NWSL Week 10

After this week, we'll be halfway through the season. It's a rare six-game week, and we begin with single-game days, the first on Wednesday. We begin with...

The Portland Thorns FC hosting the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Michelle Betos are the keepers. Watch the game at that link. The early part of the game saw some struggles in keeping possession and getting chances going. Katherine Reynolds had a cross in the fourth minute toward Christine Sinclair, but Sam Johnson stopped it for Chicago. Nadia Nadim went around Vanessa DiBernardo to keep the Thorns attacking, but her pass to Lindsey Horan ended in a handball as Casey Short harassed the Portland midfielder. Julie Johnston had an error in the box, taking a heavy touch tight into Sinclair's path, allowing the Thorns striker to strike for a goal in the sixth minute, leaving Naeher with no chance. Tobin Heath, while she didn't get an assist, helped pressure the Red Stars' Johnston into the mistake as Portland takes a 1-0 lead. Reynolds had a long cross in the seventh minute, broken up by Chicago's Alyssa Mautz. In the eighth minute, Heath earned a corner kick against Johnston, and Heath served it in to Emily Sonnett, who flicked it to Amandine Henry, who chipped it over the bar. Mautz did brilliantly on a Chicago counterattack, feeding Sofia Huerta and avoiding the offside Amanda Da Costa. Betos came way off her line, and Huerta beat her but the post got the last laugh to save the Thorns. Short tried a long ball in the tenth minute, but Betos was there. Mautz had a second attempt, but no one was on the end of it. Mautz and Da Costa combined to get the ball central to Christen Press, but she was out of position. Henry played the defense for the Thorns. Danielle Colaprico had a good takeaway from Sinclair in the thirteenth minute. Arin Gilliland's cross was cleared by Henry, and the next two efforts were cleaned up by Portland's Allie Long. Betos ended the Red Stars attack with a save on a Press shot. Mautz couldn't quite find Da Costa in the fifteenth minute, but Meghan Klingenberg got there first. Long fouled Huerta in a good spot for Chicago, and Colaprico served it into Mautz, who put it well over the bar. In the eighteenth minute, Sonnett took a free kick and found Horan, who headed wide left. Henry broke up a rush by Da Costa on the counterattack as Chicago has taken a good share of possession after falling behind. Reynolds had a cross toward Horan that didn't work out, all after Sinclair outran Johnston the Red Stars to get the ball for Portland. Da Costa had a half hit, and when Sonnett miscleared off a teammate, Press fired just wide in the twenty-second minute as Chicago continues to swarm. Johnston fouled Sinclair, and Nadim took the ball from there, getting a long shot to go wide right in the twenty-fifth minute, although a corner was earned. Heath took the kick to Henry, who flicked on to Nadim for a shocking goal to put Portland up 2-0 in the twenty-sixth minute. Nadim's positioning left Naeher no chance again. Henry took the ball away from Press in the Portland box in the twenty-ninth minute, allowing Sonnett to clear away. Colaprico kept it for the Red Stars, and passed to Huerta, who chipped a shot just wide right, sending Betos diving. Mautz ran over Klingenberg to keep the ball with Chicago, and then a cross found Betos' hands in the thirtieth minute. Long blocked a DiBernardo shot, and then Press whiffed on a Colaprico through ball. Heath went by Gilliland, Johnston, and Mautz before passing to Henry, who shot high from distance in the thirty-third minute. Nadim tried to pick out Heath, but Johnston intercepted the pass from the Thorns. Heath blocked a shot by the Red Stars' Press in the thirty-fourth minute, and then Mautz shot wide right after a popped up header by Sonnett. Henry went long to Nadim in the thirty-fifth minute, allowing Nadim to win a corner kick off of Short. Heath's service went toward Sonnett, who put it just over the bar. Heath went straight around Gilliland but couldn't get past Naeher, who blocked it to a teammate and returned Chicago to possession. A good spell of Portland possession ended with Gilliland winning the ball from Klingenberg. On the other side in the forty-fifth minute, Gilliland had a cross against Klingenberg, but Betos was the first one there, giving the Thorns the ball again. Press had a knockdown to give Huerta another shot at the end of the half, which went wide left. The Thorns have a 2-0 lead, and have seen great efforts from RB Reynolds, CB Sonnett, DM Henry, RW Nadim, ACM Horan, and striker Sinclair. The Red Stars have had good performances from RB Gilliland, DM Colaprico, RW Mautz, LW Da Costa, LF Press, and RF Huerta. In the forty-sixth minute, Short fired a decent shot low but wide left, with Betos covering it to prevent a Chicago rebound. Long prevented Da Costa from getting a cross off as the Red Stars have come out strong in the second half. Short tried a cross into Mautz in the forty-ninth minute, but it was long and Mautz had no angle on it. The Thorns tried to make a break, but Horan lost the ball to Colaprico. Chicago had a fifty-first minute free kick from Colaprico, and the onrushing Johnston collided brutally with the Thorns keeper Betos as the latter punched it out. Johnston proved to be okay after taking the worst of it. Johnson had a strange cleared for the Red Stars, and ended up gifting Portland a corner kick. Heath's service went away from any Thorns, and Johnston sent it away for Chicago. In the fifty-sixth minute, Horan and Colaprico crashed into each other, and it was Chicago's Colaprico who stayed down a bit before getting up. The game has taken a physical turn. Short couldn't quite get around Reynolds in the fifty-seventh minute as the Red Stars keep pushing well. Horan nutmegged Press, and then Press fouled Henry in a bold move for the Thorns in the midfield. Horan took a heavy touch that Johnston poked away. Sinclair touched around Johnston in the sixtieth minute and then fired, skimming the top of the net on her shot as the Thorns couldn't quite make it three. Heath went against Johnston after a Sinclair pass, and Johnston got the better of it to halt the Portland attack. Huerta and Emily Menges of Portland had a good battle in the sixty-fourth minute, with Menges eventually winning the ball for the Thorns. Klingenberg found Long in the sixty-fifth minute, but Johnston recovered after her misplay to take it back for Chicago. Heath had a shot for the Thorns in the sixty-sixth minute after Nadim laid it off from a Reynolds cross. It took Klingenberg and Menges to stop fancy footwork from Gilliland before Betos got to the ball in the sixty-seventh minute. Klingenberg cleaned up Short's cross in the sixty-eighth minute, giving the Red Stars a corner kick. DiBernardo's service went long and was cleared out by Horan, and then Horan cleared a Press effort too. Heath earned a corner kick off Huerta in the seventy-first minute, and took it short to Klingenberg. Dagny Brynjarsdottir had the cross, and it found Long, who was then fouled by Jen Hoy of Chicago. The Thorns saw Heath take the free kick in a good spot, and put it well over the bar. In the seventy-fifth minute, the Red Stars got a free kick after Reynolds fouled Short on the left wing side of the box. DiBernardo did the free kick, and Horan got to the service and then Betos caught it in the mob. Heath shoved Huerta down in the seventy-seventh minute, teeing up another Chicago free kick. Sonnett got on the end of the DiBernardo service. DiBernardo earned a corner kick and took it after Klingenberg's mess up. Press put it into the box from up high, and Betos got there just before Short as the Red Stars flurry of activity continues. Press had a good cross in the seventy-ninth minute, but Klingenberg got it out of danger for the Thorns. Colaprico continued with a shot low and wide right at the seventy-nine minute mark. Menges outran Hoy to limit Chicago to a corner kick in the eighty-first minute. Betos punched it out very cleanly after DiBernardo served it in. In the eighty-third minute, DiBernardo did another corner kick after Hoy earned it, and this one landed on top of the net. Gilliland and Huerta combined for a play, but Menges and Klingenberg were up to task. Sonnett sent out a Press pass intended for Hoy. Johnston tried to pick out Hoy in the eighty-eighth minute, but the through ball went long to Betos as the Thorns continue to weather the attacks. On the counterattack, Portland's Long found Hayley Raso, and just a poke from Chicago's Katie Naughton prevented a shot. The Thorns took the corner kick short to stay deep in the attacking zone as they try to kill the clock. Raso eventually crossed to Dagny, who just missed getting a shot off. DiBernardo went long to Press, and Sonnett shielded Press, but she still managed a half-chance with Betos blocking it. Gilliland had a cross in stoppage time, which Betos caught cleanly, neutralizing another Red Stars attack. Raso went around Gilliland on a Thorns attack, and then found Mallory Weber, who just flubbed the shot wide right with Naeher way out of position. Press made a deep run but ended with a weak and wide shot, and this left the game at 2-0 for the Thorns. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is Horan, who didn't have a hand in either goal, but played well on both sides of the ball and helped shut the game down. Improving in the second half for the Thorns were GK Betos and LW Heath, while the Red Stars had CB Johnston and LB Short also look much better.

Thursday saw the Orlando Pride welcome the Houston Dash. Lydia Williams and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. Here's the game. Orlando's Kristen Edmonds looped a ball into Alex Morgan in the second minute, but she headed it out of bounds wide left. Jamia Fields got a good ball into Morgan, who tried to cross back to Sam Witteman, but Ellie Brush blocked it for Houston in the third minute. The Dash tried a counterattack that saw Kealia Ohai pass to Rachel Daly, but in an offside position. Morgan Brian then had to make a block on Fields in the fourth minute. Brian tried to find Daly for Houston in the sixth minute, but Toni Pressley made the stop. Daly then served in off a pass from Ohai, and Denise O'Sullivan headed it over the bar. Josee Belanger broke up a pass from Becca Moros in the eighth minute, and then Houston was offside again as O'Sullivan was caught on a Cari Roccaro pass. Chioma Ubogagu's cross went long, cleared by the Pride's Steph Catley. Houston has had the bulk of possession so far. Fields set up Morgan for a tough-angle shot, and Morgan put it over the bar for Orlando. The Pride had a massive play, with Fields finding Maddy Evans, then Belanger crossing into Morgan, who headed high in the twelfth minute. Witteman had tracked the ball down to make this happen. Fields had a cross in toward Witteman, who nearly found it, but fouled the Dash's Poliana in the process to turn possession over. Ubogagu got stolen from by Belanger of the Pride after running into trouble in the seventeenth minute. Edmonds took a shot on goal that Williams stopped on the next Orlando foray forward. Ohai crossed into Daly, but the latter Houston forward couldn't control it. Brush went with a long through ball, but it was just too long for Ubogagu to get to, and Harris scooped it up for the Pride. Witteman had a good steal for Orlando against Ohai in the twenty-fourth minute. Catley took a pass from Pressley, and then found Morgan in the box, but Poliana did a wonderful job of shielding the Pride forward off the ball to allow Moros to clean it up. Daly passed to Ubogagu in the box, but she shot wide right in the twenty-seventh minute for Houston. Roccaro slipped a pass in to Daly in the box in the twenty-eighth minute, and Daly's shot for the Dash forced Harris into a save. Ohai then crossed in, but Harris came up with it again. Moros blocked a Fields attempt to cross in the thirtieth minute. Pressley did well to kill a Houston counterattack by intercepting O'Sullivan's pass. In the thirty-first minute, the first water break of the year was taken in game #46. Ohai tried a cross into Ubogagu in the thirty-fourth minute, but it was long and Ubogagu shot wide left. Witteman had a cross after a pass from Morgan, but Roccaro cleared it. Edmonds had a cross into Morgan for a second try for the Pride, and then Williams caught it to give Houston control. Poliana took a shot that Pressley deflected out for a corner kick in the thirty-sixth minute. The Dash's corner kick came from Andressa, who served in to Brian, who headed it high over the bar. Ubogagu had a poor cross after Daly passed it wide, and Belanger cleaned it up for the Pride in the thirty-seventh minute. Brian had a cross in the fortieth minute intercepted by Catley. Ubogagu had a cross, where Daly whiffed and then O'Sullivan hammered a shot off of Pressley, bouncing harmlessly into Harris' hand after a few bounces. Edmonds crossed on an Orlando counterattack, punched out by Williams and then poked out on the second attempt by Fields. Belanger and Fields strung passes together before Morgan nearly had a chance, but it was sent out for a Pride corner kick. Catley served it in short and the play didn't work. Moros made a good breakup on a Morgan pass for Fields. Ubogagu tried to find Daly in the box, but Catley was there just in time to save Orlando. Ohai had a bit of a weak cross on the second effort, caught by Harris. The game went into halftime tied 0-0. The best Dash players have been RB Poliana, RW Brian, LW O'Sullivan, and RF Ohai, and CF Daly, while the Pride's best play has come from GK Harris, LB Catley, RB Belanger, DCM Edwards, RW Evans, RF Fields, CF Morgan, and LF Witteman. Morgan had a forty-seventh minute shot off of a through ball by Pressley, challenging against Roccaro. Edmonds worked around Moros, but the Pride midfielder's cross went straight at Williams as she tried to put it across goal. Evans had a cross in, half-cleared by Moros, and then Fields just missed on the juicy leave. Poliana had a huge cross for Houston in the fiftieth minute, but O'Sullivan struck the right side netting on the outside of the goal. Andressa crossed the free kick to Poliana, but Pressley hit it out for a corner kick. Andressa had the corner kick, into Brian, who shot wide right. Ohai passed to Andressa in the fifty-fifth minute, and after a few steps, she shot, with Harris two-handing it over the bar. Andressa's corner kick was punched out by Harris, and then Poliana took a shot off Pressley for another corner kick. Andressa tried from the other side, crossing in out of bounds after Ohai took the corner kick short. Ohai found Daly in the box, but Pressley blocked the effort, and Ohai ran over it in the fifty-seventh minute. Daly had another shot against Pressley, going just wide right as Harris held the post. Fields took a shot on a pass from Morgan against Roccaro, who blocked it enough for Williams to grab it. In the sixty-second minute, Catley had a good cross for the Pride, but Williams dove onto it. The game has gotten stuck in the midfield a bit lately. Ohai tried to cross into Daly after a Brian long ball, but Laura Alleway broke up the pass for the Pride. Ubogagu's cross was blocked by Belanger in the sixty-sixth minute. Brian then tried a cross for the Dash, between Daly and O'Sullivan. On the counterattack, a foul by Poliana drew a yellow card as Witteman went down. Fields had a cross blocked by Roccaro. Edmonds had a good cross in to Morgan, who just missed settling it. Poliana had the clear for the Dash. Brush blocked another one away from Morgan in the seventy-third minute as Orlando has taken control. In the seventy-fourth minute, Brush fouled Morgan from behind, earning a yellow card. In the seventy-fifth minute, Edmonds drilled a long shot, forcing Williams into a big diving save. Jasmyne Spencer earned Orlando a corner kick off of Brush. Edmonds took it and crossed in toward Monica, but it was cleared out by the Dash. Cami Privett took a cross in the seventy-seventh minute, grabbed by Harris. Witteman blocked off Daly just after that, and then drew the foul for an Orlando free kick. Spencer tried to get behind the defense, but Roccaro broke it up as things open up late in the game. Daly took a long ball down and then passed to Ohai after Witteman tracked Daly down. Ohai shot high. Andressa broke up a Morgan pass intended for Spencer after Brush and Roccaro covered Morgan in the eightieth minute. Daly had a cross in the eighty-third minute, going right at Harris. Houston had a massive sequence, with Daly's shot blocked by Witteman, Poliana passing to Privett, who missed, and then Moros headed wide, and it went out to bail Harris and the Pride out. Evans tried to find Sarah Hagen in the eighty-sixth minute, but she couldn't turn and shoot for Orlando. In the eighty-eighth minute, Stephanie Ochs took a free kick for the Dash after Ochs was fouled by Catley. Morgan made a huge run in open field, shooting ahead of Moros and saved by Williams as Houston got off easy. Spencer received a ball in the ninetieth minute, running around Poliana but shot high over the bar. Houston had four more chances, two from Ochs, one from Daly on a bicycle kick, and one from Poliana, with Harris making multiple saves. The Pride got a late dagger, as Spencer buried a pass from Hagen, with Fields and Morgan getting chances in on the play as well. This gave Orlando the 1-0 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was Fields, for helping key the play for the late winner. Also impressing for the Pride were the LW Edmonds and LF sub Spencer, while the Dash saw good play from DCM Andressa.

On Friday, the Western New York Flash bring in the Boston Breakers. Jami Kranich and Katelyn Rowland are the backups in goal. Watch the game at that link. Kyah Simon had a shot in the first minute for Boston, blocked by Western New York's Elizabeth Eddy. Euncie Beckmann earned the Breakers a corner kick in the second minute after a Whitney Engen free kick. Louise Schillgard served it in near Beckmann, but Rowland caught it in time. Engen stole away from Jessica McDonald in the box as the Flash miss an opportunity to start their attack. Lynn Williams took a shot after Engen missed her clearing effort, but it went off the right post and then rolled out wide of the left post in the fifth minute. Engen knocked out a McDonald long throw, giving Western New York a corner kick. Abby Dahlkemper's service was cleared by Julie King in the eighth minute. McDonald had a second effort, and Kranich dealt with it for Boston. Christen Westphal took McCall Zerboni down hard, giving the Flash a free kick in their offensive third, but they made nothing of it. Possession has favored the Flash early on. Stephanie Verdoia also fouled Zerboni in the twelfth minute, with a more dangerous Western New York free kick. Dahlkemper put it in for Samantha Mewis, but the play didn't work out as planned, and Boston managed to clear it. Alanna Kennedy managed to clear under the pressure of Brittany Ratcliffe in the fifteenth minute. The Breakers kept it in with Beckmann, Simon, and then Verdoia put a shot on goal. On the counterattack, McDonald passed to Williams, but it was intercepted by Engen with Kranich out of position. Makenzy Doniak then tried a shot but it went wide in the seventeenth minute, as Western New York isn't quite sharp yet. In the nineteenth minute, Eddy stole it from Kassey Kallman, feeding Doniak, and then going long for Williams, who ran around the backtracking Engen to shoot it over Kranich's arm, giving Western New York a 1-0 lead. Beckmann had the ball in the Flash box on a pass from Ratcliffe, but Eddy slowed her down long enough to get Rowland onto the ball. Zerboni tried to cross in the twenty-first minute, but she couldn't get a foot on it for Western New York. Simon of the Breakers got hurt challenging Eddy, and had to come off temporarily in the twenty-fourth minute. Eddy tried a long cross for Western New York, and Zerboni nearly got a shot off anyway in the twenty-fifth minute, keeping the Breakers in their own half. Engen blocked a shot by Williams after a wonderful cross from Doniak, and a prior pass from Eddy. In the twenty-seventh minute, Eddy won a corner kick off of Kallman, who is getting really burned tonight. Jaelene Hinkle took the corner kick, low, and two Flash players missed it before Salem cleared it. Zerboni broke it up with a steal from Ratcliffe. Doniak passed to McDonald as Western New York countered back, but missed. In the twenty-eighth minute, McDonald struck with a goal on a pass from Mewis after Hinkle served it back in for the Flash. It's now 2-0 for Western New York. Schillgard had a free kick go near Beckmann in the thirty-first minute, but the Breakers couldn't manage a shot. Schillgard then fouled Zerboni to neuter the Western New York counterattack. Schillgard took a cross in the thirty-third minute for Boston, which Simon headed wide left. Williams crossed in toward McDonald in the thirty-fourth minute, heading high as the forwards continue to be dangerous. In the thirty-fifth minute, Kennedy fouled Verdoia, and Kennedy took a yellow card for it. Boston's free kick was in a dangerous spot, and taken by Schillgard, forcing Rowland to dive and send it out for a Breakers corner kick. King shot wide left after service from Schillgard. Boston got on the board with a thirty-eighth minute goal by Westphal from distance, on the shot-cross that drifted over Rowland and into the net, making Zerboni look bad with the deke by Westphal, cutting the score to 2-1. Western New York shot right back as Williams scored in the thirty-ninth minute, just flicking the cross from McDonald into the upper left corner. Zerboni was the one passing into McDonald on the win. Doniak had a cross in the forty-first minute that Westphal cleared out after Doniak danced around Simon, who is bandaged but playing on. Eddy crossed in to Zerboni, but just missed a shot, after Williams and Mewis strung passes together. Beckmann had a lay off for Ratcliffe, but she was just ahead of the play. Doniak, Mewis, and Eddy combined for an amazing set of passes before Eddy crossed to McDonald on the far post to head it back into the back of the net for a 4-1 lead for the Flash. The goal came in the forty-third minute. Doniak and Abby Erceg cleared for the Flash as the Breakers finally settled a bit late in the half. Hinkle's stoppage time cross toward McDonald was barely taken away by Engen. Doniak's cross was deflected by Kallman, but Kranich beat McDonald to the ball in the box. In stoppage time, Mewis found Doniak on a through ball, and Doniak shot it in easily around Kranich. Doniak went right between Kallman and Engen for the goal. The game went into halftime at 5-1 for the Flash. Impressing for the Breakers are virtually no one, but the RB Westphal and CF Beckmann have been the best so far. For the Flash, the top players are RB Eddy, CB Dahlkemper, DM Mewis, RW Doniak, LW Zerboni, and forwards McDonald and Williams. Western New York's McDonald fed Williams, who then passed to Mewis in the forty-eighth minute, but Mewis shot high with Kallman in defense for Boston. The Flash scored as Dahlkemper went long to Hinkle, who crossed in to an onrushing McDonald, who scored just in front of Engen to make it 6-1. This completed the hat trick for McDonald, her third goal of the evening. Erceg had a long ball in the fifty-first minute, but Kranich got there just before Williams to clear it, as the Breakers can't stop the counterattacks and build-up play of Western New York. In the fifty-second minute, Beckmann tried a long shot that went way over the goal. Williams danced around King before a long shot in the fifty-third minute, saved by Kranich (an uncommon phrase tonight). Engen took one away from the Flash with an interception of Zerboni's pass to McDonald. Schillgard couldn't find Beckmann in the fifty-fifth minute, as Hinkle shielded the ball out. Things slowed down a bit, as the result is practically certain, with only the number of goals left to be determined. Schillgard had a weak cross grabbed by Rowland in the fifty-eighth minute. A McDonald long throw in the fifty-ninth minute was cleared by King. In the sixtieth minute, Zerboni took a yellow card for a foul on Beckmann, although Beckmann was the aggressor on the play. Western New York made it 7-1 on a sixty-third minute Taylor Smith goal on a give-and-go from Williams. Smith made the initial steal to get the play going, and the Flash are on fire in this one. Mewis blocked an Elisa Krieghoff cross, and sprung Adriana Leon, who was only stopped by a diving Kranich on a rush toward goal. Smith had a through ball for Leon, but the forward fouled King and gave the Breakers the ball in the sixty-sixth minute. Engen's free kick found Kallman, but she turned and shot wide left in the sixty-seventh minute, as Boston is struggling badly. The Flash had a corner kick in the sixty-ninth minute, taken by Hinkle and punched out by Kranich. Dahlkemper handled the near-side corner kick, crossing toward McDonald, who had a header and a shot blocked before the Breakers cleared. Smith made Mollie Pathman look bad, earning another Western New York corner kick. Hinkle's service went toward McDonald but cleared by King. Zerboni tried a cross that Westphal blocked out, but Smith got a shot off, and it went high over the bar in the seventy-first minute. Westphal managed to get around Zerboni, but her cross was blocked away by Mewis. Leon and Kallman had a collision in the seventy-fourth minute, and both players were down for a short time. Mewis took a long ball toward Kristen Hamilton, but Kallman cleaned it up just in time for Boston. Pathman found Simon with a cross in the seventy-seventh minute, but the forward took a poor shot after beating Kennedy with position, and Kennedy blocked it away. Leon took a shot high in the seventy-ninth minute after a pass from Mewis. Hinkle had a cross cleared away by Engen in the eighty-first minute. A Schillgard foul led to a free kick for the Flash in the eighty-second minute, taken by Dahlkemper and shot wide left on a rocket shot. Pathman had to put one out for a corner kick against Eddy. Hinkle did the service, sending it into the box and knocked out by Rachel Wood for a corner kick on the other side. Dahlkemper's service went to Kennedy across goal, and then Leon had a volley try go just wide right off of Kennedy's return into the six-yard box. In the eighty-fifth minute, Boston had another defensive breakdown, allowing Zerboni to make a steal and take a long shot just barely off target. Schillgard's eighty-sixth minute cross was deflected by Erceg and grabbed safely by Rowland. On the Flash counterattack, Hinkle got a low cross in, but no one was there to shoot on it. Leon had a decent cross on a give-and-go with Mewis, but Mewis couldn't get a good shot off in the eighty-ninth minute. King did enough to break it up. The game was ended mercifully without stoppage time, ending 7-1 for Western New York. McDonald is your Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. For the Breakers, the DM Salem could be considered strong for being most invisible, instead of being the cause of the problems. For the Flash, DM Erceg and LB Hinkle looked good in the second half as well in a punishing and dominant performance.

On Saturday, the Washington Spirit hosted Sky Blue FC in the first of two games. Caroline Stanley and Stephanie Labbe guard the woodwork. Here's the game. Estefania Banini tried to go long in the second minute, but it was too long for Crystal Dunn as Washington starts off alright. Diana Matheson and Banini tried a similar thing with a similar result. Kelley O'Hara had a cross for Sky Blue go over Natasha Kai's head and out of bounds. Matheson tried to pick out Francisca Ordega in the seventh minute, but the Spirit lost control to Sky Blue's Christie Rampone. Another Spirit attack saw Dunn shoot low, forcing Stanley to make the save. In the eighth minute, Sky Blue started the scoring with Leah Galton tracking the ball down on the left flank and then passing back to Raquel Rodriguez, who fired a laser into the top corner for the goal to make it 1-0. Rodriguez had acres of space to shoot, with Tori Huster the closest defender. Dunn tried to find Matheson but Erica Skroski got in the way and Washington had to regroup for a more patient attack. Erin Simon's thirteenth minute cross for Sky Blue was intercepted by Megan Oyster. Ali Krieger found Ordega in the fourteenth minute, and the latter was fouled by Sky Blue's Erin Simon, giving the Spirit a good free kick. Christine Nairn took the free kick, serving into the box but cleared out by Rampone. Shelina Zadorsky killed the counterattack by breaking up the outlet pass toward Galton. Skroski made a good steal of an Alyssa Kleiner pass toward Dunn in the seventeenth minute. Nairn managed to keep a Washington attack alive by going around Sarah Killion, only to take a heavy touch and lose it out for a goal kick. Kleiner had a nice cross in the eighteenth minute, but Simon sent it out after Banini couldn't get to it, proving a sturdy defensive play for Sky Blue. Kai couldn't get a ball to O'Hara in the twentieth minute for Sky Blue, with Labbe grabbing it first. Taylor Lytle passed to O'Hara at the top of the box in the twenty-first minute, but Oyster blocked and cleared. The Spirit had a counterattack through Dunn, who found Banini, and she took a shot herself, going high as the Spirit were pretty close to equalizing. Lytle had a bad pass picked off by Zadorsky, but Dunn turned it right back over shortly after. Galton and O'Hara almost had a give-and-go, but O'Hara's return went too close to Labbe. Rampone did a good job to block off Ordega from a pass by Krieger in the twenty-fifth minute. Dunn did well against Skroski and Kristin Grubka, then passing to Matheson and Banini, who lost it to Rampone as Sky Blue held up in the twenty-eighth minute. Dunn had another foray forward, getting around Rampone but not Simon. Galton had a cross run long, but O'Hara crossed it back in for Sky Blue, and Kai tried a diving header that Labbe was in great position to make the save on in the thirty-first minute. Galton had a good cross that Labbe punched out in the thirty-fourth minute, and then Oyster finished the clearance before Lytle could get there. Kai had a shot on the next Sky Blue attack, but it was a bit weak and Labbe had no trouble making the stop. Dunn had two attempts in the thirty-fifth minute, a cross broken up by Simon and a shot blocked by Grubka. Washington held more possession, with Krieger's cross blocked by Grubka, and then Galton countered briefly. Dunn found Banini after Sky Blue had a turnover, but the shot by Banini went high with Skroski pressuring. Kai tried a passed in the forty-first minute that Oyster picked off. On the other end, Washington's Dunn tried dancing through the defense, but Killion took a foul call on Dunn. Nairn's free kick in the forty-second minute was taken as a shot, going into the wall. Huster had a weak shot on goal after Nairn passed it over, and Stanley made the catch. O'Hara managed a cross against Kleiner after a pass from Lytle up the right wing, but Kai shot it wide left between the center backs in the forty-third minute. Dunn made a huge run, twisting Grubka around multiple times before her shot was blocked by Rampone. The game went into halftime at 1-0 for Sky Blue, with their best players being CB Rampone, RB Skroski, DM Rodriguez, LW Galton, and LF Kai, while the Spirit's top players have been GK Labbe, CBs Oyster and Zadorsky, RW Matheson, and LF Dunn. Rodriguez challenged Labbe in the forty-sixth minute with a long ball intended for Kai. On the other side, Washington couldn't quite connected with Matheson, Nairn, and Katie Stengel. O'Hara tried to pick out Lytle in the forty-eighth minute, but Sky Blue was again shut down with Oyster's clearance. O'Hara and Lytle had another, more successful combination in the fiftieth minute, but it ended with O'Hara's cross caught by Labbe without any true danger as Kleiner played the solid defense. O'Hara had another cross in the fifty-second minute blocked by Oyster and then cleared out for a corner kick by Zadorsky. O'Hara had the corner kick, and crossed in toward Kai, but Labbe made the catch. Stanley nearly flubbed a clearing ball, with Stengel pressuring and blocking but proving unable to gain control. Dunn tried a cross in the fifty-sixth minute for Washington, but Grubka slid it out for a corner kick. Nairn's service went short to Dunn, who returned it for a true cross. Kai headed it out cleanly for Sky Blue. Huster then won a corner kick on the other side, and Nairn's effort this time went to Krieger, but Rampone put it back out for another corner kick. Nairn tried again, going over Stengel's head and into the arms of Stanley, who juggled it a bit. Nairn's corner kick in the sixtieth minute went toward Huster, who sent it back out wide on the flying kick, and then Nairn crossed it out of bounds again. Washington has had the bulk of possession in this second half. Nairn did a free kick for the Spirit in the sixty-first minute, serving in too far and caught by the keeper Stanley. Banini took a shot in the sixty-second minute, going low, and Stanley sent it out for another corner kick from Nairn, serving in toward Oyster but cleared by Grubka. In the sixty-fourth minute, Galton made a great cross to Sam Kerr, who volleyed it past Labbe for another Sky Blue goal, giving them a 2-0 lead. O'Hara tried a cross that Oyster blocked. O'Hara had a corner kick in the sixty-sixth minute, but Labbe caught it after bobbling a bit. Kleiner saw her cross in the sixty-seventh minute blocked by Rampone and cleared by Grubka. O'Hara and Kerr connected in the sixty-ninth minute, but Oyster came in for a block for the Spirit as Sky Blue still has a fair share of chances. Stengel got a half-shot off from a Dunn pass in the seventy-first minute, but Stanley smothered it to keep Sky Blue safe. Washington got a corner kick in the seventy-third minute, with Matheson doing the service now. It was easily caught by Stanley. Lytle tried a cross for Sky Blue, cleared by Krieger. Stengel and Dunn played well in the seventy-fifth minute, but Rampone blocked, and then Rampone made another block on a Krieger cross, sending it out for a Spirit corner kick. Matheson served over everyone in the seventy-sixth minute. In the seventy-seventh minute, Banini crossed in to Matheson, who headed it in with Stanley getting a touch but not enough. Sky Blue leads 2-1. Banini handled a cross from Zadorsky, but couldn't get a shot off under the smothering defense of Sky Blue. Stengel found Dunn who fired a shot blocked by Grubka. Stengel had a shot soon after for the Spirit, but Rampone made the block. Matheson had a cross in toward Joanna Lohman in the eighty-second minute, but Nikki Stanton put it out for a corner kick. Matheson did the duty on the set piece, going with a high ball to Lohman before the play ended in a foul. Dunn tried another cross in the eighty-fifth minute, but Grubka sent it away. O'Hara turned a free kick from Killion into a cross toward Kerr in the eighty-seventh minute, but Labbe was there first. Rampone turned over to Dunn, but Stanley made a good punch to keep Dunn's shot off target. Matheson's service on the corner kick was cleared by Grubka. The Spirit got a free kick in the eighty-eighth minute, and Matheson took it from a dangerous position. She chipped it toward Lohman, but nothing came of it. Galton tried to get around Oyster, but the center back steered her toward Labbe, who sent it free for Washington. Dunn tried a cross in stoppage time, but Stanton disrupted her a bit. Washington had a flurry in the last minute of stoppage time, but couldn't equalize, and Sky Blue took the 2-1 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was the LW Galton for her two assists. Also joining the honorable mentions are the CB Grubka and sub forward Kerr for Sky Blue and the CF Stengel for the Spirit.

The other Saturday game saw FC Kansas City welcome the Seattle Reign FC. Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart tend the nets. Watch the game. Kansas City's Becky Sauerbrunn thwarted the first Seattle attack with a steal from Seattle's Beverly Yanez in the second minute. In the third minute, Lauren Barnes took a deep ball in to Yanez, who dropped back for a shot by Kim Little, deflected out by Barnhart for a Reign corner kick. Barnes' service went long, and Desiree Scott cleared for the Blues. A fifth minute corner kick went long from Barnes toward Rachel Corsie, but Yael Averbuch cleaned it up for Kansas City. Seattle had a seventh minute corner kick. Barnes served it in, with Averbuch putting it back out for a corner kick on the other side. Little handled this one and sent it in, where Shea Groom headed it away. Merritt Mathias squashed the counterattack by Kansas City. Groom and Kendall Fletcher of the Reign got tangled in the ninth minute, giving Seattle a free kick. Groom tried to pick out Erika Tymrak in the tenth minute, but Elli Reed stopped it to shut down the Blues attack. Mandy Laddish fouled Corsie as the Kansas City midfielder couldn't reach the ball. Laddish had a cross in the twelfth minute blocked out by Keelin Winters for a Blues corner kick. Heather O'Reilly did the set piece, headed out by Yanez. Scott's second effort was sent away by Winters. Tymrak took a long shot that went high for the Blues in the fifteenth minute. In the sixteenth minute, Averbuch and Yanez got tangled, with the Reign awarded a free kick. Barnes sent it long into the hands of the keeper Barnhart. Little tried a cross for Mathias in the eighteenth minute, but Averbuch cleared it for the Blues. Corsie fouled Groom on the Kansas City counterattack, earning a yellow card for the Seattle defender. Averbuch served in on the free kick, with Groom heading it wide left. Brittany Taylor and Katie Bowen couldn't connect thanks to a Barnes interception in the twentieth minute. A long span of Seattle possession ended with a long Fishlock through ball. Fishlock made a huge tackle in the twenty-fourth minute to disrupt a Kansas City attack, stealing from Tymrak in her usual clean fashion. Yanez did well to win a ball away from Alex Arlitt, but her cross was off the mark. Fishlock chipped a ball into the box in the twenty-seventh minute, but Barnhart caught it again. Bowen crossed into O'Reilly, who had a shot-cross go just a bit left in the twenty-eighth minute, marking the Blues most dangerous chance. Yanez had a ball forward for Mathias in the thirty-first minute after a hydration break, but it didn't bend enough to find the Reign forward. In the thirty-second minute, Havana Solaun took a shot that went wide left, with Sauerbrunn cutting the angle down well. Winters and Mathias hooked up for a play, but nobody got on the end of Mathias' flick, and Barnhart picked it up to give the Blues control again. Sauerbrunn did a long throw in the thirty-fourth minute, with Groom getting a head on it, but Solaun cleared it for Seattle. Mathias had plays to Little broken up by Averbuch and Arlitt in the thirty-fifth minute. Yanez tried a shot on another Reign attack, but Taylor made the block. In the thirty-sixth minute, Groom and O'Reilly broke through the Seattle defense, but the play ended with O'Reilly taking a shot after she got around Solo, but it went into the outside of the side netting as Kansas City misses a brilliant chance. Winters couldn't pick out Mathias because of Averbuch's block to key a Blues counterattack. Arlitt had the cross in the thirty-ninth minute, blocked out by Elli Reed for a corner kick. O'Reilly served it in for the Blues, picking out Scott after a give and go with Tymrak. Solo punched it away, and then Mathias cleared it as Seattle continues to let Kansas City be dangerous. Reed again made a defensing play to lead to a corner kick. O'Reilly tried again for the Blues in the fortieth minute, but Solo made the catch this time to give Seattle control. Bowen, Tymrak, and Groom strung passes together, ending with a wide shot in the forty-first minute from Groom. Tymrak made a solid steal from Little after she had knocked down Laddish. In the forty-fifth minute, Winters picked out the run of Solaun, but the header was off target for the Reign. Barnes fouled O'Reilly as she made a run forward, giving the Blues a stoppage time free kick. Averbuch's free kick was knocked out for a Kansas City corner kick by Fishlock. O'Reilly served this one in, where Solo punched it away. Groom knocked out down for Laddish, for a deflected shot that led to another Blues corner kick. O'Reilly's service this time was popped up and out by Laddish. The score at halftime was 0-0. The Reign's best players have been LB Barnes, DCM Winters, LW Fishlock, LF Mathias, and CF Yanez. The Blues have seen good play out of CBs Averbuch and Sauerbrunn, DM Scott, RW O'Reilly, LW Tymrak, and striker Groom. Winters couldn't quite find Fishlock in the forty-sixth minute as Seattle continues their strong play early in the second half. Mathias had a cross against Sauerbrunn, but Averbuch cleaned it up before Fishlock could find it. Tymrak looked to have a good chance, but Reed slid in just in time to send it out for a corner kick. O'Reilly put the service in, where Fletcher sent it away. Sauerbrunn and Averbuch combined for a chance, but it was offside. O'Reilly had a corner kick in the fifty-third minute, punched by Solo and cleared by Solaun. The Blues continue to draw corner kicks, getting another in the fifty-fourth that saw O'Reilly cross out of bounds on a sloppy service. O'Reilly tried another cross in play, with Fletcher of the Reign putting it out for yet another Kansas City corner kick. O'Reilly did it again, with no success as Yanez cleared it for Seattle. Little never fired a shot on the play, as Scott broke it up. Barnhart made a save on the second Reign effort. Groom had a cross in the fifty-sixth minute, but Little intercepted it. In the fifty-seventh minute, Mathias went around Averbuch and shot, straight at Barnhart for the save. Mathias passed to Solaun in the fifty-eighth minute, who tried to return it despite being plenty open for a shot. O'Reilly and Groom tried to combine on a Kansas City counterattack, but it was offside. Scott took a yellow card for fouling Fishlock in the fifty-ninth minute, leaving the Reign midfielder injured. Little and Fishlock had a couple of connections disrupted by Averbuch in the sixty-first minute. The Blues countered with O'Reilly charging for a cross that Solo fell on easily. Solo then grabbed an O'Reilly long ball intended for Groom as Kansas City has taken control a bit. Fishlock had a cross in the sixty-fifth minute that Manon Melis couldn't get to in her first appearance since her injury. Corsie kept Groom off the ball nicely in the sixty-seventh minute. O'Reilly had a cross in the sixty-eighth minute, but Carson Pickett blocked it out for a corner kick for the Blues. O'Reilly served in for Tymrak on the short play. Winters cleared it away from Sauerbrunn, and the play was offside anyway. A Blues attack through Groom was stalled when she got away from goal. Seattle's Solo covered it when O'Reilly and Groom couldn't connect in the sixty-ninth minute. Pickett's seventieth minute cross went out without danger. The second half hydration break occurred in the seventy-second minute. O'Reilly went direct at Pickett after taking a Tymrak pass, forcing Solo to dive down for a grab. Fletcher knocked a ball away from Groom, giving Kansas City a corner kick in the seventy-seventh minute, where O'Reilly's service was sent away by Yanez. Scott tried to pick out Groom, but the striker collided with Solo, and the play was called dead. Taylor's seventy-ninth minute cross went a bit long for Arlitt, and Mathias eventually chased it out for a throw-in for the Blues. O'Reilly won a corner kick off of Fletcher and took it in the eighty-second minute, serving in low with Yanez and Melis clearing. Seattle earned a free kick in a good spot after Fran Silva fouled Mathias. Little took the kick, serving in to Winters under pressure from Laddish. The Reign failed to produce a shot. O'Reilly had a cross in the eighty-sixth minute against Pickett, who tipped it enough to keep it from Silva. Winters couldn't Kiersten Dallstream due to Arlitt making a huge stop. Groom got around Corsie in the eighty-eighth minute, and Solo did enough to make Groom lose control of the ball. In the eighty-ninth minute, Pickett took a straight red card for a high kick on O'Reilly, a questionable call. In stoppage time, Groom couldn't get a shot off in the box, and then Corsie shielded away Sauerbrunn. Kansas City is expected to attack a lot in the five minutes of added time. Reed cleared out for a corner kick against Arlitt. Alexa Newfield went long for Sauerbrunn, who headed it wide right. Solo kept the pace slow to nurse the even score for the Reign. Melis won a corner kick about halfway into the extra time, going against Arlitt. Little served it in, but Barnhart made the catch. Deep in stoppage time, Sauerbrunn took a yellow card for a foul on Fishlock, giving Seattle a late free kick. Little did the service this time, but Fishlock couldn't manage a shot. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is CB Averbuch, who made many critical stops. Earning honorable mentions from the second half are Blues LB Arlitt and the Reign's RB Reed and RW Little.

Finally, the Orlando Pride get their second game of the week, hosting the Portland Thorns FC. Michelle Betos ans Ashlyn Harris are in the six-yard boxes for the second time this week. The game can be found by following the link. Christina Burkenroad of Orlando made a strong steal from Nadia Nadim of Portland in the fourth minute, as the game has started a bit slow. Steph Catley broke up a pass out wide in the fifth minute, as the Pride are looking defensively sound. Catley's long ball intended for Alex Morgan in the sixth minute was broken up by Emily Sonnett of the Thorns. Josee Belanger twisted Meghan Klingenberg all around in the tenth minute, but her cross toward Jasmyne Spencer or Morgan was errant and Orlando went without danger. Kaylyn Kyle was called on to disrupt a cross from Amandine Henry of Portland. Morgan earned a corner kick off Sonnett in the twelfth minute, and the Pride's Kristen Edmonds had a try, but Portland cleared. Belanger sent it back in, and Kyle headed it up, but Betos caught it. Burkenroad had a through ball that Betos had to clear in the thirteenth minute. Orlando has looked more dangerous recently. Henry went long with her through ball, scooped up by Harris in the fourteenth minute to end the Portland attack. Orlando's Spencer was ruled offside just before Betos fouled her on Edmonds' through ball. Portland's Christine Sinclair got caught off side in the sixteenth minute on a Tobin Heath pass. Katherine Reynolds and Sonnett held strong against Burkenroad in the seventeenth minute. Edmonds had a shot wide right after Spencer headed it to her, giving the Pride another strong attack. Catley switched fields to Spencer in the twenty-first minute, but Spencer couldn't get a shot for Orlando and turned it over to Henry. Horan took the ball in midfield and gave it to Sinclair, who then passed to Heath, who shot and put it in the net, but was ruled offside, leaving the game scoreless as the Thorns nearly made a breakthrough. Reynolds had a steal from Spencer, but Morgan passed back to Dani Weatherholt, whose shot was saved by Betos, and then Spencer shot and Betos put it out for a corner kick. The play saw Edmonds cross into Laura Alleway, who headed it over the goal in the twenty-fifth minute. In the twenty-sixth minute, Heath took a free kick with service bouncing in front of two Portland players, Allie Long and Sonnett. Harris fumbled it, but the defense shielded it to let Harris recover. Spencer beat Klingenberg and then won a corner kick off of Emily Menges. Catley took the corner kick that fell to Morgan, who had to turn before shooting and went over the bar in the twenty-eighth minute as Orlando continues to challenge. Klingenberg managed a cross after Belanger and Kyle couldn't stop her, but Nadim couldn't corral it and Edmonds cleared in the thirtieth minute. Heath had a header fall short after a through ball from Sonnett. Harris picked it up. Klingenberg had another cross in the thirty-second minute, which Alleway sent out for a corner kick. This brought on the hydration break. Heath took the corner kick in the thirty-sixth minute, sending it to Henry and putting it wide right. Menges made a block on a cross from Morgan in the thirty-eighth minute. Belanger had a cross dummied by Morgan cleared by Reynolds, and then Sonnett cleared the shot attempt in the fortieth minute, with the Thorns just holding on here. In the forty-third minute, Alleway and Nadim knocked heads, with the Pride's Alleway taking a yellow card for the foul. The free kick from Sonnett found Heath, who shot around Catley and hit the crossbar, with the Thorns missing another great chance. Spencer has tried to do damage in stoppage time, but no crosses or shots have come from her plays. Menges cleared a Catley through ball in the final minute of added time. Belanger lost control late and Horan took it away for Portland. Kyle tried a shot that Long blocked. Heath than fouled Morgan outside the box on the right wing. Orlando's free kick came from Catley at the end of the half, but Henry blocked it. The game went into halftime scoreless. The Thorns top players have been GK Betos, RB Reynolds, CB Sonnett, DM Henry, ACM Horan, and striker Sinclair, while the Pride's best efforts come from RB Belanger, LB Catley, DCM Kyle, RW Edmonds, RF Spencer, and CF Morgan. Heath had a forty-sixth minute cross for Portland caught by Harris on the hop. Heath and Spencer collided on the next Thorns attack, and Heath got the worst of it with a bad fall on her arm. Nadim's deflected through ball caught Heath offside in the fiftieth minute, as the winger is alright. Weatherholt and Morgan each had efforts for Orlando that didn't go according to plan. Belanger, Weatherholt, and Morgan did well under pressure from Menges and Klingenberg, but couldn't produce a shot. Catley did a cross in the fifty-third minute on the other side of the field, but Morgan directed it out wide right. Monica fouled Heath in the fifty-fourth minute, giving the Thorns a decent free kick. Heath served it in to the box, cleared by Edmonds. Spencer won a corner kick for the Pride off Klingenberg. Catley's service led to nothing due to a foul call. Morgan got a steal from Menges and tried a shot that looked to deflect off Sonnett, but a goal kick was given. Morgan and Catley both were slow to react but sent Portland players to the turf before Morgan's pass to Weatherholt got picked off. Spencer got another corner kick off of Klingenberg. Jamia Fields popped a header up but Kyle was unable to get a head on it. Sonnett then broke up a pass from Catley to Morgan. Catley went around Nadim in the sixty-fifth minute, finding Fields, but her cross went to Sonnett, who cleared it for the Thorns. Fields won a corner kick off Reynolds, and the Pride's Edmonds put it in the box for Betos to punch away. Orlando's holding a lot of possession, and finally scored as a deep ball to Morgan got Betos off her line. Betos punched it, landing at Spencer's feet, and she took a couple of steps before striking to the top left corner for a 1-0 Pride lead. This has breathed new life into the Pride, and they keep the pressure high with Kyle, Morgan, Spencer, and Fields on a sequence. Henry made a run and long distance shot in the seventy-second minute to challenge Harris, who caught it with ease. Weatherholt picked out Morgan on a great through ball, cutting back on Menges but not quite beating the outstretched hand of Betos that caused an Orlando corner kick. Alleway took a stab at it after Betos dropped it on the service from Edmonds. Shortly thereafter, there was the second hydration break. Sonnett went deep for Horan, and a miscommunication between Belanger and Harris led to Horan shooting wide left. Portland tied it in the seventy-ninth minute on a Dagny Brynjarsdottir goal on a headed pass by Sinclair from the deep ball. Dagny got around Alleway to strike it home. This made it 1-1. Orlando had an eighty-first minute Edmonds corner kick, which Klingenberg cleared out. Belanger just got a poke in on Hayley Raso after a pass from Long to keep the Thorns from taking the lead. Portland's had some trouble with offside calls as they have upped the pressure to try for a tiebreaker. Menges made a good breakup on a pass from Spencer toward Morgan in the eighty-eighth minute. In the ninetieth minute, Horan scored on a great pass from Raso after receiving a cross from the opposite side. In stoppage time, Raso fouled Catley and took a yellow card for it. A long ball went too long for Morgan, with Betos grabbing it. Catley had a cross that Betos managed to punch away from the hard-charging Sam Witteman of the Pride. Spencer saw Menges block her cross. Catley had a poor shot on the next frenzy, with Orlando buzzing for their equalizer. Portland held on for the 2-1 win, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being ACM Horan. Other Thorns doing well in the second half were CB Menges, and subs Dagny and Raso. The Pride saw a decent second half effort from the LW Weatherholt before she was subbed out.

Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI Week 10

GK Michelle Betos
RB Elizabeth Eddy
CB Yael Averbuch
CB Emily Sonnett
LB Steph Catley
DCM Samantha Mewis
AM Lindsey Horan
AM Leah Galton
RF Jessica McDonald
CF Christine Sinclair
LF Lynn Williams

MLS Midweek June 22, 2016

Sorry for the delay. An Internet issue to end them all, involving a multitude of problems and miscommunications, has seen me offline since Monday evening. This is a post for the games from Wednesday. First up...

The Philadelphia Union host the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson and Andre Blake are the goalies. Chicago began with a second minute goal by David Accam. Philadelphia tied it as Jonathan Campbell of the Fire committed an own goal. The Union took the lead with a Roland Alberg goal in the fifteenth minute, via Fabian Herbers. Philadelphia saw yellow cards for fouls by Brian Carroll and Ken Tribbett in the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh minutes, respectively. In first half stoppage time, Alberg scored again for the Union. Philadelphia extended the lead as Alberg completed his hat trick with a fifty-sixth minute penalty kick goal. In the fifty-eighth minute, the Union's Alberg took a yellow card for his foul. The Fire got one back in the sixty-ninth minute on a Razvan Cocis goal, passed from Rodrigo Ramos. Chicago pulled closer with a Khaly Thiam goal in the eightieth minute, courtesy of John Goossens. In the eighty-fifth minute, Campbell took a yellow card for a foul for the Fire. The game ended 4-3, with Alberg the man of the match.

Out to Salt Lake, where Real welcomes the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Nick Rimando are the veteran goalies. Lloyd Sam of New York had a sixth minute yellow card for a foul. The Red Bulls led off in the seventh minute with a Gideon Baah goal, via Sean Davis. Aurelien Collin took a yellow card for an eighth minute foul for New York. Javier Morales of Salt Lake had a yellow card for his forty-fifth minute foul. Real tied it on a sixty-fifth minute goal by Yura Movsisyan, assisted by John Stertzer. Salt Lake took the lead in the eighty-seventh minute as Jordan Allen scored, thanks to Tony Beltran. The Red Bulls went down a man in the ninetieth minute as Collin took a straight red card for violent conduct, and then a yellow card went to Davis for his foul. Real saw a yellow card in second half stoppage time for dissent from Movsisyan. The game ended 2-1, with the man of the match being Allen for the winner.

Finally, the Los Angeles Galaxy bring in the Colorado Rapids. Zac MacMath and Brian Rowe are the keepers. Colorado's Axel Sjoberg had a yellow card for his fifteenth minute foul. The Rapids saw yellow cards for Dennis Castillo in the fiftieth minute and Micheal Azira in the seventy-fifth minute, both for fouls. Los Angeles had both A.J. DeLaGarza and Jelle Van Damme take yellow cards in the eighty-second minute for dissent. The final was 0-0, with Rowe the man of the match for his five-save clean sheet.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

NWSL Week 9

It's the last normal week for the league for awhile. In news, the Houston Dash's game against the Washington Spirit was rescheduled for August 18, during the Olympic break. For this week, we begin with...

The Western New York Flash hosting the Portland Thorns FC. Adrianna Franch and Britt Eckerstrom protect the nets. Watch the game here. Portland had a good effort in the third minute with Katherine Reynolds throwing in long to Dagny Brynjarsdottir, who sent it back to Lindsey Horan for a rocket shot saved by Eckerstrom. In the fifth minute, Emily Sonnett danced out of trouble around Western New York's Lynn Williams. The Flash's Abby Dahlkemper made a good steal off of Horan of the Thorns in the sixth minute, but Jessica McDonald got shut down by Sonnett on the counterattack. Nadia Nadim crossed in during the ninth minute, bounced out by Western New York's Alanna Kennedy. Tobin Heath took it for Portland, getting it to Christine Sinclair for two efforts, one blocked by Jaelene Hinkle. Samantha Mewis cleared it as far as Sonnett, who fired a shot that Eckerstrom saved to end the sequence. Western New York had a free kick from Dahlkemper, but Lynn Williams headed it out wide of Franch's net. Dagny had a deep rocket in the twelfth minute going just over the bar for Portland. Elizabeth Eddy had a cross caught by Franch in the fifteenth minute. Dahlkemper broke up a Sinclair cross toward Dagny in the sixteenth minute, and the rest of the Flash held on to prevent another dangerous ball from coming. Emily Menges had to make a clear for the Thorns when Meg Morris got overwhelmed by the right side of the Flash attack. Abby Erceg went long looking for McDonald, but Menges knocked it away in the eighteenth minute. Morris had to go out injured after a previous collision with Makenzy Doniak. Mallory Weber replaced her. Heath burned Eddy on the Thorns left wing side, getting a low cross in directly to Eckerstrom. On the counterattack in the twenty-second minute, Williams settled the ball and crossed against Sonnett. Hinkle made the second cross, finding Mewis, who shot off the crossbar, and then McDonald had a chance blocked by Horan. Doniak won a corner kick off of Weber in the twenty-fourth minute for Western New York, and Hinkle's service found Dahlkemper, who headed just wide. Allie Long had a good steal from Hinkle, but play stopped for Kennedy's hit on Heath, causing a delay. Kennedy stole the ball from Nadim in the twenty-eighth minute after the delay. Menges broke up a long throw by McDonald in the twenty-ninth minute. On the next effort, Doniak got around Reynolds and crossed, but Horan took it out. McDonald passed to Mewis in the thirtieth minute, but the Flash midfielder shot a bit weak and Franch hauled it in. Nadim had a cross for Portland in the thirty-second minute, finding Sinclair, whose header fell to Eckerstrom. In the thirty-third minute, Heath did everything but score, dancing around Eddy and Erceg to shoot an angled shot that ended on a diving save by Eckerstrom. McDonald and Mewis had a good combination in the thirty-sixth minute, but Mewis' shot went high, bailing out Long who had flubbed the defensive play. Hinkle had a shot after a long throw-in by McDonald after a pass from Michaela Hahn, but Nadim made the block. Horan headed away a cross by Eddy for Western New York in the fortieth minute. Portland got lazy in the forty-fourth minute, and Mewis made a steal to feed into Doniak, who fired on goal against Franch. The game went into halftime scoreless, with the best players for the Thorns being GK Franch, CBs Sonnett and Menges, RB Reynolds, DM Horan, RW Nadim, and LW Heath, while the Flash's top players are GK Eckerstrom, CB Dahlkemper, LB Hinkle, RW Mewis, and forwards McDonald and Williams. In the forty-seventh minute, Mewis earned a yellow card for the Flash for fouling Portland's Horan. Heath's free kick was knocked away by McDonald. In the forty-eighth minute, Sinclair scored for the Thorns on a series of passes from Long and Dagny, after the Western New York center backs failed to close her down. Portland leads 1-0. Western New York had a free kick after a Horan foul. Hinkle served it in toward Erceg, earning a Flash corner kick, taken by Dahlkemper in the fifty-first minute. This went long and out of bounds. Doniak made a run against Sonnett and Reynolds, which netted another Flash corner kick in the fifty-third minute. Dahlkemper had a poor service again. Hinkle had a serve into the box, where Franch poked it away just in time. Kennedy tripped Sinclair in the fifty-fifth minute, earning herself a yellow card and giving the Thorns another dangerous free kick chance. Heath took it on goal, forcing Eckerstrom into a save to create a corner kick, eventually resulting in Weber getting a shot on goal, again saved by Eckerstrom. Doniak earned Western New York a sixtieth minute corner kick, taken by Hinkle and served in to McDonald, who sent it wide left. Sonnett did well to block Williams on a long ball play from Erceg in the sixty-second minute. Things have calmed a bit as the Thorns play solid defense and most of the game is getting stuck in the midfield without many shots or dangerous crosses involved. Doniak forced Amandine Henry into a foul in the sixty-eighth minute. Western New York's free kick came from Kennedy, who banged it off the crossbar. Erceg had a second effort, heading off frame. In the seventy-first minute, Doniak had a cross through the box, but Heath picked it up and cleared it away for Portland. In the seventy-second minute, Eddy and Heath battled in the box, with Eddy interfering with Heath. This drew a penalty kick, and Nadim took it and scored down the middle as Eckerstrom froze, putting Portland ahead 2-0. The whole situation was a bit of a soft call. Sonnett blocked a Mewis cross to give Western New York the corner kick. They didn't get a good attempt, but Taylor Smith earned another one in the seventy-sixth minute. Hinkle's service was cleared by Nadim back out to Smith. Eddy's cross was stopped by Franch. In the eighty-first minute, Portland sub Hayley Raso took a yellow card for fouling Hinkle. The free kick that followed from McCall Zerboni was punched by Franch, and Hinkle couldn't get a shot off on the second try. Zerboni had a feed into Doniak, but Franch just got there in time to cover it in the eighty-third minute. Henry had a cross in the box off a free kick, but Dahlkemper cleared it out cleanly. Doniak settled a ball in the box for the Flash in the eighty-sixth minute, but Kristen Hamilton couldn't settle it in front of Menges. Mewis had a try also blocked by Menges. In the eighty-eighth minute, Eddy won a corner kick off of Heath. Hinkle's service for the Flash didn't work out well, allowing the Thorns to chew up more time. In the eighty-ninth minute, Doniak fouled Heath and took a yellow card for the play after tripping on her foot. Williams got control of the ball in the box but took a heavy touch around Franch and it rolled just long out of bounds. Dahlkemper's free kick went out for a corner kick. This led to Hinkle's cross into Williams, who forced Franch into a remarkable save. Williams had a rebound off the post, all in stoppage time. Doniak laid off to Mewis, whose shot was blocked by Horan. The game ended 2-0 for the Thorns, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being the ACM Sinclair, who joined the ranks of the impressive for her second half work. The Flash winger Doniak impressed as well in the second half, as well as DM Zerboni in her substitute appearance for her old new team.

On Saturday, the Washington Spirit welcome the Orlando Pride in the first of two games. Ashlyn Harris faces her former team and Stephanie Labbe in goal. Here's the game. Washington's Ali Krieger had a cross blocked by Jasmyne Spencer in the third minute, as the game has started slow but in the Spirit's favor. Spencer for around Krieger in the fourth minute, but couldn't get anything on the cross, and had no Orlando teammates in the area anyway. Crystal Dunn had a steal from Josee Belanger in the fifth minute, but Maddy Evans stole it right back for the Pride to shut down the Washington attack. Shelina Zadorsky finally cleared after a frenzy from the Pride, working along the right wing with Sam Witteman and Spencer getting blocked. Toni Pressley broke up a Diana Matheson cross toward Francisca Ordega in the eighth minute. Megan Oyster made a steal on a Monica through ball, a good move for the Spirit defender to start a counterattack. The Spirit struck first with an Estefania Banini goal off a pass from Alyssa Kleiner in the ninth minute, dancing around Pressley to strike the goal. Dunn had a good dummy to let that ball get through. In the tenth minute, Zadorsky fouled Witteman hard on the right wing, giving Orlando a dangerous free kick chance. Steph Catley had the chance, but Dunn blocked and cleared. Dunn was harassed by Pressley and Laura Alleway on a Christine Nairn through ball in the twelfth minute. Nairn got caught offside in the thirteenth minute after combining with Banini and Krieger. Alex Morgan was fouled in the fourteenth minute as Zadorsky challenged her, another dangerous chance for Orlando. Zadorsky took a yellow card at this point for her persistent infringement. Catley did the free kick again, bending it just left of the goal. Nairn had consecutive corner kicks for Washington, one cleared by Kristen Edmonds and the other running high over Oyster's head. The Spirit had a series of unfortunate misses, as Dunn's pass back to Ordega was a bit heavy, and then Nairn's shot was saved by Harris. The rebound was taken by Ordega but wide, and Catley made the block, causing a Nairn corner kick in the twenty-fourth minute. The service came up short and went out of bounds. In the twenty-fifth minute, Witteman blocked a cross by Dunn for another corner kick. Nairn's service was too high for Tori Huster this time. Oyster had a good defensive shield on Spencer to allow Labbe to get to the through ball first. Banini had a cross toward Ordega just stopped by Pressley in the twenty-eighth minute. Matheson had a shot from the top of the box at the 28 minute mark, with Harris diving to her right to save it and create a corner kick. Nairn's service this time was punched out by Harris. Dunn found Matheson, who had another shot, sliding in to get the touch, but Harris' slide stopped the opportunity in the thirtieth minute. On the counterattack, Krieger fouled Spencer in a dangerous position, giving the Pride another good free kick position. Alleway took the shot but straight at Labbe for a save. In the thirty-second minute, a deep ball from Alleway to Morgan forced Oyster into a shield. The Spirit had some efforts on the counterattack, all blocked, until Banini shot high and wide in the thirty-third minute. Ordega went straight around her defender and found Harris out of position, but Ordega only managed a pass into the center of the box toward Banini and Nairn. Dunn then had a shot, blocked by Pressley. Spencer had a cross for the Pride in the thirty-seventh minute, blocked by Krieger. Ordega had been hurt earlier, but did an unassisted goal in the fortieth minute, as Ordega shoved Alleway down, and then navigated around Monica and Pressley before chipping Harris to make it 2-0 for the Spirit. In the forty-fourth minute, Evans crossed in toward Morgan, who flicked toward the goal but was blocked for a corner kick by Zadorsky. Witteman's through ball got just a bit too close to Labbe, ahead of Morgan and knocked out harmlessly by the Spirit keeper. Pressley had a stoppage time pass into Morgan, who took a shot off the right post behind Labbe, and then sent the second shot wide right. The first half ends 2-0 for Washington. Orlando's best players are the LB Catley, RF Witteman, and CF Morgan, while the Spirit have seen excellence out of CB Oyster, LB Kleiner, RW Matheson, RF Banini, CF Dunn, and LF Ordega. Matheston had a cross in the forty-sixth minute to Nairn, but she shot wide left. In the fifty-first minute, Catley took a ball from Spencer and crossed, but Oyster blocked it and gave Orlando a corner kick. Edmonds served in, but Kleiner sent it out. In the fifty-second minute, Ordega had a long through ball knocked out by the Pride's Pressley. Dunn had a fifty-fourth minute cross right in front of Harris but too far away from Ordega to get a shot attempt off for the Spirit. Catley tried to find Morgan in the fifty-seventh minute, and Zadorsky just got ahead of the ball instead for the defensive stop for Washington. Dunn had a cross in the sixtieth minute that went long. Spencer, Morgan, and Catley had a sequence of passes, with Catley then crossing in front of goal, missing both Spencer and Witteman with the cross in the sixty-fifth minute. Catley had a strong long ball in the sixty-sixth minute, but just out of the reach of Sarah Hagen, as Orlando missed another chance to get their offense going. Nairn made a steal from Kyle and nearly chipped Harris in the sixty-seventh minute, with the Spirit looking to put the dagger in. Nairn's sixty-ninth minute corner was blocked by Edmonds and Witteman of Orlando. Zadorsky halted a Pride break through Spencer with a savvy poke. Kleiner had a cross into Dunn in the seventy-fourth minute, touching around Monica to give Cheyna Williams a chance to shoot, but the Spirit sub's shot sailed high. In the seventy-fifth minute, the Pride had a corner kick from Catley that Huster cleared after some scuffling in the box. Dunn nearly found Williams in the seventy-ninth minute, but Evans made a good interception. Dunn and Krieger nearly connected on the next Spirit foray forward, but it ran long into the arms of the keeper Harris. Dunn continued to be a crossing machine, with an eighty-first minute offering blocked by Monica. Witteman took a shot on goal in the eighty-fourth minute for Orlando, but she fell as she shot and Labbe had no trouble with the save. An eighty-sixth minute Edmonds cross was headed away by Oyster as the Spirit have entered shut-down mode. Harris took a free kick in the eighty-eighth minute, flicked on by Hagen and then to Morgan, who got knocked down by Zadorsky before Labbe grabbed the ball to end the Orlando chance. Krieger had a steal in the eighty-ninth minute and Dunn got around Pressley again, but Monica blocked the cross out to prevent Washington from getting another goal. Katie Stengel had a shot on goal against Harris, and then Williams was called for a handball, diffusing another late Spirit attack in the ninetieth minute. The game ended 2-0 for Washington, with Oyster being the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. No players made an extra impression in the second half to warrant specific mention.

The other Saturday game saw the Chicago Red Stars host the Boston Breakers. Libby Stout and Alyssa Naeher are the goalies. The game can be found at this link. Chicago tried to get to an Amanda Da Costa through ball, but Christen Press was offside in the second minute. Arin Gilliland found Press on the next Red Stars attack, and Press dropped back to Vanessa DiBernardo, who then found the goal scorer, Sofia Huerta, on the deflection shot for a goal in the third minute, giving the Red Stars a 1-0 lead. Boston's Kyah Simon tried a long shot in the fourth minute, shooting high over Naeher's net. Whitney Engen just beat Press to a Da Costa through ball in the sixth minute. Louise Schillgard tried a chip to Simon in the eighth minute, but Sam Johnson headed back to Naeher to halt Boston's attack. On the other side, the Red Stars saw Alyssa Mautz cross in near Press, but Stout got there first to grab it out of the air. Chicago continued to have luck crossing to Press, with Casey Short creating a chance that Stout saved and the Breakers' Mollie Pathman cleared away. Schillgard's shot for Boston was blocked by Julie Johnston, and lack of a clock is making it tough to know when this all is happening. Gilliland finished the clearance. Press had another shot for Chicago skim off the top of the net, and the traffic has been virtually all directed at the Breakers net. Boston's Stephanie McCaffrey had a shot-cross that Naeher easily got to before Simon. In the fifteenth minute, Gilliland almost picked out Huerta, but the Red Stars forward was offside. Huerta tried a cross to Mautz in the seventeenth minute, picked off by Pathman. Johnston's free kick went straight to Press, who controlled it and battled with Kassey Kallman before losing possession in the eighteenth minute. DiBernardo had a corner kick for the Red Stars, with Huerta getting a head on it and Stout catching the deflection. Schillgard did a free kick for the Breakers, cleared first by Johnston, and Kristie Mewis put it back in where Naeher caught it. Things got a bit stale in the middle of the half, with no real chances either way for a few minutes. Schillgard had a funny moment, down on the ground with the ball between her feet, and she pivoted 180 degrees but the ball floated out while she carried it. On the next Boston attack, Johnston and Gilliland stalled a McCaffrey run. Mautz got a cross into the box in the twenty-ninth minute, but Stout just tipped it away from Da Costa. Mautz tried a thirtieth minute cross, but Pathman knocked it out for a DiBernardo corner kick. The play was cut short by a quick foul whistle, giving the Breakers a free kick. Danielle Colaprico took the ball off Schillgard's foot just before she shot in the thirty-first minute. Boston maintained possession with McCaffrey, but she couldn't get out of the defensive swarm. Colaprico made a big run in the thirty-second minute before dishing off to Short, who was just offside. She did take a shot and would have scored had the flag not gone up. Chicago kept their foot on the gas in the thirty-third minute, as Press took another high shot. King found Simon on a deep ball, but Johnston made the block. Naeher had to handle the strange spin with a punch and grab to give the Red Stars possession again. Press took another shot in the thirty-fifth minute, shooting wide left. Pathman had a bad turnover to Da Costa, but Gilliland's cross was blocked by Kallman. Gilliland did get another shot, caught by Stout. Mautz took a Short cross and deflected it toward Da Costa, who tried a two-touch shot but whiffed on the second one, allowing Stout to pick it up for the Breakers. Simon took a cross from King in the forty-third minute, popping the ball over the net. In the forty-fifth minute, Simon took a Schillgard pass and shot on goal, but the shot around Johnson was stopped by Naeher. Chicago got a corner kick in first half stoppage time off of King's block of Press' cross. Colaprico had the service right back out of bounds. DiBernardo had a high shot after Press lost control of Mautz's cross. The game went into halftime with the Red Stars leading 1-0. Impressing for the Breakers are LW Schillgard and RF Simon, while the Red Stars have seen good play from RB Gilliland, CBs Johnston and Johnson, LB Short, DMs Colaprico and DiBernardo, RW Mautz, LW Da Costa, RF Huerta, and LF Press (everyone but Naeher, who has been mostly unchallenged). Chicago added on in the forty-seventh minute with another Huerta goal, set up by Mautz after a failed challenge from Pathman, making it 2-0. Brooke Elby had a shot off a Schillgard free kick in the forty-eighth minute, cleared by Johnson. Press got onto a long Da Costa offering, but lost control to Engen as Boston takes over. The Red Stars are still owning possession in the second half early on. In the fifty-fifth minute, Schillgard fouled Da Costa and earned a yellow card for the play. DiBernardo had the free kick, and Huerta took a yellow card for colliding with the goalie Stout in the fifty-sixth minute. Stout was shaken up a bit on the play. Press had another run in the fifty-eighth minute, but lost the ball to King before getting to the back line. In the sixtieth minute, Boston sub Eunice Beckmann fouled Colaprico with a heavy shove, earning a yellow card for the foul. Johnston did the free kick for Chicago, with the service in to Huerta. Gilliland had an effort, and Beckmann nearly got sent off with a high kick on the defender. In the sixty-second minute, Chicago had a free kick taken by Press. Stout just saved it, but Huerta got it to DiBernardo, and then Short poked it home off DiBernardo's pass, making it 3-0 for the Red Stars. Mewis tried to play one through in the sixty-fifth minute, but Colaprico stopped it. Boston looks deflated at this point. DiBernardo had one shot blocked by Engen and another saved by Stout in the sixty-sixth minute, as the Red Stars continue to push forward relentlessly. Press took a shot in the sixty-seventh minute from the right wing side, and Stout got mitts on it before King sent it out of danger for the Breakers. Johnson had an errant clearance off of Beckmann, but she handled the ball to ruin the chance for Boston. Mautz tried a cross that Kallman deflected up for Stout to catch. Da Costa went out wide to Jen Hoy in the seventieth minute, and the cross came into Press, who headed wide left. Short had a cross blocked out by Kallman in the seventy-first minute, with Chicago continuing the one-directional traffic. Christen Westphal had a pass to Simon on a Breakers counterattack, but Colaprico and Johnston quickly shut it down. Westphal had a cross into the box after a free kick was punched out by Naeher, which saw Mautz do the defensive duty of clearing it away in the seventy-fourth minute. Boston's Rachel Wood took a high shot in the seventy-fifth minute. Chicago poured it on with a cross from Mautz toward Press, caught by Stout in between. Elby saw her cross on the left side cleared out by the Red Stars' Colaprico in the seventy-seventh minute. Boston's Beckmann tried a shot in the eighty-fourth minute, with Johnston blocking the shot. Simon tried a shot on Beckmann's next pass, but it went wide left of the Red Stars net. In the eighty-seventh minute, Mautz and Taylor Comeau tried for a weak attempt on goal that Stout had no trouble saving. Press went one-on-one against Stout, but Engen protected the near post and Press shot wide right in the eighty-eighth minute. Chicago had a couple of late corner kicks that didn't produce anything off services from Colaprico. Both were in toward Short. Simon took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The Red Stars finished off a very dominant 3-0 win, and the RF Huerta was the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. Getting a mention for her work in the second half is the LB Kallman.

On Sunday, Sky Blue FC brings in the Seattle Reign FC. Hope Solo and her former understudy Caroline Stanley are the goalies. Watch the game. Seattle had a lot of early possession, and in the third minute, Jess Fishlock tried to find Beverly Yanez, but Sky Blue's Christie Rampone disrupted the play. Leah Galton had a pass into Kelley O'Hara for Sky Blue in the eighth minute, earning a corner kick. O'Hara's effort found Kristin Grubka, but she went the wrong way and the Reign took possession. In the ninth minute, Fishlock received a Havana Solaun pass and fired wide right for Seattle. Erica Skroski managed to outrun Solaun in the tenth minute to give Sky Blue possession. Sky Blue attacked, but Rachel Corsie cleared it out for the Reign. In the twelfth minute, Taylor Lytle had a pair of shots, one off the cross bar and the other saved by Solo as Sky Blue was very close to opening the scoring. O'Hara tried a long ball toward Kelly Conheeney in the thirteenth minute, running long into Solo's hands. Galton's cross in the fifteenth minute got blocked before Conheeney could get there, as Sky Blue has taken the edge in possession in recent minutes. In the seventeenth minute, Lauren Barnes took a Solaun pass and gave it to Kim Little. The Seattle midfielder found Fishlock, who flipped a shot off the post, and then Yanez had a shot blocked by Grubka. A further attempt ended without danger as Seattle had a flurry of opportunities go to waste. Outside of the two plays involving the crossbars, there has been little in the way of dangerous chances. Conheeney's steal from Yanez in the twenty-fourth minute ultimately earned a corner kick for Sky Blue thanks to O'Hara's work against Elli Reed. The corner kick didn't produce anything. Fishlock had a big through ball to Yanez in the twenty-fifth minute, and the Sky Blue keeper Stanley just covered it in time. Merritt Mathias had a cross in the twenty-eighth minute that went by both Fishlock and Solaun. Galton defensively broke things up on a Little pass, as Seattle went without a shot again. Stanley had a misplay on the next Reign foray, but Fishlock couldn't find it in the sun, and the Sky Blue defense cleaned it up. Galton had a cross for Sky Blue in the thirty-first minute that went by everyone and out for a Reign throw-in. Galton burned Reed in the thirty-fifth minute, but Conheeney whiffed on the shot. Raquel Rodriguez failed to get a second effort off, and then committed a foul to turn possession back to Seattle. O'Hara had a shot in the thirty-seventh minute as Sky Blue continues the solid play, saved by Reign keeper Solo. Sarah Killion chipped forward to Galton, who got a cross around Corsie. Sky Blue kept the ball with Lytle, Skroski, and Kim DeCesare, but lacked another crossing chance. Lytle then crossed to Conheeney in the fortieth minute, but she headed it over the bar. Rampone blocked a Mathias cross in the forty-second minute, and Barnes did the corner kick for Seattle. The service went toward Corsie, but Rodriguez cleared it, and Solaun made nothing of the second try. Fishlock served a through ball headed out by Grubka. Barnes had a stoppage time free kick, finding Kendall Fletcher, who headed just wide left. The game went into halftime scoreless. Impressing for Sky Blue are CBs Rampone and Grubka, LB O'Hara, LW Galton, RW Conheeney, and RF Lytle, while Seattle's best have been GK Solo, LB Barnes, RW Fishlock, RF Solaun, and CF Mathias. DeCesare had a forty-sixth minute shot blocked by Fletcher as the Reign start the second half on the defensive. Fishlock had a cross in the forty-eighth minute, blocked out for a corner kick by Grubka. Later, Solaun sent a shot just wide left. Galton tried a cross in the fifty-second minute, but Mathias made the block for Seattle. Sky Blue's corner kick from O'Hara found Grubka, who shot wide. Natasha Kai got pushed by Fishlock and Corsie on the play, but no call was made. Galton had another cross right in front of Solo, but Conheeney was caught offside, saving the Reign's effort. Galton turned Reed inside out in the fifty-fourth minute, shooting on goal to force Solo into the save. Kai had the rebound shot, but put it over the goal, and Sky Blue is now swarming the net. Lytle crossed toward Conheeney, but it bounced out off of the midfielder for a Solo goal kick. Grubka broke up a pass intended for Fishlock, but Little had the shot sailing wide left of Stanley's goal. Yanez and Little countered on a fast break, with Little's precise shot causing Stanley to parry it over for a corner kick. Barnes' service in the fifty-ninth minute went toward Corsie, who sent it wide left. Little tried a sixtieth minute cross, with Rampone clearing for Sky Blue. Galton and O'Hara took down Fishlock and Mathias on consecutive Reign attacks, both clean. Fishlock made a big takeaway in the midfield, passing forward to Little, who danced around a falling Grubka and Rampone applied pressure before Little shot. Stanley kicked it out for a corner kick. Kai cleared the Barnes service out of the box. Galton saw a cross in the sixty-fifth minute get tangled in Kai's feet, and then cleared by Reed. Erin Simon crossed in for Sky Blue, and Solo grabbed it. In the sixty-eighth minute, Simon crossed into Kai, who shot off O'Hara's head, and then she was offside, so when she buried the pass from Kai, it was not a valid goal, and the game remained scoreless. Corsie followed up with a header out of bounds on a Skroski cross, creating a Sky Blue corner kick. O'Hara's service went toward Rampone in the box. Solo blocked it, and the ball dribbled out for another O'Hara corner kick. This one found Grubka in the box. The ball went high, and Rampone sent it out wide of the goal, ending the pressure against the Reign. Seattle subs Carson Pickett and Kiersten Dallstream nearly combined in the Sky Blue box in the seventy-first minute. On the other side, Kai had a heavy touch for Sky Blue, allowing Solo to grab it. Reed finally stalled Galton in the seventy-fourth minute, forcing a corner kick. O'Hara served this one into Galton, but it was low, and she fouled Reed. Dallstream and Little sequenced passes to Pickett, who had her shot blocked by Grubka. Dallstream took a shot across goal going wide left. Rampone stole the ball from Little in the box in the seventy-seventh minute, preventing a shot from Seattle's star. Pickett laid off for a Fishlock shot in the seventy-eighth minute, but Stanley was up to task for the save. On the other side, Sky Blue saw Galton cross toward Kai, with Fletcher making the clearance. Yanez had a cross for the Reign in the eighty-third minute, caught by Stanley. Lindsay Elston had to make a strong defensive play against O'Hara in the box, after Lytle bumped a ball away from Fishlock. Fletcher just cleared away from Kai in the eighty-ninth minute as Sky Blue continues to look dangerous late in the game. Grubka had a header on a free kick later on, but Solo made the block. Dallstream stole from Simon in stoppage time, but Grubka headed the cross out for a corner kick. Barnes served in toward Pickett, but it was cleared out. O'Hara saw a shot in stoppage time blocked by Reed, and then Rodriguez dribbled a ball to Solo. Pickett took a shot wide right on the Reign counterattack. Corsie deflected a Shawna Gordon shot out for a corner kick, but the final whistle blew to end the match at 0-0. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is CB Grubka, while Sky Blue also saw the LF sub Kai do well, while CB Fletcher earned a mention for the Reign in the effort.

Finally, the Houston Dash host FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Lydia Williams are the gloved women. The game can be found here. Houston saw a passing sequence end with a high shot by Chioma Ubogagu in the third minute after passes from Denise O'Sullivan, Poliana, and Kealia Ohai. Cari Roccaro knocked a ball away from Katie Bowen on a Kansas City attack. Ubogagu had a cross in the sixth minute toward Morgan Brian, but the Blues keeper Barnhart got there first. Ohai had a cross in the seventh minute for the Dash, with Desiree Scott knocking it out for a corner kick ahead of O'Sullivan. Ubogagu got around Yael Averbuch in the ninth minute after a pass from Allysha Chapman, but Becky Sauerbrunn shut down the Houston attack. On the other side, Roccaro got burned by Shea Groom, but got her back for a corner kick by Heather O'Reilly for the Blues. Brittany Taylor couldn't get good contact on the service, and Brian sent it away. Another Ubogagu cross toward Brian went too close to Barnhart once again in the tenth minute. O'Reilly had a shot in the twelfth minute blocked by Ellie Brush. Alex Arlitt had a steal against Ohai to give the Blues possession again. Ohai and Ubogagu tried a connection in the box in the thirteenth minute, but it was errant. Ubogagu had a shot, saved by Barnhart. Roccaro did well in the fifteenth minute to keep Groom facing away from the Dash goal before the Dash got clear. Ohai crossed in, with Taylor blocking off O'Sullivan and watching Janine Beckie getting knocked over in the sixteenth minute in another lost chance for Houston. The Dash had many passes before Erika Tymrak came back to break it up for Kansas City. Ohai got a cross off in front of Sauerbrunn, but O'Sullivan couldn't get a shot off in the nineteenth minute. On the next attack, Scott stole it away from O'Sullivan. Beckie had a long pass to Ohai, broken up Sauerbrunn to give Houston a corner kick. Brian's service went toward Poliana, who hit it out wide right of Barnhart's goal. Sauerbrunn tried a pass to Arlitt, but Poliana kept the chance outside, and Arlitt lost control for a goal kick by Dash keeper Williams. Tymrak tried to set up Mandy Laddish in the twenty-fifth minute, but Roccaro got away. On the Houston counterattack, Barnhart came out to stop Ubogagu. Laddish had a cross for Kansas City caught by Williams. Arlitt tried to break up Ohai's cross, and did enough to make it weak, allowing Sauerbrunn to clear it out. Groom tried to nutmeg Chapman in the thirtieth minute, but Chapman got to the ball first in a strong defensive play. Tymrak laid off to Laddish for a shot that went wide right. Bowen tried a shot in the thirty-first minute blocked by O'Sullivan, with Poliana clearing. O'Reilly went to Arlitt on a cross, and Brian blocked it out for a corner kick. O'Reilly's service for the Blues went toward Taylor, but Brian was again there first. Beckie twice tried to find Brian, but Taylor and Sauerbrunn got in the way in the thirty-sixth minute. O'Sullivan, Beckie, and Brian all had a string of passes end with a Tymrak steal to give the Blues possession. Ubogagu saw a shot in the thirty-ninth minute blocked by Scott in the box. Houston continued to press with Ohai just off the mark on her pass to Ubogagu. Errant passing destroyed a Houston effort in the forty-third minute, as Beckie took a heavy touch thanks to O'Reilly of the Blues, and then Ohai missed Chapman. Chapman did eventually send it in, straight to Barnhart. Taylor had a steal from Ohai, passing to Groom, Bowen, and then O'Reilly had the shot on goal, saved by Williams. The game went to halftime scoreless. Kansas City's best players were GK Barnhart, CB Sauerbrunn, RB Taylor, DM Scott, and LW O'Reilly, while the Dash's top players are CB Roccaro, RB Poliana, RW Brian, ACM O'Sullivan, and forwards Beckie and Ohai. Ohai had two crosses in the forty-ninth minute blocked quickly by Sauerbrunn of Kansas City. Poliana had a swerving cross in the fiftieth minute for the Dash, but O'Reilly got to it first for the Blues. Ohai worked around Arlitt to get a cross into the box, going behind Ubogagu. Ohai went at Arlitt again, earning a corner kick for Houston this time. Brian's fifty-second minute service went to Arlitt, who cleared as far as Andressa. Beckie had another cross in to Brian. Taylor turned it out, and Brian had another corner kick, cleared by Sauerbrunn. Chapman unleashed a rocket off the crossbar after a pass from Beckie. O'Reilly managed to head around Brush in the fifty-fifth minute, but Williams knocked it away from the charging Kansas City midfielder. Scott managed a steal from Poliana after Ubogagu tripped over the ball under the pressure of Arlitt. Ubogagu made a steal from Arlitt, but Taylor stole it back, and Beckie couldn't avoid fouling Arlitt in the fifty-eighth minute. Ohai's cross in the fifty-ninth minute found O'Sullivan, but Barnhart was in good position to deflect it away from goal. Beckie lost the ball to Averbuch in the sixtieth minute as Houston continues a foray. Poliana took a shot at Barnhart that was saved on the second effort. Groom and Roccaro battled for the ball in the sixty-first minute, with Groom shooting low and Williams stopping the chance. In the sixty-fifth minute, O'Sullivan and Beckie combined for heavy pressure for the Dash, earning an Andressa corner kick. Rachel Daly headed it down, but without a shot. Both Daly and Ohai had shots, with passes also from Beckie, O'Sullivan, and Brian. Daly's was off the post, and Ohai's went high in the sixty-sixth minute, with the Dash pouring on all the shots. Bowen had a knockdown to Groom in the box in the sixty-seventh minute, but Roccaro knocked it out wide. In the seventy-second minute, O'Reilly took a shot off the crossbar that Williams sloppily managed to clear. Sauerbrunn's long throw-in nearly caused trouble with Taylor and Averbuch crashing, and Brush put it out for a corner kick by O'Reilly. This went in to Averbuch, who sent it over the net in the seventy-third minute. O'Sullivan tried a ball to Daly in the seventy-sixth minute, but Barnhart got there first. Beckie tried to get one around Sauerbrunn as the Dash continue a fervent attack. O'Reilly drew a foul in the seventy-eighth minute, giving the Blues a good free kick chance. Taylor took the kick, bouncing off Roccaro and out for a corner kick by O'Reilly. The eightieth minute service went to Groom, who got it back to Averbuch. Her attempt was blocked out by Daly, and went to Sauerbrun, who headed it in for a goal. Kansas City leads 1-0 late in the game after a tremendous effort by Houston so far. Fran Silva earned a corner kick off of Poliana, and O'Reilly served another in the eighty-second minute toward Brian, who combined with Daly for a half-clearance. Laddish fired the shot and sent it wide, and O'Reilly tried again from the other side on a corner kick. This one went to ran long to Roccaro, and Chapman finished the clearance. O'Sullivan had a cross in the eighty-fourth minute, and Daly got a shot, but Averbuch made the block. Andressa took a shot in the eighty-fifth minute, and Silva had the block for the Blues. Poliana had a cross toward Melissa Henderson, but Sauerbrunn blocked it. A Chapman cross found the hands of Barnhart. Alexa Newfield of Kansas City had a shot on goal after getting around Amber Brooks, and Williams was up to task to make the save. Roccaro took an eighty-ninth minute yellow card for a foul, happening previously in the play. Averbuch stood up Beckie as she wanted to shoot in the ninetieth minute, after a string of quick Dash passes. Poliana's cross went over Brian and beyond Chapman, with Averbuch putting it out for a corner kick. Andressa did the set piece in stoppage time, and it went long off Barnhart. Brian took the corner kick on the other side, but Sauerbrunn got it out. O'Sullivan had the shot on the second try, but it went wide left. Scott took the ball away from Daly to help the Blues kill the clock. Brooks teed up a shot over the bar deep in stoppage time, the last chance for the Dash. The game ended 1-0 for Kansas City. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match is the CB Sauerbrunn for her brilliant goal and solid defensive play in arguably her best game of the year. Also impressing for the Blues in the second half were the CB Averbuch and LB Arlitt, while Houston LB Chapman also gets a mention.

Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI for Week 9

GK Hope Solo
RB Arin Gilliland
CB Becky Sauerbrunn
CB Kristin Grubka
LB Casey Short
DCM Desiree Scott
RW Jess Fishlock
LW Leah Galton
RF Sofia Huerta
CF Christine Sinclair
LF Christen Press

This was a tough one to compile this week. I'd like to give an honorable mention to Megan Oyster of the Spirit, as she shut down Alex Morgan for the most part. Her play just didn't beat the work of Grubka against Seattle or the presumptive player of the week Sauerbrunn against a potent Dash attack. Huerta also played well this week with a brace, but it was a bit of a short appearance for her as she propelled the Red Stars to a win over the Breakers in dominant form.

Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 15

We're back in full as the Copa America continues in the knockout stages and MLS teams have enough players back to compete. Saturday holds eight games, beginning with a matinee from...

The Bronx, as New York City FC hosts the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Josh Saunders protect the nets. New York City opened with an eighth minute Frank Lampard goal, assisted by Thomas McNamara and RJ Allen. New York City added on with a twenty-first minute David Villa goal, via Jack Harrison. Philadelphia's Tranquillo Barnetta had a yellow card for his thirty-first minute foul. New York City took yellow cards for fouls by Lampard in the forty-third minute and Allen in the forty-fifth minute. Raymon Gaddis of the Union had a yellow card for his forty-ninth minute foul. New York City extended the lead as Andrea Pirlo scored in the fiftieth minute. In the fifty-fourth minute, Jason Hernandez of New York City took a yellow card for his foul, and Philadelphia got on the board with a Roland Alberg penalty kick goal a minute later. In the eighty-fifth minute, Hernandez took a second yellow card for another foul, putting New York City at ten men. New York City's Frederic Brillant committed an own goal in the eighty-eighth minute to get the Union even closer. Ronald Matarrita of New York City had a yellow card for dissent in stoppage time, but his team held on for the 3-2 win. Pirlo was the man of the match for his winner.

Out west, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC welcomes the New England Revolution. Brad Knighton and David Ousted are in goal. New England started in the thirty-first minute on a London Woodberry goal, via Lee Nguyen. Vancouver had yellow cards for Jordan Smith in the thirty-fifth minute and Andrew Jacobson in the thirty-sixth minute, both for fouls. In the fortieth minute, the Revolution's Woodberry took a yellow card for a handball. The Whitecaps tied it with a Nicolas Mezquida goal in the forty-first minute. New England took the lead back on a fifty-fifth minute Kelyn Rowe goal, assisted by Teal Bunbury. Vancouver saw a yellow card for an eighty-second minute foul by Matias Laba. The Revolution's Jose Goncalves had a yellow card for his foul in the eighty-eighth minute. The final stood at 2-1 for New England, with Rowe the man of the match.

Back east, the Columbus Crew SC brings in the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Steve Clark are the goalies. In the fourteenth minute, Corey Ashe of Columbus took a yellow card for his foul. Montreal had a yellow card for Didier Drogba not retreating in the fifty-ninth minute. In the sixty-eighth minute, Tyson Wahl had a yellow card for his foul, and Tony Tchani had another for dissent for the Crew. Hassoun Camara of the Impact took a yellow card for a stoppage time foul. The game ended 0-0, with the man of the match being Clark for his three-save clean sheet.

Southeast to Florida, where Orlando City SC hosts the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Joe Bendik man the nets. San Jose had yellow cards for Fatai Alashe in the thirty-seventh minute and Shaun Francis in the thirty-ninth minute, both for fouls. Victor Bernardez of the Earthquakes took a yellow card for a forty-sixth minute foul. In the forty-ninth minute, Seb Hines of Orlando City took a yellow card for a foul. Orlando City got going with a sixty-sixth minute Hines goal, passed from Adrian Winter. Orlando City's Cristian Higuita took a yellow card for a sixty-ninth minute foul. San Jose tied it on an eighty-fifth minute goal from Chad Barrett, assisted by Shea Salinas. Orlando City took the lead back as Julio Baptista scored in stoppage time, via Carlos Rivas. Baptista received a yellow card for delaying the restart of play. The tactic failed anyway, as the Earthquakes tied it with a Salinas goal three minutes later, resulting in a 2-2 draw. The man of the match was Salinas for the goal and assist.

North to Canada, as Toronto FC welcomes the Los Angeles Galaxy. Brian Rowe and Clint Irwin are the gloved men. Los Angeles had a yellow card for a twenty-eighth minute foul by A.J. DeLaGarza. Toronto dented the scoreboard with a Drew Moor goal in the seventy-sixth minute, passed from Eriq Zavaleta and Benoit Cheyrou. This held for a 1-0 win, with Moor the man of the match for his stunning goal.

Back stateside, the Colorado Rapids bring in the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson and Zac MacMath are the overrated goalies. Colorado was first to score in the fifty-seventh minute with a Kevin Doyle goal, passed from Dillon Powers. Rodrigo Ramos of Chicago had a yellow card for a sixty-seventh minute foul. The Fire tied it on a Joey Calistri goal in the eighty-first minute, coming off of Ramos and David Accam. The Rapids took the lead back on an eighty-ninth minute Marco Pappa goal, courtesy of Sam Cronin. Colorado's Marc Burch had a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The Rapids won 2-1, and the scorer Doyle was the man of the match.

Down in Texas, the Houston Dynamo host DC United, although the start was delayed for weather. Bill Hamid and Tyler Deric played in the six-yard boxes once things started. DC had yellow cards given to Nick DeLeon in the ninth minute and Bobby Boswell in the twenty-eighth minute, both for fouls. Raul Rodriguez of Houston took a yellow card for a forty-second minute foul. Jared Jeffrey of United took a yellow card for delaying the restart of play in the eighty-seventh minute. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the man of the match being Hamid for his four-save clean sheet.

Saturday's eight-pack ends with Real Salt Lake welcoming the Portland Timbers. Jake Gleeson and Nick Rimando are between the posts. Salt Lake struck first in the seventeenth minute with a Juan Manuel Martinez goal, via Javier Morales. Portland tied it on a twenty-ninth minute Fanendo Adi goal, courtesy of Jermaine Taylor. The Timbers had yellow cards for thirty-third minute fouls by Diego Chara and Ben Zemanski. Portland took the lead with a forty-fourth minute goal by Lucas Melano. Real saw yellow cards for Tony Beltran in the fifty-sixth minute and Justen Glad in the sixty-sixth minute, both for fouls. Salt Lake tied it on a seventieth minute penalty kick goal by Yura Movsisyan. The Timbers took a yellow card for a Zarek Valentin foul in the eighty-fourth minute. The final stood at 2-2, with Movsisyan the man of the match for his equalizer.

On Sunday, Sporting Kansas City brings in FC Dallas. Chris Seitz and Tim Melia guard the woodwork. Kansas City had a yellow card for a Lawrence Olum foul in the twenty-eighth minute. Sporting led off in the forty-third minute with an Olum goal, set up by Benny Feilhaber. Kansas City added on in first half stoppage time with a Feilhaber penalty kick goal. Sporting took yellow cards for Dominic Dwyer in the seventy-sixth minute and the keeper Melia in the eightieth minute, both for time wasting. The game ended 2-0 for Sporting, with Feilhaber named man of the match for his goal and assist.

Finally, the New York Red Bulls host the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Luis Robles are the stalwart keepers. In the fourth minute, Seattle's Osvaldo Alonso and New York's Felipe had yellow cards for fouls. Bradley Wright-Phillips had a yellow card for his seventh minute foul for the Red Bulls. New York began with an eighteenth minute goal by Mike Grella. The Red Bulls added on with a Grella goal in the fifty-ninth minute. New York had yellow cards for Connor Lade in the seventy-ninth minute and Aurelien Collin in the eighty-second minute, both for fouls. The Sounders saw Erik Friberg take a yellow card in the eighty-sixth minute for a foul. The game ended 2-0, and Grella's brace made him the man of the match.

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Hockey and Soccer are equals, at least for now

Anyone who reads Outsider Sports cannot help but know that hockey and soccer are my two favorite sports. Looking in my closet would indicate differently, but my heart knows the truth.

Like many hockey fans my age, I grew up watching games. My parents had a satellite by the time I turned 3, and NHL Center Ice was a key component of the package. Having that around helped me learn the league from a young age, so much so that it's ingrained so firmly in my mind. While I love sports as a whole, I have no other deep knowledge of a sport like I do with hockey. Not baseball, not football, and not even soccer.

I'm a Seattle area native, and getting the Sounders back in 2009 really turned a soccer city up to 11. At that point, the Mariners were bad as they've often been, and the Seahawks were between the Matt Hasselbeck and Russell Wilson eras. The Sonics were gone, and Seattle fans, while passionate, were frustrated. Enter the Sounders: an instant success story, one of the best starts over the course of years in expansion history. It took awhile to build the market, but by the time I got to my first game, they were already setting attendance records for MLS, helped greatly by playing at what is now CenturyLink Field. In terms of attendance, the Sounders keep up with big-name European teams regularly, and without even opening up the whole stadium. When the Timbers or Galaxy come to town, you can see over 50,000 people show up to support the Rave Green.

This leads to a crossroads for my sports fandom. My first love, hockey, will always be there. My new love, soccer, is thrilling and exciting every bit as much as hockey, and so much broader in scale. If you ask Colin Cowherd, soccer is now bigger than hockey in the United States. As Greg Wyshynski pointed out yesterday, defining the terms is critical. Soccer is more than just league play. Hockey, as we know it, is the NHL and the biannual tournaments, with the occasional attention paid for World Championships or World Juniors. To say that one is bigger than the other can be proven, but I don't see it that way. I consider the popularity of hockey and soccer to be on level terms, but with different approaches to getting there.

Consider hockey for a second. Every team plays 82 games a year at a minimum. The TV rights deal is well-established, so exposure is not an issue. The NHL has a number of marquee events, with the Winter Classic and a handful of other outdoor games. No matter how watered down the All-Star Game gets, it still grabs the attention of fans at least in the build-up to the actual game. The Stanley Cup Playoffs, which just finished for this year, last two months and feature some of the most dramatic moments in all sports. The on-ice intensity and off-ice anticipation make the Stanley Cup Playoffs must-watch hockey. Beyond that, the sport of hockey has very little foothold in the United States. We'll see what happens with the World Cup of Hockey, but with it on ESPN, don't expect too much from it.

Soccer, on the other hand, is accessible. Teams play only 34 league games per year, but they are pretty predictable. You get about one every week. On top of that, all the United States MLS teams compete in the US Open Cup. The Sounders have won four of those, giving fans something to point to when Galaxy fans point out a lack of MLS Cup titles. For the successful teams, a bid in the CONCACAF Champions League adds more games to the schedule. MLS unnecessarily adds playoffs, but those also draw far more attention. On top of league action, international play is big. The Copa America has routinely drawn massive crowds in each city, and with the US men playing at CenturyLink Field on June 16, you can expect another capacity effort from the fans. Twenty years ago, you don't see this kind of support for soccer, but with the growth of MLS, it's been possible for soccer to gain attention and exposure. The fan environment in soccer is unlike any other. Passionate supporters groups make every home game loud and fun, and many tend to travel well to bring a piece of home to their teams as they travel. Having been in the building for USA versus Panama in their 2013 World Cup qualifier, the national team can bring even more excitement than regular league games.

All this goes without saying how much more accessible soccer is to women. I've seen plenty of women show up to Sounders games with the Emerald City Supporters. Hockey can get the support of women (my mother really got me started with watching hockey), but the arena environment and itchy trigger finger to pin every female hockey fan as a "puck bunny" can be a massive turnoff for women. In soccer, there is less gender animosity. Helping that is the massive success of the multiple World Cup and Olympics champion US women. At the league level, the NWSL has inspired a new generation of fans, male and female, to embrace the sport of soccer. While hockey has two women's leagues in the NWHL and CWHL, neither has enough of a grip outside of the eastern half of the continent to be a true outlet for women. As time progresses, those leagues will likely grow, but catching up to the NWSL or WNBA will prove difficult.

The main reason why I view hockey and soccer on level terms is my equal amount of love for both sports. I spend much more time with soccer, but I also know so much less about it than I do with hockey. In hockey, the NHL is all you have to know to get by. Soccer is much broader than that, and Americans, myself included, have a tough time coming to grips with not being the best at something. Not having the best soccer league in the world necessarily makes us see players rise through us instead of to us. Hockey had a head start of eighty or more years over MLS in the United States. It was bound to be bigger. In many ways, it still is. The one key component is growth. The NHL has saturated its markets to virtually the full extent they can. They try to appeal to casual fans and bring in new ones, but that only works when teams go from bad to good. MLS is still expanding. Last year, they added two teams in New York and Orlando. Plans for a second Los Angeles team and Atlanta team are moving along. Other destinations, too many to mention specifically, are in the loop. The NWSL is going at a slower pace to protect growth, but they've already added two teams in four years of existence. Soccer has picked the right markets to grow into. Many are big cities, but tapping into Portland, San Jose, Salt Lake, and Columbus in MLS, areas where other leagues aren't as well-established, has helped soccer fill its niche well.

Soccer will continue to grow, and years down the line, this discussion looks far different. Five to ten years from now, MLS may be as big as the NHL on its own. International soccer will always bring attention. No matter how bad the men's team can be at times, people will still root for them. The women's team has taken great strides to appeal to everyone, and they're continually setting attendance records with friendlies. Hockey is more stagnant, but that's alright. Hockey knows its audience, and knows, generally, how to appeal to that audience. I'll leave with one final thought. I can guarantee that in my three years in college so far, I've seen well over 20 of the 30 NHL teams represented among the students. For soccer, I've seen more foreign league teams have support than I have MLS teams or NWSL teams. Hockey doesn't need to be insecure about its position. It's no worse than level with soccer in terms of popularity. Instead of thinking about a big four, it might be time to admit that it's really a big five, or a big three with a second tier for hockey and soccer. One thing's for certain, and that's neither sport is hurting in any significant way.

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