We have a full line up on Saturday! Saturday, Sept 26 at 1 pm ET: Chicago Red Stars vs Washington Spirit at SeatGeek (on CBS) Saturday, Sept 26 at 3:30 pm ET: Utah Royals vs OL Reign at Rio Tinto Stadium (on CBS All Access) Saturday, Sept 26 at 8:30 pm ET: Houston Dash vs Orlando Pride at BBVA Stadium (on Twitch) Wednesday, Sept 30 at 10 pm ET: Portland Thorns vs OL Reign at Providence Park (on Twitch) Also the Houston game is still currently a go, but one Houston player has tested positive and is isolating (as is everyone else). Everyone else has tested negative, and everyone will also be tested a second time: Houston Dash announce that a player tested positive for COVID-19 and asymptomatic and self-isolating. Home game against Orlando on Saturday is still on as of now. This is the first time an NWSL team has confirmed a positive test outside of the Orlando fiasco. pic.twitter.com/lr1Cao5QF3— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) September 23, 2020
Injury reports are out for tomorrow's games: Chicago: OUT: None QUESTIONABLE: Tierna Davidson (right foot), Arin Wright (left hip), Casey Short (hip), Katie Johnson (left knee) Washington: OUT: Jordan Dibiasi (right hip), Tori Huster (left ankle), Andi Sullivan (left knee), Tegan McGrady (right foot), Jaye Boissiere (left hip) QUESTIONABLE: Ashley Hatch (right ankle) Utah: OUT: Nicole Barnhart (left Achilles) QUESTIONABLE: Abby Smith (left knee) OL Reign: OUT: Kelcie Hedge (SEI – right knee), Julia Ashley (back) Houston: OUT: Kayla McCoy (left knee), Bridgette Andrzejewski (general illness), Erin Simon (unavailable – personal) QUESTIONABLE: Megan Oyster (rib) Orlando: OUT: None QUESTIONABLE: None
I'm a little late tuning in, but looks like no one else is here? Starting lineups: It's time, Chicago! Our Starting XI for #CHIvWAS presented by Magellan pic.twitter.com/aO6sHScYQ3— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) September 26, 2020 Starting XI for #CHIvWAS ⬇️#WhenIRoot pic.twitter.com/Dmp3X2zsy5— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 26, 2020 And we're 28 minutes in, but still 0-0.
Also of note: Tori Penso is refereeing this game, and three days ago she refereed the MLS game between Nashville and DC United, being the first woman to center a MLS game in 20 years.
Halftime, still 0-0. From the few minutes I saw, it looked like Chicago had more of the chances. Watt hit the post one time that I saw. Also Dougherty Howard was subbed out with 5 or so minutes left in the first half, which usually isn't a good sign. In this case, it sounds like it was due to a migraine.
I was wrong. Actually Washington had more chances in the half, but I'm not sure how many of each were shots on goal. Some halftime stats before we get back to the second half 👇 pic.twitter.com/B1Dsy04qUx— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 26, 2020
I am not watching the game, just chiming in from time to time. I see that, at least judging from the line-up as it appears on Twitter, Kumi Yokoyama is probably played as a central striker for Washington. She always was a prolific scorer in Nadeshiko League, but, despite that, her converting ratio wasn't always so good, and she used to need to shot a lot to achieve those scoring records.
This game generally hasn't been the most exciting up until now, but the best parts I've seen have been the 3 chances Watt has taken....she just hasn't been able to put them away. The game is opening up a bit more though now as we are about 67 minutes in.
Meanwhile, I just saw this posted on twitter: Edmonds has opted out of the game tonight against Houston. It sounds like she wasn't comfortable with the player testing positive in Houston and with the team flying commercially (there could have been other factors as well).
McCaskill scores for Chicago....and looks like she might have been injured in the process? Never mind; she shook it off. 1-0 for Chicago.
Starting lineups for Royals vs Reign: Being at the RioT has never felt so good!#URFC | #NWSLFallSeries pic.twitter.com/WOtkm411jQ— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) September 26, 2020 Our Starting XI for our @NWSL Fall Series debut is set. We're ready. Are you ready?#BeBold pic.twitter.com/CMLRylEDIq— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) September 26, 2020
I was watching the game and working on dissertation stuff, so that's why I wasn't responding here. Alright game, but the second half was far more entertaining than the first. Zero shots on goal in the first... I don't have CBS All Access, so I'll be paying attention here and on Twitter to follow along.
I believe this game at Rio Tinto is the first NWSL game this year with fans in the stadium, right? And 9': Diallo scores for Utah! GOAL @UtahRoyalsFC! Diallo breaks a 409 minute scoreless streak for the Royals to give them a 1-0 lead over the Reign. pic.twitter.com/Nk5g6DcDMf— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) September 26, 2020
And about a minute later: Balcer scores! Utah still up, 2-1. Lots of early goals....little bit more exciting of a 1st half than in the first game, I think.
What is happening?! Ok, this is going to be one of those kind of games... OL Reign's White score an equalizer in the 28'. 2-2.
And now we nearly had an own goal in the 1st half. I don't know whether to cheer for more chaos or for a bit better defense.
Following up on this after digging backwards through time on the NWSL site schedule page: unless I missed one, the last time NWSL saw a "blown tire" (losing after being ahead by two) was three years ago to the weekend, Sept.30th, 2017, when the Washington Spirit went up 2-0 over the Seattle Reign in the first 35 minutes, only to give up three to the Reign in the final 20 minutes, ending 2-3. So will we see a Reign repeat after almost exactly 3yrs?
[CHI-WAS] 73' 1-0 Luebbert to McCaskill .@sarah_luebbe ➡️ @smccaskill_21@chiredstarsPR jump into the lead!1-0 | #CHIvWASTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/6OG94EKTX9— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 26, 2020 78' 1-1 Thomas intercepts an underhit backpass .@CThomas_Score indeed 😉The @WashSpirit forward pounces on a mistake to equalize!1-1 | #CHIvWASTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/yzs5JEdctk— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 26, 2020 FT 1-1.