman of Washington took a yellow card for a foul in the twenty-fourth minute. Chicago capitalized on the free kick with a Sam Kerr goal on a rebound from Yuki Nagasato's service. Nikki Stanton of the Red Stars received a yellow card for her foul in the thirty-second minute. The Red Stars added on in the forty-ninth minute with a Nagasato goal, made possible by Alyssa Mautz on a give-and-go. Mautz took a yellow card for a seventy-fifth minute foul for Chicago. The final stood at 2-0, with Nagasato named woman of the match. Also good for Chicago were Kerr, Mautz, Katie Naughton, and Boyd (four-save clean sheet). The Spirit had good performances from Andi Sullivan, Ashley Hatch, and Estefania Banini.

In New Jersey, Saturday's other game has Sky Blue FC welcoming the Utah Royals FC. Nicole Barnhart and Kailen Sheridan protect the nets. Utah began in the third minute with a Diana Matheson goal, passed from Gunnhildur Jonsdottir and Taylor Lytle. Sky Blue tied it in the tenth minute on a Shea Groom goal, helped along by Katie Johnson and Amanda Frisbie. The Royals took the lead as Sky Blue's Mandy Freeman put the ball in her own net while trying to defend a cross from Jonsdottir. Madison Tiernan of Sky Blue had a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The final was 2-1, and the woman of the match was Jonsdottir, with other good performances for Utah from Brooke Elby, Rachel Corsie, Desiree Scott, Matheson, and Katie Stengel. For Sky Blue, the best players were Rebekah Stott, Sarah Killion, Janine Beckie, and Groom.

On Sunday, the Houston Dash bring in the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Jane Campbell play in goal. Lynn Williams of North Carolina had a yellow card for a foul in first half stoppage time. Houston got going in the forty-ninth minute on a Kealia Ohai goal, helped along by the keeper Campbell. Rachel Daly of the Dash took a yellow card for a foul in the sixty-eighth minute. The Courage tied it on a Frannie Crouse goal in the eightieth minute. In second half stoppage time, Thembi Kgatlana received a yellow card for a foul. The final held at 1-1, with the woman of the match being Ohai. Also good for the Dash were Amber Brooks, Allysha Chapman, Mana Shim, Daly, and Kyah Simon, while the Courage's best were Abby Erceg, Elizabeth Eddy, Cari Roccaro, Debinha, and Crouse.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Orlando Pride. Haley Kopmeyer faces her former team and Lydia Williams in goal. Seattle's Jasmyne Spencer had a yellow card for not retreating in the seventieth minute. Orlando had a yellow card for a foul by Shelina Zadorsky in the seventy-ninth minute. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the woman of the match being Jess Fishlock. Also good for the Reign were Lauren Barnes, Lydia Williams (two-save clean sheet), Beverly Yanez, and Nahomi Kawasumi, while the Pride saw good efforts from Zadorsky, Carson Pickett, Alanna Kennedy, and Sydney Leroux.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Emily Boyd
RB Brooke Elby
CB Abby Erceg
CB Amber Brooks
LB Allysha Chapman
DM Gunnhildur Jonsdottir
DM Jess Fishlock
AM Yuki Nagasato
AM Kealia Ohai
FW Shea Groom
FW Sam Kerr