A Friday appetizer, then a full slate tomorrow. Gold Cup also kicks off today. All teams have reported injuries: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/injuries Fishlock is OUT with a left knee MCL sprain. That's a few (or several) weeks, but we're glad it's not worse.
The real question is, who has officially left for the Euro? I know O'Sullivan was with Ireland for their friendly today
Chicago vs Boston was a snooze-fest for the first 70 minutes -- and got better after that. Chicago's offense is less that the sum of its parts. They should be scoring more goals. It's good to see old-pro Angela Salem having a good year. I've always thought she was under-appreciated.
Was also a Boston team missing 3 starters. Tough losing Chapman next game if Lavelle isn't back soon.
The stats had it Boston 1 Chicago 1 looking at Boston's history and Chicago 2 Boston 1 looking at Chicago's history, so I went with the home team's stats, which proved to be a good decision. Except that I went with 1-1 whereas the actual score was 0-0. I have an observation in relation to the stats, which is just a guess: There is enough parity in the league that in most cases where two opponents stand in the rankings doesn't bear much relationship to the likely outcome of the game.
[WAS-ORL] 09' 0-0 Camila left backpass to Kennedy at 35m center, Camila turns and drifts toward 28m arc right. Kennedy ground pass to Marta facing away at 27m arc left, she turns and holds. Camila spots a gap across arc top, sprints forward, Marta leads her with a perfect diagonal pass. Camila stops ball at 16m right post, gets slightly in front of ball, Kallman chest-bumps her back-or-shoulder and Camila goes down. Pause, ref glances at AR? Foul, pk. 9' - @ORLPride's Camila draws the foul in the box. Penalty kick coming up... #WASvORL #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/RxqRpfJZQf— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017 10' 0-1 Marta pk, left instep to 1/4 right back low as Labbé dove wrong. 10' - @OrlPride take an early 1-0 lead as Marta converts from the penalty spot. #WASvORL #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/uMLv0AdLuN— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017
The PK was looking very questionable to me (and not to me only, apparently), but anyway it seems to me that, throughout all the season, Kallman has been a disgrace for Washington so far: seldom seen a so awkward, foul-prone, technically poor and generally unreliable DF.
24' 1-1 Weatherholt dribbles to midfield mid-right vs. Banini, backpass right to Edmonds at right touch. Edmonds tries unwary one-touch return pass, Banini anticipates and jumps the lane, steals and counters past her to 24m mid-left, taps square left to Ordega at arc top left. Ordega holds in front of 3, sees Pugh cutting through box top right post, passes short diagonal to her at 16m. Pugh pulls up as somebody overtakes her, touches centerward ... then plays a cheeky/delicate light tap roller across about 4 befuddled shins, rolling just inside right post low, Bledsoe dives and misses. 24' - Mallory Pugh scores for the @WashSpirit. We are all tied up at 1-1. #WASvORL #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/FC2qkUziPq— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017
56' 1-2 Catley crosses from wide left to spot, headed away to Ordega(?) at box top arc right, she heads it across to Camila at arc left. Camila tries a right outstep flick, blocked over her head to Marta standing at box top mid-left. One-touch high-knee trap into wheelhouse, instant left-foot half-volley on the up-bounce, topspin drive across mouth dives under Labbé's dive, bounces into right side netting. Marta standing around, doing Marta things 56' - What a strike by Marta!!! @ORLPride take a 2-1 lead. #WASvORL #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/uJmr9DuDEx— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017
88' 1-2 Ch.Williams drives down wide right to 2m, ground cross to 5m 3-right. K.Mewis facing away, stabs ball to a stop, Pressley pulls her over from behind. Foul, pk! 90' 2-2 Pugh pk to 1/5 left low, just past Bledsoe's dive. +5'. 90' - @WashSpirit's Mallory Pugh finishes from the penalty mark. Now knotted at 2-2. #WASvORL #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/mtQZ5CoQvf— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017 FT 2-2. Washington remain mired in 10th place, but a point is better than none.
Did anyone watch that Sky Blue - Kansas City game?? Wow. Entralling stuff. I feel bad for KC, but Sky Blue is an easy team to cheer for. A certain Australian is on fire, and she takes over the all time NWSL scoring lead over the now-gone Kim Little and the slowed-down-by-injury McDonald.
[NJ-KC] 29' 0-1 Groom(?) crosses from 5m box right, Sheridan lunges out to 5m and punches it upward, Killion twists and clears weakly -- to Gibbons at box top center. Gibbons dribbles to 15m arc right, taps back to Bowen at arc top right, one-touch golaaaaazo into back left edge 1/2 high, past Sheridan's dive. 29' - @FCKansasCity takes an early 1-0 lead as Katie Bowen unleashes a laser from the top of the box. #NJvKC pic.twitter.com/7OD9CYNUa3— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017 42' 0-2 Gibbons dribbles past Pearce through box top 6-right, Mills can't recover enough to challenge ball or angle. Gibbons catches up to ball at 9m 6-right, one-touch right instep bisects Mills and Sheridan at 5m right post, deflects off Sheridan's leg, bounces up across mouth and drops into left side netting. 42' - @FCKansasCity's Christina Gibbons puts on the jets to beat two defenders and fire a low shot into the back of the net. GOAL!#NJvKC pic.twitter.com/nFsCosht4h— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 8, 2017 45+4' 0-2 Yellow card on Sky Blue's Erica Skroski. Red card on KC's Shea Groom, for violent conduct.
49' 0-2 Pass to Kerr coming back to 22m mid-right, one-touch backheel to O'Hara cutting into box at 12m mid-right. O'Hara ground pass to Hayes wide-open at 7m center, she stops ball and rolls a soft pass to goalline center. Moros overtakes ball, slide-hooks it clear along goalline left, into left touch. 49' - WOW...what a play by @FCKansasCity's Becca Moros to deny a sure goal by @SkyBlueFC's Maya Hayes. #NJvKC pic.twitter.com/Fo8iZFIMhu— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017 78' 1-2 O'Hara launches Rapinoe's cross from 30m right touch inswinging to 8m center, for Kerr lurking on Sauerbrunn's back at arc top. Kerr back-cuts Sauerbrunn pulling up ("no way she can get to that"), dive-heads a redirection past Barnhart frozen, into back right low. 78' - Sam Kerr with the diving header to score for @SkyBlueFC and pull back a goal. #NJvKC 1 - 2 pic.twitter.com/UMhnrfRKUa— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017
There have been a number of hat tricks, but none more important than Kerr's tonight. Never before has a hat trick single-handedly changed the outcome of a game.
81' 2-2 Pass comes to Corboz at 24m center, Kerr lurks at box top left post on Sauerbrunn's outside shoulder. Corboz flicks ball to arc top, Lytle comes across and settles with a sole-block as Sauerbrunn darts out to challenge. Corboz continues her own run, one-touch dink pass to Kerr now unmarked at 13m center -- one-touch right instep roundhouse into back left low. 81' - Another goal for @SkyBlueFC's Sam Kerr, we are now all square at 2-2. #NJvKC pic.twitter.com/YJniNfvBzS— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017 90' 3-2 Corboz taps to Lytle at 22m arc right, Kerr lurks at box top left post, on Sauerbrunn's inside shoulder. Lytle peeks, one-touch right instep ground pass between Moros and Averbuch-vs-Hayes. Kerr opens hips and shields Sauerbrunn while receiving at spot, stumbles through the contact and pokes right instep under left foot across mouth, beats Barnhart leaning wrong way, rolls into back left low. 90' - @SkyBlueFC's Sam Kerr records first hat-trick of 2017 and increases her #NWSL record all-time goals count to 35!!!#NJvKC 3 - 2 pic.twitter.com/aUoOVjW7n6— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017 FT 3-2
[NC-SEA] 33' 1-0 Stott right throw-in at own 12m, poorly heaved to box top wide (own) right, Zerboni steals and cuts past Stott down wide (her) left to 10m box left. Ground cross to 9m 3-left, Barnes backheels it to nowhere -- missed a trap try? Hatch finds ball rolling to her foot at 10m left post, passes ball into back left low, past Kopmeyer's dive. Perfect assist by Barnes 33' - Ashley Hatch scores to give @TheNCCourage a 1-0 advantage. #NCvSEA pic.twitter.com/3LsJJf95AT— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017 45' 1-0 Rowland dawdles upon ball at arc top mid-left, Rapinoe charges her from 15m away and -- takes it off her foot Turn-and-shoot from 19m mid-left rolls like a golf putt ... juuuust wide right low. 45' - Excellent work by @ReignFC's Megan Rapinoe on the steal but her shot goes just wide. #NCvSEA pic.twitter.com/UYNHjtUuHm— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017
[HOU-POR] 08' 1-0 Lloyd outlets to Prince just behind midfield right touch. Prince dribbles past circle top box right, finally pulls out Menges, flicks right outstep up wide right for Daly unmarked. Daly pulls up at 7m box right, backpass toward spot -- Long inexplicably just lets ball roll past her, even sidesteps a bit and half-twirls out of the way -- expecting help on the inside. Beckie drifts alone through box top center, meets ball at 13m center, one-touch right foot shot beats Franch to her right, into 1/4 left back low. Don't assume there's help behind you -- you are the help for the teammate in front of you! 8' - @HoustonDash's Janine Beckie scores her first goal of the season. #HOUvPOR pic.twitter.com/jKWiiOBawF— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017
[NC-SEA] 81' 2-0 Dahlkemper right ck, fast to 4m left post. McDonald soars in over 3, lunge-heads past Kopmeyer to goalline 1/3 right, off Rapinoe's chest. Rapinoe steps forward to clear rebound -- Zerboni emerges from the pack, wins the foot-race and taps in first.
Without a doubt. Could have been Blunder of the Season, but Rapinoe's shot just missing bailed Rowland out.
[HOU-POR] 90+1' (of +3') 1-1 Horan fk at 27m left post, curls right instep into left 90 over Campbell's fingertips. 91+ - @ThornsFC's Lindsey Horan scores the equalizer on a sweet freekick into the upper left corner. #HOUvPOR pic.twitter.com/je206eiIMm— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 9, 2017 90+2' (of +3') 1-1 Lloyd pokes ball past midfield mid-left, Weber flicks ball away, Lloyd clatters into Weber's outstretched right leg. Straight red card on Lloyd FT 1-1. Klingenberg is angrily explaining something to Long, who is doing calm down, can I get a word in placating hand gestures. Probably along the lines of don't assume you have help behind you, you are the help -- camera cuts out.
Wow, I guess two red cards in the same day are not usual for NWSL. Ok, the second one was deep in injury time, so it likely didn't influence the outcome of the game, but it will probably do with the next one, that Lloyd will have to skip.