NWSL Week 6

We're back with the full slate of games this weekend, beginning on Friday in...

Houston, as the Dash host the Orlando Pride. Ashlyn Harris and Lydia Williams guard the woodwork. Here's the game link. Houston earned a corner kick in the first minute, but Andressa's service was handled by Harris. Toni Pressley had a bad pass in the second minute in Orlando's defensive third, and Janine Beckie just missed with the touch, as the Dash made some pressure. Houston made another foray in the third minute, as Poliana played into a slightly offside Kealia Ohai. The Pride had their first look in the fourth minute as Josee Belanger sent a ball for Kristen Edmonds, which was tracked by Becca Moros. The early part of the game has been a bit open. Ohai had a low shot saved by Harris in the fifth minute. Allysha Chapman did very well to block Edmonds' shot in the sixth minute after a good pass from Lianne Sanderson. This earned a corner kick, with Sanderson finding Steph Catley, who fell in the box after Chapman blocked her. Beckie had a charge up the left flank in the ninth minute, and Catley just cleared the service away from Rachel Daly as Orlando makes another good defensive stop. Daly made an attempt in the twelfth minute after thorough build up by the Dash. The Pride countered with Alex Morgan up the middle, but no shot came until Sanderson went wide left of Williams' goal. Morgan crossed into Becky Edwards, stopped by Andressa, and Jasmyne Spencer was too far behind the play to get a chance on the other side. Houston countered with Beckie in the fifteenth minute, defended by Belanger on the break after a through ball from Andressa, allowing Harris to pick it up. Chapman and Moros of Houston had a bit of an issue against Morgan, but Chapman got back and stopped Morgan from shooting cleanly to keep the Pride away from a good opportunity. Beckie shot wide right from the right flank in the seventeenth minute as Houston has had a number of chances. Spencer had a cross defended by Chapman in the twentieth minute, and on the other side, Ohai shot off the wrong side of the net wide right after a nice break by the Dash. Andressa made a run up the middle in the twenty-first minute, blocked by Edwards. Denise O'Sullivan tried to find Ohai in the twenty-fourth minute, but Belanger got there first. Houston saw a series of quick passes up the middle, ending as Daly took a heavy touch and knocked the ball to Harris. Daly and Ohai connected again in the thirtieth minute, but the play was offside again. In the thirty-first minute, Daly had a shot as she fell, surrounded by Catley and Pressley on the Dash's right wing, and Harris made the catch. Ohai got around the defense on the same side, but Monica poked the cross away. Orlando pushed forward immediately after, but Andressa led the attack out for Houston. Daly sent a ball into the box in the thirty-seventh minute, and Belanger dangerously knocked it out near Harris' goal. Andressa's corner kick was poor, going directly out of bounds. Chapman made a cross in on the left side, but Monica again cleared it away. Beckie and Ohai nearly made a connection in the Pride box, but Ohai mishandled and never got a shot off in the forty-third minute. The game went into halftime tied at 0-0. The Pride's best players so far have been RB Belanger, RW Edmonds, ACM Sanderson, and CF Morgan, while the Dash's best has come from LB Chapman, LW Andressa, and LF Beckie. In the forty-seventh minute, Ohai was again offside on a Daly cross, and well defended by Monica regardless. The danger on the end-to-end balls has been reduced at the start of the second half. Spencer laid one off to a fast-incoming Morgan in the fifty-third minute, but her heavy touch thwarted any chance of a shot for Orlando. Sanderson had one attempt at a cross knocked out by Moros and another taken off her foot by O'Sullivan. Beckie tried to get around Catley and lost the ball in the fifty-fifth minute. Cari Roccaro took a poor touch in the Dash box, and this allowed Orlando's sub Sam Witteman a shot that went just high over the bar. Andressa let a long shot fly in the fifty-eighth minute, going wide right. Chapman went through one defender on the left flank, crossing into Daly, who was blocked by Monica. Pressley put it out for a Morgan Brian corner kick, but Edwards cleared it out. Sanderson had a shot after a short clearance from Moros and Roccaro in the sixty-first minute. Stephanie Ochs had a dangerous cross in front of Harris, but she fell on it before Chapman could strike for the Dash. On the next attack, Daly tried to find O'Sullivan, but it was again just too close to Harris. Catley served in the free kick for the Pride in the sixty-sixth minute, and a back-heel from Monica went straight to Williams, who covered it. Witteman put one in over the top in the sixty-eighth minute, grabbed by Williams before Morgan could get her head to it. Witteman saw her shot at the seventy minute mark get deflected and stalled, falling harmlessly into the arms of Williams. In the seventy-first minute, Chioma Ubogagu took a shot for Houston over the bar. The Dash kept the pressure high, as O'Sullivan sent one to Daly, but her cross came into Harris' range again. Roccaro did well to block Morgan as she ran toward goal on a Pride counterattack. In the seventy-eighth minute, O'Sullivan stole the ball from Orlando's Jamia Fields, and she fed Ochs for a juicy shot that Harris needed two hands to punch out before tracking it down for a catch. Andressa and Ubogagu connected in the seventy-ninth minute, but she couldn't get around Belanger. Morgan made a good play on a free kick, but Chapman covered the space that Williams couldn't from Belanger's service. Daly and Brian had a combined three chances in the eighty-first minute for the Dash, but Orlando took the 1-0 lead as Sanderson passed to Edmonds, who shot from outside the box to give the visitors the lead.Chapman had an eighty-third minute cross punched away by Harris near Ubogagu. Orlando has tightened defensively since their goal. Ubogagu went long for O'Sullivan, but the through ball was too long in the eighty-sixth minute. Amber Brooks powered a shot in the eighty-eighth minute, caught by Harris as the Dash continue to search for an equalizer. Brian's free kick at the end of the game hit Poliana but went wide. Houston couldn't really connect in stoppage time, losing 1-0 to the Pride. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is the RW Edmonds, while CB Monica, and AM Witteman also impressed in the second half for the Pride in addition to the other players. For the Dash, RF Daly, CB Moros, and RW O'Sullivan improved dramatically to earn honorable mentions.

On Saturday, the first game is the Western New York Flash welcoming Sky Blue FC. Caroline Stanley and Sabrina D'Angelo are in goal. The game can be found here. Western New York had a first minute attempt with Makenzy Doniak crossing into Jessica McDonald, but she didn't get all of the ball. In the fifth minute, Maya Hayes crossed to Taylor Lytle, who was just a bit offside as Sky Blue made a good effort. The Flash earned a corner kick, with Jaelene Hinkle's service going to McDonald, who headed it around Stanley for the goal. Western New York has an early 1-0 lead in the sixth minute. Lynn Williams tried a cross in the ninth minute for the Flash, but Sky Blue's Erica Skroski got in the way and cleared it. Meredith Speck found Williams in the tenth minute, but the shot got deflected, deadened enough for Stanley to handle it. Doniak poked one away from Hayes, and then Williams got around Skroski, but a heavy touch allowed Stanley to shield it out. Kelley O'Hara made a block on a Speck cross in the thirteenth minute. On the other side of the Flash attacking third, Elizabeth Eddy got around Erin Simon before losing control of the ball to a clearance by Christie Rampone. A long throw by McDonald was headed by Samantha Mewis, stopped by Stanley, and then the rebound was shot wide by Doniak. Western New York has dominated in the first fifteen minutes, keeping the ball firmly in Sky Blue's defensive area. Nikki Stanton of Sky Blue hammered a distance shot right at D'Angelo, who caught it for a save in the sixteenth minute. Hinkle's service on a nineteenth minute free kick came off of Stanton directly to Mewis, who sent it back over Stanley across goal and into the net, creating a 2-0 lead for the Flash in an amazing opening to the game. Hayes tried a cross in to Natasha Kai after the goal, but she couldn't get a good shot off and it went wide. O'Hara tried to find Kai again in the twenty-second minute, but the cross was long. Western New York made it 3-0 on a Williams goal in the twenty-third minute, on a pass from Doniak from the right wing. The play began with Mewis switching fields. Alanna Kennedy did her part defensively as Sky Blue's Lytle crossed one in. Eddy dispossessed Lytle in the twenty-eighth minute to diffuse a Sky Blue attack. Sky Blue has taken a bit of possession back since the third goal. Speck had a long cross in the twenty-ninth minute as the Flash get another chance. Michaela Hahn took down Sarah Killion in the thirty-first minute, but O'Hara's free kick was low and wide. Hinkle tried a through ball to Williams in the thirty-third minute, but the Flash forward was offside. Hahn took one away from Lytle in the thirty-fifth minute as Western New York has displayed good defense. O'Hara nearly got one through to Kelly Conheeney, but Hinkle's defense gave D'Angelo time to cover it. Skroski blocked a shot from McDonald on the other end, earning a Flash corner kick in the thirty-seventh minute. Hinkle had two corner kicks, with Stanley punching one just beyond Kennedy to stave off the attack from Western New York. Hinkle had another opportunity in the fortieth minute, but Skroski cleared it away from Kennedy. In the forty-second minute, Killion had a long ball picked up by D'Angelo as Sky Blue hasn't really challenged the Flash keeper yet. In first half stoppage time, Stanton shut down a break by Williams with a sliding block for a corner kick from Abby Dahlkemper. This resulted in a McDonald goal, after Sky Blue couldn't clear it. Mewis headed it, knocked back by O'Hara, and then Kennedy headed it off the post, allowing McDonald's clear shot to make it 4-0. The best players of the half were the entire team for Western New York, save for the unchallenged D'Angelo, while Sky Blue has seen relatively strong performances from DM Stanton, LW Lytle, and striker Kai. In the forty-seventh minute, Killion cleared away a dangerous opportunity that began with McDonald and saw Mewis and Hinkle get big touches as well. Eddy nearly ran down a ball in the fiftieth minute, but Rampone knocked it away once it got behind O'Hara. In the fifty-second minute, Conheeney of Sky Blue took a yellow card for her foul on Mewis. Dahlkemper had a long cross grabbed by Stanley with McDonald bearing down. In the fifty-fourth minute, Leah Galton passed to Killion, then got it back and found O'Hara open, who shot a curling ball into the far side netting to make it 4-1 as Sky Blue has found life. In the fifty-sixth minute, Galton got open and went direct to D'Angelo, but the keeper made the save. In the fifty-seventh minute, the Flash's Eddy had a yellow card for a foul on O'Hara. The free kick saw Killion go short and O'Hara tried to replicate her previous goal, but she shot high this time. McDonald had two crosses for Western New York, but Skroski got both of those out as the game opens up offensively. Hinkle's cross was cleared by Rampone in the fifty-ninth minute. In the sixtieth minute, Hahn took a long ball from Hinkle and shot it top shelf to make it 5-1 for the Flash. Kennedy and Doniak had the passes leading to Hinkle's pass. Hahn looked offside on the first look, but replays showed otherwise. In the sixty-first minute, Williams had a shot that Stanley grabbed. Galton had a cross in the sixty-fourth minute, but Kennedy made a block to get rid of it. Dahlkemper had a block in the sixty-sixth minute against Conheeney and Galton after they tried to make something happen. In the sixty-seventh minute, Conheeney took a shot just over the bar. Dahlkemper broke up a Simon cross into the box before D'Angelo was threatened. Hahn cleared a Galton cross in toward Kim DeCesare. Taylor Smith got around O'Hara in the seventy-second minute, but she recovered and knocked it out for the corner kick by Hinkle. In the seventy-sixth minute, O'Hara again did well defensively on Eddy, but the Flash got another corner kick. Galton set up Shawna Gordon for a shot in the seventy-ninth minute, which D'Angelo had a bit of trouble with before stopping it. McDonald's long throw in the eighty-third minute found Mewis, whose flick landed in Stanley's arms. Smith fouled O'Hara in the eighty-fifth minute inside the penalty area, and Killion converted the penalty kick for Sky Blue, making it a 5-2 Western New York lead. The Flash turned defensive after the goal, with many probing balls from the Sky Blue back line cleared harmlessly by the Flash. DeCesare had a half-shot in the second half stoppage time, picked up by D'Angelo. Near the end of the game, McDonald fired a shot wide right and high, messing up a clean chance at a hat trick. The final stayed at 5-2, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being RF McDonald, for her brace and incredible work off the ball. Also impressing (and this is a long list): RB Eddy, CB Kennedy, LB Hinkle, DMs Mewis and Hahn, RW Doniak, LW Hahn, and LF Williams. For Sky Blue, joining the halftime stars were outside back O'Hara, DM Killion, and forward Galton.

The other game has the Portland Thorns FC hosting the Washington Spirit. Stephanie Labbe and Adrianna Franch tend the nets. Here's the game. The game began with a lot of play in the midfield and short passes between teammates. Portland finally got deep with Nadia Nadim trying to find Allie Long, but she couldn't control the ball and Labbe did a goal kick. Washington's Crystal Dunn tried a cross in the seventh minute, but Emily Menges sent it out for a corner kick by Diana Matheson, cleared by Lindsey Horan and Nadim together. Horan did her part to slow down Christine Nairn, and then Menges cleared it out of bounds. Long was fouled just outside her own box by Joanna Lohman, moments after Katie Stengel nearly forced Franch into a mistake. Portland had their first true shot in the twelfth minute by Tobin Heath, but it was high over Labbe's net. On the next Thorns attack, Heath crossed too long for another goal kick by Labbe. Nairn's fourteenth minute corner kick was plucked out of the air by Franch. Nadim crossed one to Dagny Brynjarsdottir, who sent it back in with a touch from Long, stopped by Labbe in the fifteenth minute on a great chance. Christine Sinclair made a break up the left wing, passing to Nadim, who got centered again, with just Megan Oyster in the way to deflect it out for a corner kick by Heath. The seventeenth minute chance was cleared out by Lohman a bit sloppily. Dagny found Sinclair, who played patiently against the back line, but the cross to Heath was offside due to the line holding strong. Long tried to find Nadim in the twentieth minute, but Dunn and Lohman made the defensive play. Heath crossed into the box, but the Spirit's Shelina Zadorsky made the clearance as Portland keeps the pressure high. Dagny brought a Katherine Reynolds through ball down, and passed to Horan, who just shot a bit high after Tori Huster slipped up. In the twenty-third minute, Matheson and Heath tangled cleanly on the Spirit's right wing attacking zone, with Heath drawing the foul to give the Thorns possession. Emily Sonnett took a free kick in the twenty-sixth minute, headed by Horan to Dagny, who shot on goal, but Labbe tipped it over. Meghan Klingenberg got the next offering in for the Thorns, and Horan dribbled a bit but earned another corner kick. Heath's service found Horan in the twenty-seventh minute, and deposited it in the net behind Labbe to give Portland the 1-0 lead. Nairn countered for Washington, with a pass into Matheson resulting in a weak shot that Franch covered. Sinclair passed into Nadim, which Labbe swatted out back, where it bounced off of Alyssa Kleiner, resulting an own goal from the Spirit that made it 2-0. The Thorns' Sonnett took a yellow card for a foul in the thirty-second minute on Dunn. Nairn's service on a free kick from a dangerous spot went long. Long couldn't quite get a shot in the thirty-fourth minute. Kleiner did well to break up a play from Sinclair to Nadim, which fell to Horan, whose cross caught Sinclair offside just in front of Labbe. Klingenberg saw her through ball taken out by Zadorsky. Heath had Krieger beat on the Portland left wing, but Huster and Nairn cleared the cross. In the forty-third minute, a Nairn free kick went off Sinclair and out for a corner kick by Matheson, who took a poor service for Nadim to boot away. Franch had to pick up the ball that Dunn sent in toward Matheson in the forty-fourth minute as Washington wants to get one back. In first half stoppage time, Sinclair put one behind Huster and Oyster, and Heath two-touches it into the net after getting around Labbe, making it 3-0 at the half. Impressing for the Spirit so far are CB Zadorsky, RW Nairn, and RF Dunn, while the Thorns saw great efforts from CB Menges, DM Horan, LW Heath, RW Nadim, ACM Sinclair, and striker Dagny. Sinclair made a forty-sixth minute shot on Labbe, who saved the low effort. Stengel crashed dangerously into Franch in the forty-eighth minute after a Nairn free kick. Dunn had a cross in later on, with Lohman firing wide right for Washington. Oyster stopped an effort by Sinclair, but Heath got it back in the fiftieth minute, blocked by Krieger, and then Dagny had a header on goal that Labbe stopped. Heath made a great play to shut down Krieger and Dunn in the fifty-fourth minute, but the Thorns got nothing on the counterattack. Washington got on the board with a stunning bit of work on the right side by Dunn, beating Klingenberg after working away from Heath, and Lohman headed it just inside the left post past Franch to cut the game to 3-1 in the fifty-fifth minute. In the fifty-seventh minute, Klingenberg sent one in to Nadim, who shot wide left. Meg Morris, the Portland sub, sent the original pass to Klingenberg. Sonnett broke up a run by Dunn in the fifty-eighth minute, with the Spirit pressing hard to get back in the game. In the fifty-ninth minute, Morris charged forward and ran into Labbe, earning herself a yellow card. Nadim and Nairn had a collision in the sixty-first minute, and their chippy play earned both players yellow cards. When these teams previously met, many cards were given, and the pattern appears to be repeating itself now. Kleiner had a cross into Matheson in the sixty-third minute cleared by Long. Krieger made a strong play to dispossess Dagny after her long run up the left. Horan later broke one up as Stengel pressed in a frenetically-paced game. Dunn had a push forward blocked by Katherine Reynolds in the sixty-seventh minute. A series of passes gets Portland in attacking position, which led to Nadim being offside. Kleiner's cross in the sixty-ninth minute went straight at Franch, with the Spirit holding a good chunk of possession in this half. Dagny earned a free kick in a dangerous spot outside the Washington box after a foul by Oyster. Heath took the kick pretty high in the seventy-first minute. Reynolds had a big cross come into Long in the box, and her hit forced Labbe into a big save in the seventy-fourth minute. Heath's kick saw Horan and Sonnett both get touches but without a shot to come from it. In the seventy-sixth minute, Horan fouled Dunn hard on the Spirit right wing, earning a yellow card for the challenge. Klingenberg shut down Cheyna Williams in the seventy-seventh minute. In the seventy-eighth minute, the Thorns made it 4-1 with a Morris goal, getting around Oyster to fire a shot past Labbe. In the eightieth minute, Matheson shot a ball high on a pass from Williams for the Spirit. Williams had a shot at the top of the box in the eighty-third minute, caught by a diving Franch. Williams was hurt and had to be stretchered off the field. Franch had to make a stop as Dunn fed one in to Cali Farquharson in the eighty-sixth minute. On the other end, Morris took a shot wide left in the eighty-eighth minute after a pass from Heath. Dunn ran all the way from her half to the box, but Sonnett blocked it out for a corner kick at the start of stoppage time. Matheson's corner kick came into Lohman, and Dunn had the second effort going wide left. Farquharson had her cross blocked by Heath on the next Spirit attack. The game ended 4-1, with the LW Heath named the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. Also impressing for the Thorns in the second half beyond the halftime players: DM Long, LB Klingenberg, and sub Morris. For the Spirit, the LW Lohman and RB Krieger both played well in the second half.

On Sunday, the first of two games features the Boston Breakers bringing in FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Libby Stout protect the nets. Here's the game link. Boston saw Brooke Elby and Angela Salem put a couple of balls into the box in the first minute, without much danger. The Breakers saw Kyah Simon crash toward Barnhart in the sixth minute, causing the keeper to mishandle the ball but giving plenty of time for Kansas City to clear. Simon had a chance on a Mollie Pathman cross, but Barnhart grabbed that as well for the Blues. Shea Groom couldn't quite corral a ball between Kassey Kallman and Whitney Engen. Fran Silva nearly got the ball to Groom in the ninth minute, but the play was offside as the Blues have pressed back after weathering an early storm. Pathman worked a ball through Heather O'Reilly and off Desiree Scott before Alex Arlitt cleaned it up. McCall Zerboni tried to serve it in, but Scott slid it away. Groom got stood up by Engen at the top of the box in the thirteenth minute. Silva followed with an offside play on a pass from Groom. Katie Schoepher and Simon worked to dispossess and force the Blues' Yael Averbuch into a foul, allowing Engen to serve a free kick into the box, where Barnhart made a leaping grab. Elby had a cross in toward Schoepfer turned out for a corner kick by Kristie Mewis in the nineteenth minute. The service went to Engen, who headed it over Barnhart's hand for a 1-0 Breakers lead. Pathman had a free kick in the twenty-third minute after Averbuch fouled Zerboni on the Boston left wing. Averbuch fed O'Reilly for a shot in the twenty-fourth minute, blocked by Kallman and cleared by Pathman in the end as the Breakers are showing well defensively. Scott made a good breakup for the Blues, kicking it away from Simon after a return pass from Mewis. In the thirtieth minute, Arlitt won a corner kick for Kansas City off Pathman. O'Reilly served it in toward the center of the box, where Stout snagged it. Simon made a cross for Boston in the thirty-first minute, where Elby tried to get it back across goal, but ended up hitting it out wide right of the Blues goal. Salem won a foul in the thirty-second minute in her own defensive third. Kallman had a bad giveaway to Groom, but she helped Engen shut down a shooting chance, and Stout deflected the stunted shot out for a Kansas City corner kick. Stout grabbed a headed attempt from Becky Sauerbrunn in the box. The Blues kept on attack, with Mandy Laddish shooting on goal, forcing Stout to tip another one out for a corner kick. Arlitt headed the service wide right of the goal. Engen took down Laddish on the edge of the box, but there was no call on the play, and the ball went to midfield in the thirty-eighth minute. Pathman tried to find Simon, but Sauerbrunn was there on defense. Elby took a shot on goal against Barnhart, who saved it but took some damage. Elby collected the rebound, but Silva took it away from her and start a break for the Blues. In the forty-second minute, O'Reilly had a corner kick that Groom appeared to put in the net, but Stout was taken out of the play, so the goal was disallowed. Sauerbrunn shut down a chance from Mewis in the forty-fifth minute. Mewis served one in during first half stoppage time toward Schoepfer, who headed over Barnhart's goal. On a similar play, Sauerbrunn broke it up before Schoepfer could find it. The game went into halftime favoring the Breakers 1-0. Impressing for the visiting Blues are CB Sauerbrunn, DMs Scott and Averbuch, and RW O'Reilly, while Boston's best are GK Stout, CB Engen, RB Elby, LW Pathman, DM Salem, RW Mewis, and forwards Simon and Schoepfer. Katie Bowen had a cross come close to being dangerous in the forty-sixth minute, but Stout handled it. Arlitt found Groom for a high shot in the forty-eighth minute for Kansas City, with Kallman taking a heavy hit. Arlitt won a corner kick off of Kallman, and O'Reilly provided the service, with Zerboni blocking the original. O'Reilly had another cross picked up by Stout, and then Zerboni got knocked down and stayed there for awhile in the fiftieth minute minute. Mewis had a shot on goal against Barnhart in the fifty-second minute, but it was an easy save on the low shot for the veteran keeper. Boston had a good effort through Louise Schillgard and Mewis, shut down by Arlitt and Brittany Taylor, and then a cross went into Schoepfer, who headed it over. Simon tried to get around Bowen in the sixty-first minute, but it didn't work at the top of the box, and the Breakers are struggling a bit to find another goal. O'Reilly tried to find Tiffany McCarty on a counterattack, but King poked it away solidly. Simon had a shot blocked by Arlitt in the sixty-fourth minute, and then Schoepfer and King challenged the left side of the Kansas City defense without producing a shot. Schoepfer had a shot in the sixty-sixth minute, blocked by the right hand of Barnhart, and then Simon fired wide right. Averbuch tried a trip but nobody ran onto it, making it an easy catch for Stout in the sixty-eighth minute. Averbuch fired high again in the seventieth minute as Kansas City tries to equalize. McCarty had a weak shot in the seventy-first minute that nearly caught Stout off-guard before she recovered for the save. Kansas City kept pressuring, with Groom heading over the bar, but she was offside again on the service from Arlitt. Stephanie McCaffrey earned a corner kick for the Breakers off of Sauerbrunn, and Mewis' service was caught by Barnhart again. Mewis sent a seventy-fifth minute corner kick toward Kallman on the far side, which was headed out wide. Boston has continued to pin the Blues in the seventy-sixth minute, with Mewis firing high over the Kansas City net. After Stout stopped a long range shot from O'Reilly, Simon shot off the bar behind Barnhart in the seventy-eighth minute. An eightieth minute Mewis free kick went curling wide right, ultimately a harmless effort. King stole the ball from Alexa Newfield as she made a foray forward for the Blues in the eighty-first minute. Pathman made a big block on a shot from Arlitt in the eighty-fifth minute. In the eighty-seventh minute, Arlitt sent it in to Groom in the box, who tried her weekly diving header, but she hit it wide right. Schillgard crossed in towards Simon in the eighty-ninth minute, broken up by Sauerbrunn. Engen had a yellow card early in stoppage time for time wasting. Arlitt slammed Mewis to the turf in stoppage time for a hard foul, allowing the Breakers to eat up time before the free kick. Scott took a long play with seconds to go, caught by Stout. The game ended with a 1-0 Boston win, and Engen was the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. Bowen did well in the second half, and the LB joined the halftime mentions for strong play.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher faces a lesser foe in Haley Kopmeyer in goal. Find the game here. Chicago's Julie Johnston made two early stops in the third minute on service towards Merritt Mathias of Seattle. Arin Gilliland tried to find Sofia Huerta for the Red Stars in the fifth minute, but Keelin Winters cleared it for the Reign. Chicago's Vanessa DiBernardo served in a free kick toward Amanda Da Costa, but the play was ruled offside in the seventh minute. Mathias made a run off of an Elli Reed and got behind Sam Johnson of the Red Stars, but the defender came back and stopped the rush. Kendall Fletcher made a good defensive stop in the eleventh minute against Jen Hoy. On the corner kick, Danielle Colaprico had poor service cleared by Reed. Hoy had a cross in the thirteenth minute, with Fletcher making the clearance for the Reign. The Red Stars stayed on attack, with Casey Short blasting a shot from distance that Kopmeyer parried out for a corner kick. Colaprico was better, but Beverly Yanez sent it out for another Seattle clearance. The ball came back in, and Rachel Corsie elbowed Johnston unintentionally, causing a delay. Seattle had a flurry, beginning with Reed crossing toward Carson Pickett, and then Little had one knocked away by Johnson as Chicago holds strong. Gilliland fouled Yanez on the left wing, giving Little a free kick in the nineteenth minute for Seattle. DiBernardo stuck a foot out to clear it. Little had a header in front of Naeher, but it went wide and high. Pickett tried a through ball into Yanez, but Johnson managed to shut it down on a good breakup for Chicago. Huerta tried a service in the twenty-fourth minute for the Red Stars, which Gilliland failed to corral before it went out of bounds. Winters crossed to Little in the twenty-sixth minute, but Little ran into Johnston and couldn't shoot as Seattle sustains some offense for awhile. Seattle's Kiersten Dallstream had a cross go long in the thirty-third minute, and then Pickett sent it back before Johnson kicked it out. On the other side, Christen Press went against Fletcher and Lauren Barnes on a Red Stars counterattack. DiBernardo got a shot off in the thirty-fifth minute, going wide left. In the thirty-seventh minute, Hoy passed to Press in the box, shooting straight at Kopmeyer for the save by the Reign keeper. Press had another shot in the thirty-eighth minute after stealing the ball from Little, with the shot going high and wide left. Pickett saw her service go between Short and Johnson, who gave it to Colaprico for the clearance as the Red Stars remain strong in defense late in the first half. A Seattle free kick in the forty-first minute was taken directly by Little, saved easily by Naeher in goal for Chicago. DiBernardo unleashed a shot at the forty-one minute mark, and Kopmeyer had to parry it out for a corner kick. Colaprico's set piece was punched out by Kopmeyer on the ensuing play. Gilliland made a good cross in the forty-fourth minute, which Press flicked off of a Reign defender for a corner kick. The first half ended at 0-0, with the Red Stars seeing their best play from CBs Johnson and Johnston, DMs Colaprico and DiBernardo, and striker Press. Seattle's top players were GK Kopmeyer, LB Barnes, CB Fletcher, LW Pickett, and striker Mathias. In the forty-eighth minute, Reed found Mathias just offside as Seattle makes a big attack early in the second half. Reed was taken down by Short, but Mathias got a cross off from the end line, where Naeher snagged it safely for Chicago. Colaprico played a long ball, trying to find Press, which went a bit long in the fifty-fourth minute. DiBernardo fed a pass up to Press in the fifty-fifth minute, which Kopmeyer saved on a full extension, but this left her out of the play, allowing Hoy to bury the rebound for a 1-0 Red Stars lead. In the sixty-first minute, Hoy was making a run in midfield and Barnes closed her down to stop the Chicago attack. Yanez made a good defensive play against DiBernardo, although the Reign failed to make much of the attacking opportunity. In the sixty-seventh minute, the Red Stars made it 2-0 with another Hoy goal, coming on a long pass from DiBernardo. In the seventy-first minute, Little received a long ball in the box, and it took DiBernardo helping Johnston to break up the attempt, with Johnson also in the area. In the seventy-third minute, Corsie fouled Press before she could break, resulting in a yellow card for the Seattle center back. The second half has seen very few truly dangerous shooting opportunities apart from the goals. Winters had one in the seventy-seventh minute with a long ball into the box that Naeher grabbed. Press made a left side run in the seventy-eighth minute, coming to shoot from the top of the box and hitting the crossbar after beating Kopmeyer and Reed defensively. Hoy made a run on the right side, but a heavy touch took the ball out of bounds before she could cross one in for the Red Stars. Yanez tried a shot in the eighty-second minute, which bounced toward Mathias, who also missed contact as Seattle presses to get on the board. Little found Paige Nielsen in the eighty-fifth minute, who attempted a shot-cross that went to the left wing without challenging Naeher. Huerta's cross in the eighty-sixth minute was tipped away from Press by Corsie. Huerta got around Barnes and deflected a shot off Fletcher, which Kopmeyer handled. In the eighty-ninth minute, Yanez was fouled by Johnson, creating a Seattle penalty kick. Little stepped up and made it against Naeher, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-1. Short made a critical deflection on a Lindsay Elston through ball in the ninetieth minute, with the Reign looking freshly alive from the goal. Little and Johnston battled late in the box, but it was cleared. Little flicked a header in the box, but Naeher made the stop. The final stood at 2-1. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was RF Hoy, who had a big brace in the second half. Also impressing in that time was the RW Huerta for the Red Stars. On the Reign side, DM Little did well in the second half.

Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI - Week 6
GK Libby Stout
RB Josee Belanger
CB Whitney Engen
CB Alanna Kennedy
LB Jaelene Hinkle
DM Samantha Mewis
DM Desiree Scott
RW Kristen Edmonds
LW Tobin Heath
RF Jen Hoy
LF Jessica McDonald

Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 12

We're back for another weekend of games. This time, we're in...

Philadelphia, as the Union host DC United on Friday night. Travis Worra and Andre Blake man the nets. DC had a yellow card given to Patrick Nyarko for dangerous play in first half stoppage time. In the fifty-third minute, Steve Birnbaum of United had a yellow card for a foul. Philadelphia saw yellow cards given to Tranquillo Barnetta in the eightieth minute and Raymon Gaddis in the eighty-second minute, both for fouls. The Union dented the scoreboard late with a Richie Marquez goal in second half stoppage time, assisted by Sebastien Le Toux. Marquez took a yellow card for delaying the game, but Philadelphia won 1-0, and Marquez was the man of the match for the winner.

On Saturday, New York City FC welcomes the New York Red Bulls in the first of seven games. Luis Robles and Josh Saunders are in goal. NYRB began with a Dax McCarty goal in the third minute, via Sacha Kljestan. NYCFC had yellow cards for a sixteenth minute foul by Mikey Lopez, an argument by Federico Bravo in the thirtieth minute, and a foul by Thomas McNamara in the thirty-seventh minute. NYRB added on with a forty-second minute goal by Bradley Wright-Phillips, assisted by Mike Grella. In first half stoppage time, NYRB extended the lead as Wright-Phillips scored again. NYRB padded the lead as McCarty scored in the fifty-first minute, thanks to Kljestan. NYRB kept going with a fifty-sixth minute Alex Muyl goal, passed from Wright-Phillips. NYRB saw a yellow card for a Connor Lade foul in the seventy-third minute. NYRB continued in the eighty-third minute with a Gonzalo Veron goal, coming off of Felipe. NYRB iced it at 7-0 with a Gideon Baah goal in the eighty-ninth minute. The man of the match was Wright-Phillips for his brace and assist.

Along to Chicago, as the Fire bring in the Houston Dynamo. Tyler Deric and Sean Johnson draw the starts in goal. Chicago led off in the third minute with an Arturo Alvarez goal, assisted by Gilberto. Houston had a yellow card for David Horst in the twenty-third minute for a foul. The Fire's Kennedy Igboananike took a yellow card for his fifty-sixth minute foul, while teammate Matt Polster had a yellow card for dissent in the seventy-sixth minute. The game ended 1-0, with Alvarez the man of the match for his winner.

Up in Canada, Toronto FC hosts the Columbus Crew SC. Steve Clark and Clint Irwin are the keepers. Toronto had yellow cards for Justin Morrow in the fifty-sixth minute and Steven Beitashour in the eighty-second minute, both for fouls. Columbus' Wil Trapp had a yellow card for an eighty-eighth minute handball. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the man of the match being Irwin for a four-save clean sheet.

Back stateside, the New England Revolution welcome FC Dallas. Chris Seitz and Bobby Shuttleworth are between the posts. New England keeper Shuttleworth had a third minute yellow card for a foul, which helped Dallas open the scoring on a fifth minute Tesho Akindele penalty kick goal. The Revolution tied it on a twenty-third minute goal by Juan Agudelo, via Lee Nguyen. In the twenty-sixth minute, New England took the lead with a Nguyen penalty kick goal. Dallas tied it in the thirty-sixth minute with an Atiba Harris goal, courtesy of Kellyn Acosta. In the forty-third minute, Dallas' Maynor Figueroa took a yellow card for a foul. Dallas took the lead on a Fabian Castillo goal in the seventieth minute. Dallas had a yellow card given to Victor Ulloa in the eighty-first minute for a foul. Dallas made it 4-2 with an Akindele goal in the ninetieth minute, set up by Acosta. The man of the match was Akindele for his brace.

South to Florida, with Orlando City SC bringing in the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Joe Bendik are in the six-yard boxes. Montreal started in the fourth minute on an Ignacio Piatti goal, set up by Lucas Ontivero. Orlando City had yellow cards for Adrian Winter in the thirteenth minute and Brek Shea in the forty-first minute, for a foul and dissent, respectively. Orlando City tied it on a forty-third minute Cyle Larin goal, fueled by Kaka. In first half stoppage time, the Impact's Bush and Orlando City's Carlos Rivas took yellow cards for time wasting and delay of game, respectively. Orlando City saw yellow cards for Cristian Higuita's fifty-third minute dissent and Kevin Alston's foul in the sixty-sixth minute. Orlando City took the lead with an eighty-seventh minute goal by Larin, courtesy of Kaka and Julio Baptista. Larin was the man of the match for his brace in a 2-1 Orlando City win.

Westward to Kansas City, as Sporting hosts Real Salt Lake. Nick Rimando and Tim Melia protect the nets. Salt Lake struck first in the thirty-second minute on a Juan Manuel Martinez goal, assisted by Joao Plata and Javier Morales. Real added on with a Brad Davis own goal in first half stoppage time. Kansas City got on the board with a fiftieth minute Dominic Dwyer goal, courtesy of Jimmy Medranda. Salt Lake shot back with a Yura Movsisyan goal in the fifty-third minute, coming off of Kyle Beckerman. In the seventy-ninth minute, Sunny of Real took a yellow card for a foul. Sporting's Roger Espinoza had a yellow card for his foul in second half stoppage time. The man of the match in the 3-1 game was Movsisyan for putting the game out of reach.

Saturday ends with the Seattle Sounders FC welcoming the Colorado Rapids. Zac MacMath and Stefan Frei are the keepers. Colorado got going with a forty-third minute Axel Sjoberg goal, via Marc Burch. The Rapids' Jermaine Jones took a yellow card for a forty-fourth minute foul. Colorado had yellow cards for Burch's time wasting in the sixtieth minute and Mekeil Williams' foul in the seventy-ninth minute. The final held at 1-0 with the man of the match being Sjoberg.

On Sunday, the Cascadia Cup sees the Portland Thorns bring in the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. David Ousted and Jake Gleeson protect the nets. Portland was first to score in the fourth minute on a Diego Valeri penalty kick goal. The Timbers added on in the twenty-ninth minute with a Jack McInerney goal, assisted by Lucas Melano and Ben Zemanski. Erik Hurtado of Vancouver had a yellow card for a handball in the thirtieth minute. McInerney of Portland had a yellow card for persistent infringement in the forty-first minute. Tim Parker of the Whitecaps saw a yellow card for a forty-sixth minute foul. Vancouver got on the board with a Kekuta Manneh goal in the forty-ninth minute. The Timbers answered on a Dairon Asprilla penalty kick goal in the seventy-eighth minute. The Whitecaps had yellow cards for dissent by Pedro Morales in the eightieth minute and a Jordan Harvey foul in the eighty-first minute. Portland extended their lead as Darlington Nagbe scored in the eighty-second minute. Morales got one back for Vancouver in the eighty-fourth minute on a penalty kick goal. Kendall Waston of the Whitecaps received a straight red in stoppage time for dangerous play, putting them at ten men for a short bit. The final stood at 4-2 for the Timbers, with the man of the match being the referee, Ten Unkel, for his trigger-happiness on the penalty kicks.

Finally, the Cali Clasico, where the Los Angeles Galaxy host the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Brian Rowe are in goal. Alberto Quintero of San Jose had a yellow card for a foul in the twenty-third minute. Los Angeles drew first blood with an eighty-third minute Marvell Wynne own goal. San Jose equalized on a Fatai Alashe goal in the eighty-seventh minute, set up by Chad Barrett. The game ended 1-1, with Alashe the man of the match for the equalizer.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

MLS Midweek: May 18, 2016

Two games on in the middle of the week. We begin with…

Toronto FC hosting New York City FC. Josh Saunders and Clint Irwin are in goal. New York City led off with a Kwadwo Poku goal in the sixteenth minute, assisted by Patrick Mullins and Steven Mendoza. Mullins of New York City had a yellow card for persistent infringement in the nineteenth minute. In the thirty-ninth minute, Michael Bradley of Toronto had a yellow card for his foul. Toronto tied it on a forty-second minute goal by Will Johnson, via Josh Williams and Mo Babouli. New York City saw yellow cards assessed to Federico Bravo in the fifty-sixth minute, Mix Diskerud in the seventieth minute, and David Villa in the eighty-fifth minute, all for fouls. The game ended 1-1, with the man of the match being Johnson for his equalizer to earn a draw.

Down in New Jersey, the New York Red Bulls host the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson and Luis Robles man the nets. Joao Meira of Chicago had a yellow card for a twenty-second minute foul. Aurelien Collin of New York took a yellow card for his foul in the twenty-ninth minute. The Red Bulls struck first in the fifty-eighth minute with a Mike Grella goal, assisted by Lloyd Sam and Bradley Wright-Phillips. The Fire had a yellow card given to Brandon Vincent in the seventy-eighth minute. The game ended 1-0, with Grella the man of the match for the winner. 

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0. 

Manchester United v. Bournemouth

Here's the game being made up from Sunday. Adam Federici and David de Gea draw the starts in goal. Manchester United led off with a forty-third minute Wayne Rooney goal, assisted by Anthony Martial. In the sixty-sixth minute, Juan Mata of Manchester United had a yellow card for his foul. Manchester United added on with a Marcus Rashford goal in the seventy-fourth minute, guided in by Antonio Valencia. Manchester United extended the lead as Ashley Young scored in the eighty-seventh minute, thanks to Rooney. In stoppage time, Bournemouth got on the board through a Chris Smalling own goal. The final was 3-1.

I think that's about it for my coverage of the Premier League. I did enjoy last season quite a bit as Chelsea won the title, and this year's Leicester City premiership is one of the greatest moments in the history of the sport. However, my focus going forward for Outsider Sports is to cover soccer in the United States, both men's and women's, in order to grow the game in a newer market. I appreciate the support for the Premier League coverage I've received, and I hope the readers will understand and transition to following MLS and NWSL on here as well. Coverage will reach throughout the summer. As always, follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

NWSL Week 5

We're back with another week of NWSL action. The games begin with two Friday matches, beginning with...

Sky Blue FC hosting the Boston Breakers. Libby Stout and Caroline Stanley are in goal. In goalie news, Erin Nayler has replaced Caroline Casey on the Sky Blue roster, while Abby Smith is out for the year for Boston, and Jami Kranich will be the backup now. You can find the game here. Sky Blue made the first penetrating run in the third minute after Boston held midfield possession as Kelley O'Hara set up a cross for Maya Hayes, earning a corner kick. Sarah Killion had a bit on O'Hara's corner kick, and another one went out for a throw in for the Breakers. Boston's Stephanie McCaffrey picked up a loose ball cleared poorly by Stanley, and then Louise Schillgard tried to dance on the end line but took the ball out for Stanley to distribute a goal kick. Stout misplayed a Hayes cross on the other end in the fifth minute, making a scary moment for each keeper. Boston tried to work around the back, but McCall Zerboni's through ball to Julie King didn't work. When the Breakers got the ball back, Kyah Simon had a threatening attack. Erica Skroski broke up Simon's through ball in the ninth minute, as the Breakers have retained possession through good passing and giveaways by Sky Blue. On the other end, Taylor Lytle couldn't get around King, neutralizing another Sky Blue attack. Sky Blue's Natasha Kai settled a ball, but O'Hara's cross ran long. Lytle returned the ball, and Stout grabbed it. Boston nearly got one as McCaffrey and Kristie Mewis tried a give-and-go that got too close to Stanley in the eleventh minute. O'Hara made a good cross that went a bit long away from Lytle, making Stout's job easy as she shielded it out. McCaffrey had a shot in the eighteenth minute that went straight to Stanley after Mollie Pathman served it in and deflected off of O'Hara. Erin Simon has had problems keeping control on the left defensive side for Sky Blue. Pathman had another cross in the twentieth minute, caught by Stanley over the heads of two Breakers players. Kai and King had a collision that left Kai injured in the twenty-third minute, hurting the Sky Blue attack. A cross in from Killion did not find a Sky Blue teammate, namely Kelly Conheeney coming forward toward the Breakers net. Kai did return to the game. O'Hara blocked Kyah Simon off the ball in the box, but no foul was given, and Stanley was allowed to do a goal kick in the twenty-seventh minute. This was a close non-call, but the right decision. Schillgard had a soft shot after Zerboni won the ball from Raquel Rodriguez, and Kyah Simon got the ball to Schillgard at the top left side of the box. Sky Blue countered with Conheeney setting up Kai on the through ball, with Whitney Engen providing pressure and Stout gobbling up the soft shot from Kai. Hayes made a run on her weak side as Sky Blue continues to find their best chances on the counterattack, but Kassey Kallman closed her off cleanly enough to regain possession for the Breakers. In the thirty-fourth minute, Hayes passed to an offside O'Hara, continuing Sky Blue's burst of possession. Erin Simon crossed into Kai in the thirty-fourth minute, but the header wasn't on target. Kai had another chance blocked by the resilient Boston back line. On her next through ball, Hayes was intercepted by Engen. Killion switched fields to find O'Hara in the thirty-seventh minute, and she cut inside to shoot through the defense, which Stout saved. Boston had some good play with McCaffrey, Mewis, and Angela Salem all getting pieces of the play, which was well-defended by Christie Rampone and Skroski. In the forty-first minute, O'Hara's cross deflected off of Kallman, and the bounce went into the Breakers net, giving Sky Blue the 1-0 lead on an own goal. McCaffrey had a shot go over the bar at the end of the forty-second minute after Mewis got it to her. The score was 1-0 at halftime. Impressing for Boston are LB Pathman, LW Schillgard, RW Mewis, and RF McCaffrey. On Sky Blue's side, GK Stanley, RB O'Hara, CB Rampone, DM Killion, AM Hayes, and striker Kai. In the forty-seventh minute, McCaffrey got around Erin Simon but didn't take a good shot, and was saved by Stanley. The Breakers maintained good pressure early in the second half. Rodriguez and King crashed into each other in the fiftieth minute, and Rodriguez did take the worst of it. In the fifty-second minute, Hayes held up play outside the Breakers box, then set up O'Hara for a booming shot going over the bar protected by Stout. Sky Blue kept their attack going with O'Hara crossing in against Pathman, which Stout punched to an open Hayes, who shot high as well. Boston's Mewis took a shot in the fifty-fifth minute that went high. Kyah Simon had a laser shot in the fifty-sixth minute that landed on the top of the net, marking the Breakers' best chance so far. Kyah Simon tracked down a Zerboni through ball in the fifty-eighth minute, but the cross didn't do anything as Simon nutmegged O'Hara to get the ball in the box. In the sixtieth minute, Kai received a yellow card for a foul on Kallman. Erin Simon went one-on-one with McCaffrey and won the ball in the sixty-second minute to keep Sky Blue's goal safe. In the sixty-eighth minute, Mewis charged forward and took a shot, but it was another one going high. Boston kept going with a Katie Schoepfer shot that deflected off both O'Hara and Stanley out for a corner kick. Erin Simon made a save off the line off of Kyah Simon's shot from Mewis' corner kick. Sky Blue fired back with Conheeney shooting just wide in the seventy-first minute, but earning a corner kick as it hit off Stout. O'Hara's corner found Skroski, who headed it to Stout for the save. In the seventy-second minute, Conheeney fouled Kyah Simon, giving the Breakers a dangerous free kick, which Mewis shot wide right on the low shot. Kai had a headed shot go high off of Erin Simon's cross in the seventy-fourth minute. Nikki Stanton, a Sky Blue sub, took a yellow card in the seventy-fifth minute for her foul. Schoepfer took another shot in the seventy-seventh minute, bobbled a bit by Stanley but held. In the eightieth minute, Skroski's clearance landed at the feet of Zerboni, who got tangled with Erin Simon and never got a shot off. Boston's Mewis had a shot again go wide right in the eighty-third minute. Boston will spend much of the rest of the game attacking, as Sky Blue has backed off into a defensive shell. That said, the Breakers didn't get a lot of good shots off. A Breaker went down in the box at the end of the game, but no penalty was called, and Sky Blue earned the 1-0 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is O'Hara, whose cross bounced off of Kallman for the goal. In addition to those mentioned at halftime, LB Erin Simon and AM Schoepfer played well during their second half appearances.

Next up, FC Kansas City welcomes the Chicago Red Stars for a Midwest brawl that doubles as Jen Buczkowski's last professional game. Alyssa Naeher and Nicole Barnhart are the reliable keepers. The game can be viewed here. Kansas City had the first shot of the game, building up the left side through Alex Arlitt, Shea Groom, and then the shot by Brittany Taylor. The game has seen a lot of exchanging in the midfield, but neither team has broken forward well. In the ninth minute, Sam Johnson broke up a Kansas City attack. Danielle Colaprico had a corner kick served in to Amanda Da Costa in the tenth minute. Following that, Chicago's Christen Press challenged Barnhart, and she needed Arlitt to fully clear the ball in the eleventh minute. The Red Stars saw good defense from Casey Short against Heather O'Reilly after Desiree Scott carried the ball forward for the Blues in the fourteenth minute. In the seventeenth minute, Naeher just got a save on Jen Buczkowski after Mandy Laddish had a shot blocked. Groom had a shot go across the face of goal in the eighteenth minute as Kansas City has had the bulk of the play so far. Chicago's Colaprico took a high shot in the twenty-first minute. Press took a shot at Barnhart in the twenty-third minute, as the Red Stars have seen a few shots taken but not much possession. Johnson knocked aside the ball away from Groom as she pressed for the Blues. Kansas City nearly had one with Arlitt crossing into Laddish in the twenty-eighth minute, but Naeher was able to grab it safely. In the twenty-ninth minute, Groom shot wide left as the Blues are back in control. In the thirty-first minute, Katie Naughton and Arin Gilliland tracked back to stop Frances Silva from taking a shot. Press and Sofia Huerta tried to connect in the thirty-third minute, but Becky Sauerbrunn turned the through ball out for a corner kick, which Colaprico sent a bit too long. Press had a shot go long and on goal toward Barnhart in the thirty-fifth minute. O'Reilly made a foray forward, but Naughton shielded her off the ball to earn a goal kick for the Red Stars. Naughton defended well against O'Reilly in the thirty-seventh minute as well, after the Blues made a break that saw Da Costa swing and miss on a shot attempt, shut down by Yael Averbuch. Averbuch also made a good hold-up in the defensive corner, keeping Huerta off the ball. In the thirty-eighth minute, Johnson took a yellow card for a massive hit on Groom. In the forty-fourth minute, Buczkowski had a shot sail wide right. The lack of dangerous shots and fast breaks has created a calm first half. The best players of the half for the Red Stars have been GK Naeher, CB Naughton, LW Da Costa, and LF Press, while the Blues have seen strong efforts out of CB Averbuch, LB Arlitt, DM Buczkowski, LW Silva, and striker Groom. The second half started a bit cagey as well. In the forty-ninth minute, Arlitt's header back into the box hit Alyssa Mautz in the face, causing a delay for a pretty brutal contact. Averbuch had a through ball in on goal that Groom nearly got to, but Naeher covered it before a shot could be taken. In the fifty-third minute, the Red Stars had a couple of shots blocked, including a final rip from Press blocked aside by Averbuch off a cross from Short. A corner kick saw Barnhart fight for it, drop it, and then have Averbuch clear it away from danger in Chicago's best flurry of play. On the other side, Buczkowski had a cross blocked by Mautz, who is alright after the knock she took. Chicago countered with a shot by Press, tipped by Barnhart and then sent out by Taylor. In the fifty-eighth minute, Huerta had a shot go just high after Averbuch pressured her closely. Chicago continued to be strong, seeing Mautz put one on Barnhart's goal but saved. Arlitt and Groom connected in the sixty-second minute, giving the Blues a wonderful scoring chance that just went high on Groom's shot. Mautz looked to have a cross in during the sixty-sixth minute, but Averbuch again turned it away, the latest in a line of great plays from the veteran. In the seventy-first minute, Silva took a shot off the crossbar, set up by Buczkowski and going out, keeping the game scoreless in the closest shot so far. On the next attack, Groom tried a shot-cross and it went over the bar. In the seventy-fourth minute, the Blues nearly had another, as Laddish crossed in to Groom, whose diving header was blocked away by Naeher. Kansas City has been dangerous in recent minutes. In the eightieth minute, Groom charged from box to box, only to get shoved down by Johnson in the box with no foul given. In the eighty-fifth minute, Blues sub Katie Bowen was denied by Naeher's foot on her first professional shot. In the ninetieth minute, Press carved up the Kansas City midfield and back line to shoot toward Barnhart, who made the save on a less-than full power shot. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with Naeher named the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match for her multiple game-saving stops. No one set themselves apart in the second half relative to the first half.

Onward to Saturday, with the Washington Spirit hosting the Houston Dash. Lydia Williams and Stephanie Labbe guard the woodwork. Here's the link. Alyssa Kleiner made two early runs up the left flank for Washington. Washington had the first shot in the sixth minute from a long range by Christine Nairn, going long. The early part of the game has favored the Spirit so far. Andressa tried a through ball for Houston, but Shelina Zadorsky stopped it. Poliana had a pretty hard foul on Diana Matheson in the twelfth minute, but no booking occurred. Washington had a flurry of activity with passes from Crystal Dunn to Matheson to Nairn and then Ali Krieger, finally broken up by the Dash's Morgan Brian. Dunn wrestled with Becca Moros just outside of the box in the fourteenth minute, but she couldn't put the shot on target. On the next attack, Matheson's cross in was blocked by Brian. Twenty minutes in, the game has calmed down as the Dash have kept the Spirit pretty well pinned in their own half, but Houston has also failed to produce any real crosses or shots. On a counterattack, Nairn chipped in toward goal, but Matheson couldn't catch it, allowing Williams to grab it up. In the twenty-second minute, Andressa set up Brian, who shot over the center of Labbe's goal. Poliana had a good attack in the twenty-fourth minute, standing up Kleiner before feeding in Kealia Ohai, who was offside after a threatening attack. Joanna Lohman had a foul on Andressa in the twenty-fifth minute, allowing a free kick by Andressa that went over Rachel Daly's head. Megan Oyster did well to get Ohai to run just a bit too far on another Houston attack that led to nothing. Nairn had a giveaway in the twenty-ninth minute, leading to a break by Daly, but Oyster again shielded her attacker, Chioma Ubogagu, off the ball to let it roll out for a goal kick by Labbe. Dunn earned a free kick in the thirty-first minute from Brian, allowing a Spirit free kick by Nairn, which was blocked by the wall. Dunn had a cross into Matheson as Washington has regained control, but the touch was heavy, and Allysha Chapman cleared. The Spirit stayed strong, but Poliana made a pair of good blocks as Washington has passed around the top of the box. Nairn had a free kick headed away by Amber Brooks as Houston has done well to weather the attacks. Williams punched out a Krieger cross. Lohman knocked Andressa of the ball, but had it stolen away in turn by Brooks. Chapman served in a thirty-seventh minute cross to Daly, but she headed it wide left. In the thirty-ninth minute, Washington got things started with a Lohman goal, headed in off a Nairn cross, with the secondary assist given to Krieger. Williams had no chance to get to this one, as Lohman knocked it in off the crossbar toward the top left. A ball came in toward Lohman again in the forty-first minute, and this time Poliana cleared out for a corner kick by Matheson, which ran long. Washington saw Cali Farquharson try to get a ball to Dunn, but it was blocked by Cari Roccaro. Roccaro also stalled the last Spirit attack of the half, poking it off of Dunn. The score was 1-0 Washington at the half. Houston's best players of the half are RB Poliana, DCM Brooks, RW Brian, and LW Andressa, while Washington's best are CB Oyster, LB Kleiner, LW Lohman, and RW Nairn. Washington had a shot from Estefania Banini in the forty-eighth minute, going wide right. On the other end, Chapman crossed into an offside Poliana as Houston couldn't quite connect after the corner kick. Banini sent a scoop ball into Nairn, but Chapman was there defensively. Poliana was twice stopped, with a cross knocked out by Oyster and a dribble stalled by Lohman. Kleiner turned away one of Andressa's through ball toward Ohai. Chapman made a block on a fifty-eighth minute shot by Nairn. Krieger passed across to Matheson, whose shot was blocked but fell directly to Lohman, who shot high as the Spirit look to build up on their lead. Kleiner sent a cross in front of the goal in the sixty-second minute, as the Spirit are again controlling possession pretty strongly. Denise O'Sullivan took a shot in the sixty-third minute, with Tori Huster blocking part of it and Labbe taking care of the rest. In the sixty-fifth minute, Kleiner received a yellow card for her foul. Ubogagu had the free kick from that foul, but Labbe caught it over Daly's head. Chapman crossed in a ball in the sixty-seventh minute, with Huster heading out straight at Daly, who shot just wide left. The Dash are now carrying the better of possession in search of an equalizer. On the other side, Banini was just stopped by Roccaro before she could shoot. In the seventy-third minute, Dunn got on a break and took a shot, but was saved by Williams. In the seventy-fourth minute, Dunn got an even better chance, shooting off a Banini through ball that Williams punched over the bar from the close-range shot. Nairn's corner kick was punched over again by Williams, and then Matheson took a corner kick from the other side, who didn't have great service. Huster powered a shot wide right after an exchange with Banini, providing the Spirit with another bit of pressure as they are trying to see this game out. The Dash got a shot from Janine Beckie in the seventy-eighth minute, curling just outside of the right post. Dunn fed one into Matheson in the seventy-ninth minute, but Chapman put it out for a corner kick. Moros twice stopped Dunn after the eightieth minute, keeping the Spirit from establishing a strong shooting position. Lohman had a cross into the box in the eighty-fifth minute, but O'Sullivan sent it forward to Ohai. Washington continued to attack with a Dunn shot in the eighty-sixth minute, going left of the goal. Banini's shot followed, and Williams tipped it out for a corner kick. Krieger took a yellow card for time wasting in the eighty-ninth minute. Beckie and O'Sullivan both had their attempts in the ninetieth minute blocked as Houston is pouring numbers forward. Daly came up hurt in stoppage time, killing the Dash's chances of avoiding what ultimately was a 1-0 win for the Spirit. Moros had a chance late in the game caught by Labbe. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was Nairn, who played well throughout including her assist. In the second half, GK Williams and LB Chapman of the Dash and RB Krieger and CF Banini joined the first half stars on the positive side of the ledger.

Next up, the Orlando Pride bring in the Western New York Flash. Sabrina D'Angelo and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. The game is at this link. Orlando's Sarah Hagen had a cross in the second minute, but Abby Dahlkemper of Western New York made a solid defensive effort. The Flash's Samantha Mewis crossed one into the box that got tangled in the feet of Lynn Williams. A long throw from Western New York's Jessica McDonald was carried out by the Pride's Josee Belanger. Jaelene Hinkle disrupted a move forward by Sam Witteman on the Orlando right flank. Hinkle had two corner kicks for the Flash, with the second headed over by Michaela Hahn. Jasmyne Spencer rallied up the left flank, crossing over to Witteman, who sent it back in for Alex Morgan, getting stopped by D'Angelo as Orlando is seeking for a goal. The game has hit a bit of a lull around the fifteen minute mark. McDonald had a cross come in, bouncing off of Orlando's Laura Alleway but into the arms of Harris without danger. The Flash had a pass from Mewis go into Williams, but it was drawn offside as Western New York hasn't established much of an attacking presence. Mewis had to foul Kaylyn Kyle in the twenty-first minute, but the Pride don't have a direct shot. Witteman's service off of the Steph Catley kick went into D'Angelo's hands, as the kick was a bit long. Spencer tried to get a ball through to Morgan in the twenty-fourth minute, but Elizabeth Eddy cleared it away. Kristen Edmonds sent another Pride attack forward, but D'Angelo just beat Morgan to it. Mewis sent in a cross to Williams, who banged it off the bar. The Flash had two more shots on the play, but couldn't quite collect. Orlando earned a free kick when Eddy held Hagen, and Catley's kick deflected toward D'Angelo. Morgan had a second attempt, which was also saved. Orlando's taken a bit of a push forward, with Kyle earning a free kick from McDonald's foul. In the thirty-first minute, Hagen had a shot-cross going against Abby Erceg of the Flash. Orlando's Edmonds took a yellow card for a foul on Eddy in the thirty-second minute. Mewis connected with McDonald's long throw, but Harris was able to scoop it up safely. Dahlkemper took a shot after Hinkle's corner kick in the thirty-fourth minute, but the long-range drive was taken by Harris. McDonald tracked down a long ball, but Monica poked it out as Western New York can't produce a shot on the counterattack in the thirty-seventh minute. McDonald had a shot tangled up in Alleway's feet, which Harris was able to pluck out as she's been busy later in the half. In the thirty-ninth minute, Mewis had a shot on a pass from Makenzy Doniak, with the shot going wide left for the Flash. Alanna Kennedy looked to have fouled Edmonds in the forty-first minute. In the forty-third minute, Belanger shot a bit wide, smothered by D'Angelo. Doniak had a cross in for McDonald in the forty-fourth minute, but she couldn't make anything of it, keeping Western New York strong as the half wraps up. Eddy made a good stop on Edmonds, and then Hagen went down hard as Erceg and Eddy both collided with her as she tried a shot toward the unguarded net that D'Angelo had left out of position. The whistle for halftime blew with the game tied 0-0. Impressing for the Flash are RB Eddy, RW Mewis, and CF McDonald, while the Pride's best efforts have come from GK Harris, LW Spencer, RW Witteman, and RF Hagen. Orlando's Morgan couldn't find a ball, cleared out by D'Angelo. Mewis and Alleway collided in the forty-seventh minute, with the former called for a foul to kill the Flash attack. Eddy was able to knock away a Lianne Sanderson cross, and then Dahlkemper got it fully cleared. Williams made a charge forward for the Flash, running into the Pride's Catley. In the fiftieth minute, Erceg took a yellow card for obstructing Harris' clearance. Spencer replied on the counter, but Witteman couldn't make anything happen and D'Angelo snatched it. Williams crossed to Doniak in the fifty-second minute, and there wasn't a shot. Dahlkemper just kept one away from a breaking Spencer as the game has turned into a bit of an end-to-end affair. In the fifty-fifth minute, Spencer went through about half of the Flash defense, before Erceg finally poked the ball away from her. Catley had a service in on the next try, and D'Angelo covered the weak shot. In the fifty-seventh minute, Kyle crossed into Morgan, and she just barely missed getting a shot off. Sanderson set up Morgan for a fifty-eighth minute shot, but D'Angelo saved it as well, staying strong in her net. Sanderson had three services from a corner kick, and the third found Kyle, who hit it out of bounds. Spencer continued to be threatening for the Pride, getting another shot off in the sixty-second minute. Orlando had a counterattack broken up by Dahlkemper in the sixty-third minute, as she took Morgan off the ball. Hahn challenged Monica in the sixty-seventh minute, earning a free kick for Orlando. Taylor Smith took a shot on Harris in the sixty-eighth minute minute, but the keeper was strong. In the seventy-first minute, Belanger took a yellow card for fouling Smith, but it was a questionable call in a game littered with them. In the seventy-eighth minute, Mewis had a shot that Harris handled pretty easily. In the seventy-ninth minute, Morgan chipped D'Angelo on a through ball from Edmonds. Spencer and Morgan pushed forward again for Orlando in the eightieth minute, but Erceg got it out, and D'Angelo covered the ball as it was sent back in. Orlando has done well to shut things down since gaining the lead. In the eighty-eighth minute, Adriana Leon of the Flash had a yellow card for her foul on Edmonds. Belanger made a good individual effort, but she couldn't make anything of it as she lost control in the box. In the ninetieth minute, Erceg took a second yellow card for her foul on Sanderson, putting the Flash down to ten women. Toni Pressley had a shot in stoppage time going wide of D'Angelo's net. Smith had a shot driven toward Harris' goal, but saved. The game ended 1-0, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being Morgan, who had a number of good shots before finally getting a goal. The LF was joined by DMs Kyle and Edmonds as strong players for the Pride, while the Flash's CB Dahlkemper also earned a mention.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Portland Thorns FC. Adrianna Franch and Hope Solo tend the nets. The final game of the week is here. Seattle's Manon Melis stepped on her own ankle in the second minute, causing a delay before any real chances were created. She was substituted out, with Carson Pickett coming into the team. Portland's Allie Long had a good free kick in the sixth minute, with Lindsey Horan forcing Solo into a save and a corner kick. The Reign's Kim Little made a run up the left flank, but the cross went long in the direction of Kiersten Dallstream. The Thorns' Meghan Klingenberg took a shot in the fourteenth minute, but it went directly to Solo for the save. Meg Morris nearly got her header on target, but she was defended well by Lauren Barnes as the Reign defender stood strong. The game hasn't seen a lot of really strong shots yet, with a lot of interruptions occurring the midfield. Little had a cross in toward Beverly Yanez in the twentieth minute, and Franch was finally called into action, grabbing the service out of the air. Both teams have been very strong defensively when challenged, and a bit physical in the midfield with the rivalry game, leaving very little to be talked about. Keelin Winters got a ball forward to Dallstream, but Klingenberg broke it up and Franch booted it out. On the other side, Morris was called offside on her run up the center to the left of the box. Little served in a ball on a free kick, but Dagny Brynjarsdottir cleared it in the thirty-second minute. On the next Seattle attack, Merritt Mathias won a corner kick. The play saw Yanez try to get a shot off after Pickett managed to corral the ball on the left side. Dagny tried a through ball that Rachel Corsie stopped as the Reign have had an edge recently. Seattle had good pressure, with Mathias challenging Franch outside of her box, and Elli Reed got a weak shot off while Franch was still out of position. Reed also got fouled in the thirty-ninth minute, with Barnes serving the free kick and Winters unable to get the header down before it went high and wide. In the forty-first minute, Nadia Nadim broke through between Corsie and Kendall Fletcher to get a shot off, but it went wide left and the Thorns have stemmed off some pressure. Dallstream made some noise in the forty-third minute, picking off a pass and then nearly getting around Emily Menges before the Thorns defender cleared it. Winters had a long cross toward Dallstream in the forty-fourth minute after Yanez dispossessed Meleana Shim. The game went into halftime scoreless, with the best players on the Thorns being DCM Long, LW Horan, and striker Nadim, while the Reign's best performance have been from GK Solo, CB Corsie, DCM Winters, ACM Yanez, and RF Dallstream. Portland struck first in the forty-sixth minute on a Nadim goal, set up by a headed pass from Morris, resulting in a miscommunication between Barnes and Solo. Pickett won a corner off of Katherine Reynolds in the forty-eighth minute, but it didn't produce. Dallstream won another corner kick, and Barnes served in toward Franch, creating another kick by Barnes. This was turned in by Yanez at the left post, headed in off the bar. Corsie took the ball off of Morris in the fiftieth minute. Seattle nearly had a defensive breakdown, as Little, Fletcher, and Corsie all missed the ball, but Dagny shot high for Portland, saving the Reign from embarrassment. Seattle had a flurry in front of Franch, as Pickett's shot-pass found Mathias, who twice hit Franch in the legs before the rest of the Thorns relieved the pressure. Long took a shot from distance in the fifty-seventh minute, bouncing off the crossbar, and then Solo drew a foul when Morris banged into her. Pickett had a good run around Reynolds, but her cross into the box was covered by Emily Sonnett. Seattle kept pressure up in the sixty-second minute, with Pickett going into Mathias. Morris and Winters collided on a Portland counterattack. The Thorns had a good chance in the sixty-ninth minute with Nadim's cross coming into Long, who headed narrowly over the bar in one of the best chances since the goals. Seattle built up the left wing with Barnes, Mathias, Pickett, and Little stringing passes before Long stole it away from her at the top of the box in a strong defensive play for Portland. Substitute Hayley Raso stole a ball from Winters in the seventy-fifth minute. Seattle's attack in the seventy-sixth minute saw Little kick the ball over the head of Klingenberg and then blast a laser shot over the bar. Dallstream did well to win possession from Nadim, and she passed to Pickett, who shot wide right. Raso made a steal for Portland, but Corsie got back to make the defensive stop. Portland has mostly been limited to counterattacks recently. Raso and Corsie collided in the eighty-fourth minute, and once again the Reign saw a player go down from a knock. Raso continued to look dangerous, earning a corner for the Thorns. Long's corner kick found Horan in the box, but the shot went wide right. In the eighty-seventh minute, Horan held Little's arm, earning a yellow card for the foul. On the free kick, Barnes went to Little, and then Lindsay Elston had a poor cross. On the next foray forward, Elston shot over the bar from far out. Little got around her defender, and Horan knocked it out, with the Reign looking very desperately for a tiebreaker. In the ninetieth minute, Morris had a yellow card for her foul on Reed, as they collided on a jump ball. Dallstream stole one from Klingenberg to create a counterattack for the Reign, ending with Franch scooping it up in front of Pickett. Fletcher cleared as Horan tried a through ball in the frenetic moments of stoppage time. Menges shouldered Yanez off the ball in the box to keep her away from Little's through ball. Franch cleared it forward for the Thorns. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being Yanez, who was all over the attacking half of the field in a highly successful outing. Impressing in the second half for the Thorns were CB Menges and sub AM Raso, while LF Pickett did well for the Reign, as did AM sub Elston.

Outsider Sports NWSL Week 5 Best XI
GK Alyssa Naeher 
RB Poliana
CB Yael Averbuch
CB Megan Oyster
LB Alex Arlitt
DCM Jen Buczkowski
RW Christine Nairn
LW Beverly Yanez
RF Kiersten Dallstream
CF Nadia Nadim
LF Alex Morgan