Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MLS Midweek: May 18, 2016

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

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

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

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Manchester United v. Bournemouth

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

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

NWSL Week 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 11

We're up for nine games this week on the schedule, beginning with Friday's...

DC United hosting the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Travis Worra protect the nets. DC had a yellow card for an eighth minute Marcelo Sarvas foul. New York's Mike Grella received a yellow card for his eleventh minute foul. United opened in the twentieth minute with an Alvaro Saborio goal, assisted by Sarvas and Patrick Nyarko. Chris Duvall of the Red Bulls had a yellow card for his forty-first minute foul. DC added on with a forty-third minute Nyarko goal, passed from Lamar Neagle and Saborio. In first half stoppage time, Steve Birnbaum had a yellow card for his foul for United. In the eighty-third minute, Nick DeLeon of DC took a yellow card for a foul. The final stood at 2-0, with Saborio the man of the match for his goal and assist.

On Saturday, the games began in Montreal, with the Impact welcoming the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Evan Bush are in goal. Montreal started in the third minute on a Didier Drogba goal. Philadelphia tied it on a C.J. Sapong goal in the twenty-fourth minute, via Sebastien Le Toux and Chris Pontius. The Impact's Ignacio Piatti had a yellow card for dissent in the thirty-sixth minute. Montreal saw yellow cards go to Marco Donadel in the fiftieth minute and Ambroise Oyongo in the eightieth minute, both for fouls. The Union's Raymon Gaddis took a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-first minute. The game ended 1-1, with the man of the match being Blake, who went five for six in saves.

Down in Columbus, the Crew SC bring in the Colorado Rapids. Zac MacMath and Steve Clark are in the six-yard boxes. Colorado had a yellow card for a tenth minute foul by Kevin Doyle. Columbus began in the twenty-third minute on a Cedrick goal, passed from Harrison Afful. The Rapids tied it with a Doyle goal in the fifty-fifth minute, set up by Shkelzen Gashi. In the sixty-third minute, Colorado's Gashi took a yellow card for a foul. The game ended 1-1, and Doyle was the man of the match for the equalizer.

To the east, the New England Revolution host the Chicago Fire. Matt Lampson and Bobby Shuttleworth protect the nets. Chicago's Alturo Alvarez took a yellow card for a nineteenth minute foul. New England led off in the twenty-second minute with a Lee Nguyen goal, assisted by Scott Caldwell. The Revolution's Gershon Koffie took a yellow card for a twenty-fourth minute foul. New England saw yellow cards assessed to London Woodberry in the fifty-seventh minute and Juan Agudelo in the eightieth minute, both for fouls. The Revolution added on with a Femi Hollinger-Janzen goal in the eighty-fourth minute, coming off of Agudelo and Nguyen. This made it 2-0, the final, with the man of the match honors awarded to Nguyen.

Into Canada again, as Toronto FC welcomes the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. David Ousted and Clint Irwin are the gloved men. Vancouver struck first in the twelfth minute on a Kekuta Manneh goal. The Whitecaps added on with an eighteenth minute Christian Bolanos goal. Pa Modou Kah of Vancouver had a yellow card for a thirty-fifth minute foul. Toronto got on the board in the thirty-seventh minute with a Sebastian Giovinco goal, courtesy of Damien Perquis. Fraser Aird of the Whitecaps received a yellow card for dissent in the sixty-third minute. Toronto tied it on a sixty-sixth minute Giovinco goal, passed from Michael Bradley. In the seventieth minute, Vancouver retook the lead on a Manneh goal, assisted by Pedro Morales. The Whitecaps extended the lead as Morales scored in the seventy-second minute, thanks to Manneh. In the seventy-sixth minute, Aird earned a second yellow card for a foul, putting Vancouver at ten men. Toronto got one back with an eightieth minute Drew Moor goal, helped along by Giovinco. Blas Perez of the Whitecaps had a yellow card for time wasting in the eighty-ninth minute. Toronto's Giovinco took a yellow card for dangerous play in stoppage time. Vancouver held on for a 4-3 win, with Manneh the man of the match.

Ending Saturday, FC Dallas brings in the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Chris Seitz are between the posts. Dallas was first to score on a third minute Mauro Diaz penalty kick goal. Dallas added on with a Michael Barrios goal in the eightieth minute, via Mauro Rosales. This made it 2-0, the final, with the man of the match being Barrios.

On Sunday, the first game is a make up from yesterday, as the Houston Dynamo host Real Salt Lake after they were postponed for weather. Jeff Attinella and Joe Willis are the backups in goal. Alex of Houston had a yellow card for a thirty-first minute foul. In the sixty-fifth minute, Houston got going on a Giles Barnes goal, set up by his keeper Willis. Salt Lake had a yellow card given to Tony Beltran in the eighty-first minute for a foul. The Dynamo won 1-0, with the man of the match being Barnes for his goal.

Up in Kansas City, Sporting welcomes Orlando City SC. Joe Bendik and Tim Melia man the nets. Jimmy Medranda of Kansas City had a yellow card for his forty-ninth minute foul. In the sixty-seventh minute, Sporting's Medranda saw his day get worse as he was charged with an own goal to allow Orlando City to crack the scoresheet. Kansas City tied it on a seventy-fourth minute Dominic Dwyer goal, assisted by Jacob Peterson and Benny Feilhaber. Sporting took the lead with a Peterson goal in the seventy-ninth minute, via Roger Espinoza and Saad Abdul-Salaam. Nuno Coeho of Kansas City had a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-fourth minute. The final stood at 2-1 for Sporting, with Peterson the man of the match for turning things around for his team and getting a win.

Finally, the Portland Timbers bring in New York City FC. Josh Saunders and Jake Gleeson will play goal. New York City drew first blood with a David Villa goal in the twelfth minute, courtesy of RJ Allen. In the twenty-fourth minute, New York City's Allen had a yellow card for a foul. Ben Zemanski of Portland took a yellow card for his thirty-eighth minute foul. The Timbers tied it in the fifty-fifth minute on a Fanendo Adi goal, passed from Darlington Nagbe. New York City regained the lead with a Thomas McNamara goal in the sixty-fifth minute, assisted by Andrea Pirlo. New York City's keeper Saunders took a yellow card for time wasting in the eighty-seventh minute. New York City won 2-1, with McNamara the man of the match for his winner.

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2015/16 Premier League Week 38 - Championship Sunday with a Twist

Due to a suspicious item at Old Trafford, one of the game's scheduled ten games was postponed. Manchester United's match against Bournemouth will be played at a later date, and will be posted when it happens. For the other nine games, we begin with...

Arsenal hosting Aston Villa. Mark Bunn and Petr Cech are in goal. Arsenal led off in the fifth minute with an Olivier Giroud goal, set up by Nacho Monreal. In the thirty-ninth minute, Carlos Sanchez of Aston Villa had a yellow card for a foul. Arsenal added on with a seventy-eighth minute Giroud goal, passed from Mesut Ozil. Arsenal extended the lead as Giroud finished his hat trick in the eightieth minute, thanks to Hector Bellerin. In stoppage time, Aston Villa keeper Bunn put the ball in his own net for an own goal, producing the 4-0 final that favored Arsenal.

Also in London, Chelsea welcomes Leicester City. Kasper Schmeichel and Thibaut Courtois are the keepers. Chelsea got going in the sixty-sixth minute with a Cesc Fabregas penalty kick goal. Leicester City tied it in the eighty-second minute on a Daniel Drinkwater goal, passed from Jeffrey Schlupp. The game ended 1-1.

Up to Everton bringing in Norwich City. Everton began with a James McCarthy goal in the nineteenth minute. In the forty-fourth minute, Leighton Baines scored a penalty kick goal for Everton. Everton extended the lead as Kevin Mirallas scored in the forty-eighth minute. Everton held on for the easy 3-0 win.

Further north, Newcastle United hosts Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Lloris and Karl Darlow man the nets. Newcastle United opened in the nineteenth minute with a Georginio Wijnaldum goal, assisted by Aleksandar Mitrovic. Newcastle United added on in the thirty-ninth minute with a Mitrovic goal, coming off of Moussa Sissoko. Ryan Mason of Tottenham Hotspur took a yellow card for a foul in first half stoppage time. Tottenham Hotspur got on the board with an Erik Lamela goal in the sixtieth minute, courtesy of Eric Dier. In the sixty-second minute, Lamela had a yellow card for his foul for Tottenham Hotspur. In the sixty-seventh minute, Mitrovic took a straight red card for his foul, putting Newcastle United down to ten men. Newcastle United replied with a seventy-third minute Wijnaldum penalty kick goal. Newcastle United extended the lead as Rolando Aarons scored in the eighty-fifth minute, thanks to Daryl Janmaat. In the eighty-sixth minute, Newcastle United padded the lead on a Janmaat goal via Aarons. The final was 5-1 for Newcastle United.

Back south, Southampton welcomes Crystal Palace. Julian Speroni and Fraser Forster draw the starts in goal. Southampton dented the scoreboard in the forty-third minute on a Sadio Mane goal. Crystal Palace had yellow cards go to Joel Ward in the fifty-fourth minute and James McArthur in the fifty-ninth minute, both for fouls. Southampton added on in the sixty-first minute with a Graziano Pelle goal, via Cuco Martina. Crystal Palace got on the board in the sixty-fourth minute with a Jason Puncheon goal. Southampton's Pelle had a yellow card for a seventy-second minute foul. Southampton replied with a seventy-fifth minute penalty kick goal by Ryan Bertrand. In the eighty-seventh minute, Southampton extended the lead as Steven Davis scored, with the help of Pelle. Southampton won 4-1.

Along to Stoke City bringing in West Ham United. Adrian and Shay Given play in goal. West Ham United had a yellow card for a twentieth minute foul by Cheikhou Kouyate. West Ham United started with a twenty-third minute Michail Antonio goal, via Winston Reid. Stoke City's Giannelli Imbula had a yellow card for his fortieth minute foul. Stoke City tied it on a fifty-fifth minute goal by Imbula. Stoke City took the lead in the eighty-eighth minute on a Mame Biram Diouf goal, assisted by Charlie Adam. Diouf also had a yellow card for excessive celebration. In stoppage time, Stoke City keeper Given took a yellow card for time wasting. The game ended 2-1 for Stoke City.

Out in Wales, Swansea City host Manchester City. Joe Hart and Kristoffer Nordfeldt are in the six-yard boxes. Manchester City struck first in the fifth minute with a Kelechi Iheanacho goal. In the forty-first minute, Iheanacho took a yellow card for a foul, as did teammate Nicolas Otamendi in the forty-fifth minute. Swansea City tied it on a first half stoppage time goal by Andre Ayew. Bacary Sagna of Manchester City had a yellow card for a foul in the sixty-seventh minute. Swansea City's Leon Britton had a yellow card for his seventy-fourth minute foul. The game ended 1-1.

Back in England, Watford welcomes Sunderland. Jordan Pickford and Heurelho Gomes are the gloved men. Sunderland drew first blood in the thirty-ninth minute with a Jack Rodwell goal, assisted by Jeremain Lens. Watford tied it on a forty-eighth minute goal by Sebastian Prodl, via Adlene Guedioura. Sunderland regained the lead in he fifty-first minute with a Lens goal, courtesy of Duncan Watmore. Watford retied it in the sixty-first minute with a Troy Deeney penalty kick goal. Guedioura of Watford had a yellow card for an eightieth minute foul. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Ending the day, West Bromwich Albion brings in Liverpool.Adam Bogdan and Ben Foster are between the posts. West Bromwich Albion was first to score in the thirteenth minute with a Salomon Rondon goal, courtesy of Jonathan Leko. Liverpool tied it in the twenty-third minute on a Jordan Ibe goal, assisted by Jon Flanagan. In the fortieth minute, Brad Smith of Liverpool had a yellow card for a foul. James McClean of West Bromwich Albion took a yellow card for his foul in first half stoppage time. West Bromwich Albion saw yellow cards for Tyler Roberts in the seventy-fourth minute and Jonny Evans in the eighty-seventh minute, both for fouls. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

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Pacific Division Final: 3) San Jose Sharks VS. 4) Nashville Predators

As usual, this post covers the entire series in the first round of this year's NHL playoffs.

Game 1: SAP Center, San Jose, California. In goal: Pekka Rinne for Nashville and Martin Jones for San Jose. Nashville got going in the second period with a Mike Fisher power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Ryan Johansen and Mattias Ekholm. San Jose tied it in the third period with a Tomas Hertl power play goal, his second of the playoffs, assisted by Joel Ward and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The Sharks took the lead on a Ward goal, made possible by Joonas Donskoi and Brent Burns. San Jose added on with a Logan Couture power play goal, his second of the postseason, with assists provided by Joe Pavelski and Burns. The Predators got one back with a Johansen goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Roman Josi and Colin Wilson. The Sharks fired back with an unassisted empty net goal by Couture, his second of the game and third of the postseason. San Jose iced it at 5-2 with a Tommy Wingels empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Couture, Ward, and Johansen, while Burns gets an honorable mention. The Sharks hold a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: SAP Center, San Jose, California. In goal: Pekka Rinne for Nashville and Martin Jones for San Jose. San Jose dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Logan Couture power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. Nashville tied it on a third period Mattias Ekholm goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Colin Wilson and Roman Josi. The Sharks took the lead with a Pavelski goal, his sixth of the postseason, coming off of Matt Nieto and Joe Thornton. San Jose added on with a Thornton empty net goal, his second of the playoffs, set up by Couture and Pavelski. The Predators replied with a Ryan Johansen goal, his third of the postseason, fueled by Josi and Mike Fisher. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars going to Pavelski, Thornton, and Couture, while Josi gets an honorable mention. The Sharks head east with a 2-0 series lead in their luggage.

Game 3: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Martin Jones for San Jose and Pekka Rinne for Nashville. San Jose started in the first period with a Patrick Marleau goal, his second of the postseason, courtesy of Tomas Hertl and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Nashville tied it in the second period with a James Neal power play goal, his third of the playoffs, powered by Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Johansen. The Predators took the lead with an unassisted Shea Weber goal, his third of the postseason. Nashville added on in the third period with a Colin Wilson goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Ryan Ellis and Mike Fisher. The Predators extended the lead as Filip Forsberg scored a power play goal, his second of the postseason, with the help of Roman Josi and Weber. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Weber, Rinne (26 for 27 in saves), and Wilson. The Sharks still have a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Martin Jones for San Jose and Pekka Rinne for Nashville. Nashville opened in the first period with a Colin Wilson goal, his fourth of the postseason, coming off of Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis. San Jose tied it on a Brent Burns goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Logan Couture and Paul Martin. The Predators retook the lead on a Mike Fisher goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by James Neal and Roman Josi. The Sharks tied it in the second period on a Joonas Donskoi goal, his third of the playoffs, via Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Martin. San Jose took the lead with a power play goal by Burns in the third period, his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, powered by Couture and Joe Thornton. Nashville tied it on a Neal goal, his fourth of the playoffs, helped along by Ellis and Wilson. The Predators won it 4-3 in triple overtime with Fisher's second of the game and fourth of the postseason, fueled by Ekholm and Wilson. The three stars were awarded to Fisher, Wilson, and Neal, while Ellis, Ekholm, Burns, Martin, and Couture get the honorable mentions. The series heads west again tied at 2.

Game 5: SAP Center, San Jose, California. In goal: Pekka Rinne for Nashville and Martin Jones for San Jose. San Jose led off in the first period with a Patrick Marleau goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by Joonas Donskoi. Nashville tied it on a Mike Fisher goal, his fifth of the playoffs, via James Neal and Colin Wilson. The Sharks took the lead back with a Joe Pavelski goal, his seventh of the postseason, helped along by Joe Thornton and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose added on in the second period with a Logan Couture goal, his fifth of the playoffs, fueled by Donskoi and Justin Braun. The Sharks extended the lead as Pavelski scored his second of the game and eighth of the postseason, a power play goal powered by Marleau and Thornton. San Jose iced it at 5-1 with a Melker Karlsson goal, his second of the playoffs, thanks to Chris Tierney and Braun. The three stars went to Pavelski, Marleau, and Thornton, while Donskoi and Braun get the honorable mentions. San Jose heads back east leading the series 3-2.

Game 6: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Martin Jones for San Jose and Pekka Rinne for Nashville. San Jose began in the first period with a Chris Tierney goal, his second of the postseason, made possible by Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks added on with another Tierney goal, his second of the game and third of the playoffs, passed from Matt Nieto and Brent Burns. Nashville got on the board with a Roman Josi goal, going in unassisted. The Predators tied it on a second period goal by Ryan Johansen, his fourth of the postseason, coming on the power play from Ryan Ellis. San Jose took the lead back in the third period on a Logan Couture power play goal, his sixth of the playoffs, powered by Burns and Joe Thornton. Nashville tied it on a Colin Wilson goal, his fifth of the postseason, helped along by James Neal and Mike Ribeiro. The Predators won it 4-3 in overtime on a Viktor Arvidsson goal, assisted by Miikka Salomaki and the goalie Rinne. The three stars were Arvidsson, Burns, and Wilson. The series heads back to California one more time, currently tied at 3. 

Game 7: SAP Center, San Jose, California. In goal: Pekka Rinne for Nashville and Martin Jones for San Jose. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his ninth of the postseason, powered by Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. The Sharks added on with a Joel Ward goal, his second of the playoffs, via Melker Karlsson and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose extended the lead in the second period as Logan Couture scored an unassisted goal, his seventh of the postseason. The Sharks padded the lead with a Thornton power play goal in the third period, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Couture. San Jose kept going with a Marleau goal, his fourth of the postseason, helped along by Couture and Joonas Donskoi. This made it 5-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Couture, Marleau, and Thornton. The Sharks won the series 4-3, and will play the St. Louis Blues for the Western Conference Final.

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