Sunday, April 17, 2016

NWSL Week 1

Hello, and welcome to the fourth season of the NWSL. The league is up to ten teams, and all of them are in action over this weekend. On Saturday, there are three games, beginning with...

The Washington Spirit hosting the Boston Breakers. Libby Stout and Stephanie Labbe will play in goal as the season begins. The game can be found at this link. Washington opened the scoring early with a third minute goal by Joanna Lohman on a bicycle kick, assisted by Crystal Dunn. In the twenty-third minute, there was an interesting occurrence on a Boston corner kick, where a foul was called as Labbe caught the ball over the line, but no goal came from the play. The Spirit almost found another when McCall Zerboni was lazy on the ball, and Dunn stole it, but her pass to Katie Stengel was deflected. Kristie Mewis nearly had an equalizer for the Breakers in the fortieth minute, but the shot went high. The first half ended with the Spirit up 1-0, and they've controlled most of the play. The Breakers defense has occasionally looked shaky, and Stout struggled early on before settling in. Caprice Dydasco has looked really good for the Spirit on the back line. The second half opened with more end-to-end action, but with another slight tilt in Washington's favor due to sloppy passing from Boston in their own half of the field. In the sixty-eighth minute, Dunn laid off to Ali Krieger, and Krieger's cross to Christine Nairn was denied by Whitney Engen to keep the Breakers alive. In the eighty-sixth minute, the Spirit's Megan Oyster received a yellow card for a hard foul on Kyah Simon. The game ended at 1-0, with Lohman being the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match, with honorable mentions for Dydasco, Engen, and Zerboni.  

In the Midwest, FC Kansas City welcomes the Western New York Flash. The goalies are Sabrina D'Angelo and Nicole Barnhart. You can watch the game here. Kansas City came out in a strange formation, going with three in the back for this game. The game started out with a bit of balance between the teams, and a bit of physicality as well. Shea Groom had the best early chances in the thirteenth minute for the Blues. Jessica McDonald couldn't quite connect on a Lynn Williams cross in the sixteenth minute, sending the ball wide on Western New York's best early chance. McDonald missed another one wide in the eighteenth minute as the Flash press early. Groom went wide again in the twenty-ninth minute. At the half hour mark, the scoreless game has seen a fair share of shots for each side, but the goalies have been up to task. The Flash are a bit more reckless than the Blues so far, making it seem like Kansas City will get a breakthrough soon. Williams sent a shot high in the thirty-seventh minute, squandering the work of a good pass from Adriana Leon. Barnhart made a save on McDonald shot on a pass from Elizabeth Eddy. Barnhart made two more huge saves in the forty-second minute among a flurry of action by Western New York as they make a big push late in the half. Additionally, Erika Tymrak has been impressive in drawing fouls for Kansas City. The game goes into halftime scoreless. Defensive backs Becky Sauerbrunn and Yael Averbuch also handled most everything that came their way in the first half. Barnhart was called into action for a save early in the second half. The Flash had trouble clearing their lines in the sixty-third minute, and Jen Buczkowski nearly picked the lower left corner, but D'Angelo stretched out for the save. In the seventieth minute, Barnhart saved a free kick from Abby Dahlkemper, continuing an impressive game that has seen the Flash pull away in shots. Samantha Mewis converted a penalty kick in the seventy-second minute, finally breaking Kansas City's resistance as she sent Barnhart the other way to give Western New York the lead. Sauerbrunn's handball created the spot kick. In the seventy-fourth minute, Heather O'Reilly received a yellow card for her foul. In the seventy-eighth minute, Fran Silva made a weaving run through the defense, but D'Angelo made another strong save to deny the equalizing attempt. Barnhart pulled off another save of a curling Williams shot in the eighty-eighth minute. In stoppage time, Groom nearly got one past D'Angelo, but she knocked it out. Sub Tiffany McCarty was hauled down in the box by Eddy. O'Reilly stepped up for the Blues, but missed the penalty kick off the post, and the Flash escaped with a thrilling 1-0 win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match honors go to D'Angelo for her solid work in goal, while McDonald and Williams also impressed on the Flash side. For the Blues, Barnhart couldn't do anything about the penalty kick, and Groom also looked good in the attack for the hosts.

The last game on Saturday has the Houston Dash hosting the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and  Lydia Williams protect the nets. The game can be found by following this link. In the second minute, a Janine Beckie cross led to a distance shot from Rachel Daly that went over the bar as Houston's rookies combine for early skill. Chicago's Julie Johnston made a big block on a Beckie cross to prevent a shot by the Dash's Kealia Ohai. The Red Stars struck first in the thirteenth minute as a back pass got through multiple Houston defenders, and Christen Press pounced on it for the easy goal, coming somewhat against the run of play as Houston has been dominant up to that point. In the twenty-second minute, it was Chicago's turn for a defensive breakdown, as Sam Johnson's poor slide set up Daly for a long-range one-touch strike to tie the game for the Dash. In the twenty-seventh minute, Naeher's defense had to bail her out when she got knocked down, and Johnson stood tall against a sharp Carli Lloyd shot. The Red Stars continued under an onslaught of shots for a few minutes. In the thirty-third minute, Chicago's Danielle Colaprico nearly had one from outside the box, but the keeper Williams punched it over to keep things level. The latter parts of the half were pretty calm, and they entered the locker rooms tied at 1. Houston has seen good work from their forwards Ohai, Beckie, and Daly, while also a solid half from Allysha Chapman, the left back, and Amber Brooks in the defensive midfield. Chicago's best play has been from Johnston at center back. Naeher, and Press up front providing pressure and a dangerous shot. The Dash have had the better of play so far. Houston took the lead in fifty-first minute with a Lloyd goal set up by Daly with a strong cross to create the header by Lloyd. Houston added on with a Beckie goal in the fifty-third minute, passed from Ohai, who did well to get onto a ball into space behind Johnston, who didn't attack the ball with as much pressure as Ohai did. In the sixty-first minute, Alyssa Mautz of the Red Stars received a yellow card for persistent infringement. In the seventy-fifth minute, Johnson took a yellow card for her foul. As the game winds down, the Dash are protecting their lead, and the Red Stars have failed to really make waves in the second half. In the eighty-second minute, Houston nearly got another when Stephanie Ochs deflected a ball off the Chicago defense, but it went wide for a corner kick. The Red Stars had to stave off more in the eighty-fifth minute, blocking three shots in rapid succession. A minute later, Ochs was denied by Naeher from close range. The game ended 3-1 for the Dash, with Daly the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. Impressing in the second half was Ellie Brush with her subtly solid defense.

On Sunday, the first of two games sees the Seattle Reign FC bring in Sky Blue FC. Caroline Casey and Hope Solo protect the nets. The game can be found here on YouTube. Seattle got a bit of break going in the fourth minute, but Kim Little's low shot was easily gobbled by Casey. The Reign nearly got one when Casey's clearance hit Manon Melis, but the spin kept it out of the net and kept the game scoreless. Seattle is controlling the game a bit more at the start. Sky Blue proved lethal on a counter in the fifteenth minute with a goal by Natasha Kai, set up by Kelley O'Hara with a brilliant cross. Seattle kept the pressure up with Melis running at goal but firing a bad-angle shot straight at Casey. A counter in the twenty-sixth minute, again led by O'Hara led to a wide shot by Kelly Conheeney. In the thirty-sixth minute, Merritt Mathias got called for a foul in the box on O'Hara, but Hope Solo turned aside the penalty kick by Sarah Killion, and the rebound went out for a goal kick to preserve things. Solo did receive a yellow card prior to the spot kick for dissent. The end of the half lacked much drama, and Sky Blue will take a 1-0 lead into the half. Impressing so far in the game, O'Hara, Kai, and Casey have provided a strong core for the visitors. Also, the Reign have gotten good performances from Jess Fishlock, Melis, and Beverly Yanez as they have had the quantity, if not quality, of shots. In the fifty-second minute, Fishlock found Mathias near the post, and she headed it in past Casey to tie the game after applying a lot of pressure to start the second half. They nearly had another as Mathias led a break the other way, but Sky Blue cleared the attack. The Reign have kept up a lot of pressure since getting the equalizer, but the back line has held strong for Sky Blue. Raquel Rodriguez led an attack in the sixty-seventh minute, seeing O'Hara shoot right at Solo, but her bad distribution allowed Conheeney to score on a pass from Taylor Lytle, regaining the lead for Sky Blue. The Reign are continuing to press as they try to find another equalizer in the last fifteen minutes. In the eightieth minute, Seattle sub Rachel Corsie took a yellow card for her foul on O'Hara. Sky Blue has remained in a defensive shell to protect their lead, and sloppy passing from the Reign has neutered most of their forays on offense. The final stood at 2-1 for Sky Blue FC, with O'Hara the Outsider Sports Woman of the match. Other impressive players not mentioned at halftime include Conheeney and Lytle, while Seattle's Mathias did do well to get her goal and sub Kiersten Dallstream played well in limited minutes.

Finally, the Portland Thorns FC host the brand new Orlando Pride. The goalies are Ashlyn Harris and Michelle Betos. The game is available at this link. Portland has had the bulk of the early possession, and a corner kick from Tobin Heath led to a high shot by Allie Long on the rebound. Orlando got a shot from Maddy Evans in the sixth minute, but it was blocked by the Thorns back line. An eighth minute free kick from Steph Catley beat Betos, but hit the crossbar on a rope, narrowly denying the Pride an early lead. Kristen Edmonds gave Orlando a free kick on the far edge of the box after being fouled by Tobin Heath, and the free kick produced a goal from Catley directly from the kick as Betos couldn't get a mitt on it. Orlando leads 1-0 in the twelfth minute after that goal. Heath had a solid effort, beating two players before Laura Alleway knocked it out for a corner that Heath couldn't make anything of. Portland equalized on a Heath cross after Nadia Nadim missed on the first attempt, and Dagny Brynjarsdottir finished right in the middle of the box, past Harris, to tie the game at 1. Around the half hour mark, the physicality came into play quite a bit, making things a tad chippy. In the thirty-third minute, Lindsey Horan was the only thing stopping an Evans cross from finding Alex Morgan. Nadim nearly had one in the thirty-ninth minute, but only because she was offside. In the forty-second minute, Morgan played Jasmyne Spencer in, but Betos made a point-blank save to preserve the score. A late half cross from Heath led to Dagny and Harris colliding in the air, and Dagny received a yellow card for the play. Harris remained down for awhile. The first half ended tied at 1. Looking good so far for the Pride are Catley, Alleway, Morgan, and Evans, while the Thorns have seen good efforts from Dagny, Heath, Long, and Nadim. The game has often been wide open to this point. Portland's offside problems finally proved costly, as Meghan Klingenberg teed up a Nadim cross, and Long was caught offside as she headed the ball past Harris for a near-goal negated by the call. Betos nearly gave one up when she was slow to clear the ball, and Spencer slid in just a second late looking for a go-ahead goal. In the sixty-second minute, Kaylyn Kyle just chipped a ball over the crossbar off of a corner kick. Things have gone end-to-end somewhat in the second half. Alleway nearly had one for the Pride in the seventy-eighth minute, but it went right to Betos and the score is still tied late in the game. In the seventy-ninth minute, Alleway took a yellow card for a foul on Dagny as the latter tried to make a break toward the Pride net. In the eighty-first minute, it was Orlando's Morgan making a run into space to take a shot on Betos, but she too was denied, earning a corner kick. The frantic play finally burst as Heath found her national team teammate Horan in the middle of the box around US #3 keeper Harris, giving the Thorns a late 2-1 lead. Lianne Sanderson had a good cross in the eighty-seventh minute, but Dani Weatherholt and Kyle both missed, and Betos let it roll out harmlessly as Orlando is desperate to tie the game. In the eighty-ninth minute, Klingenberg took a yellow card for time wasting. Dagny nearly had another in the same minute, but she shot high on the pass from Heath. In the ninetieth minute, Heath was fouled by Orlando's Kyle, and that received a yellow card for the midfielder. Heath hammered another shot in stoppage time, going just wide of the Pride net. The game ended 2-1 for the Thorns, and Heath is the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. Earning some additional mentions include Spencer of Orlando and Horan of Portland for their strong second halves.

WEEK 1 BEST XI
GK Sabrina D'Angelo
RB Kelley O'Hara
CB Laura Alleway
CB Whitney Engen
LB Caprice Dydasco
DM Amber Brooks
RW Joanna Lohman
LW Tobin Heath
RF Rachel Daly
CF Natasha Kai
LF Janine Beckie

Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 7

It's a full schedule this weekend, beginning with Friday's...

Houston Dynamo hosting the Los Angeles Galaxy. Brian Rowe and Joe Willis are in goal. Houston began in the first minute with a David Horst goal, fueled by Alex and Cristian Maidana. Los Angeles tied it with a Giovani Dos Santos goal in the fourth minute. The Galaxy took the lead with a Baggio Husidic goal in the twenty-first minute. Los Angeles added on with a thirty-first minute Dos Santos goal, passed from Steven Gerrard. The Galaxy extended the lead as Gyasi Zardes buried a goal, passed from Sebastian Lletget and Dos Santos. In the fifty-sixth minute, Ashley Cole of Los Angeles took a yellow card for a foul, as did teammate Daniel Steres in the eighty-ninth minute for a foul as well. The final stood at 4-1, with Dos Santos the man of the match with a brace.

The first of Saturday's seven sees the Chicago Fire welcome the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Matt Lampson draw the starts in goal. Chicago opened in the twenty-ninth minute with a Kennedy Igboananike goal, fueled by Gilberto. Montreal tied it on a fifty-sixth minute goal from Didier Drogba, passed from Dominic Oduro. The Impact took the lead with a stoppage time goal by Ignacio Piatti, via Oduro. This made it 2-1, the final, with Oduro named man of the match for his role in setting up both goals.

Over in DC, United brings in Toronto FC. Clint Irwin and Travis Worra are the gloved men. Toronto led off with a first minute goal by Sebastian Giovinco, via Marco Delgado and Jozy Altidore. In the thirty-fifth minute, Altidore took a yellow card for his foul. In the eighty-eighth minute, Irwin of Toronto took a yellow card for time wasting. DC had yellow cards for fouls by Marcelo Savas in the eighty-ninth minute and Steve Birnbaum in stoppage time. The final held at 1-0, with Giovinco being the man of the match.

Back west, the Columbus Crew SC host New York City FC. Josh Saunders and Steve Clark protect the nets. Columbus started with an Ethan Finlay goal, courtesy of Justin Meram in the seventh minute. New York City tied it on a fifteenth minute goal by David Villa, passed from Andoni Iraola. In the twenty-seventh minute, Jason Hernandez of New York City took a yellow card for a foul. In the forty-third minute, Wil Trapp took a yellow card for his foul for the Crew. Columbus retook the lead with a Kei Kamara goal in the forty-ninth minute, assisted by Meram. The Crew added on with an eightieth minute Meram goal, coming off of Finlay and Federico Higuain. New York City had yellow cards for Patrick Mullins' eighty-second minute foul and persistent infringement by Iraola in the eighty-fourth minute. Columbus went down a man in the eighty-sixth minute when Michael Parkhurst took a straight red card for a foul, allowing New York City to get a goal back on a Villa penalty kick goal. This still came up short, with the final being 3-2 for the Crew, and Meram was the man of the match for a goal and two assists.

Further west, the Colorado Rapids welcome the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Zac MacMath draw the starts in goal. Colorado struck first in the twenty-first minute with a Jermaine Jones goal, coming off of Mekeil Williams. In the thirty-sixth minute, New York saw a yellow card for Mike Grella's foul. The Red Bulls tied on a sixtieth minute goal by Ronald Zubar, passed from Sacha Kljestan. In the sixty-fourth minute, New York's Chris Duvall had a yellow card for a foul, as did Zubar in the seventy-ninth minute for his own foul. The Rapids took the lead in the eighty-second minute on a Dominique Badji goal, passed from Jones and Luis Solignac. In the eighty-fourth minute, Kemar Lawrence had a yellow card for the Red Bulls for a foul. Colorado's Conor Doyle took a yellow card for time wasting in stoppage time. The Rapids won 2-1, with the man of the match being Jones for the goal and assist.

Along to Utah, where Real Salt Lake brings in the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. David Ousted and Nick Rimando are the reliable keepers. Salt Lake got going in the fifty-fifth minute with a Juan Manuel Martinez goal, passed from Joao Plata. In the seventy-first minute, Real's Kyle Beckerman took a yellow card for a foul. Vancouver had yellow cards for fouls by Kendall Waston in the seventy-ninth minute and Octavio Rivero in stoppage time, both for fouls. The final stayed at 1-0, with Martinez named the man of the match.

Up in Seattle, the Sounders FC host the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Stefan Frei are in the six-yard boxes. Philadelphia had yellow cards for fouls by Roland Alberg in the thirty-second minute and Fabinho in the thirty-fourth minute. Seattle was first to score in the forty-first minute on a Chad Marshall goal, assisted by Andreas Ivanschitz. In the fifty-third minute, Alberg of the Union took a second yellow card for a foul, with his ejection putting the visitors down to ten men. The Sounders' Dylan Remick had a yellow card for a fifty-fifth minute handball. Seattle added on in the seventy-first minute with a Jordan Morris goal, helped along by Ivanschitz. Philadelphia got on the board in the seventy-third minute with a Sebastien Le Toux goal, coming off of C.J. Sapong and Fabinho. In the eighty-seventh minute, the Union's Leo Fernandes received a yellow card for a foul. The Sounders saw yellow cards given to Nelson Valdez in the eighty-eighth minute for a foul and to Osvaldo Alonso for time wasting in stoppage time. The Sounders claimed a 2-1 win, with Ivanschitz earning the man of the match honors.

In Oregon, the Portland Timbers welcome the San Jose Earthquakes. Adam Larsen Kwarasey and David Bingham guard the woodwork. Portland dented the scoreboard in the fifty-second minute with a Jack McInerney goal. San Jose had a yellow card in the fifty-fifth minute for a foul by Anibal Godoy. The Timbers added on in the sixty-fifth minute with a Fanendo Adi goal. In the ninetieth minute, Portland had yellow cards given to Diego Valeri for an argument and Nat Borchers for a foul. The Earthquakes got on the board with a Chris Wondolowski goal in the first minute of stoppage time, coming on a penalty kick. About five minutes later, Bingham of San Jose and Valeri of the Timbers each took yellow cards for arguing. Valeri's was his second, so Portland went down to ten men. Portland iced it at 3-1 with an Adi goal nine minutes deep into stoppage time, set up by Lucas Melano. The man of the match was Adi for his brace, which included the winner.

On Sunday, the first of two games has Orlando City SC bringing in the New England Revolution. Bobby Shuttleworth faces a lesser foe in Joe Bendik in goal. Orlando City cracked the scoresheet with a second minute penalty kick goal by Kaka. New England saw a yellow card for Gershon Koffie in the twelfth minute for his foul. The Revolution tied it with a Teal Bunbury goal in the thirty-seventh minute, set up by Koffie and Chris Tierney. Orlando City's Antonio Nocerino took a yellow card for a fifty-sixth minute foul. Orlando City gained the lead in stoppage time with a Kevin Molino goal. Four minutes after that, New England tied it with a Lee Nguyen penalty kick goal. The final was 2-2, and Molino was the man of the match for what turned out to be a critical goal.

Finally, FC Dallas hosts Sporting Kansas City. Tim Melia and Chris Seitz are the keepers. Kansas City drew first blood in the twenty-second minute on a Lawrence Olum goal, passed from Benny Feilhaber. Dallas tied it on a thirty-fifth minute on a Michael Barrios goal, fueled by Maximiliano Urruti and Kellyn Acosta. Dallas took the lead on a sixty-eighth minute Mauro Rosales goal. Dallas had a yellow card given to Atiba Harris for a ninetieth minute foul. The final stayed at 2-1 for Dallas, with Rosales named man of the match for his winner.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0. 

Thursday, April 14, 2016

NWSL Predictions 2016

It's almost here, as the historic fourth season for the NWSL kicks off on April 16. With ten teams, the NWSL is doing something no other women's professional soccer league has done in the United States. Let's take a look at how the star-studded league might shake out this season.

Opinions
The last two years have seen very little change in terms of which teams make the playoffs. The Seattle Reign have won the last two NWSL Shields for the regular season title, and FC Kansas City has won the last two championships. The Washington Spirit have played the role of contender, and the Chicago Red Stars finally made the postseason last year. This year, things have to change, even a little bit. One team that will probably be making those moves is the Portland Thorns. With an internationally-trained Lindsey Horan, first overall pick Emily Sonnett, and the ever-creative and dangerous Tobin Heath, as well as one of the better supporting casts in the league, the Thorns should be able to overcome losing Alex Morgan via trade. The Olympic break may give the Thorns a bit of trouble, but they could shake things up for the three months before the break. The Seattle Reign can never be counted out, but without the services of Megan Rapinoe, they will lean even more heavily on Kim Little and Jess Fishlock from the midfield. The defense looks to remain solid, but there's no guarantee on how that will hold up.

In the midwest, FC Kansas City clearly can't be counted out. With a back line anchored by Becky Sauerbrunn, the Blues have as good a chance as any. However, they will be battling with Lauren Holiday's retirement and Amy Rodriguez's pregnancy, as well as potential international duty for Heather O'Reilly and Sauerbrunn. Nicole Barnhart will still be in goal, but they may be playing a more defensive game this season. To the south, the Houston Dash return a very exciting attacking core led by Carli Lloyd and Kealia Ohai, but they still lack that extra star-power, and they've lost a bit of tenacity with Meghan Klingenberg now in Portland. The Chicago Red Stars' biggest concern may not be with personnel, but with their new home. Playing at Toyota Park may take some getting used to for the team, but they'll have to adapt quickly if they want to keep pace over the 20-game season. Having the dynamic striker Christen Press should serve them well if she can hit the ground running and get into a groove as she pushes for inclusion on the Olympic roster.

To the east, there's not a lot of hope yet for the Boston Breakers. They're young in goal and lack a stout defense. Stephanie McCaffrey and Kristie Mewis are the main offensive threats, but they will need a lot more if they want to keep pace. Likewise, the Western New York Flash appear to be in a transitional season with a new coach and not a lot of scoring on the roster. They will likewise have their struggles this season. The Washington Spirit would certainly like to take the next step this year, and their mix of solid veterans and young players should serve them well. Kelsey Wys is probably a downgrade from Ashlyn Harris in goal, but with Crystal Dunn around, anything is possible. The Spirit will need a lot more out of their set pieces this season, having struggled in that regard last year. Another team not likely to make many waves is Sky Blue FC. Losing Nadia Nadim, arguably their best player last season, will hurt the offense, and it will be on Sam Kerr primarily to fill the void with the goal scoring. The team has not found much success in the NWSL, but Christie Rampone will provide the veteran presence they need under a new coach for this year. Last but not least, the Orlando Pride will be the center of attention this year, with Alex Morgan leading the expansion team's band of vigilantes. Anchoring the midfield is the underrated Canadian international Kaylyn Kyle, and having Ashlyn Harris in goal will probably help their cause as well. Still, expectations should be tempered for the team as they try to find chemistry as the first NWSL team in the southeast.

Standings
FC Kansas City
Portland Thorns
Seattle Reign
Chicago Red Stars
Washington Spirit
Houston Dash
Orlando Pride
Western New York Flash
Boston Breakers
Sky Blue FC

Awards
MVP: Tobin Heath
Coach of the Year: Mark Parsons
Defender of the Year: Julie Johnston
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nicole Barnhart
Rookie of the Year: Raquel Rodriguez
Golden Boot: Christen Press

Best XI
Nicole Barnhart
Lauren Barnes
Julie Johnston
Becky Sauerbrunn
Jaelene Hinkle
Kaylyn Kyle
Jess Fishlock
Tobin Heath
Christen Press
Kealia Ohai
Kim Little

What do you think? Let me know in the comments. Also, check back here on Saturday for the first three game recaps of the season.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Midweek Soccer: April 13, 2016

There are four games in the Premier League and MLS on this day. The Premier League game sees...

Crystal Palace host Everton. Joel Robles and Wayne Hennessey man the nets. Everton saw a yellow card given to James McCarthy in the sixteenth minute. In the fifty-second minute, McCarthy earned a second yellow card for a foul, putting Everton down to ten men. In stoppage time, Gareth Barry of Evertoon took a yellow card for a foul. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.

In the States, Sporting Kansas City welcomes the Colorado Rapids. Zac MacMath is mismatched with Tim Melia in goal. Colorado had a yellow card given to Marco Pappa in the thirty-third minute for a foul. The Rapids began in the forty-first minute with a Luis Solignac goal, set up by Pappa. Kansas City saw a yellow card for Diego Rubio in the fifty-second minute for a foul. Colorado's Dillon Serna took a yellow card for a fifty-seventh minute foul and teammate Marc Burch received a yellow card for a sixty-second minute foul. Sporting tied it on a seventy-seventh minute goal by Dominic Dwyer, via Connor Hallisey and Saad Abdul-Salaam. The Rapids retook the lead with a Shkelzen Gashi goal in the eighty-second minute. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the man of the match being Gashi.

Out in Portland, the Timbers bring in FC Dallas. Chris Seitz and Adam Larsen Kwarasey protect the nets. Dallas led off in the fourth minute with a Michael Barrios goal, assisted by Tesho Akindele. Portland's Ned Grabavoy was booked on a yellow card for a seventeenth minute foul. Dallas' Carlos Gruezo took a yellow card for a twenty-second minute. Dallas added on with a Fabian Castillo goal in the twenty-sixth minute, via Maximiliano Urruti. In the twenty-ninth minute, Akindele scored to extend the Dallas lead, with the help of Castillo. Walker Zimmerman of Dallas had a yellow card for persistent infringement in the thirty-third minute. Jermaine Taylor of the Timbers received a yellow card for a fortieth minute foul. Portland's Jack Jewsbury had a yellow card for a fifty-eighth minute foul. The Timbers got on the board with a sixty-seventh minute Darren Mattocks goal. Dallas saw bookings for Castillo's sixty-eighth minute foul and Atiba Harris' time wasting in stoppage time, both yellow cards. Dallas won 3-1, with Castillo the man of the match for the winner and an assist.

Finally, the San Jose Earthquakes host the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and David Bingham are the gloved men. San Jose drew first blood in the fortieth minute with a Fatai Alashe goal, set up by Matias Perez Garcia. In the forty-fifth minute, Garcia earned a yellow card for a foul. The Earthquakes added on with a fifty-fifth minute Chris Wondolowski goal, coming off of Shea Salinas. New York's Sacha Kljestan had a yellow card for his sixty-second minute foul. San Jose won 2-0, with the man of the match being Wondolowski.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 6

It's a full ten-game slate this weekend. We begin with...

The Philadelphia Union hosting Orlando City SC on Friday night. Joe Bendik and Andre Blake are the keepers. Philadelphia struck first with a C.J. Sapong goal in the second minute. Fabinho of the Union took a yellow card for a foul in the thirtieth minute. Orlando City tied it in the forty-third minute with an Adrian Winter goal, via Kevin Molino. The Union took the lead with a ninetieth minute Tranquillo Barnetta goal. This stood for a 2-1 win, and earned the sub Barnetta the man of the match honors.

On Saturday, the Montreal Impact welcome the Columbus Crew SC as the first of six games. Steve Clark and Evan Bush man the nets. Montreal got going in the forty-eighth minute with a Hassoun Camara goal, via Lucas Ontivero. In the fifty-third minute, Ignacio Piatti of the Impact had a yellow card for his foul. Montreal added on in the eighty-sixth minute with a Kyle Bekker goal, guided in by Ambroise Oyongo, but he also received a yellow card when it took too long to restart play. The Impact still won 2-0, with the man of the match being Camara.

Stateside, the New England Revolution bring in Toronto FC. Clint Irwin and Bobby Shuttleworth draw the starts in goal. New England opened in the fourteenth minute with a Kelyn Rowe goal, assisted by Je-Vaughn Watson and Gershon Koffie. The Revolution had a yellow card given to Koffie for a twentieth minute foul. Toronto tied it in the fifty-eighth minute with a Sebastian Giovinco goal, coming off of Jozy Altidore. Toronto saw yellow cards for Justin Morrow in the fifty-eighth minute, Altidore in the sixty-first minute, Will Johnson in the seventy-third minute, and Mo Babouli in stoppage time. The first three were for fouls, while the final one was for time wasting. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Irwin named man of the match for making seven out of eight saves.

Next up, DC United hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. David Ousted and Travis Worra are the goalies. DC was first to score in the thirty-ninth minute with a Fabian Espindola goal. United added on with another Espindola goal in the fifty-fourth minute. Kianz Froese of Vancouver took a yellow card for a sixty-fifth minute foul. DC had a yellow card given to Sean Franklin in the seventieth minute for a foul. United extended the lead as Alvaro Saborio scored in the eighty-eighth minute, thanks to Luciano Acosta. DC padded the lead on another Saborio goal set up by Acosta in stoppage time. The final held at 4-0, with Espindola named man of the match for his brace that included the winner.

Over to the New York Red Bulls welcoming Sporting Kansas City. Tim Melia and Luis Robles are the gloved men. Kansas City started in the seventeenth minute with a Benny Feilhaber goal, assisted by Graham Zusi and Dominic Dwyer. New York saw a yellow card given to Sal Zizzo in the forty-fourth minute for dissent. Sporting added on with a Dwyer goal in the sixtieth minute, set up by Saad Abdul-Salaam. Kansas City saw Roger Espinoza take a yellow card for a seventy-fourth minute foul. The final stood at 2-0, with the man of the match being Dwyer for his roles in both goals.

South to Texas, where FC Dallas brings in the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Chris Seitz are in goal. San Jose led off in the fourth minute with an Alberto Quintero goal, via Quincy Amarikwa and Simon Francis. Dallas had yellow cards for fouls by Kellyn Acosta in the fourteenth minute and Carlos Gruezo in the thirty-first minute. Dallas tied it with a penalty kick goal by Tesho Akindele in the thirty-sixth minute. The Earthquakes saw a yellow card given to Fatai Alashe in the forty-first minute for a foul. San Jose took the lead in the fifty-fifth minute on a Chris Wondolowski goal, set up by Amarikwa. Dallas tied it again when the Earthquakes' Victor Bernardez put the ball in his own net for an own goal in the sixty-second minute. Dallas' Mauro Rosales received a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-fourth minute, as did teammate Maynor Figueroa in the eighty-seventh minute for the same reason. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, with the man of the match being Wondolowski.

Ending Saturday is a Rocky Mountain Derby with Real Salt Lake hosting the Colorado Rapids. Zac MacMath and Nick Rimando protect the woodwork. Colorado had a yellow card given to Bobby Burling for a sixty-first minute foul. Salt Lake dented the scoreboard in the seventy-second minute with a Joao Plata goal. In the eighty-third minute, Yura Movsisyan took a yellow card for Real for an argument. The Rapids had a yellow card for an Eric Miller foul in stoppage time. The game ended 1-0 for Real, with Plata the man of the match for the winner.

On Sunday, the first of three games sees the Houston Dynamo welcome the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Joe Willis are the gloved men. Houston began in the thirty-fifth minute with a Giles Barnes goal, assisted by Jalil Anibaba. The Dynamo saw a yellow card given to Anibaba in the forty-first minute. Seattle saw a yellow card go to Joevin Jones in the fifty-fifth minute for a foul. The Sounders tied it deep in stoppage time with a Chad Marshall goal. This made it a 1-1 draw, with Marshall the man of the match for the dangerously late equalizer.

Northeast to the Bronx, where New York City FC brings in the Chicago Fire. Matt Lampson and Josh Saunders are the keepers. New York City saw Ronald Matarrita take a yellow card for a fifty-fourth minute foul. Nick LaBrocca of Chicago had a yellow card for his foul in the eighty-sixth minute. The game ended in a scoreless draw, with the man of the match being Lampson for his eight-save clean sheet.

Finally, the Los Angeles Galaxy host the Portland Timbers. Adam Larsen Kwarasey and Brian Rowe make the starts in goal. Portland had a yellow card given to Nat Borchers in the seventeenth minute for a foul. The Timbers drew first blood in the fifty-second minute with a Fanendo Adi goal, via Diego Valeri. Los Angeles had a yellow card for a foul in the seventy-third minute by Nigel de Jong. In the eighty-fourth minute, the Galaxy tied it with a gift from Borchers, whose own goal should prove a costly mistake. Portland saw Ned Grabavoy take a yellow card for an eighty-eighth minute foul. The Timbers' Diego Chara took a yellow card for a handball in stoppage time. The final stood at 1-1, with the man of the match honors bestowed upon Adi for earning the Timbers a point with his goal.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0. 

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 178 - Regular Season Finale + Announcements

Just two games today to wrap up the regular season. We begin with...

The New York Islanders welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers. Michal Neuvirth and Thomas Greiss make the starts in goal. New York drew first blood in the first period with a Nikolay Kulemin goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Calvin de Haan and Ryan Pulock. The Islanders added on with a Matt Martin goal, his tenth of the year, via Pulock and de Haan. Philadelphia got on the board with a Shayne Gostisbehere goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming on the power play from Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. The Flyers tied it with an Evgeny Medvedev power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Matt Read and Nick Cousins. Christopher Gibson took over for Greiss to start the second period. Philadelphia gained the lead with a Michael Raffl goal in the second period, his thirteenth of the season, helped along by Scott Laughton and Schenn. The Flyers extended the lead in the third period as Laughton scored his seventh of the year, thanks to Raffl. Philadelphia capped it at 5-2 with an R.J. Umberger goal, his second of the campaign, a power play goal set up by Raffl and Medvedev. The three stars were given to Raffl, Laughton, and Medvedev, while Schenn, de Haan, and Pulock get the honorable mentions.

The final game of the season sees the Washington Capitals bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Philipp Grubauer receive the starting nods in goal. Anaheim got going in the second period with a Corey Perry goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, helped along by Ryan Garbutt. The Ducks added on with a Nick Ritchie goal, his second of the year, guided in by Mike Santorelli and Chris Wagner. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars given to Andersen (24 save shutout), Perry, and Ritchie.

I have a handful of announcements that all sort of met up at this time. First of all, I'd like to thank all the people sticking around from the times I've been included on Puck Daddy. I would also like to give due thanks to Jen Neale, Josh Cooper, Sean Leahy, and Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy for all the work they've done and for the opportunities they've given me to share my work with a wider audience. This has allowed the new Outsider Sports to reach 40,000 page views in its history, dating back to the previous era under the earlier name. This is also my 2,500th post on this blog, which has featured nearly daily work since 2010. Like I said, there's a few milestones to acknowledge.

For the soccer fans hanging around, I am planning on making a change to my coverage. While I've enjoyed following the Premier League for the last two seasons, as I progress towards making a professional living with my writing, I find that the Premier League will be too taxing on me to continue beyond this season. I will finish this season, but do not expect me to take next year's campaign when it begins in August. Instead, I will turn my focus onto the burgeoning American soccer audience, and also finally begin to share my love of women's soccer starting on April 16. I will continue my MLS coverage, but Outsider Sports will also be home to game recaps for the NWSL as they embark on their fourth season with a record ten teams for a US-based women's soccer league. I also take the time to watch every single NWSL game, so you can expect a bit more detail in those posts, as well as the potential for weekly editorial content based on the previous week of games. I'm undecided on if I will incorporate US Women's National Team coverage on here, but it is a possibility. The accessibility of the women's game, as well as a relative lack of coverage compared to the men's game make it an attractive league to follow. If you enjoy soccer, please check out the NWSL on YouTube, where I believe all the games will be broadcast live and uploaded within hours following the live streams.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the efforts of my good friend Chris Fahlin. He has further helped me expand the reach of Outsider Sports and created more engagement between the blog and Twitter (@OutsiderSports0). While nothing is set in stone as of now, we are planning on creating a podcast that would likely touch on a variety of topics but with a healthy amount of sports discussion from a couple of guys who are very good at shooting the breeze toward one another. I will have more information as that becomes more concrete in planning. I would expect the podcast to be published on a free platform, likely Soundcloud. If anyone has a topic they'd like us to discuss, let me know in the comments or via Twitter.

As always, I will be covering the NHL Playoffs diligently as the teams battle toward the Stanley Cup. As you know, the Gagarin Cup is being playing right now, but this may mark the end of my KHL coverage. When I began KHL coverage in 2012, the league was seen as a viable alternative during the NHL lockout. Four years down the line, the league has seen a lot of turmoil, and while I have really connected with the teams and players, I'm not sure there's any benefit on either side for coverage to be continued. This is a less certain decision than the action I've made on the Premier League. I may be interested in continuing with the KHL come August, and if that happens, you'll know where to find it. For fans of the NWHL and CWHL, I haven't added coverage of those leagues yet because the accessibility is not as simple. I follow the information from afar, but I would be doing the women in those leagues an injustice to try to report on them currently. I would be more apt to commence coverage if a single league emerges.

With all that said, enjoy a quiet couple of days on here and I'll see everyone on Wednesday for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As always, you can find me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015/16 Premier League Week 33

It's a full weekend of games, beginning with...

West Ham United hosting Arsenal. David Ospina and Adrian are the goalies. In the fourth minute, Andy Carroll of West Ham United took a yellow card for a foul. Arsenal began with an eighteenth minute Mesut Ozil goal, via Alex Iwobi. Arsenal added on with a thirty-fifth minute Alexis Sanchez goal, passed from Iwobi. West Ham United got on the board in the forty-fourth minute with a Carroll goal, assisted by Aaron Cresswell. West Ham United tied it on a Carroll goal in first half stoppage time. West Ham United took the lead as Carroll completed his hat trick in the fifty-second minute, thanks to Michail Antonio. Arsenal tied it again with a seventieth minute goal by Laurent Koscielny, coming off of Danny Welbeck. In second half stoppage time, Antonio of West Ham United picked up a yellow card for his foul. The game ended in a 3-3 draw.

Next up, Aston Villa welcomes Bournemouth. Artur Boruc and Brad Guzan man the nets. Bournemouth saw yellow cards for Steve Cook in the twenty-seventh minute and Charlie Daniels in the thirty-second minute, both for fouls. Aston Villa had a yellow card given to Idrissa Gueye in the thirty-sixth minute for a foul. Bournemouth got going in first half stoppage time on a Cook goal, made possible by Simon Francis. Bournemouth added on with a Joshua King goal in the seventy-fourth minute. Aston Villa got on the board with an eighty-fifth minute Jordan Ayew goal, coming off of Gueye. In second half stoppage time, Ayew took a yellow card for a foul. Bournemouth took the win 2-1.

In London, Crystal Palace brings in Norwich City. John Ruddy and Wayne Hennessey are in the six-yard boxes. Crystal Palace had a yellow card for Yannick Bolasie in the twenty-first minute for a foul. Timm Klose of Norwich City received a yellow card for his thirty-seventh minute foul. Crystal Palace dented the scoreboard in the sixty-eighth minute with a Jason Puncheon goal, courtesy of Joel Ward. In the seventieth minute, Mile Jedinak of Crystal Palace took a yellow card for his foul. Crystal Palace held on for a 1-0 win.

Continuing along, Southampton hosts Newcastle United. Karl Darlow and Fraser Forster protect the nets. Southampton led off in the fourth minute with a Shane Long goal, assisted by Graziano Pelle. Southampton added on with a thirty-eighth minute Pelle goal, courtesy of Long. Southampton extended the lead in the fifty-fifth minute with a Victor Wanyama goal. Newcastle United got on the board in the sixty-fifth minute with an Andros Townsend goal, passed from Vurnon Anita. The game ended 3-1 in favor of Southampton.

Out in Wales, Swansea City welcomes Chelsea. Asmir Begovic and Lukasz Fabianski are the gloved men. Swansea City struck first in the twenty-fifth minute with a Gylfi Sigurdsson goal. In the thirtieth minute, Angel Rangel of Swansea City took a yellow card for a foul. Chelsea took yellow cards for Cesar Azpilicueta in the thirty-sixth minute and Matt Miazga in the fortieth minute, both for fouls. Neil Taylor had a yellow card for a forty-third minute foul for Swansea City. Alberto Paloschi of Swansea City took a yellow card for his foul in the seventieth minute. Dissent from Pedro earned the Chelsea player a yellow card in the seventy-first minute, as did another verbal spat from Cesc Fabregas in the seventy-sixth minute with Swansea City's Ashley Williams, with both taking yellow cards. Swansea City had another yellow card for a seventy-ninth minute foul by Leroy Fer. Swansea City took the chippy game 1-0.

Back in England, Watford brings in Everton. Joel Robles and Heurelho Gomes are the solid keepers. Watford saw Etienne Capoue take a yellow card for a thirteenth minute foul. Everton had a yellow card given to James McCarthy for a foul in the forty-third minute. In first half stoppage time, McCarthy scored to open things up for Everton. Two minutes later, Jose Holebas of Watford tied it with his goal via Ben Watson. Odion Ighalo of Watford took a yellow card for a foul in second half stoppage time. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Saturday ends with Manchester City hosting West Bromwich Albion. Ben Foster and Joe Hart are the experienced goalies. West Bromwich Albion started in the sixth minute with a Stephane Sessegnon goal, via James McClean. Manchester City tied it on a nineteenth minute Sergio Aguero penalty kick goal. West Bromwich Albion saw a yellow card for a foul by Craig Gardner in the thirty-third minute. Manchester City took the lead back in the sixty-sixth minute on a Samir Nasri goal. This stood for a 2-1 Manchester City win.

On Sunday, Sunderland welcomes Leicester for the first of three games. Kasper Schmeichel and Vito Mannone play in the six-yard boxes. Sunderland saw a yellow card for Fabio Borini's foul in the twenty-first minute. Leicester City's Christian Fuchs had a yellow card for his foul in the thirtieth minute. Leicester City was first to score with a Jamie Vardy goal in the sixty-sixth minute, assisted by Daniel Drinkwater. Leicester City added on in stoppage time as Vardy scored again, with the help of Demarai Gray. This made it a 2-0 win for Leicester City.

Along to Liverpool bringing in Stoke City. Jakob Haugaard is mismatched with Simon Mignolet in goal. Liverpool drew first blood in the eighth minute with an Alberto Moreno goal, set up by James Milner. Stoke City tied it on a Bojan goal in the twenty-second minute, via Xherdan Shaqiri. In the twenty-sixth minute, Erik Pieters of Stoke City received a yellow card for his foul. Liverpool retook the lead on a Daniel Sturridge goal in the thirty-second minute, assisted by Sheyi Ojo. Liverpool added on with a Divock Origi goal in the fiftieth minute, passed from Milner. Liverpool extended the lead as Origi scored again in the sixty-fifth minute, thanks to Moreno. Stoke City had a yellow card given to Ryan Shawcross in the eighty-second minute for dissent. Liverpool claimed a 4-1 win.

Finally, Tottenham Hotspur hosts Manchester United. David de Gea and Hugo Lloris guard the woodwork. Tottenham Hotspur cracked the scoresheet in the seventieth minute with a Dele Alli goal, via Christian Eriksen. Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur had a yellow card in the seventy-second minute for a foul. Manchester United saw a yellow card go to Matteo Darmian in the seventy-third minute for his foul. Tottenham Hotspur added on in the seventy-fourth minute with a Toby Alderweireld goal, set up by Erik Lamela. Tottenham Hotspur extended the lead as Lamela scored in the seventy-sixth minute, thanks to Rose. In the eighty-third minute, an argument between Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur and Memphis Depay of Manchester United saw both of them booked on yellow cards. Ashley Young of Manchester United received a yellow card for an eighty-fourth minute foul. In stoppage time, Alli received a yellow card for time wasting for Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended favoring Tottenham Hotspur 3-0.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.