I hope the NCC fans travel well. The Thorns at home will be tough. However, I picked the Courage in a close one.
I've never been to the Portland stadium but it must be one of the smaller sized MLS stadiums if it's already sold out.
There are 10 smaller MLS stadiums. If you don't include the ones that are primarily NFL/CFL and only go with SSS, it is the 6th largest. So no, I would not say it's one of the smaller ones. (FYI, StubHub was the largest SSS in the MLS, until BMO Field was recently expanded from 21,566 to 30,000 in conjunction with the Toronto CFL team moving there. It's still technically a SSS though, so it's now the largest. StubHub now seats 30,000 for NFL games, but it's supposedly only temporary and still limited to 27,000 for MLS, whereas the CFL team in Toronto is permanent, which is why Toronto gets the nod. When Providence Park's renovations are complete it will be tied with Red Bull Arena for 4th largest SSS in the MLS)
Current capacity is 21,144. That will increase to about 25,000 next year, with the expansion currently underway.
Here's a great piece by Richard Farley on tomorrow's games, looking at both teams' perspectives on what the game means: https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/0...victory-comes-legend-thorns-fc-north-carolina
No-one here? I hope most of you are anyway watching the game: it's started by about 5 minutes and still 0-0. A curiosity: I am not an English native-speaker and I must admit I don't understand what Thorns' fans say when they scream their usual rhythmic chorus. Can anyone spelli it down for me?
The only real thing to say is the Portland booing idiots are out again. Not much else happening although, for now, NC looks to be the better team. They are controlling a bit more of the play than Portland. There has just been a stupid foul by Heath but it leads to a wasted free kick that is not dangerous at all.
Goal Carolina. I will point out here, as I do with MLS games, that I don't understand the team jersey selections for these games. For people who struggle with color-blindness, like me, this game is a nightmare to watch. I have to change it because my brain is struggling to distinguish the teams.
Portland's defense breaks down and cannot cover well so Williams hits a good shot that rebounds and results in a headed goal for NC.
Heath was really impressive with an action from the touch-line in her half to almost the opponent box. But on the subsequent counter-attack, Courage scores. Helped by an unfortunate deflection sending Williams' shot on the 7 and allowing Debinha's header from the rebound (no chance for Franch to stop that), but anyway it was quite deserved and the action was good and found Thorns' defense out of balance.
Portland is their own worst enemy. They have managed, through bad touches and bad decisions, to stop their own attack even though the NC defense make mistakes of their own.
Debinha so far has been impressive, and not only for the goal. Her control of the ball looks flawless despite the quickness of her actions. She rules.
This looks like an accurate description of the whole 1st half, not of just one action. Now 2-0 from a McDonald's header, with both her and Debinha completely free on the box. Incidentally, should the game end here, I would have nailed it on the predictions' thread.
NC "should" be up by at least three at this time. McDonald has missed two uncontested headers. Heath is out of control. She is likely to be carded soon if she keeps up the stupidity. As I was typing NC scores again. Portanl's defense is not playing well at all. Franch should consider suing for non-support.
There just is no defense in front of Franch. I did not think Portland could play this badly particularly in the defense.
Well 2-0 NC at the half and it could be 5 or 6. We will see if the second produces any changes. Franch, looking at the way she is moving, may not be able to play in the second.
Actually she's not the only Portland's player who's looking quite nervous right now. If it wasn't for the fact that this ref doesn't really look like he wants to even use YCs, I'd say there is a chance that someone is sent off in 2nd half..
why does it look like Portland is the one with three days rest? They have like 21,000 fans cheering them on and they are down by two goals. They are so lucky that NC didn't complete those other two chances served on a platter.
If NC comes out in the second half and does not attend to business or keep their focus it is not hard to envision a Portland comeback. They have come back before. They are a "second half" team. They are playing at home. Actually what I think will happen is that NC gets a couple more but it would not be surprising for Portland to pull this one out somehow. The second half could easily be a case worthy of the famous phrase: "And now for something completely different." Three bonus points for identifying the reference.