62' 2-0 Kansas City subs in (1 of 3) #44 Maegan Kelly for # Lo'eau LaBonta. 64' 3-0 D.Scott dribbles across midfield mid-left, with Lytle in pursuit. Pass ahead to Bowen facing away at 30m box left -- and D.Scott sprints up wide left, Bowen flicks square left and-go, Scott receives in stride and nearly picks Lytle into Benintente peeling off Bowen. Scott leads both of them through 16m box left with Leroux trailing through arc left, double-covered. Scott jukes to 8m mid-left, hard right outstep pass beyond Leroux, bounces along 6-top to 1/5 right. Groom accelerates past Skroski on the inside, one-touch shot low into Sheridan, rebounds off Groom's right thigh across mouth, into 1/4 left back low as Sheridan is still on knees. That pass took so long to arrive ... but Leroux soaked up all excess defenders, and there was nobody left to clear. 64' - @sheabayy2 gets her second goal of the game off pass across the face of the goal from @MsDScott11. KC is now up 3-0. #KCvNJ pic.twitter.com/w4MRAkhjE7— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 3, 2017 83' 3-1 Lytle left ck, inswings/dives to 6m 1/4 left. Tiernan jumps just behind Leroux and ahead of Groom, heads down through traffic to goalline just under Barnhart's right hand, up into 1/4 left back 1/2 high. 83' - Off the cornerkick by @Taylor_Lytle, it is @MadisonTiernan with the header to pull back a late goal for @SkyBlueFC. #KCvNJ 3 - 1 pic.twitter.com/S7xElDGRQN— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017 90+4' (of +4') 4-1 Kelly comes back to ball at 40m wide left, Richardson bumps(?) her down into a twist, lunge-pokes at ball stuck between Kelly's legs. Foul on Richardson -- as she raises arms to protest, Leroux makes eye contact, starts her back-cut of Benintente from 27m. Kelly knows this game, quickly bends, palms ball, kicks a quick restart to box top left, Leroux motors past Benintente and touches twice to 8m 6-left. Sheridan reads right instep bend to near post, slides low with a kick-try, Leroux lifts right instep chip over Sheridan, into 1/4 left back low. 94+ - It is @sydneyleroux scoring her sixth goal of the season with assist by @maegskell to give @FCKansasCity a 4-1 lead. #KCvNJ pic.twitter.com/ixiws0SeNl— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017 FT 4-1. Kerr had some good shots, but Sky Blue's defense just gets shellacked sometimes.
[HOU-SEA] in Frisco, TX Some intrigue! K.Mewis starts for Houston. Meanwhile, L.Williams was traded mid-week to Seattle, and promptly starts against her successor Campbell 08' 0-0 Kawasumi diagonal to Mathias at 10m mid-right, bumped off ball by Bruna Benites. Mathias spins ccw to 6m, Bruna lunges just-late and trips Mathias down into a roll. Foul, pk. 08' 0-0 Fishlock pk, right instep hard to 1/3 left low, Campbell dives forward and (her) left to cut the angle, double-blocks ball down. Ball bounces up and drops to 10m left post, Fishlock swings shoulder-high left roundhouse, floats a 2nd shot and Campbell catches face-high. 8' Huge save by @jane_campbell1 off of the @ReignFC's penalty kick. #HOUvSEA 0-0 pic.twitter.com/FCljpZPq1c— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017 42' 0-0 Andressinha left ck, cleared. Poliana backpasses to Andressinha at arc top wide left, she bends a cross to 4m 1/3 left. Hagen back-cuts everybody, hop-volleys left instep wide left. 42' Andressinha with a great look inside to @sarahapplehagen, who shoots just wide. #HOUvSEA 0-0 pic.twitter.com/O0CKCchqDl— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017 HT 0-0. Also, Andressinha cleared one off her own goalline, Seattle has had 2-3 total scramblefests in Houston's box, Houston has sent in about ten decent crosses. I'm glad Rapinoe isn't playing on a partially healed meniscus.
48' 0-0 Pickett chips from just behind midfield wide left to arc top mid-left, drops perfectly for Mathias splitting Brooks and Bruna Benites. Mathias touches once and chases (too far) to 6m 5-right, kicks right toes for left post, Campbell blocks with right leg. Mathias had the one-touch left foot window to far post ... 50' 0-1 Bruna Benites fouls Fishlock at midfield circle right. Seattle restarts, switches left, Pickett ground pass to Yanez pirouetting between Poliana and Andressinha. Diagonal pass to Mathias at 27m box left, alone in Poliana's void -- she touches once to 16m mid-left, shoots right foot floater (no spin at all ) across mouth -- perfectly over Campbell's fingertips, into 1/4 right back high. Crazy shot to the tiniest window -- normally you use sidespin to make the target wider. At least she fixed the tempo problem 50' @merrbear11 scores the first goal of the game, giving the @ReignFC the lead early in the second half. #HOUvSEA 0-1 pic.twitter.com/xYpcZurrMh— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017
66' 0-1 Nairn 2nd right ck in a row, Poliana heads out to box top center. Yanez swings waist-high left roundhouse, off crossbar, bounces out past spot. Beckie counters past circle top, passes left to Prince, continues her own run but arrives upon Seattle's back line and pulls up -- and Prince sends in a wondrous diagonal pass through box top that Beckie can only watch roll long. 70' 0-1 Utsugi blasts right foot hard at arc top right, blocked by Brooks -- and comes up lame on her landing. Andressinha passes left to K.Mewis, Stott comes up behind her and pokes ball away. Utsugi sits down, play continues -- Kawasumi switches left to Yanez alone at 15m box left. Yanez shoots right instep bend from 12m mid-left, through Bruna Benitez's legs, Campbell sprawls and catches. Stoppage, Kawasumi hand-signals sub, Campbell punts into near touch. Trainer comes out to examine Utsugi. 71' 0-1 Houston subs in (1 of 3) #8 Claire Falknor for #16 Janine Beckie. 72' 0-1 Utsugi is stretchered into far touch and around the sideboards into the end zone ... then gets off the stretcher and walks gingerly, unassisted. 74' 0-1 Seattle subs in (1 of 3) #26 Madeleine Bauer for #20 Rumi Utsugi.
78' 0-1 Seattle subs in: - (2 of 3) #15 Megan Rapinoe for #9 Merritt Mathias - (3 of 3) #33 Katlyn Johnson for #17 Beverly Yanez. 81' 0-1 Houston subs in (2 of 3) #27 Caity Heap for #9 Sarah Hagen. 82' 0-1 Houston fk at circle back right, cleared. Andressinha settles, turns circles at circle top box right, taps back to Falknor. Falknor misses a switch to Kawasumi at circle back (Seattle's) right, quick switch left to Fishlock dribbling to circle top left. Rapinoe is making a run past Falknor and Houston's high line at 35m, Fishlock fires a fast ground pass to 14m mid-left. Rapinoe runs on, touches to 6m 7-left, shoots left instep across mouth past Campbell's left kick try -- off right post low, bounces directly back toward 6-top 1/3 left. Rapinoe pounces on that, but -- whistle. Ref signals: AR flagged Rapinoe offside. 82' @mPinoe is just off the mark on her first shot after returning from surgery. #HOUvSEA 0-1 pic.twitter.com/VkW71ZNhDR— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 4, 2017
Good to see Rapinoe back. She and Katie Johnson play very well together. Yanez had a good game, as did Fishlock. Looks like Kopmeyer and McNabb are in the dog-house for their mistake a week or so ago. Seattle's could make the playoffs with Rapinoe back and Fishlock apparently back in good form. But to get in the playoffs they've got to win all their remaining games-- and have either Chicago or Orlando falter. More likely Chicago will falter than Orlando -- although that new Japanese player Nagosoto was the best player for Chicago today. .
This has to be a record-recovery for meniscus-surgery! But Megan well knew how badly needed she was right now. With her back, I still have a glimmer of an hope that Seattle can get back in contention for that 4th paly-off. But Orlando have to drop points somehow!!! Yes, except Fishlock should waste PKs! This was quite unexcusable! Spelling: Nagasato. Of course, for obvious "Japanese" reasons, I hope that the team faltering will be Orlando!
I'd appreciate any update about the aftermath of Utsugi's injury! She had been injured already, in this season...
Certainly, Naeher deserves a three-game suspension for her highlight-reel tackle. A lot more dangerous that than a hand to the face -- and probably more dangerous than a pull of the hair.
That's BS! Everyone wants to fine and suspend Naeher, for what? I don't think so. This wasn't the hair pull to Colaprico a few weeks ago that could have crippled her. Sure another ref may have called a PK but Naeher was going for the ball which wasn't the case in the Colaprico incident a few weeks ago. I know the Chicago haters will be out in full force on all the blogs out there, but IMO the Red Stars won fair and square in this one.
I agree that it wasn't a "violent" conduct, and that Hatch was between Naeher and the ball; however the replay clearly (to me) showed Naeher wrapped her arms around Hatch and pulled Hatch backwards on top of her. Naeher was not going for the ball. Before the replay, I thought that a Courage Player made an aggressive challenge to Naeher, and then stuff happened. But the replay showed a different story. Hatch got herself cleanly between Naeher and the ball. Overall, it was one of those fouls that does not get called, for whatever reason. It happens. No need for any after-the-fact measures related to Naeher.
Well, Naeher should try out for the NFL after that tackle. Going for the ball, my foot....she tackled the player. And people who criticize Naeher for this egregious foul aren't "Chicago haters." They're objective and fair-minded.
If it had been the other way around- Rowland yanking down a Chicago player the way Naeher yanked down Hatch- I'd be calling for retroactive punishment just as hard. Hatch had Naeher beaten to the ball and Naeher violently dragged her down. That's a stone cold penalty that went uncalled, and quite frankly, Hatch is lucky she wasn't injured on that play. I'd be fine with Naeher getting fined and suspended for a game.
Nothing violent about it. Naeher dragged her down. Foul. Penalty. Not even DOGSO because the ball was going away from the goal. The foul was not called. Move on....NC did.
Well we'll see what happens. The problem for the Red Stars is that their second string goalkeeper has not proven she can be counted on when called in a big situation. Remember the playoff game against FCKC a couple of years ago when she tried to dribble A-Rod and A-Rod calmly took the ball away from her and scored and a few weeks ago against Seattle was a disaster. I wish I could say differently but IMO and the consensus among some fans I talked to is that second string goalkeeping is one of CRS biggest weaknesses, so far. Not having Naeher for the stretch and into the playoffs for any one game would be a huge loss beyond any other player that CRS may not have available.
Or maybe not: 904534627930578944 is not a valid tweet id In what world is that not a PK?! https://t.co/bfBpbHE1Vp— Kristen Hamilton (@khamilton17) September 4, 2017
Good? They never showed a decent replay on the NC goal that was disallowed and you mention the Hatch takedown. Two critical match events. That's not good, that's terrible.
Punishment? For what? An un-called foul? Anyone calling for any post-match consequences for Naeher is - in my opinion - delusional. I am a Courage fan, and I do think a foul was missed. A foul that would've resulted in a penalty kick. But that's it. If anyone suffers any consequences it should be the referee in their assessment. The results of which we are unlikely to ever see - unless they suddenly go a month without doing NASL games.
Oh, please! Spare me! How many yellow (or red cards) were not issued to those two NC players in their careers because the ref did not see their infraction? Hasn't their team gotten away with not getting carded/penalized or their opponent getting unfairly carded/penarized? They are just sore losers. Chicago recently got screwed in that Seattle game with at least one Rapinoe flop for a penalty kick (she had two that game ; note: I like Rapinoe but come on, those calls!). Team sport reffing is subjective and objective. Let's have total unlimited replay on every call and game will go on for three hours and a whole lot more cards will be issued?! Just MHO. BTW, Yes, I am going there: Abby contributed, with some horrible play, to our loss in the FCKC playoff game a couple of years ago. I forgive but do not forget!
I agree that the Red Stars have been screwed a few times this season as well if you want to compare. Yes, the Rapinoe flop, The foul on Johnson a few weeks ago that led to a goal. At Benedictine we even scored clear goals that went into that net but because the ball bounced on the bottom metal and bounced back out real quickly the refs didn't even acknowledge the goal. So for those that are calling bloody murder against the Red Stars, I don't feel for you because the CRS have been in those type of situations many times and the Red Stars still get up shake it off and come back and play next week without Twitter whining. The coach Rory is the only one that has complained and he was punished. Abby Erceg? Are you kidding? She was horrible in the playoff game a couple of years ago when she played for the Red Stars. I don't want to hear nothing from her and I actually do like her.
I agree that twitter whining is bad form. I only shared them because I had claimed that NC had "moved on;" however clearly I was wrong.
NP coach. I understand. You are my favorite poster here and I always take your posts as friendly and meaningful as opposed to my over-the-top emotional outbursts. My point was that, let the coaches whine and complain, and eventually get fined. Players IMO should just play and not do social media complaining because most of them are not complete angels themselves out on the field and that includes CRS players.