Well, definitely happy for Huerta! Full moon Friday the 13th odd indeed in the predictably unpredictable NWSL.
59' 1-0 Huerta shross from 15m wide right drifts goalward, over Barnhart's fingertips, off crossbar 1/3 right, bounces down at 4m left post and Corsie clears. Daly(?) gets a half-volley header, Barnhart catches. A cross from @schuerta almost finds its way into the back of the net. 1-0 | #HOUvUTA pic.twitter.com/yFtifJRL23— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 61' 1-0 Utah subs in (1 of 3) #66 Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir for #25 Katie Stengel. 62' 2-0 Daly turns at midfield wide right, Huerta back-cuts Weber waaaay up at circle back wide right. Ball bounces at 25m wide right, dies perfectly in Huerta's stride through box top right. Huerta leads Weber to 5m 7-right, shoots right instep scoop over Barnhart, off crossbar bottom 1/4 right, bounces down into goal. A friendly bounce for once from the crossbar as @schuerta gets her second goal of the match. 2-0 | #HOUvUTA pic.twitter.com/0lj0OPOfrd— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 Something's in the air tonight -- it's Huerta shots and shrosses!
Huerta has seemed to be low energy for about the last three months. She revived tonight and was all over the field. And for a change Houston's defense was good. I picked Houston to make the playoffs this year, but Ohai, Mewis, and Huerta (up till now) haven't shown much on offense.
68' 2-0 Utah subs in (2 of 3) #15 Erika Tymrak for #21 Veronica Boquete. 75' 2-1 Utah cross from box right, Schmidt flicks it behind Press, who turns back and stabs at it but can't bring it down. Nairn bloops a clearance to 15m box right, LaBonta settles and shoots right roundhouse into Brooks' chest. Ball deflects behind Tymrak's run to 10m 1/5 right, Tymrak steps back and settles facing away, draws 3 defenders to her. Backpass to 16m center, Jónsdóttir steps up unmarked and shoots one-touch right instep into back right high, past Campbell frozen. We've got a game.@Gunnhildur_Yrsa pulls a goal back for @UtahRoyalsFC. 1-2 | #HOUvUTA pic.twitter.com/JIzUO53fPT— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019
77' 2-1 Utah subs in (3 of 3) #31 Gaby Vincent for #6 Katie Bowen. 78' 2-1 Houston subs in (1 of 3) #15 Cecelia Kizer for #19 Kristie Mewis. 79' 2-1 Houston subs in (2 of 3) #2 Ariana Catrina Calderón Valdez for #7 Kealia Ohai. 85' 2-1 LaBonta passes to Rodriguez at 27m arc right, Press runs center-to-right across arc top, dragging Brooks. Rodriguez turns to 25m right post, Brooks inexplicably leaves Press to step to ball, Rodriguez passes right outstep to Press now alone at 16m mid-right. Press turns to 7m 5-right, Campbell steps up to 5m right post, Press shoots right instep into Campbell's right hip/arm, Campbell blocks ball out to 5m wide (her) left and Houston collects. .@jane_campbell1 with a MASSIVE 🛑2-1 | #HOUvUTA pic.twitter.com/Xx9EYbfX3m— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 87' 2-1 Yellow card on Nairn. 90+2' (of +') 2-1 Houston subs in (3 of 3) #28 Cami Privett for #11 Sofia Huerta. FT 2-1. Houston (25-12, 20 played) actually pips Washington for 6th (25+3, 18 played) because they lead head-to-head 4+1 to 1-1 from an 0-0 draw and a 2-1 win at Washington, with the 3rd H2H match to be played on 09/25. Houston's last 4 are brutal: at NC, at Portland, Washington, and at Utah
With only 9 teams in the league, difficulty of schedule and position on the table (by PPG) are usually pretty well anticorrelated.
I was at the Chicago vs Orlando game in Orlando and no, there def. was not four and a half thousand people at the game. I even made a comment about it to a Orlando fan. However, in Orlando just looking at the seats via your TV screen is deceiving in guessing the attendance, in my opinion, especially during the hot summer. Many people opt to stand in the concourse out of the sun than sit in the blistering hot seats, especially on early games. I've been several times to Orlando games where I see lots of people watching from inside the concourse on a mid-day or 5:00 afternoon game. And I don't think you cant see that on TV.
For those who have obviously never engaged in watching sports in the US, or the rest of the world, here's a hint: Announced attendance and actual butts in seats have almost nothing to do with each other.
[#2.NC-ORL.#9] Hamilton for McDonald; Zerboni for S.Mewis; O'Reilly for Mathias. 1172997199401062401 is not a valid tweet id Evans for Camila; Elinsky for Hill; Weatherholt for Boyles. Your Pride facing the @TheNCCourage at 7:00 pm ET on @YahooSports! #NCvORL | #SKOPURP pic.twitter.com/9EuZnnd0nS— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 14, 2019 North Carolina: Q none / OUT (=) Harbison Pruitt Orlando: Q none / OUT (=) Marta Morgan van Egmond / 45D (=) Pressley / MAT (=) Leroux
06' 1-0 Hamilton crosses from 7m wide right to 3m left post, Ln.Williams splits Greening and Emslie(!) from box top center and arrives first, lifts waist-high left instep and volleys past Harris. GOAL! It's @lynnraenie's world this week, and we're just living in it. 😯1-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/wyGCqMsnH8— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 11' 1-0 Greening fouls Hamilton in box, pk, yellow card on Greening. 14' 1-0 Dahlkemper pk, right instep to right post 1/4 high, Harris dives and blocks, Zadorsky clears over endline right. 🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️@Ashlyn_Harris breaks Abby Dahlkemper's perfect #NWSL record from the spot!1-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/U4OtzJJCuF— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 14' 1-0 North Carolina subs in (1 of 3) #14 Jessica McDonald for #23 Kristen Hamilton.
28' 1-0 Yellow card on Elinsky, for a foul on Erceg. 28' 1-0 Yellow card on Kennedy, for a foul on Debinha. 37' 2-0 Hinkle darts up left touch to 30m, sidesteps Evans, whips a cross to 14m 1/4 right. Edmonds, facing own goal with McDonald lurking on her outside, volleys a clearance off right shin, perfectly lobs Harris, off own crossbar 1/5 right, bounces down into goal. Shades of Bassett Unlucky for the Pride, as the Courage find goal number 2️⃣ through an own goal.2-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/m56KzrsHIU— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 40' 3-0 Hinkle faces up Greening at arc top wide left, drives down wide left, cuts inside and gets past Evans, turns again and beats both down wide left, to 4m. Fast cross drops just over Ln.Willams + Krieger jumping at near post, drops untouched at 6-top center. McDonald has inside position 1 step ahead of Edmonds, grasstop volley dink across mouth, off inside of right post 1/2 high and in. 😍 take a bow, @J_Mac1422!Picture perfect finish to give @TheNCCourage their third of the night.3-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/18jgUWYP88— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2019 HT 3-0.
65' 3-0 North Carolina subs in (2 of 3) #4 McKenzie Meehan for #9 Lynn Williams. 68' 3-0 Orlando subs in: - (1 of 3) #9 Camila for #7 Claire Emslie - (2 of 3) #15 Rachel Hill for #20 Abby Elinsky. 72' 3-0 North Carolina subs in (3 of 3) #21 Cari Roccaro for #19 Crystal Dunn. 72' 3-0 O'Reilly cuts inside to arc top mid-left, shoots left instep to left post 3/4 high, Harries flies across and blocks it left. HAO looking to cap off a special night, but @Ashlyn_Harris is up to the task. 🧤🔥3-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/NVIhGVro3Z— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 78' 4-0 McDonald chases down a long switch at 8m wide right, stands over it, lifts a cross to 4m 1/4 left. Krieger knocks Debinha off-balance and she faceplants at 4m center, no call. Ball continues untouched, Meehan reaches right sole past Greening and stomp-blocks ball across mouth past Harris not even moving, into back right edge 1/5 high. .@kenz_meehan opens up her Courage #NWSL account, and that's ⚽️ number 4️⃣!4-0 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/jaVoNfxjzy— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019
81' 4-0 Orlando subs in (3 of 3) #22 Bridget Callahan for #23 Marisa Viggiano. 82' 4-1 Evans knocks ball down to box top mid-right, Hill shoots one-touch right foot over Labbé, into 1/3 right back high. .@r_hill3 gets one back for the Pride from WAAAAAY downtown! 🚀4-1 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/tEWTIwzjQw— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 85' 5-1 Dahlkemper longball to O'Reilly at 27m box left. O'Reilly dribbles to arc top mid-left, cuts inside to 17m 6-left, shoots right instep across mouth past Harris' dive, into back right edge 2/3 high. 👏 H 👏 A 👏O 👏@HeatherOReilly marks her night with a special strike, and takes the bow she deserves. 🙌5-1 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/iBeU4gzJzG— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 90+2' (of +4') 6-1 Zerboni passes up box right, McDonald backheels upfield (intentional or not). Debinha hops over Kennedy sliding, knocks ball to O'Reilly, starts her own run unmarked through 30m box right. O'Reilly dribbles to 25m arc right, passes inside-out into Debinha's stride. Debinha chases to 7m 7-right, Harris comes out to 5m, Debinha shoots right foot pull to Harris's left (or through her legs?), across mouth into back left low. Another 6️⃣ spot for @TheNCCourage.6-1 | #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/810GzYeP65— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 90+3' (of +4') 6-1 O'Reilly retires (= leaves field with no subs left) with a minor(?) injury. It's like half of a sub. FT 6-1. 9,563! 1173033789720879104 is not a valid tweet id
[#6.WAS-REI.#5] Pugh for Farquharson; Crosson for Bailey. The XI for our match against Reign FC at Audi Field!#CatchTheSpirit // #SpiritNation pic.twitter.com/VRQH2g05yy— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 14, 2019 McNabb for Barnes. Our Starting XI for #WASvRFC.Yanez wears the captain's armband today.#ShePlaysHere #BeBold pic.twitter.com/ergtHFyWY2— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) September 14, 2019 Washington: OK (OUT <=) Kellond-Knight Pugh / Q none / OUT (OK =>) Bailey (=) Lavelle McGrady / MAT (=) Eubanks / (4YEL Dougherty Howard) Reign FC: Q none / 5YEL Barnes / OUT (=) Groom / 45D (=) Ld.Williams / SEI (=) Betos Fishlock J.Johnson T.Smith Spencer Watson
30' 1-0 Pugh crosses from 3m left touch outswinging to 6m 3-left. Hatch fronts McNabb at 6-top left post, steps forward to ball and twist-heads over right shoulder, wrong-foots Murphy, drops perfectly inside left post to 1/3 left back low. 🚀⚽️ @ash_hatch33 with the emphatic header off a brilliant @MalPugh cross! 1-0 | #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/pz5NFvwgQp— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 35' 1-1 White(?) left ck, toward Yanez at 3m 2/5 left, Bledsoe double-punches down to 6-top, ball bounces out to 9m 1/4 left. Balcer collects going right, chases to 12m right post, runs around forehand and pulls right instep shot off Bledsoe's left arm, just inside right post low. Things are heating up in the nation's capital. ♨️Bethany Balcer with a 👌 finish for @ReignFC, and this game is level at 1️⃣ goal apiece.1-1 | #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/Uc8Xsewyou— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 HT 1-1. 17,418! Tonight's attendance - 17,418 members of the #SpiritNation!#WASvRFC // #CatchTheSpirit pic.twitter.com/SvDhiJasze— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 15, 2019
The Washington/Seattle game was the sort of game that makes me realize why I like soccer. Great crowd, great effort by both teams, lots of action.
46' 1-1 Reign FC subs in (1 of 3) #15 Megan Rapinoe for #31 Rosie White. 59' 1-1 Washington subs in (1 of 3) #20 Cheyna Matthews for #31 Crystal Elaine Thomas. 61' 1-1 Reign FC subs in (2 of 3) #12 Morgan Andrews for #6 Allie Long. 64' 1-1 Washington subs in (2 of 3) #6 Chloe Logarzo for #4 Jordan DiBiasi. 70' 1-1 Reign FC subs in (3 of 3) #25 Ifeoma Onumonu for #11 Darian Jenkins. 84' 1-1 Washington subs in (3 of 3) #7 Amy Harrison for #5 Megan Crosson. 86' 1-1 Washington serve high to 4m right post, Logarzo chases as Murphy dives out, Logarzo pulls out but inadvertently plants a knee into Murphy's ribs(?). Stoppage, all others get water. 90' 2-1 Hatch receives facing away at 15m mid-right, with Andrews tight against her back. Hatch instantly spins ccw and turns past Andrews to 5m 7-right, floats a cross to Logarzo unmarked at 7m 5-left. Logarzo settles ball, waits for it to stop bouncing , shoots right instep across mouth just over Oyster's head, into back right edge 3/4 high. +7', because of the stoppage. LOGARZO! 😲@CLogarzo puts the Spirit ahead as we head into 7️⃣ minutes of stoppage!2-1 | #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/hQ6kbsVe8s— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 SCENES ON THE SIDELINE!#WASvRFC // #CatchTheSpirit pic.twitter.com/QmHiJxlS3m— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 15, 2019 90+2' (of +7') 2-2 Balcer stoops under a header challenge at midfield arc right, ball bounces ahead to J.Taylor at circle half-front -- and Onumonu starts her back-cut acceleration through circle top mid-right, with Harrison caught backpedaling. J.Taylor turns to circle top right, kicks right outstep up mid-right lane, Onumonu wins race and collects at 25m. Onumonu maintains a 2m lead to 8m 6-right, pulls Bledsoe out to 6-top, shoots right instep across mouth over Bledsoe's hands, into left bottom pipe 1/2 back. ...and @ify_on22 answers RIGHT BACK for @ReignFC! 😲🔥This. Game. 2-2 | #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/Rp35xcJx91— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 FT 2-2. Washington now have nearly no margin left, trailing #4 Utah by 5 pts with 1 match in hand. They need H2H wins over the top 4, or outside help. #4.Utah and #5.Reign FC are now tied on 31 pts from 20 played, and their H2H is tied at 3 pts, +3-3 = 0 GD, from Reign 2-0 at Utah and Utah 3-1 at Reign. If away goals is a tiebreaker, then Utah wins that on 3 away goals; but in any case, Utah wins GD at +4 to -2, which is why they're #4. Utah finishes: at Reign, vs NC, at Chicago, vs Houston. Reign finish: vs. Utah, vs. Sky Blue, vs. Portland, at Orlando. Washington finishes: at Chicago, at Houston, vs. NC, at Orlando, at Portland.
90+3' (of +4') 6-1 North Carolina withdraws O'Reilly from the field, and finish with 10. Irreplaceable.Show some 💙 for the 👸, @HeatherOReilly! #NWSL pic.twitter.com/ZrO3mzyqOa— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2019 I guess 4R's signboard is part of the protocol.
She's not retired, yet. She'll continue until the end of the Courage season. As the game was marketed as honoring her - and there was a nice ceremony afterwards - the one-way exit was just a chance for the crowd to applaud her, and to kill time.
I've seen it happen (or, rather, read about it happening) just once before, and I thought it was in the past year or two... But I can't remember where exactly (it was in the States though) or who retired to get that no-replacement walk-off.
Haha, I knew that wording would get somebody "Retires" is overloaded in this context, with two meanings: - the colloquial (everyday) meaning: To end one's career (and seek a 2nd job) - the technical (NWSL jargon) meaning: To leave a game without being replaced Within a single NWSL match (and, perhaps, MLS and other leagues), "retire" has the technical meaning, not the everyday meaning. See NWSL's own pbp for the NC-ORL page. I suppose motor sports have a 3rd meaning for "re-tire"
Lol, you always crack me up, @Gilmoy! I had never seen before the signboard when a player "retires" from the game with no substitution, and I have seen my fair share of games when a team was ending in 10 for that reason... On a different note, I guess it's confirmed once again that Balcer is a key-player for Seattle this season, maybe even more that returning Rapinoe.
.......according to the laws, if she left the field without the referee’s permission, she could have been yellow carded........As Jen Cooper said in the video clip, this is how she left the field in her last National Team game in 2016, except then the 4th official had a red “9” on the signboard. Iconic pair of 9’s Mia Hamm & HAO, rivaled only by #13s Kristine Lilly and Alex Morgan.