So how many times this season have we had a 1v2 match? This season has been fairly fun so far. I'm hoping Sky Blue and Orlando can notch surprise wins again.
As I said in the prediction thread, I wonder about the USWNT's contribution at their immediate come back from the World Cup. Enthousiast? Perfectly fit as seen in France? or tired from the long tournament and emotionally drained?
I just got around the watching the Reign/Portland game of last weekend. Despite a fistful of injuries, the Reign roll along. Bethany Balcer is a helluva good soccer player. She made some good defensive plays in that game from her center forward position. One has to wonder why she wasn't lured away from Nowhere U -- or wherever it was she played -- to a major school? And what about Stephanie Cox coming out of a, what?, three year retirement? Vlatko gets the best out of his players.
I believe Balcer wanted to go to Spring Arbor University, a Christian college. Wiki says she is a devout Christian. I also feel Vlatko is the best coach in NWSL. Would like to see him as the next USWNT coach.
Houston's injury report looks whacked, with all of their internationals who returned for week 12 once again gone for INT'L DUTY in week 13. I think somebody did a bad copy-paste. I assume O'Reilly is back for North Carolina this week. She doesn't appear on the report anyways -- which is a bit odd. Shouldn't she have been listed as OUT (excused absence)?
[#9.NJ-UTA.#5] Identical. We Ready #NJvUTA pic.twitter.com/4rLZVs8Ith— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) July 12, 2019 Corsie for Miramontez; Bowen for S.Johnson; Scott for Weber. All 🔒'd in! pic.twitter.com/fmfF9BMbuP— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) July 12, 2019 Sky Blue: (OK <= Q) E.Johnson / Q none / OUT (=) Freeman Richardson Tiernan / INTL (USA) Lloyd Utah: Q none / OUT (OK =>) Strom-Okimoto (=) Boquete Nolf / SEI (=) Lytle Ratcliffe / BACK (CAN) Matheson Scott (NZL) Bowen (SCO) Corsie / INTL (USA) Sauerbrunn O’Hara Press
28' 0-0 Laddish medium-long ball from circle right into Rodriguez's stride through 27m arc left, to 10m. Rodriguez shoots left foot off left post low, ball bounces out to 16m center. Jónsdóttir touches to 13m 1/3 left, stretches right outstep just wide left low. A goalkeeper's best friend. The post denies the opener for @UtahRoyalsFC.0-0 | #NJvUTA pic.twitter.com/NXxM421Uqi— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 13, 2019
48' 0-0 Skroski(?) left ck, to 6-top 1/3 left, Barnhart double-punches away. LaBonta clears high to circle back, Dydasco settles but it leaks away from her. Rodrigez stretch-blocks ball off Dydasco's foot behind her, chases alone through circle center. Sheridan is waaaay up at circle back right, sweeps away. Sweeper keeper @Kailen_Sheridan shuts down a @UtahRoyalsFC breakaway. 🙅♀️0-0 | #NJvUTA pic.twitter.com/Tu4RJBJ0K5— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 13, 2019
90+2' (of +3') 1-0 Hoy challenges Vincent at 25m mid-left, Vincent pokes ball centerward. Killion one-touch return pass to Hoy through box top mid-left to 14m, stopped by Corsie. Hoy cuts inside to 10m 3-left, shoots right instep bend past Barnhart's dive, into back right edge 1/3 high. Joy for @Jenhoy2!1-0 | #NJvUTA pic.twitter.com/mgTC5NpZB0— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 13, 2019 FT 1-0. Hoy does it again! Sky Blue have won 2 in a row for the first time in 2 years.
Sky Blue won two games in a row. The sun didn't rise this morning. Thailand won the Women's World Cup. A boring game (Utah gets my vote as the most boring team in the NWSL. Sorry for that.) but with a dramatic finish. Jen Hoy is super-sub of the year!
I've been working my friends hard to convince them to go to the Courage. Once they find out that the USWNT won't be playing, all but one that showed interest in tonight's game, bailed. Having 3 of 4 players "honored after the game" just doesn't have the same caché as actually having the players in uniform. And the Courage fans won't get to see their USWNT players in uniform until August 15 in the Women's ICC and August 24th in the NWSL. Their last game at home was April 17th. That's 4 months and 6 home NWSL games. I expect almost no WWC-bump in Cary. If the USWNT players were back this weekend, I could see a 10,000 sellout in Cary with the four local players and Megan Rapinoe on the field. So much for striking while the iron was hot, and everyone on social media is exhorting casual fans to support the NWSL if you supported the USWNT at the WWC.
[#2.NC-REI.#1] Erceg for Pruitt (and Roccaro => LM, Debinha => RW, Hamilton => CF); Labbé for Rowland. 1150166764065628161 is not a valid tweet id Identical. Here is your Reign FC Starting XI for today's match against @TheNCCourage. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. PT#NCvRFC #RFC253 #BeBold pic.twitter.com/T475LHxGOv— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) July 13, 2019 North Carolina: Q (OK =>) Rn.Williams (=, starting) Erceg (OUT <=) King / OUT (=) Harbison / INTL (USA) Dahlkemper Dunn McDonald S.Mewis Reign FC: (OK <= Q) McNabb / OUT (OK =>) Cox (=) Andrews Jenkins Utsugi / SEI (OUT =>) Watson (=) Betos Fishlock Johnson Spencer T.Smith / INTL (USA) Rapinoe Long (ENG) J.Taylor
NC vs RFC. I watched RFC vs POR yesterday to see how they beat the Thorns. They did it with defense. Nielsen, Oyster, Barnes, and Catley are a solid back line. Proffitt and Celia played in front of them and pretty much smothered Sinc . And clogged the middle, restricting Purce’s ground game. They all totally outplayed POR vs high crosses into the box. Purce and Foord don’t appear to have aerial games and often the crosses came in without Sinc or Dagny being there. RFC did not have an irresistible attack and scored on a 2nd or 3rd ball coming free outside the area. I predict the defense will be tough for NC to penetrate but RFC won’t manage a draw or win tonight.
05' 0-0 Brief stoppage, Groom is down at circle top right touch with a dinged ankle. 06' 0-0 Groom returns, pings a triangle. Reign switch left to Catley, pass to Onumonu in a seam at 30m box left, NC promptly steal and switch (their) left. 07' 0-0 NC switch right to Mathias unmarked up wide right to 25m. Cross to 6-left foot is too fast for Debinha, Oyster escorts it over. 07' 0-0 NC high-press at circle top or higher, Reign are playing switch-and-counter.
11' 0-0 Hamilton cuts inside to box top mid-left, shoots right instep toward 1/3 right low, Murphy dives and catches. 14' 0-0 NC dominate possession, Reign can't easily win the ball. Balcer comes back to circle front left, tries a long diagonal pass for Yanez through arc top mid-right, Erceg intercepts. Mathias rolls a through-ball to 6-top right post, Murphy smothers it. 16' 0-0 Roccaro shoots right instep from 27m 6-right, wide left low.
21' 0-0 Groom chases to 14m wide right, ground cross to Yanez unmarked at 16m 6-right. Yanez settles with a bit of a bounce, gets closed down, shoots right instep rising over Labbé's fingertips and crossbar 1/3 left. 22' 1-0 Off that restart, Labbé to Kurtz, pass to Zerboni at circle halfback right. One touch, fast vertical pass to Hamilton running past Celia(?) at 40m circle right. Hamilton dribbles to 26m mid-right, diagonal pass to Ln.Williams through arc tangent left on a perfect post route, behind Oyster and inside Theresa. Ln.Williams veers to 10m 1/4 right, draws Murphy out to 8m, shoots under her into center back low. All she does is LYNN. @lynnraenie slots home a great through ball from @khamilton17. #NCvSEA pic.twitter.com/x1sFX8Goov— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 13, 2019 weather.com says Cary, NC is 92°F = 33°C, 42% humidity, partly cloudy. NWSL mandates water breaks per half.
The Courage's scoring streak against the Reign has now stretched to 19, dating back to the very first matchup back in 2013. Reign might have gotten wins over the Flash/Courage during that time, but they've never shut them out.