We might not even have to wait until the Utah-Chicago game. If the Red Stars don't lose to SkyBlue, they're in. If they beat both SkyBlue and Utah, and Seattle beats Portland, Chicago will go to third.
67' 3-1 Daly chests ball down at 30m center, Sky Blue's backline are all up at 24m. Huerta has wide lateral separation from LB Tiernan, begins her sprint-start lean-and-go, Daly hooks a ground pass to arc top mid-right. Huerta touches past Tiernan, outraces her by 1/2 a shoelength to 16m mid-right, pokes ball deeper, and then Tiernan slide-pokes and gets only Huerta's legs. Foul, pk. 67' 4-1 Daly pk, right instep into back right low, as Sheridan leaned wrong. Huerta earns the PK, @RachelDaly3 buries it. 4-1, @HoustonDash.#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/QB6gcrzr3p— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 88' 5-1 Simon right ck. Wicked trickeration: Hanson spots up at 14m 1/3 left, standing still, with Pierre-Louis giving her about 2m of cushion. Brooks jogs through arc left toward spot, dragging Tiernan with her to create congestion around 9m center. As Simon lowers arm and plants to kick, Hanson makes a left-to-right cut, passing in front of Brooks and Tiernan, forcing Pierre-Louis to go around Tiernan's screen Simon's cross outswings to the designated point in space at 9m right post, knee-high. Hanson is a tad early(?) to it, hops and right-foot full-volley mini-lob floats just under crossbar center, over Sheridan's fingertips. That finish is probably unintendedly exquisite, but the rendezvouz was clearly planned. .@hay_hanson makes it 🖐️ for the @HoustonDash.#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/nH8jraJsSm— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 90' 6-1 Sky Blue right ck, outswings to 7m right post. Killion and Pierre-Louis both go for it, Killion jumps and misses a header try. Brooks knees ball past spot, chases and promptly hoofs long to Kgatlana waiting at circle back left, behind Frisbie but onside in her own half Kgatlana touches into a 1-v-1 sprint duel alongside Frisbie. At 30m mid-left, Kgatlana begins weave-dribbling: right outstep touch threatens to break right, Frisbie's hips must swivel right, then right instep goes left, Frisbie must swivel left, etc. Kgatlana arrives at 12m 3-left, shoots left instep across mouth, past Frisbie's lunge-block try, under Sheridan's left hand, into 1/6 right back low. Perfect outlet pass and play, perfectly executed solo break. .@KgatlanaJnr11 goes dancing 💃 and the @HoustonDash extend their lead to 6–1.#HOUvNJ | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/U91bYs5PmU— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 26, 2018 FT 6-1. And while I was typing this --
This is the perfect dummy because it was completely unintentional and of course catches the GK unprepared, because you normally don't believe that a FW can miss so badly! Despite the fact that Seattle is close to clinching 2nd spot in the league this season, I keep being completely unimpressed by Ms Taylor! Lol Lydia Williams vs. Lynn Williams! In fact it's the nightmare of any type-comment-guy. Who are you talking about?
Much appropriately, while Kerr reached the top of the scorers' rankings, Yuki Nagasato now leads alone NWSL in assists! What an end of season for Chicago Red Stars, and what a perfect chemistry between Kerr and Nagasato! I guess not even Utah players still believe they can catch Chicago right now: I'd say we have our play-offs' bracket, by now, and we just need to know who's going to have the home advantage. Also consider that, as @cpthomas, @SiberianThunderT and others showed through data from this season, home advantage could actually be an home-disadvantage!
Surely Seattle (and us fans) don't want to see Chicago in 3rd place. I'd prefer anyone else (besides NCC), assuming we stay in 2nd place
Interestingly, I've just written exactly the same on Seattle Reign's thread in the same moment as you were writing it here! I guess it's a case of "great minds think alike".
and I agree with both of you. i think chicago may be the best nwsl team at the right moment in the season.