The last 4 matches of the regular season! Getting after it for the last time in the 2019 #NWSL regular season. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/J9KycOjpI4— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2019 LAST CALL! Savor the last games of regular season @NWSL action. RT if you're ready for a thrilling finish. #WontStopWatchingWatch on @YahooSports: 📺 @TheNCCourage vs. @SkyBlueFC@ORLPride vs. @ReignFC@UtahRoyalsFC vs. @HoustonDash@ThornsFC vs. @WashSpirit pic.twitter.com/DV7U8eD0HH— Budweiser (@budweiserusa) October 12, 2019
[#1.NC-NJ.#8] Hamilton for Dunn; Roccaro for O'Sullivan. 1183144059696635905 is not a valid tweet id Doyle for Hoy (and Skroski => RB, Dydasco => LB, Dorsey => RF); Kawasumi for Monaghan. One last go! #NCvNJ Your Starting XI to finish out the 2019 season💥 #SBFC pic.twitter.com/sEQN3IvHeo— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) October 12, 2019 North Carolina: OK (OUT <=) Hamilton / Q (=) S.Mewis / OUT (OK =>) Rn.Williams (=) Harbison Mathias Pruitt / (4YEL O'Sullivan) Sky Blue: Q (OK =>) Monaghan (OUT <=) Lewandowski / OUT (=) Freeman Tiernan / (4YEL James Doyle)
16' 1-0 Skroski right throw-in at midfield (so she's up that high), rattles off Eddy's instep. Hamilton interposes body, kicks upfield over James Doyle caught backpedaling at own 40m box right. Perfect mini-lob bounces into McDonald's stride through 30m mid-left, E.Johnson must come across from the left. McDonald cuts inside to 14m 6-left behind E.Johnson's back, shoots right instep into E.Johnson's heels/calves. Ball deflects to 14m left post, McDonald follows and shoots 2nd shot right instep past E.Johnson (still with back turned), past Sheridan's dive, into 1/5 right back low. Counterattack ends in a finish from @J_Mac1422.1-0 | #NCvNJ pic.twitter.com/ipAJhy01MU— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2019 26' 1-1 Lloyd turns inside to arc top mid-left, shoots right instep bend past Labbé not diving, just inside right post low. Labbé must have thought that was harmlessly wide -- somehow this is a thing with NC goalkeepers Another great goal in the books for @CarliLloyd. 1-1 | #NCvNJ pic.twitter.com/Io8J5o3zfP— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2019 28' 2-1 O'Reilly left ck, inswings to 4m 1/3 left. Dorsey chases McDonald on a near-post run, Sheridan leaps and punches ball away but knees/punches Dorsey in the left ribs/solar plexus -- Dorsey stays down at own 4m right post, no stoppage, play continues. Ball bounces out to Roccaro at arc tangent right, she hooks a pass to Debinha at 8m mid-right. Debinha sees Sheridan stranded at 2m right post, chips one-touch mini-lob dropping perfectly over her fingertips and under crossbar, already across goalline before McDonald dunks a header. Stoppage for treatment, Dorsey eventually walks off. .@Debinha7 gives @TheNCCourage the lead back in ⚡️ fast fashion.2-1 | #NCvNJ pic.twitter.com/qYAcqTgs3r— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2019 HT 2-1.
[#9.ORL-REI.#4] Camila for Krieger (and Emslie => CAM, Kennedy => RCB); King for Zadorsky. Gotta love seeing @Toni_Deion back in the 18! 🙌 #BiggerThanSoccer ⏰ 7:30 pm ET📺 @YahooSports pic.twitter.com/7Yn8HYdKjV— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 12, 2019 Balcer for Yanez; Utsugi for Quinn (and McNabb => RCB). Here is your Reign FC Starting XI for our regular season finale against @ORLPride. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT.#ORLvRFC #ShePlaysHere #BeBold pic.twitter.com/KIktYGw1lt— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) October 12, 2019 Orlando: Q (OK =>) Weatherholt (INTL =>) Zadorsky / OUT (INTL =>) Krieger (=) Morgan van Egmond Reign FC: Q none / OUT (OK =>) Oyster Quinn / SEI (=) Betos Fishlock J.Johnson T.Smith Spencer Watson / (4YEL McNabb) Yanez is suspended for 1 match (this one) for her high elbow to Brynjarsdóttir's head on 09/29. She received her 1 (and only) yellow card for that, but NWSL upgraded it to a 1-match ban. https://www.reignfc.com/news/2019/10/8/yanez-suspended-for-one-match
??' 0-0 Emslie does a dump-and-go past Rapinoe with pace. Okay, @emslie22. 🏃♀️💨#ORLvRFC | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/ilnF78Nuwr— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 12, 2019 13' 0-0 Pickett does a spin-left at arc top, scoops a shot over Murphy's fingertips, off crossbar 2/5 left, glances over. Murphy probably had it covered if it were lower, but Orlando are showing great energy. 13' | @Cars_Pickett16 had us thinking goal! 0-0 | #ORLvRFC pic.twitter.com/ceYDUtgzPt— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 12, 2019 17' 0-0 Hill backcuts Barnes through 15m box left, Marta rolls ball onto her foot at 11m mid-left. Hill chases to 5m 6-left, shoots left instep rising, Murphy double-blocks away, Reign clear. 17' | Hill ➡️ Marta ➡️ Hill0-0 | #ORLvRFC pic.twitter.com/3idG056hkL— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 12, 2019
24' 1-0 Viggiano(?) turns inside at circle top box left, Hill lurks high upon Reign's backline, 1 step ahead of McNabb's turned back. Viggiano passes to Emslie unmarked at 30m center -- and Hill times her back-cut, holding self onside watching Barnes' heels in the center, accelerates away from McNabb off-balance. Emslie one-touch diagonal pass to Hill's foot through arc left, Murphy comes out to 11m left post and slides feet-first. Hill rounds her to the left, follows to 4m 4-left, passes left instep into center back low. Orlando should play like this more often! .@r_hill3 in space is dangerous. We repeat, dangerous. #ORLvRFC pic.twitter.com/3JtrViKQcY— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 13, 2019 29' 1-0 Yellow card on Long, for a high elbow that hits Emslie's head? Stoppage, trainers check Emslie's jaw, etc. Emslie walks off, returns. 34' 1-1 Edmonds rushes a backpass with Rapinoe on her back, Harris clears just past J.Taylor's outstretched foot. Catley traps to arc top box left, crosses to 4m 2-right. Jenkins has outside position on Pickett, jumps past her and heads down across mouth past Harris's left hand, bounces up into back left edge 1/2 high. .@darian_jenks has the equalizer for @ReignFC!1-1 | #ORLvSEA pic.twitter.com/JOMqU16TBo— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019
39' 1-1 Yellow card on Marta, for a foul on Balcer. 42' 1-2 Utsugi serves long from just behind midfield mid-left to box top center, J.Taylor settles as Kennedy overtakes her on the left. J.Taylor touches leftward to 13m 2/5 left against Kennedy's rightward momentum, shoots left instep under Harris's right hand, into 1/8 left back low. ☔️ goals.1-2 | #ORLvSEA pic.twitter.com/K1l6CTa8k9— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 45+1' (of +4') 1-2 Off the ball, Emslie sits down on field. Stoppage, trainers examine her head/jaw again. 45+1' (of +4') 1-2 Orlando subs in (1 of 3) #20 Abby Elinsky for #7 Claire Emslie. 45+5' (of +4') 1-2 Marta spins into box at 12m left post, shot blocked by Murphy. HT 1-2. Orlando 9(6)-(4)5 shots(sog), 1-2 corners, 9-6 crosses, 7-11 clearances, 7-5 fouls, 0-2 offsides.
[NC-NJ] 01' 0-0 I overlooked that Rowland started for Labbé. 46' 2-1 Sky Blue subs in (1 of 3) #17 Dominique Richardson for #28 Imani Dorsey. 65' 2-1 North Carolina subs in (1 of 3) #5 Samantha Mewis for #6 Abby Erceg. 74' 2-1 North Carolina subs in (2 of 3) #8 Denise O'Sullivan for #23 Kristen Hamilton.
81' 3-1 Ln.Williams ground pass from 10m box left to box top left post for Debinha's trailing run -- McDonald lurks unmarked at 7m right post, E.Johnson is caught playing the passing lane from Ln.Williams, cedes 5m lateral separation and holds McDonald onside. Debinha mis-hits a one-touch shot (or it's a pass) directly to McDonald, simple right instep stretch-block across mouth past Sheridan's right foot, into left side netting low. A look at @J_Mac1422's second goal of the match.3-1 | #NCvNJ pic.twitter.com/UoIrVj8VCA— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 82' 3-1 North Carolina subs in (3 of 3) #25 Meredith Speck for #10 Debinha. 86' 3-2 Kawasumi volleys away from own box top mid-left, to Lloyd facing ball at own 35m center. Lloyd runs through O'Sullivan's shirt-tugging, past S.Mewis, to circle top left, turns back 1-v-5. Lloyd switches right to Rodríguez(?), return pass toward Lloyd through box top center, Dahlkemper knocks ball away to arc top right post. Eddy dribbles into a wall of 4, ball poked back to arc top. Richardson steps to it, one-touch right instep over Rowland's hands, off bottom of crossbar 1/6 right, bounces down into back right low. Richardson's 1st-ever NWSL goal! +5'. What a great strike by @Domi_Richardson!3-2 | #NCvNJ pic.twitter.com/pUTVg4GzlC— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 FT 3-2.
[ORL-REI] 46' 1-2 Reign FC subs in (1 of 3) #13 Celia Jiménez Delgado for #20 Rumi Utsugi. 59' 1-2 Yellow card on McNabb, for a foul on Marta. That's McNabb's 5th accumulated yellow card, but 5YEL doesn't carry over into the semifinals, so nothing short of a red card matters from here on out. So McNabb isn't suspended for the semis. 70' 1-2 Rapinoe turns in space to 27m arc left, shoots right instep off left post 3/5 high. Ball bounces down to Long at 14m 3-left, Elinsky reaches back from box top and perfectly stops ball, Long trips over ball, no call. So, so close to a goal for @mPinoe.1-2 | #ORLvSEA pic.twitter.com/eBNEpomydd— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 71' 1-2 Reign FC subs in (2 of 3) #25 Ifeoma Onumonu for #11 Darian Jenkins. 72' 1-2 Orlando subs in (2 of 3) #3 Toni Pressley for #21 Julie King. Harris gives Pressley the captain's armband Bigger than the game.@Toni_Deion returns to the field after her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year. #ORLvSEA pic.twitter.com/bQWOHwP969— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 81' 1-2 Orlando subs in (3 of 3) #2 Sydney Leroux for #25 Joanna Boyles. 81' 1-2 Reign FC subs in (3 of 3) #33 Stephanie Cox for #24 Bethany Balcer. 86' 2-2 Camila(?) left ck, to 6-top left post, Jiménez Delgado back-heads away. Ball bounces once to 17m mid-right, Marta shoots left roundhouse low grasscutter, inswings away from Murphy's dive, juuuust inside right post low. GOAT tings. 😏 #ORLvRFC pic.twitter.com/VxS5TYWSsX— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) October 13, 2019 89' 2-2 Yellow card on Jiménez Delgado, for a foul on Hill. +5'. 90+2' (of +5') 2-2 Yellow card on Elinsky, for a foul on Barnes. FT 2-2. Reign FC finish in 4th on 38 pts, and will play at #1.North Carolina next week.
[#5.UTA-HOU.#7] Identical. Squad ready 💪 pic.twitter.com/t5Saz8Sgr9— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) October 13, 2019 Romero Tellez for Chapman. This is how we line up for our final match of the season.#UTAvHOU | #DashOn pic.twitter.com/QeakM71ZZX— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) October 13, 2019 Utah: Q (OUT <=) Doniak / OUT (OK =>) Moros (=) Laddish Miramontez O'Hara / SEI (=) Lytle Ratcliffe Houston: OK (<= Q) Simon / Q (OK =>) Chapman / OUT none / SEI (=) Latsko McCoy Prince
03' 1-0 Corsie hoofs forward to arc top 1/4 left, slightly behind Press's run. Press turns back to ball and lifts a foot, ball bounces off Hanson, sits just inside arc top. Hanson lunges after ball, Press pokes it to Stengel inside arc right -- and promptly backcuts Hanson through box top left post. Stengel one-touch diagonal pass to Press, Press touches to 8m 4-left, shoots left foot across mouth past Campbell, into back right low. 🚨 @ChristenPress early goal 🚨1-0 | #UTAvHOU pic.twitter.com/AbVpnATuF2— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 23' 2-0 Press squares to Vero at 24m right post. Romero gets too low in a defensive squat in arc right, Rodriguez promptly backcuts her, Brooks doesn't go with her. Vero rolls a soft pass inside-out to 12m 4-right, Rodriguez arranges feet alongside ball, shoots one-touch right instep across mouth past Campbell's right hand, just inside left post low. Two defenders stopped ball, one run beat them both. The grind 💪 The goal 💛 #URFC Cele 🙌 pic.twitter.com/zGA93SmEci— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) October 13, 2019 26' 2-0 Yellow card on Schmidt, for a foul on Rodriguez. 29' 2-0 Yellow card on Romero, for a foul on Rodriguez. HT 2-0. Utah 11(6)-(1)2 shots(sog), 5-0 corners, 15-5 crosses vs. 4-12 clearances, 4-3 offsides, 7-6 fouls, 62% possession.
60' 2-0 Houston subs in (1 of 3) #15 Cecelia Kizer for #10 Christine Nairn. 70' 2-0 Yellow card on Weber, for a foul on K.Mewis. 70' 2-0 Yellow card on Daly 74' 2-0 Stengel dribbles to arc top, shoots left instep over Campbell's fingertips, off crossbar 1/6 right, bounces over. .@ksteng12 with a great effort, but the crossbar keeps @UtahRoyalsFC from adding a third.2-0 | #UTAvHOU pic.twitter.com/aqiz2IdVqv— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 78' 2-1 Weber dribbles up left touch to circle back, Kizer overtakes and pokes ball away. Huerta, facing away at circle top wide right, passes square left to Schmidt at circle top right, turns and goes on her own run up wide right. Schmidt passes to Daly at 30m box right, Huerta runs past her on the outside -- into Weber's space, with Weber still up in attack and not chasing back. Daly flicks no-look right outstep past Sauerbrunn, sends Huerta alone through arc top box right. K.Mewis trails through box top left post, stays in left post lane as Jónsdóttir drifts inside to 8m center. Huerta continues to 8m mid-right, bends a ground cross to 3m 3-left, K.Mewis slides and volleys across mouth into right edge high. The fightback is on for @HoustonDash after a @KristieMewie close-range finish.2-1 | #UTAvHOU pic.twitter.com/f7FQ8txf1i— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 13, 2019 79' 2-1 Utah subs in (1 of 3) #19 Michelle Maemone for #20 Mallory Weber. Maemone gets her first minutes since June! 82' 2-1 Utah subs in (2 of 3) #6 Katie Bowen for #24 Katie Stengel. 86' 2-1 Houston subs in (2 of 3) #20 Lindsay Agnew for #9 Haley Hanson. 86' 2-1 Houston subs in (3 of 3) #24 Jamia Fields for #7 Kealia Ohai. 88' 2-1 Utah subs in (3 of 3) #15 Erika Tymrak for #8 Amy Rodriguez. FT 2-1.
[#3.POR-WAS.#6] Reynolds for Carpenter; Ogle for Brynjarsdóttir; Ball for Foord; Andressinha for Raso; Heath for Purce. Our Starting XI vs. @WashSpirit.#PORvWAS | #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/DRAN0KYzqV— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 13, 2019 Pugh for Ship; McGrady for DiBiasi (and Bailey => LM); Sullivan for Dougherty Howard. The XI for our 2019 season finale against Portland.#PORvWAS | #CatchTheSpirit pic.twitter.com/7dyTgeVXoB— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) October 13, 2019 Portland: OK (<= Q) Boureille / OUT (OK =>) Carpenter (=) Hubly Salem Seiler Washington: OK (<= Q, starting) McGrady / Q none / OUT (OK =>) Farquharson (INTL =>) Kellond-Knight Lavelle / MAT (=) Eubanks / (4YEL P.Nielsen Staab) 24,521! Tonight's attendance: 24,521.2019 season average: 20,098.2019 total attendance: 241,181.Nothing compares, Rose City. 🌹 #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/SUoEuLnRzn— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 13, 2019
46' 0-0 Washington subs in: - (1 of 3) #6 Chloe Logarzo for #11 Mallory Pugh - (2 of 3) #4 Jordan DiBiasi for #9 Tegan McGrady. 64' 0-0 Portland subs in (1 of 3) #11 Dagný Brynjarsdóttir for #37 Emily Ogle. 75' 0-0 Portland subs in (2 of 3) #23 Margaret Purce for #27 Elizabeth Ball. 78' 0-0 Portland subs in (3 of 3) #9 Caitlin Foord for #10 Lindsey Horan. 81' 0-0 Washington subs in (3 of 3) #8 Meggie Dougherty Howard for #31 Crystal Elaine Thomas, thus preserving 23 names on the field FT 0-0. Portland 21(5)-(1)5 shots(sog), 9-0 corners , 32-13 crosses vs. 20-38 clearances, 3-1 offsides, 8-7 fouls, 56% possession. Portland finish 3rd on 40 pts, and play at #2.Chicago. Washington and Utah tie on 34 pts, so they go to the tiebreakers, which decree: 34+5, H2H 4+1 (+2-1): #5.Washington (won 2-0, lost 0-1, drew 0-0) 34=0, H2H 4-1 (+1-2): #6.Utah That one extra goal decides the season series in Washington's favor.
This could turn out being important for the ladder-predictions on our predictions thread here on BigSoccer. On the other hand, why didn't I find any highlights of the games yet on the NWSL website? Normally, at this time here in Europe, they have been uploaded already.
Some former teammates made the trip to see HAO's last regular season game: 1183177349451386880 is not a valid tweet id Yael Averbuch was also there but didn't make it into the above photo. Sidenote: nice evolution of the USWNT jersey captured in this photo as well.
Side note: I find it rather entertaining that the NWSL regular season went later than the MLS regular season this year. The MLS playoffs have been shortened, and the season last a full 14 games more, so even with NWSL's later start, you would expect the MLS season to go later, but that's not how things lined up. X-D
Tarpley, Boxx, Osborne, Holiday, Mitts, Loyden, and Averbuch (not pictured). IF the announcing crew was actually at the stadium, there might have been a great pre-game or halftime segment about this get-together. As it is, I got to see it on Twitter this morning. Thanks to @lil_one one for posting it here.
MLS, like most men's leagues are slowly moving their calendars in preparation for World Cup 2022 in Qatar. After 2022, I would expect to see MLS begin to stretch back to late November/early December for MLS Cup. Of course things do change. MLS Cup 2000 was on October 15th (after a 32 game season). And almost all of the WUSA/WPS championships were in August - to allow players to be free to coach during the NCAA season.