That would be a Portland fan's nightmare. Who do they hate less? I'm not so sure that they wouldn't hold their noses and root for Seattle.
66' 0-0 Spencer at box top arc left knocks ball down to 15m 1/4 left. J.Taylor comes back to it, turn-and-shoot rising just wide left, Rowland reflex-dives and pushes it wide anyways. 67' 1-0 Fishlock left ck, way across mouth to 17m 6-right. Nielsen heads ball high toward 6-top center. J.Taylor is still stepping away thereat -- held onside by Dahlkemper lagging all others at 4m 6-(their)left. J.Taylor backpedals under ball, Rowland jumps to chest up to her back -- ball bounces untouched at/under their feet, continues past both, bounces again just inside left post, and up into left side netting. Taylor dummied under it A successful set piece for Seattle! @ReignFC goes up 1–0 at home thanks to @NielsenTheresa8. #SEAvNC | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/vFeZ42RzB4— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 25, 2018 76' 1-0 2h 2nd hydration break.
85' 1-0 Mathias is in a twisting shield duel vs. Spencer on her back at circle top box right. Mathias stumbles on a shoulder-lean try that finds Spencer not-there, sags down onto her left side. Spencer nimbly darts around her, takes ball, Mathias pops up and gets a two-fisted hold of two strands of Spencer's jersey, twists them like kite strings and hauls Spencer back and down. Foul, yellow card on Mathias. She got her money's worth on that one 88' 1-0 Hamilton shoots from 14m mid-right, blocked out past box top. S.Mewis runs on and shoots from 22m 6-right, blocked by legs at box top -- ball goes rightward, hits Hamilton('s defender) and stops. Hamilton digs ball out, shoots left foot, McNabb blocks over endline right. 88' 1-0 NC right ck, tight over mouth to 5m 5-left. McDonald outjumps 1, heads across mouth past Ld.Williams stuck at left post, to goalline 2/5 right head-high. Nielsen is there, coming off (our)left-post guard duty, heads away from the plane of the goalmouth. Saving one is like scoring another one! Coming up clutch on both ends. @NielsenTheresa8 clears out this Courage chance.#SEAvNC | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/bLJtjtLRIA— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 25, 2018
90+1' (of +6') 1-0 Addo spins free at 0.5m mid-right. Cross toward 6-center goes behind Dahlkemper's back -- hits her right hand away from body, bounces straight down, Dahlkemper half-volleys the bounce clear. No call, ref thought it was her legs? 90+5' (of +6') 1-0 NC right ck, to 9m 6-left. Contested header drops down to 5m mid-left. NC gets to it first, chips back to 4m 2/5 right. S.Mewis heads to crossbar center, Ld.Williams jumps and pushes it over, lands heavily on back in goal. Brief stoppage, Ld.Williams resumes. Juuuust over.#SEAvNC | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/YTYblOoEQZ— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 25, 2018 90+6' (of +6') 1-1 Dahlkemper right ck, outswings to 12m 4-left. Erceg is wide-open thereat, heads across mouth to 4m 3-right. Hamilton heads across mouth dropping to 1/3 left, Ld.Williams dives and throws ball back into traffic. S.Mewis lunge-heads down into the scrum, ball bounces out to 3m 1/4 left. Zerboni kicks it back toward center low, blocked again, ball sits at 4m 1/3 right. Ln.Williams (the 3rd letter is significant ) settles ball looking at a veritable fork of split legs facing her, juggles to rotate platform, lifts a shot rightward -- off right post, banks into center back. And with time running out, @lynnraenie rescues @TheNCCourage with an equalizer!#SEAvNC | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/7tFJFzNTLq— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 25, 2018 FT 1-1. Seattle fails to clinch 2nd. And one other person fails to clinch the postseason.
[ORL-CHI] Ubogagu for Van Egmond (and Camila => LM); LB Pickett for RM Hill (and Kennedy => RM, Krieger => RCB, Edmonds => RB). Your Pride starting XI for #ORLvCHI. #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/5wr2nYdRlr— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) August 25, 2018 Colaprico for Stanton. Ice in the veins.Inside the 18 ↪️ https://t.co/DZrPtOcxBo pic.twitter.com/Cptlw5ckWj— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) August 25, 2018 Orlando: Q Nairn / OUT Leroux Portland: Q nil / OUT Reynolds / SEI Morris
[WAS-POR] Solaun for Dydasco (and Eubanks => LB); Dougherty Howard for Quinn (and Church => RCB); Bledsoe for Haracic. Here's how we'll take the field for tonight's #NWSL Game of the Week! #SpiritAtAudi #WASvPOR pic.twitter.com/tT88Isy00W— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) August 25, 2018 Crnogorčević for Foord; Raso CAM <=> Heath CF. Tonight's lineup for #WASvPOR. Watch it live on ESPNEWS. #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/Gtn4iCqDUe— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) August 25, 2018 Washington: Q Ordega / OUT Banini Huster Wys / D45 Weimer / 9MO Matthews Portland: Q nil / OUT Reynolds / SEI Morris
They were actually doing pretty well this season until that game against Houston in Orlando where they were firmly in control and had a late game meltdown to piss away 3 points. Ever since then, they've been pretty bad.
15' 0-1 Sinclair passes up wide right for Raso sprinting way behind Sonnet Eubanks way up. Raso goes to 8m just outside box right, fast cross to 16m center. Heath chests ball to self, faces off 1-v-1 on T.Smith. Heath juggles, cuts left, steps over T.Smith's lunge-poke try, goes decisively to 7m 7-left. Hard left foot pull shot rises past Bledose's right hand, through left 90 into center back high. Class from @TobinHeath. @ThornsFC lead 1-0. #WASvPOR | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/UPf3KtWmD4— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
[ORL-CHI] 31' 0-0 Short passes square right to Nagasato at circle left. Nagasato threads a 40m ground pass through three lines of Orlando defenders , hits Kerr in stride at arc top mid-left. Kerr touches to 10m 1/4 left, Harris comes out to 8m. Kerr shoots leftward, Harris kick-saves straight up, rolls to her feet and scrambles back in time to collect. Ashlyn Harris comes up with a huge one-on-one save against Sam Kerr!#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/qJmj6A5zON— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 44' 0-1 Colaprico passes from circle back mid-left to Nagasato facing ball at circle top left. Krieger rushes that far out to get on Nagasato's back -- Nagasato one-touch right ankle flick springs Kerr right through Krieger's hole, already behind Edmonds at 27m mid-left. Kerr pulls up at box top 6-left, cuts centerward past Zadorsky overpursuing, to 14m center. Hard right foot pull across mouth wrong-foots Harris, skitters into 1/4 left back low. .@samkerr1 gets hers. @chiredstarsPR take the lead before the close of the first half!#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/G4RBayzkJi— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
This is the most nuts 30 minutes of NWSL ever . Absolutely nuts. I'm typing one goal recap, and ... Kerr scores! Morgan scores! Huerta scores! And as I was typing this post ... Houston pk, Daly scores! (<= the nuttiest 30 seconds)
45+1' (of +1') 0-2 Colaprico passes to Mautz(?) at 33m right touch. Kerr back-cuts unwary Zadorsky at 25m mid-right, Mautz's 1st peek is at Kerr, she promptly threads a pinpoint ground pass through box top right -- meanwhile, DiBernardo makes her trailing run from 23m center, two steps behind Edmonds. Kerr chases to 5m mid-right, jumps around ball and pulls a cross back to 8m right post. DiBernardo front-cuts Edmonds and gets easy inside position, one-touch right instep volley rising across mouth past Harris stranded low at right post, into 1/3 left 2/3 high. Another one. @vdibernardo10 finishes the pass from @samkerr1, and @chiredstarsPR take a 2–0 lead!#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/hMo3hKOwd9— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 59' 0-3 DiBernardo underhits a dink pass from 30m mid-left toward Nagasato at 24m, Kennedy tracks back and intercepts. Kennedy's momentum takes her through own arc top, Kerr pounces on her and matches speeds from a standing start, wrests ball loose (or bumps Kennedy off) at box top right post. Kerr promptly steps to 12m 1/3 right, shoots right instep across mouth past Harris's right foot, into back left low. Kerr takes the NWSL scoring lead It's @samkerr1's world, we're just living in it. @chiredstarsPR up, 3–0.#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/Hxcbh0JhWI— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 And as I typed this ... Houston scored twice! Twice! <= spa fon!
haha wow Sky Blue could possibly have a whole season where they never win a single game. Has that ever happened before to a team?
65' 1-3 Marta taps to Weatherholt backshielding at 17m wide left -- and continues her own run down box left behind Weatherholt's back. Weatherholt taps square left to Ubogagu at box top left touch, one-touch pass to 6m wide left for Marta, with Colaprico(?) in pursuit. Marta pulls one-touch cross, small deflection off Colaprico's right foottop upward. Ball drops at 6-top 1-left, Morgan front-cuts Ertz(!) and flick-heads across mouth past Harris's dive, drops it gently into back right low. That Marta to @alexmorgan13 connection is back! @ORLPride push their way back into this one, down 3–1 now.#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/ymWYm5qO0o— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 FT 1-3. Knockout punch. 54 (max 57) 1.Orlando 41 (max 44) 2.Seattle 39 (max 42) 3.Portland 34 (max 40) 4.Chicago 32 (max 35) 5.Utah ~~~~~~~~ 30 (max 33) 6.Orlando Orlando is eliminated from the 2018 playoffs Chicago is tentatively in 4th, with Utah and Houston(!!) still alive.
Today in summary: ORL fails to qualify for the playoffs after losing to CHI, who now control everything (and continue this season's lack-of-home-field-advantage pattern) SEA fails to secure 2nd on a last-minute NC goal HOU keeps its slim hopes alive as it utterly dismantles NJ, setting several franchise single-game records in the process It has not, but Sky Blue also has the most games remaining of any team, including a game against DC
I didn't watch any of the games in full -- but a few comments. The first game I've seen Sky Blue just fold -- with virtually no defense, even when the score was 2-1 and they had a chance. Off season, Sky Blue acquired several forwards, Johnson, Groom, Lloyd, and McCaskill -- but seems to have done nothing about its defense, which is just as bad as it was last year. For Houston, I wasn't very impressed with Huerta in the 10 position at first, but she's improved in every game and now seems very comfortable. I like Kgatlana. She is fast and can pass and shoot. Orlando just collapsed late in the season. Why? Kerr is the best player in the world.....No doubt in my mind. I hope Raso of Portland is okay. It didn't look good when they carried her off the field. I like to watch Raso. I think she and Daly of Houston are the hardest working players in the league -- and the most likely to get hurt.
[HOU-NJ] 22' 1-0 Freeman is way up near midfield box right, passes to Killion at circle right, Motlhalo applies pressure. Alas, Killion loses footing just as she passes square left, badly underhits it, Latsko steps back and collects. Daly promptly makes a hard run past circle top mid-left, already behind Freeman, using the cushion between her and Richardson as ... a runway for acceleration. Latkso knows the drill, first peek is at Daly's run, promptly kicks long to Daly's chest at 30m 6-left. Daly clangs the bounce off her knee, chases it to 11m left post, Sheridan slides out to 9m and hurdler's-slides. Daly pokes ball into Sheridan's legs, ball rebounds and rolls slowly to arc tangent left. Motlhalo arrives, one-touch right instep bend floats past 1, into 1/6 right 1/3 high. Her 1st goal in 2018! Rachel Daly with the initial run, Sheridan makes the stop but the rebound falls directly to @MaserameLinda who buries it. Dash lead 1–0.#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/J2XfT1zu5D— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 48' 2-0 Comeau goes back-to-back vs. Dorsey at circle top wide right, Huerta hovers nearby as an outlet, LB Tiernan steps that far up to support. Comeau shields ball into near touch, takes a right throw-in -- Huerta alertly makes a sprint up wide right, Comeau throws in down wide right over Tiernan's head, to Huerta at arc top. Latsko begins loping toward arc top, cleverly veering behind Richardson's back, opening vast lateral separation. Huerta outruns Tiernan to 10m wide right, crosses outswinging around Richardson to 5m left post. Latsko steps around ball, stoop-heads down sharply to 3m 1/4 left, ball bounces across mouth past Sheridan at near post, into center back high. Alert off-ball movement, and it really looks like Houston are trained to look for these quick runs and combos. .@V_Latsko12 starts the second half off with a bang. @HoustonDash led, 2–0!#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/8AxyDmt8Df— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
54' 2-1 Groom dribbles from 32m wide right to arc top mid-right, McCaskill leads her through arc tangent right, while Dorsey cuts in from arc left toward spot. Groom tries a ground pass to either of those two targets, Motlhalo lunge-pokes back to ball at box top right post. Ball bounces up and trickles to Brooks at 12m 6-right. Dorsey arrives and chest-bumps Brooks's back, ball never stops rolling, leaks out to 8m 6-right. Dorsey pounces on it first, touches to 6-top right, rolls a medium-soft shot across mouth past Campbell, just inside left post low. So many goals right now 😅 @Imdorsey96 gets in on the goal-scoring fun, and gets @SkyBlueFC back into this one. 2–1!#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/VXWNVRZdZp— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 65' 3-1 Killion body-bumps Huerta down at midfield box right. Houston fk not shown, evidently a quick switch left. Ohai drives down wide left to 10m, fast shross to 2m 1/3 left, Sheridan flies out and pushes ball wide right with right hand. Ball bounces to 4m mid-right, Huerta measures the bounce and lifts waist-high right roundhouse half-volley mini-lob, it drops just over Sheridan still down and Richardson's leaping header try at 0.5m center, and banks in off the back edge of left post 1/3 low. 😮 this angle. @schuerta extends the @HoustonDash lead to 3–1.#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/U1O4SyZan3— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018