I do not know about Long but for Rapinoe to not play would pretty much require that someone amputates a leg and hides it from her as she would reattach it herself if she knew where it was. As far as the whole discussion about the weather goes I have thought about it and I think that the decision to move the match that was scheduled for North Carolina to the left coast is probably the best of a bunch of bad choices. It is the least overall harmful to both teams and it removes home field advantage from North Carolina without really giving Chicago any unwarranted advantage. The fact is that the move from North Carolina at this point is probably good for the North Carolina team. My hope is that if they are not already in Portland that they make the effort to get the team there as soon as they can.
Glad I can watch this match with you all. I'm nervous but good to see Rapinoe and Long back in the lineup.
you think the match will be visible from Europe, guys? I am trying the NWSL website, but I can't see the broadcast yet... Edit: nevermind; now a screen says: "The game will start soon".
It hasn't started yet. I think it starts in 45 minutes so maybe it will start streaming closer to that time
Yes, it's time to go our there and get our title! Too many shields, now it's time for something bigger. Winning the last game while Seattle was missing Long and Rapinoe gave Portland a false sense of security that will spell their doom!
28' 0-1 Rapinoe fk at 4m just outside box left, she shoots on goal: tight inswinger to crossbar center, past Franch's fingertips, off crossbar, bounces across to 3m 5-right. Spencer is right there, one-touch right instep volley into 1/5 right 1/2 high, off Franch's left hand and in. That's a hard shot -- made easier by having no time to overthink it Seattle scores first! @Jas_it_Up with the goal and @ReignFC are up 1-0 at Providence Park.#PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/cwHkgI7o3o— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018 I had a bad dream in which the camera panned in s l o w m o t i o n -- That @ReignFC up close and super slow.#PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/h9PgEjkAbD— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018
43' 1-1 Carpenter(?) right throw-in from circle back, Sinclair flick-heads past Utsugi at circle top box right, Foord collects and dribbles centerward away from a shoulder-grab. Horan front-cuts unwary Spencer ball-watching in circle back, leads her through circle top. Foord passes to 30m mid-left in Horan's stride, Nielsen leaves Heath to step up to Horan. Horan jukes past Nielsen to arc left post, passes through arc left to Heath wide-open at 12m mid-left -- held onside by Oyster. Heath touches to 6m 6-left, shoots left instep across mouth, under Ld.Williams' left hand, into back right low. Dogpile! And we're tied! @TobinHeath scores and it's loud at Providence Park.#PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gUDXNDTYKX— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018 HT 1-1.
Now, please, after Franch has kept Portland in the game quite single-handedly while Seattle was pushing for 2-0, someone please explain to me again the rational behind not having her as the starting GK for USWNT. No, really: I am a neutral observer, I root for Nadeshiko Japan, but everytime I watch Franch make her miracles I am baffled at the idea that she's not USWNT first-choice GK. Taking a goal at 43' was quite poor from Seattle, especially after their dominance in the middle of 1st half, but I am confident that Seattle can make it anyway: Seattle + Rapinoe is almost a different team compared to Seattle - Rapinoe, and it's much more difficult to beat. Incidentally, I liked that Megan wanted to ostensibly shake hands with the ball girl, for everyone to see, after there had been a little quarrel with her a few minutes before: nice gesture, the one you would expect from a champion.
One little thing I am seeing in this game, and in most others both men's and women's is that if a player thinks there might be a foul or an offside instead of continuing to play they wave at the crowd. I know they are trying to signal that "something" has happened but all they really do is impede their own ability to play the ball and look stupid. Referees are trained, some better than others, to ignore the raised arm and you cannot run or even move as well with your arm sticking up. As far as the match goes the 1-1 score is pretty much right although without Franch Seattle could easily have 4. It is not just her saves but it is also that she is forcing the shooters to try to shoot "too good." She is REALLY, at least in this match, a great keeper. It would not surprise me to see each team get one more and then play extra time for the win.
The commentators are, it seems, quite prejudiced in favor of Portland. They also do not seem to know the offside law. At the time of the final pass from the center to the outside Heath was ahead of the last defender and the ball and therefore offside.
Well, that pinball-like deflection from the post was really unfortunate for Seattle. Now very difficult for them getting back into the game. Unless they manage to score when they're less expected to, as Portland did in first half.
Actually the ball was in after it hit the first post and bounced in the middle. Said bounce was over the line. It is just the crappy turf that caused it to redirect back to the second post. I was just trying, maybe badly, to make a funny. While I understand the desire to save money that drives the move to turf I think that turf should be banned from all soccer as it causes injury and causes really freaky bounces.
68' 1-1 Portland fast break, Sinclair bends a ground cross from 24m box right to 16m right post. Horan scuffs it to 6-top left post, Heath chases with wide separation from Spencer, one-touch shot into back right low. No goal, offside: Heath deemed to have snuck ahead of Oyster just as Horan redirected it last. Replay shows -- eh, she's onside by a shoe width, it's the AR who's off the line That one counts. @ThornsFC up 2-1 with a goal from @Lindseyhoran11! #PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gq1GcjNHGy— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018 76' 2-1 Kingenberg passes to Crnogorčević at arc top mid-right, she taps square left to Horan. Nielsen darts in, lunge-hooks ball and Horan's ankles, Horan trips flat, Nielsen goes down on back. Utsugi collects but hesitates, Heath overtakes and digs ball away. Crnogorčević backpass to Klingenberg, forward pass to Sinclair at 27m mid-right -- and Horan front-cuts Nielsen up centerline, Nielsen lets her go and hands her off to Oyster. Sinclair chips low to 9m 1/4 left, Horan jumps alone between Long and Spencer, flick-heads a bloop off left post 4/5 high, across mouth and off back of right post, and in. Everybody looks for Horan's cuts That one counts. @ThornsFC up 2-1 with a goal from @Lindseyhoran11! #PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gq1GcjNHGy— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018 Same camera guy in the same spot: Death. Taxes. Horan headers (in slow motion).#PORvSEA | #NWSL | #NWSLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/AJEPLOrWmG— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2018 FT 2-1.
Well, this is it. Taking that goal at the end of first half, just when the inertia of the game was favouring Seattle, ended being crucial. Another lost chance to win the league for Seattle. Congratulations to Portland anyway. Franch MVP of the game in my personal opinion. Now that Seattle is out, I am going to root for Chicago Red Stars to win the whole thing, not only because of Nagasato, but also because the brand of football they've played in the last part of the season looked quite attractive.