PBP: 2019 NWSL Week 9 Discussion

Not sure why they decided it was necessary to play these games, not only while the teams are depleted, but just in the middle of the World Cup. Maybe it's me, but I find really difficult to feel invested in Houston Dash-Orlando Pride while there is a World Cup underway. And don't even get me started about the Dash missing Daly, Prince, Schmidt, Chapman... and the Pride missing Marta, Morgan, Kennedy, Krieger, Harris...

What's the whole point? Showing that "we don't care about the World Cup"? Trying to somehow capture tne interest for women's football during the World Cup, in the hopeful wish that it does help NWSL attendences? Having the league end at the exact same date as previous years, because it is important for whatever reasons (contracts, overlapping with other leagues...)? Please, someone explain this to me, because I swear I don't get it.

 

Probably it was a least-worst fit for such things like stadium availability in the fall.

It might be ideal to take 1 full month off (and play 20 matches instead of 24?), but I guess other considerations outweighed that. Other pro sports, including MLB and hockey, struggle with similar issues.

Anyways, NWSL has known for years that it will be a league in which players go missing during the WWC and Olympics, and teams shall just play around it. So I have no new objections to it this week

 

[#4.NC-POR.#2]
Identical

1140031750120398848 is not a valid tweet id

Pogarch for Menges (and Ball => CB); Hubly for Salem (and Klingenberg => MF); Boureille for Brynjarsdóttir.

Today's lineup for #NCvPOR. 🌹⚽️

Watch today's match on @YahooSports; kickoff is 4:45PM (PT). #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/6pLoVGBF7y

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 15, 2019

North Carolina: Q (OK =>) O'Sullivan (=) Perea / OUT (=) Harbison King / INTL (USA) Dahlkemper Dunn McDonald S.Mewis (BRA) Debinha (CAN) Labbé (NZL) Erceg (FOX) O'Reilly
Portland: Q none / (OK => OUT) Menges Salem / INTL (USA) Franch Heath Horan Sonnett (AUS) Carpenter Foord Raso (BRA) Andressinha (CAN) Sinclair (ISL) Brynjarsdóttir

( https://www.ksi.is/um-ksi/frettir/f...A-kvenna-Markalaust-jafntefli-gegn-Finnlandi/ )
Iceland plays two friendlies vs. Finland on Thu 06/13 and Mon 06/17? "Dagnýju Brynjarsdóttur" was mentioned at 59', and apparently subbed out at 82'. 14 occurrences of "dóttir" on that page, and only this one instance of "dóttur"

 

05' 0-0 Mathias backpass to circle back, Kurtz settles but steps upon ball , falls over it. Charley collects and counters through arc top left post, Roccaro closes her down and slide-blocks shot over endline left.

06' 0-0 Klingenberg(?) left ck, to 6m center, Leshnak comes out and slaps it away, Portland head back into traffic but North Carolina clear.

07' 0-0 All Portland in North Carolina's 1/2 so far.

08' 0-0 North Carolina left throw-in at own box top, chip up left touch to Hamilton just across midfield. Hamilton bends a long serve to box top center for Ln.Williams, Eckerstrom comes out to box top and waits for ball to arrive -- changes mind and sweeps with feet, simultaneous contact with Ln.Williams, does clear to 35m circle left.

 

10' 0-0 Ln.Williams spins cw past Reynolds too close, down wide left to 8m. Backpass to 18m center, Hamilton runs on and shoots one-touch right instep, it bends just wide left low.

19' 0-0 Portland clear to circle back right, Charley receives 1-v-3, does a drag-right to turn Kurtz around, accelerates away from her through circle center. Kurtz + the other 2 are all beaten for pace, Kurtz reaches out and hauls Charley down by her jersey. Foul, yellow card on Kurtz.

19' 0-0 Klingenberg fk at circle top, to 6-top 5-left, Crnogorčević jumps facing away and heads a soft dink to left post, Leshnak catches.

 

26' 0-1 NC fk(?) to circle left, Seiler kicks long the other way to arc top left. Purce races Kurtz and Leshnak coming out for it, wins race at 18m arc left, kicks right outstep half-volley on the run, past Leshnak bouncing into center back. Seiler's 1st assist!

What a finish, @100Purcent. 🎯#BAONPDX | #NCvPOR pic.twitter.com/HgGvXpROPV

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 16, 2019

27' 0-1 A bit of comedy: off the restart, ball gets cleared high over sideboards -- into the TV booth, and apparently caught by one of the local pbp persons (This was recently done by a minor league baseball commentator -- he called the pbp of his own catch)

28' 0-1 Pruitt crosses from arc top wide right through 13m center, Ln.Williams is overtaking Ball through left post lane but Ball swings right roundhouse and micro-touches ball past Williams' torso.

 

34' 0-1 Hinkle crosses from 8m left touch over Eckerstrom half-jumping at 2m 1/4 right, past Pruitt sliding through 2m 4-right, cleared into far touch.

35' 0-1 Ln.Williams receives at arc top, turn-and-shoot right foot way high.

38' 0-1 Hinkle passes to Ln.Williams at box top left, she spins cw and goes down wide left to 4m. Cross to 3m 2-left, Eckerstrom catches low as Hamilton vaults over her.

37' @Breck28 is locked in, collects that cross under pressure. #BAONPDX | #NCvPOR pic.twitter.com/93hOfW5SqH

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 16, 2019

39' 0-1 Off that punt, Portland chip to Charley facing away at 22m center, back-head flick drops to Purce at 12m 1/4 left. Purce turns with ball to 9m left post, stretches right toes and pokes to Leshnak.

 

[#6.HOU-ORL.#9]
Identical.

Tonight's Starting XI: Campbell; Romero, Prisock, Brooks, Murray; Mewis, Nairn, Hanson; Huerta, Kizer, Ohai ©#HOUvORL #DashOn pic.twitter.com/hjy39NQiZW

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) June 15, 2019

Boyles for Viggiano (and Callahan => CAM).

The XI taking on the Dash at 8:30 p.m. ET in Houston.

Stream: https://t.co/PM3SsfzTFW#HOUvORL | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/SaQdHikPl8

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) June 15, 2019

Houston: Q (=) Comeau (<= OUT) Simon / OUT (=) Latsko Shim / (AUS) Polkinghorne (CAN) Agnew Chapman Prince Schmidt (ENG) Daly (JAM) McCoy
Orlando: Q none / MAT (=) Leroux / INTL (USA) Harris Krieger Morgan (CAN) Zadorsky (AUS) Kennedy van Egmond (BRA) Camila Marta (SCO) Emslie

 

45' 0-1 Ln.Williams touches down box right to 13m, skips a cross through 6-top 4-right. Hubly or Boureille(?) slides down toward own goal, micro-flicks ball across mouth past Eckerstrom, just wide left low and over. Whew! I think that was meant to go wide right and over +3'.

45+1' (of +3') 0-1 North Carolina left ck, to 2m 1/5 right. Eckerstrom steps out and punches straight up, faces off vs. Pruitt and catches right above her head.

.@Breck28 💪💪💪#BAONPDX | #NCvPOR pic.twitter.com/1iiAM6tn0I

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 16, 2019

45+3' (of +3) 0-1 Hinkle is 1-v-1 on Pogarch at circle top wide left, through-ball try blocked, dribble-past blocked by body, finally she passes square right. Pogarch looks good in her 1st career cap.

HT 0-1. North Carolina have lost their crazy fast speed of play, now they look like just another team. Meanwhile, Portland's kids are fast, and as eager as puppies.

 

[HOU-ORL]
06' 0-0 Ohai dribbles away at 25m mid-left, Greening tugs her jersey back. Foul.

07' 0-0 Nairn fk at 25m mid-left, inswing to Brooks facing away at 12m 1/3 left, leaning back twist-header goes way over bar.

09' 0-0 Reid shanks a pass directly to K.Mewis, instant counter to 24m mid-left. K.Mewis hooks a square pass right through arc top box right, behind Huerta already through box top right, she can't chase it down before it enters right touch.

 

11' 0-0 Brooks races Hill down right touch to 27m, loses ground as she slides, intended shoulder challenge ends up as a leg-on-leg bumpdown from the left flank, Hill dives onto right touchline. Foul, yellow card on Brooks.

12' 0-0 Orlando fk at 27m right touch, cleared out of box. Orlando dump it back into box, Huerta stoops at 16m left post and misses a header, ball deflects off her upper arm? Handball given just outside box -- replay shows she was still in.

13' 0-1 Boyles fk in arc left, Houston set a 5-person wall, ending roughly at 8m center. What is the simplest idea? Hard right instep bend through that gap, past Campbell's dive, into right side netting low.

The first goal in Pride purple for Joanna Boyles! #HOUvORL | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/iSWlVrOfYj

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) June 16, 2019

 

16' 0-1 Ohai passes to Kizer facing away at 15m box left. Kizer spins ccw and gets past Greening(?), but stumbles as ball leaks away. Kizer regains at box top mid-left, passes to Huerta at 15m mid-right. Huerta cuts inside, left foot shot sails way high. Kizer has shown very good ball-receive so far.

[NC-POR]
46' 0-1 North Carolina subs in (1 of 3) #16 Julia Spetsmark for RB #20 Ryan Williams.

48' 0-1 Pruitt turns at 14m center, shoots right foot just over bar.

50' 0-1 All North Carolina above circle top so far, as Portland dig in and defend.

 

[NC-POR]
53' 0-1 Ln.Williams chases to box left, touches back to 12m box left, crosses to 6-top right. Spetsmark is unmarked thereat, pike-heads directly into Eckerstrom's basket.

54' 0-1 Ln.Williams cross from box top wide left to 16m center, Spetsmark jumps facing ball and sideheads gently up centerline, it bounces slowly to Eckerstrom.

55' 0-1 Spetsmark(?) plays a vertical give-and-get, 2nd pass through box top mid-left for Ln.Williams running down box left -- offside, crowd boos. Replay shows it was even or very close, but -- no VAR in NWSL

 

57' 0-1 NC restart at circle top, cross from high left goes wide right. This is starting to look like North Canada vs. Newport Zealand, it's about that one-sided.

[HOU-ORL]
29' 0-1 Reid trips Kizer from behind at 22m mid-left. Foul, yellow card on Reid.

30' 0-1 Nairn fk at 22m mid-left, inswings and bounces at 5m center (Kopmeyer doesn't come out), to 3m 1-right. Huerta gets past Pressley, hop-volleys right instep just wide right.

 

[NC-POR]
59' 1-1 Mathias longball from midfield box right to arc tangent right. Spetsmark cuts center-to-right across Reynolds and brushes her off against own back, Reynolds goes down, Spetsmark stays on feet to 10m 6-right. Awkward half-volley high lob drops perfectly over Eckerstrom's fingertips, into 1/4 left back low.

We see you, @JuliaSpetsmark! @TheNCCourage has their equalizer via a top-class finish.

1-1 | #NCvPOR pic.twitter.com/WSsruCd9nW

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 16, 2019

62' 1-1 Portland subs in (1 of 3) #34 Tyler Lussi for #38 Simone Charley.
63' 1-1 Yellow card on Lussi

 

[HOU-ORL]
35' 0-1 Houston long switch springs Huerta 10m alone through 30m box right, dribbling through box top right into a 1-v-3. Huerta goes to 15m mid-left, left-foot shot blocked across. K.Mewis receives at arc top left, shot deflects off Greening's turned back toward right 90, Kopmeyer flies and pushes it wide right.

.@hkopmeyer keeps @HoustonDash out with a 🔑 save off of a deflected shot.

0-1 | #HOUvORL pic.twitter.com/3ccioYTWQ2

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 16, 2019

 

[NC-POR]
66' 1-1 Spetsmark dribbles from 35m right touch to arc top mid-right, jukes side-to-side and spins Hubly ccw, goes to 17m 6-right and shoots left instep bend sliding down, off left 90, down to 6-top 3-left. Ln.Williams chests it rightward, Eckerstrom comes out and punches waist-high away. Hamilton settles at 10m left post and shoots right instep, Eckerstrom dives out and double-blocks point-blank, away to arc right. Spetsmark shoots, blocked by legs.

First the crossbar and then the @ThornsFC defense keeps @JuliaSpetsmark from a second goal. The 🇸🇪 has been buzzing after her equalizer.

1-1 | #NCvPOR pic.twitter.com/olNCf9Z8v5

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 16, 2019

70' 1-1 Pruitt(?) crosses high from box left to 7m 7-right, Spetsmark jumps and rotates for a diving header, misses ball and dives into Klingenberg's back instead, flattening her. Foul on Spetsmark, Klingenberg stays down, stoppage.

72' 1-1 Klingenberg sits up, trainer applies ... a neck protocol? Klingenberg walks off unassisted.

73' 1-1 Portland subs in (2 of 3) #37 Emily Ogle (1st cap!) for #41 Madison Pogarch.

 

79' 1-1 Klingenberg has returned (probably earlier), long pass down wide left for Purce, NC backpass to Leshnak.

81' 1-1 Mathias creeps down wide right 1-v-2 to 6m, cross blocked over.
82' 1-1 Mathias(?) right ck, scramble in box, Portland labor mightily to clear.

83' 1-1 Portland subs in (3 of 3) #40 Marissa Everett for #20 Kelli Hubly.

84' 1-1 Ln.Williams left throw-in at 6m, cleared, 2nd cross headed down to box top. Spetsmark shot blocked back to her, backpass to O'Sullivan at arc top left. Her one-touch shot deflects through 6-top 4-left, Eckerstrom dives and catches to save the ck.

 

86' 1-1 Kurtz righ tthrow-in at box top , to 6m 5-right, Ln.Williams outjumps Lussi and flick-heads to 4m 1/3 left. Spetsmark stoops to it, heads down too sharply, bounces it over bar.

87' 1-1 Hinkle chases to 3m wide left, cross cleared.

88' 1-1 Portland finally(!) escape their 1/2, Purce dribbles up wide right through box top right. Left foot shot deflects through spot and loses all speed, Leshnak collects.

88' 1-1 NC cross from ~box left, drops just over Hamilton jumping at 4m 6-left, bounces untouched at 3m 2-right, and Eckerstrom catches low. If you have no chance to react to the close deflection, make sure you stop the untouched bounce!

90' 1-1 North Carolina subs in (2 of 3) #4 McKenzie Meehan for #12 Leah Pruitt. +4'.

 

90+2' (of +4') 1-1 Purce counters 1-v-3 to arc top wide left, loses it.

90+3' (of +4') 1-1 Off that turnover, Roccaro longball bounces at 25m mid-left in Ln.Williams' stride. Williams dribbles inward to arc tangent left before she gets enough separation, shoots right instep way over.

90+4' (of +4') 1-1 Ln.Williams takes Ball down box left, Ball is beaten but slide-pokes over.

90+5' (of +4') 1-1 Leshnak comes way up to midfield wide left, long serve into mid-left rattles around, scramble ensues, Portland block everything and finally earn a foul.

FT 1-1. Wow, NC ate a Snickers at halftime and reverted to themselves in 2H. North Carolina 21(6)-(3)7 shots(sog), 9-2 corners, 37(!)-5 crosses, 6-1 offsides, 8-10 fouls, 13-44(!!) clearances, 66% possession ... and 1 goal. (This, too, is North Carolina)

 

[HOU-ORL]
47' 1-1 Ohai receives at 30m left touch, turns Greening with a stutter-and-go, through 12m box left to 4m mid-left. Shross through 2m left post, Kopmeyer slide-kicks with left foot, deflects ball square right past Pickett's torso. Huerta is unmarked at 1m right post, taps in.

.@KealiaOhai and @schuerta teaming up for the equalizer!#HOUvORL https://t.co/MKbGXy9mqK

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) June 16, 2019

52' 1-1 Ubogagu bends a cross from 15m box left through 6-top center (Campbell stays back), through 3m right post, Hill is there but doesn't slide for it, ball continues through 6-right.

57' 1-1 Houston subs in (1 of 3) #25 Ariana Catrina Calderón Valdez for #15 Cecelia Kizer.

 

60' 1-1 Orlando subs in (1 of 3) #23 Marisa Viggiano for #20 Abby Elinsky.
66' 1-1 Yellow card on Viggiano.

67' 2-1 Ohai to K.Mewis at arc top mid-left, she touches to 16m mid-left, pulls left foot golaaaazo into back right low.

.@KristieMewie sends a low strike into the back of the net to put @HoustonDash ahead!

2-1 | #HOUvORL pic.twitter.com/5WTQUPn6ao

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 16, 2019

Wow, remember Young Carli Lloyd at Beijing 2008 vs. Brasil? Uncanny, it's exactly the same shot.

70' 2-1 Orlando subs in (2 of 3) #8 Danica Evans for #22 Bridget Callahan.

71' 2-2 Ubogagu turns back at 5m mid-left, to 10m mid-left. Backpass to box top 7-left, Boyles one-touch right instep chip to 6m center. Hill is in an offside position at 6-top right post, but Evans cuts through box from spot, perfect foot trap into own stride, left foot half-volley over Campbell point-blank, into center back high. Brilliant sub, coach

.@HoustonDash's lead is short-lived as @danicaevans7 finishes from close range to even the score again!

2-2 | #HOUvORL pic.twitter.com/3KM6yGmXT8

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 16, 2019

 

[#3.UTA-NJ.#8]
Tymrak for Doniak.

Go get 'em, ladies! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PICFS3p6EK

— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) June 16, 2019

Dydasco for Pierre-Louis (and Monaghan => RW); Flores for Richardson (and Skroski => LCB).

Locked in 🔒 #UTAvNJ pic.twitter.com/7r8NmtFUnj

— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) June 16, 2019

Utah: RED LaBonta (2 of 2) / Q none / OUT (=) Nolf / SEI (=) Lytle Ratcliffe / INTL (USA) Sauerbrunn O’Hara Press (CAN) Matheson Scott (NZL) Bowen (SCO) Corsie
Sky Blue: Q none / OUT (OK =>) Richardson (=) Freeman Tiernan / INTL (USA) Lloyd (CAN) Sheridan (CMR) E.Johnson

 

[#7.REI-WAS.#1]
Onumonu for Jenkins; Kelly for Groom; Yanez for McNabb; Cox for Westphal. COX IS BAX

Here is your Reign FC Starting XI for tonight's Pride Night match against @WashSpirit #BeBold #RFC253 #RFCvWAS pic.twitter.com/sc0KuYvVXe

— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) June 16, 2019

Crosson for McGrady.

The XI for our match against @ReignFC! It's @sunshine_sully with the armband.#RFCvWAS // #SpiritFam pic.twitter.com/LingA7HJG6

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 16, 2019

Reign FC: (OK <= Q) Yanez / (OK => Q) Groom / (OK => OUT) Jenkins McNabb Watson / SEI (=) Betos Spencer T.Smith / INTL (USA) Rapinoe Long (ESP) Jiménez Delgado (AUS) Catley Kellond-Knight Ld.Williams (ENG) J.Taylor (JPN) Utsugi
Washington: (OK <= OUT) Prudhomme / Q none / OUT (=) McCarty / MAT (=) Eubanks / INTL (USA) Lavelle Pugh (AUS) Harrison Logarzo (JAM) Matthews