Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Eastern Conference Finals: Tampa Bay Lightning VS. Washington Capitals

We're down to the NHL's Final Four, with three teams still having a chance for their first cup. This series will cover the Eastern Conference's entire series.

Game 1: Amalie Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida. In goal: Braden Holtby for the Capitals and Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning. Washington led off in the first period with a Michal Kempny goal, passed from Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his ninth of the postseason, powered by Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie. Washington extended the lead as Jay Beagle scored in the second period, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Brett Connolly and Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals padded the lead with a Lars Eller power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, fueled by Oshie and Ovechkin. Tampa Bay got on the board in the third period with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his fourth of the playoffs, made possible by Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman. The Lightning got closer with an Ondrej Palat goal, his fifth of the postseason, assisted by Tyler Johnson and Anton Stralman. The Capitals held on to win 4-2, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Oshie, and Kuznetsov. The Capitals have a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Amalie Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida. In goal: Braden Holtby for the Capitals and Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning. Washington began in the first period with a Tom Wilson goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Matt Niskanen and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Brayden Point power play goal, his fifth of the playoffs, powered by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead with a Stamkos power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, with assists provided by Nikita Kucherov and Point. The Capitals tied it in the second period on a Devante Smith-Pelly goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Alex Chiasson and John Carlson. Washington regained the lead with a Lars Eller goal, his fifth of the postseason, with a lone assist by Jakub Vrana. The Capitals added on with a Kuznetsov power play goal, his eighth of the playoffs, guided in by Alex Ovechkin and Eller. Washington extended the lead in the third period as Ovechkin scored his tenth of the postseason, with the help of Kuznetsov and Wilson. The Capitals padded the lead with a Brett Connolly goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Eller and Carlson. This stood for a 6-2 win, with the three stars being Eller, Kuznetsov, and Ovechkin, while Wilson, Carlson, Stamkos, and Point get the honorable mentions. Washington heads home with a 2-0 series lead in hand.

Game 3: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC. In goal: Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning and Braden Holtby for the Capitals. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Victor Hedman and Brayden Point. The Lightning added on with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the playoffs, via Hedman and Stamkos. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Hedman scored, thanks to Kucherov and Ondrej Palat. Washington got on the board with a Brett Connolly goal, his fourth of the postseason, helped along by Chandler Stephenson and Matt Niskanen. The Lightning shot back with a Point goal, his sixth of the playoffs, guided in by Tyler Johnson and Braydon Coburn. The Capitals pulled one back in the third period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his ninth of the postseason, courtesy of T.J. Oshie and Lars Eller. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Hedman, Kucherov, and Stamkos, while Point gets an honorable mention. The Capitals maintain a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC. In goal: Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning and Braden Holtby for the Capitals. Washington started in the first period with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of T.J. Oshie and Matt Niskanen. Tampa Bay tied it on a Brayden Point goal, his seventh of the playoffs, via Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson. The Lightning took the lead with a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his seventh of the postseason, powered by Point and J.T. Miller. The Capitals retied it in the second period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his tenth of the playoffs, helped along by Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. Tampa Bay took the lead back in the third period with an Alex Killorn goal, his fifth of the postseason, fueled by Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev. The Lightning iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Anthony Cirelli, his second of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The three stars were Vasilevskiy (36 for 38 in saves), Point, and Killorn. The series returns to Florida tied at 2.

Game 5: Amalie Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida. In goal: Braden Holtby for the Capitals and Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Cedric Paquette goal, via Ryan Callahan. The Lightning added on with an Ondrej Palat goal, his sixth of the postseason, made possible by Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay extended the lead in the second period as Callahan scored his second of the playoffs, assisted by Anton Stralman and Chris Kunitz. Washington got on the board with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his eleventh of the postseason, courtesy of Matt Niskanen and T.J. Oshie. The Capitals got closer in the third period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his eleventh of the playoffs, guided in by John Carlson and Lars Eller. They fell short at 3-2, with the three stars being Callahan, Palat, and Paquette. The Lightning have a chance to advance on the road, currently leading 3-2 in the series.

Game 6: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC. In goal: Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning and Braden Holtby for the Capitals. Washington got going in the second period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals added on in the third period with a Devante Smith-Pelly goal, his fourth of the playoffs, assisted by Chandler Stephenson and Jay Beagle. Washington iced it at 3-0 with an Oshie empty net goal, his second of the game and seventh of the postseason, set up by Backstrom. The three stars were Oshie, Holtby (24 save shutout), and Smith-Pelly, while Backstrom earns an honorable mention. The series heads south one more time, tied at 3. 

Game 7: Amalie Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida. In goal: Braden Holtby for the Capitals and Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning. Washington kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. The Capitals added on in the second period with an Andre Burakovsky goal, going in unassisted. Washington extended the lead as Burakovsky scored again, thanks to John Carlson. The Capitals iced it at 4-0 with an unassisted empty net goal by Nicklas Backstrom, his fourth of the playoffs. The three stars were Holtby (29 save shutout), Burakovsky, and Ovechkin. The Capitals are off to face the Vegas Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup after this 4-3 series win.

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Monday, May 21, 2018

MLS 2018 Week 12

Another full slate of action awaits this weekend, beginning with one Friday game from...

Canada, as Toronto FC hosts Orlando City SC. Joe Bendik and Alexander Bono are the keepers. Toronto got going in the sixty-third minute with a Jay Chapman goal. Orlando City tied it in the seventy-third minute with a Cristian Higuita goal, passed from Josue Colman. Orlando City saw Will Johnson receive a yellow card for his eighty-fourth minute foul. Toronto took the lead with a Ryan Telfer goal in the eighty-seventh minute, via Auro. Toronto won 2-1, with the man of the match being Telfer.

On Saturday, the first of six games begins with New York City FC welcoming the Colorado Rapids. Tim Howard and Sean Johnson are set to start in goal. Sam Nicholson of Colorado took a yellow card for a foul in the third minute. New York City opened in the twenty-second minute with a David Villa goal, via Maximiliano Moralez and Yangel Herrera. Danny Wilson of the Rapids had a yellow card for a thirty-first minute foul. Micheal Azira took a yellow card for Colorado in the forty-sixth minute for a foul. New York City added on in the forty-ninth minute with a Ronald Matarrita goal. New York City extended the lead as Moralez scored in the fifty-sixth minute, thanks to Villa. New York City padded the lead with a Villa goal in the seventy-fourth minute, coming off of Rodney Wallace and Moralez. Thomas McNamara of New York City had a yellow card for his eighty-third minute foul. Tommy Smith of the Rapids had a yellow card for his foul in the eighty-fourth minute. The final stood at 4-0, with Villa awarded man of the match honors.

Out west, the Portland Timbers bring in Los Angeles FC. Tyler Miller and Jeff Attinella are the former backups in goal. Los Angeles saw a yellow card for a twenty-first minute foul by Steven Beitashour. Portland's Diego Chara had a yellow card for his forty-fifth minute foul. The Timbers dented the scoreboard in the fifty-second minute with a Cristhian Paredes goal. Mark-Anthony Kaye of Los Angeles had a yellow card for his fifty-third minute foul. In the fifty-fourth minute, Portland's Zarek Valentin received a yellow card for a foul. Walker Zimmerman of Los Angeles received a yellow card for his sixty-sixth minute foul. Los Angeles tied it in the seventy-fourth minute on a Carlos Vela goal, made possible by Eduard Atuesta. The Timbers regained the lead with an eighty-first minute Samuel Armenteros goal, assisted by Paredes. Armenteros had a yellow card for time wasting with his celebration. The final stood at 2-1 for the Timbers, with Paredes tabbed as man of the match.

Southeast to Texas, where FC Dallas hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Brian Rowe and Jimmy Maurer are in goal. Felipe of Vancouver had a yellow card for a foul in the sixteenth minute. Dallas started in the fortieth minute with a Reggie Cannon goal, assisted by Roland Lamah. Dallas had yellow cards for a Matt Hedges foul in the forty-seventh minute and time wasting by Mauro Diaz in the fifty-fourth minute. Jose Aja of the Whitecaps took a yellow card for a sixty-eighth minute foul. Dallas added on with a Maximiliano Urruti goal in the seventy-eighth minute, helped along by Santiago Mosquera and Diaz. Vancouver got on the board in the eighty-second minute with a Maynor Figueroa own goal. Deep into stoppage time, Dallas keeper Maurer took a yellow card for a foul, setting up a penalty kick equalizer by Kei Kamara for the Whitecaps. The 2-2 draw saw Anthony Blondell named man of the match for his role on the Whitecaps comeback.

Northeast to New England, where the Revolution welcome the Columbus Crew SC. Zack Steffen and Matt Turner are between the sticks. New England saw yellow cards for fouls by Luis Caicedo in the thirteenth minute and Antonio Mlinar Delamea in the thirty-first minute. Milton Valenzuela of Columbus had a yellow card for dissent in the forty-fourth minute. Claude Dielna of the Revolution received a yellow card for his sixty-seventh minute foul. The Crew cracked the scoresheet in the eighty-fifth minute with a Lalas Abubakar goal, set up by Federico Higuain. Jalil Anibaba of New England took a yellow card for an eighty-ninth minute foul. The man of the 1-0 Crew win was Abubakar.

Next up, the Philadelphia Union bring in Real Salt Lake. Nick Rimando and Andre Blake are the talented keepers. Philadelphia led off in the twenty-first minute with a Marcus Epps goal, via Fabrice-Jean Picault. The Union added on with a Borek Dockal goal in the thirty-fourth minute, assisted by Alejandro Bedoya and Epps. Salt Lake got on the board with a Damir Kreilach goal in the sixty-fifth minute, passed from Sebastian Saucedo. Philadelphia replied with an Ilsinho goal in the seventy-fourth minute, coming off of Dockal and Epps. The Union extended the lead as Keegan Rosenberry scored in the eighty-first minute, with the help of Ilsinho and Dockal. Pablo Ruiz of Real had a yellow card for a foul in the eighty-seventh minute. The final stood at 4-1 Union, with Dockal named man of the match.

Saturday ends with the San Jose Earthquakes hosting DC United. David Ousted and Andrew Tarbell protect the nets. DC began in the fifteenth minute with a Zoltan Stieber goal, coming off of Luciano Acosta. DC added on with a Darren Mattocks goal in the twentieth minute, via Acosta. DC extended the lead as Yamil Asad scored in the thirty-seventh minute, thanks to Paul Arriola. San Jose got on the board with a Danny Hoesen goal in the forty-third minute. Christopher Durkin of DC had a yellow card for his sixtieth minute foul. The Earthquakes' Florian Jungwirth took a yellow card for dissent in the ninetieth minute. The final stayed at 3-1, with the man of the match being Acosta.

On Sunday, the first of three games has Minnesota United FC welcoming Sporting Kansas City. Tim Melia and Bobby Shuttleworth are guarding the woodwork. Kansas City struck first in the eighth minute with a Khiry Shelton goal, via Johnny Russell. Minnesota tied it on a Darwin Quintero goal in the twentieth minute. Minnesota's Rasmus Schuller had a yellow card for a fifty-first minute foul. Sporting saw a yellow card given to Seth Sinovic in the fifty-third minute for his foul, and teammate Shelton followed with a yellow card of his own for his fifty-eighth minute foul. Minnesota saw a yellow card for Maximiniano's seventy-first minute foul. The game ended at a 1-1 draw, with the man of the match being Quintero.

Down in Chicago, the Fire bring in the Houston Dynamo. Joe Willis and Richard Sanchez are tasked to play in goal. Houston drew first blood in the fourth minute with a Romell Quioto goal, via Tomas Martinez. Chicago tied it in the fourteenth minute on a Nemanja Nikolic goal, assisted by Aleksandar Katai and Brandon Vincent. The Fire took the lead with a Diego Campos goal in the sixteenth minute, courtesy of Nikolic and Kevin Ellis. Mohammed Adams of Chicago had a yellow card for his thirty-eighth minute foul. Alberth Elis of the Dynamo tied the game on a fifty-sixth minute penalty kick goal. Oscar Boniek Garcia of Houston had a yellow card for a foul in the sixty-seventh minute. The Dynamo took the lead on an Elis goal in the seventy-fourth minute, set up by Garcia. Houston saw yellow cards for Quioto's seventy-ninth minute foul and Elis' time wasting in the eightieth minute. The Fire had yellow cards given to the keeper Sanchez in the eighty-third minute and Rafael Ramos in stoppage time, both for fouls. Dynamo keeper Willis took a yellow card for time wasting later in stoppage time. Houston won 3-2, with Elis picked as man of the match.

Further southeast, Atlanta United FC hosts the New York Red Bulls. Ryan Meara is mismatched with Brad Guzan in goal. Atlanta was first to score in the twenty-sixth minute with an Ezequiel Barco goal. Florian Valot of New York had a yellow card for his foul in the twenty-ninth minute. The Red Bulls tied it on a Daniel Royer penalty kick goal in the forty-second minute. Jeff Larentowicz of Atlanta had a yellow card for his forty-second minute foul. New York took the lead in the fifty-first minute with a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, via Michael Murillo and Alejandro Romero Gamarra. The Red Bulls added on with a Wright-Phillips goal in the fifty-fifth minute, courtesy of Romero Gamarra and Valot. Tim Parker of New York had a yellow card for time wasting in the fifty-seventh minute. Atlanta's Leandro Gonzalez Pirez had a yellow card for his sixty-fifth minute foul. Atlanta went down to ten men in the seventy-first minute when Greg Garza received a straight red card for a foul. Connor Lade of the Red Bulls took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The final was 3-1, with Wright-Phillips earning man of the match honors.

Finally, the Montreal Impact host the Los Angeles Galaxy in a Monday matinee. David Bingham and Evan Bush are the strong goalies. Los Angeles had yellow cards for fouls by Sebastian Lletget in the twenty-second minute and Perry Kitchen in the thirty-seventh minute. In the forty-first minute, Michael Petrasso of Montreal had a yellow card for a foul and the Galaxy went down to ten men as Zlatan Ibrahimovic took a straight red card for violent conduct. The Impact received yellow cards for fouls by Marco Donadel in the sixty-eighth minute and Jukka Raitala in the seventy-first minute. Los Angeles kicked off the scoring in the seventy-fifth minute with an Ola Kamara goal, passed from Emmanuel Boateng. Galaxy keeper Bingham took a yellow card for time wasting in the eighty-seventh minute. The final remained at 1-0 Galaxy, with the man of the match being Kamara.

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Sunday, May 20, 2018

Western Conference Finals: Winnipeg Jets VS. Vegas Golden Knights

Two great stories in the west meet, with one continuing their quest for the Stanley Cup. This post will cover each game.

Game 1: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Winnipeg opened in the first period with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his fifth of the postseason, made possible by Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on with a Patrik Laine power play goal, his fourth of the playoffs, powered by Wheeler and Paul Stastny. Winnipeg extended the lead as Joel Armia scored his second of the postseason, thanks to Ben Chiarot. Vegas got on the board with a Brayden McNabb goal, his second of the playoffs, helped along by Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. The Jets shot back with a Scheifele power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the postseason, with helpers from Byfuglien and Wheeler. The Golden Knights pulled one back with a William Karlsson power play goal, his fifth of the playoffs, fueled by Marchessault and Shea Theodore. This led to the eventual 4-2 final, with the three stars given to Scheifele, Byfuglien, and Wheeler, while Marchessault got an honorable mention. The Jets have a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Vegas started in the first period with a Tomas Tatar goal, via Shea Theodore and Ryan Carpenter. The Golden Knights added on with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his fifth of the postseason, assisted by Reilly Smith. Winnipeg got on the board in the third period with a Kyle Connor power play goal, his third of the playoffs, powered by Nikolaj Ehlers and Tyler Myers. Vegas answered with a Marchessault goal, his second of the game and sixth of the postseason, passed from Smith and William Karlsson. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Marchessault, Fleury (30 for 31 in saves), and Smith. The series heads south tied at 1.

Game 3: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights. Vegas led off in the first period with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his seventh of the postseason, coming off of Brayden McNabb. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Mark Scheifele goal, his thirteenth of the playoffs, via Blake Wheeler. The Golden Knights took the lead back with a James Neal goal, his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Erik Haula. Vegas added on with an Alex Tuch goal, his fifth of the playoffs, passed from Neal and Nate Schmidt. The Jets got one back in the third period with another Scheifele goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the postseason, guided in by Kyle Connor and Wheeler. The Golden Knights iced it at 4-2 with a Marchessault empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the playoffs, set up by McNabb and the goalie Fleury. The three stars were Neal, Scheifele, and Marchessault, while Wheeler and McNabb get the honorable mentions. The Golden Knights now lead the series 2-1.

Game 4: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights. Vegas began in the first period with a William Karlsson power play goal, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. Winnipeg tied it on a Patrik Laine power play goal, his fifth of the playoffs, via Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler in the second period. The Golden Knights regained the lead on a Tomas Nosek goal, assisted by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Luca Sbisa. The Jets retied it in the third period with a Tyler Myers goal, his fourth of the postseason, fueled by Jack Roslovic. Vegas gained the lead again with a Smith goal, his second of the playoffs, going in unassisted. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars belonging to Smith, Fleury (36 for 38 in saves), and Nosek. The Golden Knights leave home ahead 3-1 in the series. 

Game 5: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Vegas struck first in the first period with an Alex Tuch goal, his sixth of the postseason, helped along by Ryan Carpenter. Winnipeg tied it on a Josh Morrissey goal, via Bryan Little. The Golden Knights took the lead back in the second period on a Ryan Reaves goal, passed from Luca Sbisa and Tomas Nosek. Vegas held on to win 2-1, with the three stars given to Fleury (31 for 32 in saves), Reaves, and Tuch. The Golden Knights take the series 4-1, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural year. 

NWSL 2018 Week 8

All four games this weekend will be played on Saturday, beginning with...

Utah Royals FC hosting the Houston Dash. Jane Campbell and Abby Smith are the young keepers. Utah's Brooke Elby took a yellow card for a ninth minute foul. In the twelfth minute, Houston's Rachel Daly had a yellow card for a foul. The Royals got going in the fifty-first minute with an Erika Tymrak goal, helped along by Gunnhildur Jonsdottir. Diana Matheson of Utah took a yellow card for her fifty-fifth minute foul. The final remained at 1-0 for the Royals, with the woman of the match being Tymrak. Also strong for the Royals were Amy Rodriguez, Jonsdottir, Katrina Gorry, and Rachel Corsie, while the Dash's best were Allysha Chapman, Haley Hanson, and Rachel Daly.

Later on, the Washington Spirit welcome the Portland Thorns FC. Britt Eckerstrom and Aubrey Bledsoe are in the six-yard boxes. Portland dented the scoreboard in the sixty-eighth minute with an Ellie Carpenter goal, via Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic and Tobin Heath. The Thorns saw a yellow card for Lindsey Horan in the eighty-fourth minute. The final remained at 1-0, with the woman of the match being Heath. Also good for the Thorns were Eckerstrom (four-save clean sheet), Carpenter, Katherine Reynolds, and Horan. The Spirit saw good efforts from Mallory Pugh, Ashley Hatch, Estefania Banini, and Caprice Dydasco.

In New Jersey, Sky Blue FC brings in the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Kailen Sheridan protect the nets. In the fifteenth minute, Carli Lloyd of Sky Blue took a yellow card for a foul. North Carolina struck first in the sixteenth minute with a Crystal Dunn goal, made possible by Jessica McDonald and Debinha. The Courage added on in the twenty-seventh after Sheridan weakly parried Debinha's cross away, leading to a Samantha Mewis goal. North Carolina keeper Rowland took a yellow card for a seventieth minute foul outside of the box. On the ensuing free kick, Lloyd drew a penalty kick opportunity, but Sky Blue couldn't score as Lloyd's attempt was saved, and Rowland saved Raquel Rodriguez's shot on the rebound. Madison Tiernan of Sky Blue had a yellow card for an eighty-fifth minute foul. Sky Blue got on the board in stoppage time with a Lloyd goal, assisted by Sarah Killion and Rodriguez on a free kick. This made it 2-1, with the woman of the match being Debinha. The Courage saw good performances from Dunn, McDonald, Mewis, Merritt Mathias, and Rowland (four for five in saves). Sky Blue's best were Killion, Lloyd, Shea Groom, and Savannah McCaskill.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Lydia Williams are the experienced keepers. Chicago's Nikki Stanton had a yellow card for a twenty-sixth minute foul. In the forty-seventh minute, Katie Naughton of the Red Stars took a yellow card for a foul. Kristen McNabb of Seattle had a yellow card for an eighty-sixth minute foul. Chicago's Danielle Colaprico received a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The game ended 0-0, with the woman of the match being Williams for her four-save clean sheet. Also starring for the Reign were Alyssa Kleiner, McNabb, Lauren Barnes, and Allie Long, while the Red Stars' best were Naeher (four-save clean sheet), Arin Gilliland, Sam Johnson, Julie Ertz, and Sam Kerr.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Lydia Williams
RB Merritt Mathias
CB Kristen McNabb
CB Sam Johnson
LB Caprice Dydasco
DM Gunnhildur Jonsdottir
DM Samantha Mewis
AM Erika Tymrak
AM Debinha
AM Carli Lloyd
FW Crystal Dunn

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

MLS 2018 Week 12 Midweek

Only one game at midweek this time, with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosting the San Jose Earthquakes. Andrew Tarbell and Brian Rowe make the starts in goal. Vancouver struck first in the nineteenth minute with a Cristian Techera goal, via Yordy Reyna and Felipe. San Jose got on the board with a Danny Hoesen goal in first half stoppage time, assisted by Florian Jungwirth. The Earthquakes took the lead on a Nick Lima goal in the fifty-third minute, fueled by Valeri Qazaishvili. The Whitecaps retied it on a sixty-fourth minute Reyna goal, helped along by Marcel de Jong and Felipe. San Jose saw yellow cards for fouls by Anibal Godoy in the seventy-third minute and Jungwirth in the eighty-seventh minute. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, with Reyna the man of the match.

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Sunday, May 13, 2018

MLS 2018 Week 11

Another full weekend of soccer awaits, beginning on Friday with one game in...

Vancouver, as the Whitecaps FC host the Houston Dynamo. Joe Willis and Brian Rowe man the nets. Houston began in the thirty-fifth minute with a Tomas Martinez goal, assisted by Alberth Elis and Oscar Boniek Garcia. Vancouver tied it on a forty-fourth minute Jose Aja goal, passed from Kendall Waston and Felipe. The Whitecaps had a yellow card for a sixty-first minute foul by Kei Kamara. Boniek Garcia of the Dynamo took a yellow card for his sixty-fourth minute foul. Houston saw yellow cards for an Arturo Alvarez foul in the eighty-eighth minute and Martinez in the ninetieth minute. The Dynamo took the lead with a Mauro Manotas goal in the ninetieth minute. Vancouver salvaged a 2-2 draw in stoppage time on a Waston goal, via Kamara and Felipe. The man of the match was Waston.

Saturday starts with Minnesota United FC welcoming the San Jose Earthquakes. Andrew Tarbell and Bobby Shuttleworth make the starts in goal. San Jose led off in the second minute with a Magnus Eriksson penalty kick goal. Minnesota saw a yellow card for a foul by Rasmus Schuller in the twenty-first minute. Minnesota tied it on a Christian Ramirez goal in the twenty-sixth minute. Harold Cummings of the Earthquakes had a yellow card for his fortieth minute foul. Shea Salinas of San Jose received a yellow card for his sixty-third minute foul. The Earthquakes took the lead back in the sixty-ninth minute with a Danny Hoesen goal, passed from Chris Wondolowski. San Jose added on with a Wondolowski penalty kick goal in the seventy-sixth minute. Francisco Calvo of Minnesota took a yellow card for a seventy-eighth minute foul. In stoppage time, the Earthquakes keeper Tarbell had a yellow card for time wasting. San Jose won 3-1, with Wondolowski named man of the match.

In Canada, the Montreal Impact bring in the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Evan Bush protect the nets. Philadelphia opened in the forty-third minute with a Cory Burke goal, via Raymon Gaddis and Borek Dockal. The Union went down to ten men in the fifty-eighth minute when Burke took a straight red card for a foul. Alejandro Silva of Montreal received a yellow card for a sixty-fifth minute foul. The Impact evened the manpower with a red card given to Daniel Lovitz in the sixty-seventh minute for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Mark McKenzie of Philadelphia received a yellow card for his foul in the seventy-first minute. Samuel Piette of Montreal took a yellow card for his seventy-seventh minute foul. The Union added on in the eighty-eighth minute with a Haris Medunjanin goal. The final stood at 2-0, with the man of the match being Blake for his four-save clean sheet. 

South to Texas, as FC Dallas hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy. David Bingham and Jimmy Maurer play in goal. Dallas started in the twenty-eighth minute with a Maximiliano Urruti goal, via Mauro Diaz. Dallas added on in the forty-fourth minute on a Roland Lamah goal, coming off of Diaz. Ashley Cole of Los Angeles had a yellow card for his foul in first half stoppage time. Los Angeles got on the board in the forty-seventh minute with an Ola Kamara goal, guided in by Romain Alessandrini. Dallas replied in the fifty-second minute with a Lamah goal, his second of the game, set up by Diaz. Dallas went down to ten men after Reto Ziegler had yellow cards for fouls in the fifty-eighth and seventy-third minutes to earn his ejection. The Galaxy got one back with an Emmanuel Boateng goal in the eighty-third minute, assist by Cole. The Galaxy took a yellow card for an eighty-sixth minute Michael Ciani foul. Urruti of Dallas had a yellow card for his time wasting in the eighty-seventh minute. The final remained at 3-2, with Diaz's three assists making him the man of the match.

Back north, the Columbus Crew SC welcomes the Chicago Fire. Richard Sanchez and Zack Steffen are in the six-yard boxes. Chicago's Kevin Ellis took a yellow card for a foul in the twenty-seventh minute. Columbus struck first in the twenty-eighth minute with a Federico Higuain penalty kick goal. The Crew added on in the fiftieth minute with a Gyasi Zardes goal, coming off of Niko Hansen. Zardes had a yellow card for a dive in the fifty-seventh minute for Columbus. The Crew extended the lead as Zardes scored again in the seventieth minute, thanks to Ricardo Clark and Hector Jimenez. This stood for a 3-0 final, with Zardes named man of the match.

Eastward to New England, where the Revolution bring in Toronto FC. Alexander Bono and Matt Turner draw the starts in goal. New England kicked off the scoring in the fourth minute with a Cristian Penilla goal, via Teal Bunbury. The Revolution added on with a seventh minute Penilla goal. New England had yellow cards for fouls by Chris Tierney in the twenty-third minute and Scott Caldwell in the fortieth minute. The Revolution extended the lead as Bunbury scored in the forty-sixth minute, thanks to Andrew Farrell. Toronto got on the board with an Antonio Mlinar Delamea own goal in the fifty-fifth minute. New England received yellow cards for a Luis Caicedo foul in the sixty-eighth minute and time wasting by Diego Fagundez in the seventy-third minute. Toronto got closer with a Sebastian Giovinco penalty kick goal in the eighty-ninth minute. Toronto went down to ten men when Giovinco took a straight red card for violent conduct in the ninetieth minute. New England held on to win 3-2, with Penilla the man of the match for his brace.

Back to the west, the Colorado Rapids host the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Tim Howard tend the nets. New York opened in the fifth minute with a Daniel Royer goal, via Bradley Wright-Phillips and Michael Murillo. Tim Parker of the Red Bulls had a yellow card for his sixtieth minute foul. Colorado saw yellow cards for fouls by Enzo Martinez in the sixty-first minute and Bismark Boateng in the sixty-eighth minute. New York replied with a Derrick Etienne goal, assisted by Alex Muyl and Alejandro Romero Gamarra. The Rapids got on the board with a Jack McBean goal in the eighty-fifth minute. Jack Price of Colorado had a yellow card for his foul in the eighty-eighth minute. In stoppage time, Muyl of the Red Bulls and Danny Wilson of the Rapids took yellow cards for their fouls. The final remained at 2-1, with the man of the match honors going to Etienne.

Saturday ends with Real Salt Lake welcoming DC United. Steve Clark and Nick Rimando are the veteran keepers. DC started in the ninth minute with a Paul Arriola goal, via Zoltan Stieber. Salt Lake tied it on a twenty-first minute goal by Corey Baird, coming off of Joao Plata and Damir Kreilach. DC went down to ten men when Joseph Mora received a straight red card upon review in the twenty-second minute. Real took the lead with an Albert Rusnak goal in the twenty-sixth minute, courtesy of Brooks Lennon and Jefferson Savarino. Salt Lake added on with a fifty-sixth minute Savarino goal, assisted by Rusnak. DC got one back with an eighty-third minute Steve Birnbaum goal, passed from Nick DeLeon and Christopher Durkin. Baird of Real had a yellow card for an eighty-ninth minute foul. DeLeon of DC received a yellow card for his foul in stoppage time. The game ended 3-2, with Rusnak named man of the match.

On Sunday, the Portland Timbers bring in the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Jeff Attinella are between the sticks. Seattle saw a yellow card for a thirty-fourth minute Jordy Delem foul. Liam Ridgewell of Portland took a yellow card for his forty-fourth minute foul. The Sounders had yellow cards for fouls by Alex Roldan in the seventy-sixth minute and Henry Wingo in the eighty-second minute. The Timbers got going in the eighty-sixth minute with a Sebastian Blanco goal, set up by Samuel Armenteros. Portland's Blanco took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The final held at 1-0, with the man of the match being Blanco. 

In the south, Orlando City SC hosts Atlanta United FC. Alec Kann and Joe Bendik are the keepers. Atlanta led off in the tenth minute with a Josef Martinez penalty kick goal. Cristian Higuita of Orlando City took a yellow card for his twentieth minute foul. Atlanta added on with an Ezequiel Barco goal in the thirty-first minute, coming off of Greg Garza. Orlando City keeper Bendik took a yellow card for dissent in the thirty-second minute. Orlando City got on the board with a Justin Meram goal in the fifty-seventh minute. In the eighty-fourth minute, Hector Villalba of Atlanta and Yoshimar Yotun of Orlando City both took yellow cards. Oriol Rosell of Orlando City and his teammate Will Johnson received yellow cards in the eighty-eighth minute and stoppage time, respectively. The final held at 2-1, with Barco the man of the match.

Finally, Los Angeles FC hosts New York City FC. Sean Johnson and Tyler Miller are the gloved men. New York City began in the thirteenth minute with a David Villa goal. Yangel Herrera of New York City had a yellow card for his sixteenth minute foul. Los Angeles tied it in the twenty-third minute on a Sebastien Ibeagha own goal. Los Angeles saw yellow cards for Eduard Atuesta's twenty-eighth minute foul, time wasting by the keeper Miller in the thirty-second minute, and Omar Gaber's thirty-seventh-minute foul. Ben Sweat of New York City took a yellow card for his sixty-second minute foul. Los Angeles pulled ahead with a Carlos Vela goal in the sixty-sixth minute, courtesy of Mark-Anthony Kaye. New York City retied it on an Ismael Tajouri-Shradi goal in the seventy-seventh minute. The final remained at 2-2, with Tajouri-Shradi the man of the match for his equalizer.

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NWSL 2018 Week 7

All four games are on Saturday this Mother's Day Weekend, beginning in...

Portland, as the Thorns FC host the Orlando Pride. Ashlyn Harris and Britt Eckerstrom are in goal. Orlando began in the eleventh minute on an Alex Morgan goal after Mallory Weber misplayed the ball in the box for Portland. The Pride added on with a long-range Christine Nairn goal in the twenty-first minute. Portland got on the board in the twenty-third minute on a Christine Sinclair goal, set up by Tobin Heath's corner kick. Orlando's Carson Pickett had a yellow card for a sixty-fourth minute foul. The Thorns saw yellow cards for fouls by Andressinha in the sixty-fifth minute and Sinclair in the seventy-sixth minute. Dani Weatherholt of the Pride took a yellow card for an eighty-third minute foul. The final stayed at 2-1 Pride, with the woman of the match being Morgan. Also strong were Nairn, Alanna Kennedy, Rachel Hill, and Ali Krieger, while the Thorns saw good efforts from Katherine Reynolds, Midge Purce, Andressinha, Heath, and Sinclair.

In the east, the North Carolina Courage welcome the Washington Spirit. Aubrey Bledsoe faces a lesser foe in Katelyn Rowland in goal. In the thirty-eighth minute, Francisca Ordega took a yellow card for persistent infringement for Washington. North Carolina got going in the sixty-third minute with an Abby Erceg goal, set up by Jaelene Hinkle on a free kick. This stood for a 1-0 win, with Erceg named woman of the match. Also strong for the Courage were Hinkle, Samantha Mewis, Debinha, and Jessica McDonald, while the Spirit's best were Bledsoe (five for six in saves), Taylor Smith, Andi Sullivan, Estefania Banini, and Ordega.

West to Chicago, where the Red Stars bring in the Houston Dash. Jane Campbell and Alyssa Naeher are the American keepers. Houston opened in the sixth minute with a Rachel Daly goal, set up by Nichelle Prince. Chicago tied it in the twentieth minute with a Sam Kerr goal, assisted by Arin Gilliland after miscommunication in the Houston back line. Sam Johnson of the Red Stars had a yellow card for a professional foul in the twenty-sixth minute. The Dash retook the lead in the forty-eighth minute with a Kristie Mewis goal, via Kyah Simon and Daly. Chicago's Taylor Comeau took a yellow card for a fifty-eighth minute foul. The Red Stars retied it in the sixty-fifth minute with a Sofia Huerta penalty kick goal. In the eighty-ninth minute, Kealia Ohai received a yellow card for a foul. This held for a 2-2 draw, with the woman of the match being Daly. Also strong for the Dash were Kimberly Keever, Allysha Chapman, Mewis, and Prince, while the Red Stars' best were Comeau, Katie Naughton, Gilliland, and Kerr.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Lydia Williams are the gloved women. Seattle led off in the fifth minute with a Jodie Taylor goal, set up by Steph Catley and Megan Rapinoe. In the twenty-first minute, Erica Skroski of Sky Blue received a yellow card for a foul. The Reign added on in the thirty-eighth minute with a Rapinoe goal, created by a knockdown on Catley's entry pass. Seattle extended the lead in the sixtieth minute as Rapinoe scored her second of the game, courtesy of Nahomi Kawasumi. Sky Blue got on the board in the sixty-second minute with a Savannah McCaskill goal, passed from Carli Lloyd. The Reign replied in the eighty-fourth minute on an Allie Long goal, who deflected in a shot off the post from Rumi Utsugi. Seattle's Taylor took a yellow card for an eighty-eighth minute foul. The final stood at 4-1, with Rapinoe named woman of the match. Seattle's other strong performances came from Kristen McNabb, Catley, Long, and Taylor, while Sky Blue had good games from Mandy Freeman, Lloyd, McCaskill, and Katie Johnson.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Aubrey Bledsoe
RB Ali Krieger
CB Abby Erceg
CB Kristen McNabb
LB Steph Catley
DM Samantha Mewis
CM Andi Sullivan
AM Christine Nairn
FW Megan Rapinoe
FW Jodie Taylor
FW Rachel Daly