That's what I figured. I checked at about 08:00 EDT and only the first three were there. Since the match was played last night at 22:00 I thought they would have had plenty of time to get the match up. But I guess I over estimated the technical ability of CBS' staff. ESPN gets their matches up in no more than three hours and I thought that CBS, being older would at least match that. But clearly I was in error and I will once again have to set my expectations lower, much lower.
There was almost an early goal due to a goalkeeper mistake. It is amazing to me how many NWSL goalkeepers are truly bad with their feet.
[POR-CHI] 01' 0-0 Davidson(?) chases an overhit longball to own 25m mid-left, taps it back to Boyd way up at 15m. Boyd gets happy-feet, can't one-touch or two-step ball away, Charley stuff-blocks ball off her feet! Ball rattles around in a small scrum at box top mid-right, Chicago finally clears. I think every time a GK thinks don't do that, don't do that, they get so uptight they freeze and do that
That is supposed to be fixed in training. GK training is all about turning thinking into reaction. It does seem that there are only a few female GKs world wide that have really had rigorous training and there are a LOT of very promising ones that just do not get the training they need and deserve. Goalkeeping is a LOT more than making saves.
Weaver (sp?) has a wide open chance that is harder to miss than to score manages to put the ball in one of the few places where it will not score. So we continue 0-0.
14' 0-0 Chicago clears, McCaskill gets one touch at own 30m center, Ogle body-checks her flat and takes ball, no call Ogle passes to Boureille at arc top box right, Chicago are caught in transition and aren't marking anybody. Boureille scoops a cross to 6m 1/3 left, Weaver low-volleys right instep rising, Boyd reflex-slaps it over bar. 18' 0-0 Charley crosses from 12m right touch outswinging to 7m left post, Horan heads a soft bloop across frame but takes too much power off, Boyd catches. 19' 0-0 K.Johnson passes to McCaskill through box right, left foot shot never curls, wide left. The downside to Chicago's completely new 11 is that this might be the first time this 11 has ever played together. They can't anticipate each others' movements and short-passes, and it hampers their build-ups. Hence Portland more frequently advances the ball into Chicago's box.
I like this combo of Weaver and Charley up top. Its relentless running at Chicago's backline. I feel like a goal for Portland is coming; they've been close a few times now.
25' 0-0 Decent Chicago foray up, short-passing up centerline to box top center. Then ball deflects off a torso (Ogle?), Portland collect and promptly counter. Outlet pass to Sinclair in center circle, quick no-look diagonal pass up wide left springs Weaver vs. Goralski(?) 1-v-1. Weaver shows her wheels, gains +2m over 15m, to arc top box left. Weaver cuts inside, gets closed down, rides the pressure to box top center, falls over but pokes ball ahead to Charley at 14m mid-right. Charley tries a ball-turn, but lifts ball straight up into her own arm. D'ohh. 26' 0-0 Sinclair passes from arc top left to Weaver unmarked at 10m wide left. Weaver mis-hits a cross, it floats directly to Boyd on goalline.
From what I am seeing I expect a 0-0 at the half. I do not see any evidence of the ability to finish on their own by either team. Of course there could be a defender tripping over their own feet allowing a goal. But the defenses are just a little better than they have been in earlier matches and defense is easier to play than offense. Of course you never know as there has been such short prep that anything can happen.
31' 0-0 Klingenberg left ck, cleared out to Horan at 10m 6-right. Horan backs up, scoops left foot shot toward left 90, just over bar. 31' 0-0 1H hydration break.
0-0 at the half. I have just witnessed one of the most boring soccer halves I have ever seen. The score reflects what the play should have actually produced. Both teams seem to be sleepwalking through this match. Maybe the 2nd half will be better. It cannot get much worse.
37' 0-0 Chicago right ck, cleared. Ogle boots long past circle top for Weaver 1-v-1 vs. Goralski again -- but Boyd is 40m out of goal and sweeps it away 45+2' (of +2') 0-0 Horan flattens somebody with her chest, foul. 45+3' (of +2') 0-0 McCaskill fk at 30m center-ish, driven to 5m center. Sharples outjumps everybody but twists awkwardly in the air, heads due leftward as if she's defending the goal, ball topspins over endline left. HT 0-0. Both teams are playing like they know they're in the quarterfinals already Chicago's short-passing game is not on the level of Sky Blue or OL Reign from yesterday. Portland 7(2)-(0)3 shots(sog), 4-2 corners, 11-6 crosses vs. 4-8 clearances, 6-4 fouls, 57% possession.
46' 0-0 Portland subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #5 Emily Menges for #23 Meghan Klingenberg. 46' 0-0 Chicago subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #25 Cassie Rohan for #24 Danielle Colaprico - (2 of 5) #38 Carissa ("Cassie") Miller for #21 Emily Boyd. Scripted, not punitive Sauerbrunn is out for today with a (minor?) hip injury.
49' 0-0 Horan dribbles toward midfield box left, Doniak overtakes her from the right flank, slide-stretches for ball but her shin clips Horan's right calf. Foul, yellow card on Doniak. 50' 0-0 K.Johnson receives unmarked at 6m wide left, ground pass to McCaskill at box top mid-left. McCaskill slides centerward, finally shoots right instep scoop toward right 90, just over bar. 53' 0-0 Horan shoots from ~arc top left, Sharples(?) lifts right outstep behind her and deflects ball into a pop-up, Miller catches face-high at left post. Her first touch!
57' 0-0 Portland subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #34 Tyler Lussi for #22 Morgan Weaver. 58' 0-0 Horan shoots from ~box top left, just wide right low. 59' 0-0 Boureille shoots from ~30m left, Miller catches high. 60' 0-0 Off that restart, Bingham is caught from behind, goes down flat on back, holding her right hamstring, stays down. Play continues, Ogle collides at circle center, goes down holding right ankle. Portland work ball to arc top center, scuff it over endline right. Stoppage, both teams' trainers come out. Bingham resumes, I don't see Ogle. 65' 0-0 McCaskill and Horan both go for a loose ball, Horan does a spin-and-step-over just as McCaskill swings at ball, their shins meet, both go down. Brief stoppage, both wince and resume.
It seems someone is about is about to get injured at the current level of physical play happening. On that note, anyone want to do over/under on injuries by the end of this tournament?
Well, POR/CHI is known to be one of the physically roughest rivalries in the league, so that kinda makes sense....
Also who would be enforcing properly wearing a mask on the sidelines for coaches and trainers? Because whoever that is has some work to do.
67' 0-0 Lussi crosses from box top left touch to 3m center for Horan arriving up centerline, Miller steps up and catches it first. 69' 0-0 Portland subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (3 of 5) #11 Raquel Rodríguez for #10 Lindsey Horan. Ghastly close-up of the heart-shaped plateau on the surface of Pluto -- no, that's just Horan's shinbone. 70' 0-0 Chicago subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (3 of 5) #5 Rachel Hill for #15 Makenzy Doniak - (4 of 5) #7 Michele Vasconcelos for #19 Sarah Leubbert. 73' 0-0 R.Rodríguez shoots left foot hard from ~box top arc left, just wide right low. 75' 0-0 2H hydration break. Mid-70s, no clouds, +15°F from the turf. 78' 0-0 Chicago subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (5 o5 5) #22 Zoe Redei for #33 Katlyn Johnson.
Add to that the addition that this mach has featured some of the worst passing we have seen so far. She (Horan) has been the unwelcome recipient of many "hospital" balls of several different varieties. Breaking at the 75th minute and it is still 0-0 and really no one looks likely to score.
80' 0-0 McCaskill turns away from own box top center to chase ball, Lussi overtakes and slides a bit too soon, scissors McCaskill's legs just as McCaskill kicks at ball. Foul, yellow card on Lussi. 82' 0-0 Portland subs in { 4th* of 3 }: - (4 of 5) #40 Marissa Everett for #38 Simone Charley - (5 of 5) #36 Angela Salem for #12 Christine Sinclair. * = I guess subs at halftime don't consume 1 of your 3 sub stoppages. It follows that subs at start of ET, and at halftime of ET, don't use a stoppage, either.