That call is bogus-- Brooks did NOT extend her arm away from her side, did not "play the ball" with her hand, and had barely any time to react. I feel bad for Houston. Both their goals were nicely taken finishes, while Chicago gets two gifts (GK error, referee call). Chesky is the ref... imagine that.
64' 1-2 Gilliland drives a shot from arc top mid-right, ball whacks hapless Brooks's right forearm and bounces straight down hard. Hard shot, ball-to-arm held against her body ... pk. 65' 2-2 Huerta pk, right instep scoop into back right high unsaveable regardless. (and Campbell dove wrong) All level after @schuerta converts this PK for @chiredstarsPR.#CHIvHOU | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/HDmJAT8Fle— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018
Becky Sauerbrunn can attest to the fact that Chesky's threshold for making a handball call in the box is pretty low.
90+2' (of +3') 2-2 Colaprico weaves through box mid-right, flicks to Mautz at 3m wide right. Low cross outswinging bounces at 6-top right post, just behind Gilliland sprawling down under 2 defenders. Kerr is unmarked, collects at 8m center, touches rightward and shoots over Chapman lunging out at her -- just high 😳 This was a close one.#CHIvHOU | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/tRWYKQhy4C— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018 FT 2-2.
New signing Chapman comes up huge for Houston. Applies pressure, forcing Kerr to shoot high from close range, then she intercepts a cross targeted for Kerr in the closing seconds.
Chicago was lucky to get a tie. Kerr is not looking like the best player in the world -- as she surely was last year. Houston is looking more and more like Daly's team -- although for me Chapman was the POTM. I anticipated a miserable season for Houston, but it is showing good spirit with Daly and Mewis leading the way -- and now Chapman getting into the act. Who needs Press?
[SEA-SkB] 03' 0-0 Fishlock settles a long switch to box top mid-left, drives to box top center, hard shot blocked by legs. Utsugi(?) runs on at 25m, but her shot tails off wide left low. 04' 0-0 Seattle have made many, many backpasses to L.Williams. The shade from the trees behind the visitors' endline cast long shadows over almost the entire field -- except Seattle's 6-yard box. 05' 0-0 Fishlock heads square right to Nielsen, they run parallel lanes up the right. Nielsen passes to Fishlock, Fishlock bends a pass to Taylor through box top right. Taylor shoots from 15m mid-right, Sheridan blocks it upward to 6-top, Sky Blue clears into near touch?
05' 1-0 Catley left throw-in at 25m, to Utsugi. Utsugi threads a pass to Rapinoe coming back to 25m wide left. Gibbons pursues Rapinoe a bit too fixedly, nobody is watching Catley sneak in -- she backcuts down left touch, Rapinoe sees same thing and rolls a pass to 8m wide left. Catley runs on, one-touch left instep cross to 5m center. Taylor has slipped Sky Blue's coverage, easily outjumps RB Freeman not jumping and dunks a header into right side netting. Goal! @Jodes_14 and @ReignFC are off to a strong start at home.#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/JNgg2dhlMh— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018
I was never much of Kristie Mewis fan but if NWSL play earns u an NT look then she should be called in. She has looked like a completely different player this year. She is doing all the intangibles like great first touch, working as hard defending as attack, beating her player to every loose ball. Yep, Chapman is a major upgrade at OB but unless u think the Dash can make the playoff they paid way to much to get a player at the end of the Courage bench.
19' 1-0 Rapinoe(?) chases down wide left, Gibbons accelerates past her and pokes ball away -- but loses it over. Behind the play, Fishlock is down holding left leg -- shin, ankle, or knee? Looks like -- shin? Trainer comes out, does a leg test. 21' 1-0 Yellow card on Skroski, for the foul on Fishlock. Fishlock walks into near touch, and promptly reports to 4R ... and comes back in during the same dead ball She can re-enter because of the foul? Or because of the caution? 21' 1-0 Rapinoe left ck, too tight into the initial wall at 2m 6-left.
28' 1-0 Catley crosses from 6m box left to 12m right post, Rapinoe swings left roundhouse but shanks it high. 30' 1-0 Lloyd weaves from circle top right to arc top mid-right, shoots long but scoops it way over the bar. 32' 1-0 Rapinoe is chasing 1-v-3 in the middle of a Sky Blue triangle -- and loving it 32' 1-0 K.Johnson fouled at 27m center. Lloyd fk, but again she scoops it high.
37' 1-0 McCaskill holds 1-v-4(!) at box top mid-right -- pokes square left to K.Johnson facing away at arc right. Johnson taps a through-ball down toward 6-right foot, McCaskill cuts through traffic -- and Fishlock is the primary defender sticking with her, shields ball over own endline. 38' 2-0 Catley bends a cross too far, inswings behind Rapinoe to arc left. Skroski lifts waist-high right foot and blocks ball down, but directly to Rapinoe at arc top left. Rapinoe settles ball, standing kick over Skroski to right 90 -- and it fast-lobs Sheridan, into right side netting high. Then ... Rapinoe does some wacky dance Just cheeky on every level. @mPinoe doubles the lead for @ReignFC.#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/WaTBNKlVcJ— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018
45' 2-0 Rapinoe backheads a dink into Fishlock's stride at 30m centerline, Fishlock chests ball to 22m arc left and shoots juuust wide left hard, past Sheridan's dive. 45+2' (of +1') 2-0 Fishlock threads a diagonal pass through Sky Blue's high line, to Rapinoe at 4m mid-left. Rapinoe pulls a hard cross to 1m center, Taylor scuffs it into defenders' calves -- ball sits at 2m center. Taylor spins ccw to ball, 2nd shot blocked again, and Sheridan picks it up. HT 2-0.
48' 2-0 Killion fk at arc top wide left, inswings to 12m 1/3 left and deflects down to 7m. Lloyd gets a one-touch sweep shot, deflected wide left. 51' 2-0 McCaskilll turns and chases to 12m mid-left, volleys a shot to Williams. Sky Blue have had more possession in Seattle's 1/3 -- the usual script for Seattle's 2H this year 54' 2-0 Lloyd shoots from 19m mid-right, sails it way high. Something in her form is off. 56' 2-0 Lloyd loses ball to Fishlock at midfield (Seattle's) mid-right, chases 15m and finally digs ball away with a perfect heel-hook, as Fishlock trips hard over ball and stays down momentarily. 57' 2-0 Lloyd quacks a pass directly to Long. Rapinoe promptly pings to Fishlock, long diagonal pass to Kawasumi down to 7m wide right. High cross toward 6-top left is headed away to box top. Utsugi swings left roundhouse, but pulls it way high. The ball came too slowly, she is not used to having that much time
59' 2-0 McCaskilll turns and drives up centerline 2-v-4 to 23m, shoots high. 60' 3-0 Fishlock chests ball to Kawasumi at circle top, Kawasumi chips up box left to Rapinoe running unmarked at 25m. Rapinoe dribbles to 12m mid-left, cuts back as Gibbons overshoots past her. Rapinoe touches to 11m 6-left, shoots right instep across mouth, past Sheridan's dive, into right side netting. .@mPinoe is having a night. She does it again!#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/ReDVW66TJU— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018
63' 3-1 Catley heads ball over Groom to Rapinoe. Groom pokes ball off Rapinoe's foot, to McCaskill. Forward pass to K.Johnson, square tap left to Lloyd -- as McCaskill makes a cut from deep toward box top right. Lloyd drifts to 19m arc right, flicks down mid-right to McCaskill at 9m. McCaskill lifts head, then lifts a fast mini-lob over Williams at near post, drops it perfectly into left 90 and left side netting high. It's a meme [x] <= season bucket list But @smccaskill_21 answers right on back for @SkyBlueFC to get them on the board! 3–1 now.#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/vPvQMkFpvz— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018
66' 3-1 Seattle subs in (1 of 3) #17 Beverly Yanez for #15 Megan Rapinoe. 70' 3-1 K.Johnson and Long back into each other and knock heads going for a double back-header. Stoppage, trainers do an eye focus test on Long. Johnson walks around gingerly, but stays upright. 72' 3-1 Stoppage continues, Long walks into near touch. Ref instructs K.Johnson to leave the field? Johnson pantomines a pat-on-head and rubbing her own jaw -- indicating I got hit here, not here? Nonetheless, she goes. 73' 3-1 K.Johnson and Long trot back on 74' 3-1 Sky Blue subs in (2 of 3) #5 Thaysa de Moraes Rosa Moreno for #12 Janine Beckie. 76' 3-1 Seattle subs in (2 of 3) #22 Jasmyne Spencer for #9 Nahomi Kawasumi.
83' 3-1 Fishlock diagonal pass springs Spencer down mid-right. Freeman slide-tackles at 6-top mid-right, ball bounces over. As soon as Freeman took weight off feet, her calves cramp -- she stays down and gets a stretch. 84' 4-1 Catley left ck, backpass to Utsugi unmarked at arc top mid-right. Utsugi bends a simple cross toward left post -- juuust over Taylor(?)'s head at 12m right post, freezes Sheridan just enough. Ball bounces untouched at 5m 1/4 left, Sheridan dives late to left post and misses, ball bounces off left post -- and Long arrives first and chests/hips it over from 0.5m. Long's 32nd goal -- which breaks a tie with Rapinoe still on 31 .@ALLIE_LONG cleans it up and taps the ball in for a late 4–1 lead at home.#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/R4iRsAHmsa— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018 85' 4-1 Seattle subs in (3 of 3) #11 Elizabeth Addo for #10 Jessica Fishlock. Fishlock's 100th NWSL cap
87' 4-1 McCaskill creeps to arc top mid-left, sees K.Johnson splitting Oyster/McNabb from box top left post, bends a serve to 9m left post. Johnson lunges and nicks a header toward right post, Williams dives and single-blocks it wide right and over. That's like a libero dig in wvb .@lydsaussie is on patrol. Big diving stop to deny @SkyBlueFC!#SEAvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/hCJ5ud6YN0— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 13, 2018 90+2' (of +4') 4-1 Sky Blue subs in (3 of 3) #7 Jennifer Hoy for #22 Mandy Freeman (calf cramps?). 90+3' (of +4') 4-1 Catley left ck, to 10m left-ish, Long heads over. FT 4-1.
It's a shame that the Seattle Reign-Sky Blue match was at 4:00 am for me in Italy, because it looks like the kind of game that I would have loved watching (yes, I like when my team wins hands down ). I anyway enjoyed even more than usual @Gilmoy's play-to-play comment! Would have liked to see that! I'll have to retrieve it in the full-match video. Seriously, Reign are strong already without Rapinoe, but with Megan on the pitch they reach another level. Also, another level of celebratong goal with wacky dances. Well, that's not new, I'd say, is it? Lol, they'll have to train to make assists to Utsugi that aren't too much easy to kick in goal.