Wednesday, June 27, 2018

NWSL 2018 Week 14 Midweek

Three games on at midweek this time around, beginning with...

The Orlando Pride hosting the Houston Dash. Jane Campbell and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. Orlando began in the twenty-second minute with an Alex Morgan goal, via Shelina Zadorsky, although Houston believed it to be offside. Allysha Chapman of Houston took a yellow card for a seventy-fifth minute foul. The Dash tied it in the seventy-ninth minute with a Kealia Ohai goal, set up by Linda Motlhalo. Houston took the lead on a Sofia Huerta penalty kick after an Ohai cross hit the Pride's Monica in the hand. Orlando's Carson Pickett received a yellow card for a ninetieth minute foul, as did teammates Monica and Christine Nairn in stoppage time, and Sydney Leroux a few minutes later. The Dash won 2-1, with the woman of the match being Ohai. Also starring for Houston were Campbell (five for six in saves), Amber Brooks, Chapman, and Huerta, while the Pride's best were Zadorsky, Nairn, Alanna Kennedy, and Morgan.

Northwest to Utah, where the Royals FC welcome the Seattle Reign FC. Michelle Betos and Abby Smith are the keepers. Seattle's Steph Catley took a yellow card for a foul in the fifty-ninth minute. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the co-women of the match being Betos (six-save clean sheet) and Smith (three-save clean sheet). Starring for the Reign were Megan Rapinoe, Kristen McNabb, and Megan Oyster, while the Royals' best were Becky Sauerbrunn, Katrina Gorry, Diana Matheson, and Christen Press.

Finally, the Portland Thorns FC bring in Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Adrianna Franch are set to start in goal. In the forty-first minute, Sky Blue's Janine Beckie received a yellow card for a foul. Portland led off in the forty-fifth minute with a Lindsey Horan goal, assisted by Christine Sinclair and Meghan Klingenberg. Sky Blue tied it in the seventy-seventh minute with a Carli Lloyd penalty kick goal, on an opportunity she earned against Celeste Boureille. The Thorns' Angela Salem received a yellow card in stoppage time for a foul. Sky Blue's Mandy Freeman took a yellow card for a foul a minute later. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Lloyd as the woman of the match. Also good for Sky Blue were Domi Richardson, Sarah Killion, and Shea Groom, while the Thorns' best were Klingenberg, Andressinha, Sinclair, and Horan.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

MLS 2018 Week 17

Ten games on this weekend, as the World Cup break for the league is done. The first eight on Saturday begin with...

The Philadelphia Union hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Brian Rowe and Andre Blake man the nets. Philadelphia began in the twenty-fourth minute with a Borek Dockal goal, passed from Ilsinho. Fabrice-Jean Picault of the Union had a yellow card for a thirty-first minute foul. Philadelphia added on in the seventy-first minute with a Dockal goal, set up by Alejandro Bedoya. Vancouver went down to ten men in the seventy-second minute for Jose Aja's denial of a goal scoring opportunity, and the Union extended the lead as Ilsinho made the penalty kick in the seventy-fourth minute. The Whitecaps had yellow cards for dissent by Yordy Reyna in the eighty-second minute, an Anthony Blondell foul in the eighty-third minute, and then Reyna got ejected for his foul in stoppage time. Philadelphia iced it at 4-0 with a Picault penalty kick goal stemming from that foul. The man of the match was Dockal.

Next up, the New York Red Bulls welcome FC Dallas. Jesse Gonzalez and Luis Robles protect the nets. New York started in the twenty-third minute with a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, via Tyler Adams. The Red Bulls went down to ten men in the twenty-seventh minute as Daniel Royer took a straight red card for violent conduct. New York added on in the thirty-ninth minute with an Aaron Long goal, helped along by Sean Davis. The Red Bulls extended the lead in the forty-eighth minute as Kemar Lawrence scored, thanks to Alejandro Romero Gamarra. Dallas had a yellow card for Reto Ziegler's persistent infringement in the seventy-second minute, and they then went to ten men as Ziegler picked up a straight red card in the ninetieth minute. New York held on to win 3-0, with the man of the match being Robles for his six-save clean sheet while playing most of the game shorthanded.

Down in Florida, Orlando City SC brings in the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Joe Bendik are the keepers. Montreal led off in the thirteenth minute with an own goal by Orlando City's Lamine Sane. Sacha Kljestan of Orlando City had a yellow card for his fifty-eighth minute foul. The Impact added on in the eighty-fourth minute with an Ignacio Piatti goal, via Alejandro Silva and Saphir Taider. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the man of the match being Piatti.

Northwest to Missouri, as Sporting Kansas City hosts the Houston Dynamo. Joe Willis and Tim Melia are between the sticks. Houston opened in the second minute with a Mauro Manotas goal, via Tomas Martinez. Eric Alexander of the Dynamo took a yellow card for a twenty-second minute foul. In the twenty-seventh minute, Roger Espinoza of Kansas City had a yellow card for his foul. Houston added on in the forty-fifth minute with a Manotas goal, guided in by DaMarcus Beasley and Romell Quioto. The Dynamo keeper Willis took a yellow card for time wasting in the fifty-fifth minute. Kansas City got on the board in the fifty-ninth minute with a Daniel Salloi goal, courtesy of Johnny Russell. Sporting tied it on an eighty-fifth minute Diego Rubio goal, fueled by Salloi and Russell. Houston went down to ten men in the eighty-seventh minute as Alexander took a second yellow card for a foul. Sporting pulled ahead with a Khiry Shelton goal in the eighty-eighth minute, set up by Salloi and Rubio. Alejandro Fuenmayor of Houston had a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. Sporting won 3-2, with the man of the match being Salloi.

West to Colorado, with the Rapids welcoming Minnesota United FC. Bobby Shuttleworth and Tim Howard are the gloved men. Minnesota struck first in the twentieth minute with a Miguel Ibarra goal. Colorado tied it in the fiftieth minute with an Edgar Castillo goal, via Enzo Martinez. Minnesota retook the lead with a Christian Ramirez goal, courtesy of Ibarra and Darwin Quintero. Shuttleworth of Minnesota had a yellow card for time wasting in the seventy-second minute. The Rapids retied it in the seventy-fourth minute on a Joe Mason goal, assisted by Shkelzen Gashi and Danny Wilson. In the seventy-seventh minute, Mason took a yellow card for Colorado, but Minnesota went down to ten men as Ibarra had a red card for violent conduct. The Rapids won 3-2 at the death on a Tommy Smith goal, made possible by Gashi. The man of the match honors went to Gashi for his critical assists.

In Utah, Real Salt Lake brings in the San Jose Earthquakes. Andrew Tarbell and Nick Rimando are in the six-yard boxes. Salt Lake saw a yellow card for a Damir Kreilach foul in the twelfth minute. Real got going in the fifty-fourth minute with a Kreilach goal, via Corey Baird and Albert Rusnak. San Jose tied it on a Danny Hoesen goal in the sixty-fourth minute. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the man of the match being Tarbell for his seven-of-eight saves performance in goal.

Up in Seattle, the Sounders FC host the Chicago Fire. Richard Sanchez and Stefei Frei guard the woodwork. Chicago was first to score in the ninth minute with an Aleksandar Katai goal, assisted by Brandt Bronico. Seattle tied it on a Clint Dempsey goal in the twenty-second minute, via Will Bruin and Harry Shipp. The Fire saw a yellow card for time wasting by Bastian Schweinsteiger in the forty-fourth minute. Chicago also received yellow cards for Jonathan Campbell's sixty-first minute foul and a dive by Elliot Collier in the eighty-fifth minute. The Sounders' Cristian Roldan and Nouhou had yellow cards for fouls in the eighty-seventh minute and stoppage time, respectively. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the man of the match being Katai.

Saturday ends with Los Angeles FC welcoming the Columbus Crew SC. Jon Kempin and Tyler Miller are the former backups in goal. Los Angeles cracked the scoresheet in the fourth minute with a Laurent Ciman goal. Los Angeles added on in the eighth minute with an Adama Diomande goal, passed from Lee Nguyen and Benny Feilhaber. Eduard Atuesta of Los Angeles had a yellow card for a twenty-fourth minute foul. Columbus saw a yellow card for persistent infringement by Lalas Abubakar in the thirty-fourth minute. The Crew received yellow cards for a Pedro Santos foul in the sixty-first minute, Federico Higuain's dissent in the sixty-ninth minute, and a seventieth minute foul by Milton Valenzuela. The final score stayed at 2-0, with the man of the match being Ciman.

On Sunday, Atlanta United FC brings in the Portland Timbers. Jeff Attinella and Brad Guzan are set to start in goal. Portland had a yellow card for a twenty-fourth minute foul by Diego Chara. Franco Escobar of Atlanta took a yellow card for his foul in the thirty-second minute. The Timbers dented the scoreboard right after that with a Larrys Mabiala goal. Mabiala took a yellow card for his forty-fourth minute foul for Portland. Atlanta tied it in the fifty-sixth minute with a Julian Gressel goal. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Attinella named man of the match for his nine-of-ten saves performance.

Finally, New York City FC hosts Toronto FC. Alexander Bono and Sean Johnson are the keepers. Ager Aketxe of Toronto had a yellow card for his twenty-seventh minute foul. Toronto kicked off the scoring in the thirty-seventh minute with a Victor Vazquez goal, set up by Auro. New York City tied it in the fifty-first minute with a Jo Inge Berget goal, via Jesus Medina. New York City took the lead with a Berget goal, coming off of Maximiliano Moralez. The final stayed at 2-1, with the man of the match being Berget.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.