Sat 2017/10/07: [POR-ORL] 12' 1-0 Portland chests ball back to Sinclair at 27m arc right. Sinclair switches left to Klingenberg on Marta(!) at arc top wide left. Klingenberg cuts back to arc top box left, right instep inswings to 3m 1/3 right -- Harris thinks twice, doesn't dive into traffic. Henry is smothered by Krieger but outruns her, stretch-pokes past Harris into back right 2/5 high. Making the home crowd happy. We have the first goal, and it's @amandinehenry6 for @thornsfc.#NWSLPlayoffs | #PORvORL | 1 – 0 pic.twitter.com/1nflANYak1— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 7, 2017 15' 2-0 Heath fk at 16m wide right, crossbody left instep drive inswings fast to 4m 2-left. Sonnett beats Pressley and outjumps Catley, glances a header past Harris, into center back low. That must be a scripted fk play for Portland. Don't let Sonnett run! Make it 2️⃣ in the first fifteen minutes. This time it's @emilysonnett off a @TobinHeath FK.#NWSLPlayoffs | #PORvORL | 2 – 0 pic.twitter.com/4mDBCVt3uD— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 7, 2017
23' 2-1 Marta right ck, short to Ubogagu at 1.5m box right, return pass to Marta moving inside to 7m wide right. Marta one-touch chip to 6m 3-right, Pressley outjumps Reynolds and flick-heads across to 4m center. Kennedy wins her duel, outjumps Henry and twist-heads across mouth into left side netting high, over Franch's dive. Too many free headers in the box, no GK can acquire that. .@AlannaKennedy gets one back for the visitors. 25 minutes, three goals. It's on.#NWSLPlayoffs | #PORvORL | 2 – 1 pic.twitter.com/mbEoHqeZm2— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 7, 2017
Good game. I'm feeling sorry for Cat Reynolds who has to deal with Marta on the left side. She is still the best woso player in the world. Orlando is playing dangerously high. Watch for Raso to outrun somebody and get off a good shot in the second half.
I just noticed the scoreclock graphic! Is this match really sponsored by ... Walt Disney World? "For all of your celebratory needs -- all around the world"
71' 3-1 Franch taps to Menges, she dribbles upfield past Ubogagu's pressure to circle back left, square pass to Horan at circle back right. Fast low chip over Krieger way up at circle back springs Raso 3m past her, through arc right to 13m -- Raso sit-slides one-touch and chips right instep, floats it over Harris at 7m, into 1/4 right 1/2 high. I feel Krieger's gosh-I'm-not-young pain -- Raso has that effect on Obi-Wans everywhere it's the hair bow, it flaps as you chase her -- A dagger from @HayleyRaso. Assist thanks to @Lindseyhoran11. #NWSLPlayoffs | #PORvORL | 3 – 1 pic.twitter.com/p41QVzG8Qk— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 7, 2017 Attendance 18,193! I didn't even know PDX went that high
82' 4-1 Nadim collects a hot bounce at circle top left going rightward, roams to 24m box right, swings a might-as-well cross to 10m 3-left. Edmonds is isolated by the speed of aggression, jumps straight up at 12m left post but just misses a header. Ball drops to Sinclair, she chases her own rebound to 6m left post and stabs right outstep across mouth, under Harris's left hand into back right low. Home field advantage is too real. @sincy12 extends the lead. #NWSLPlayoffs | #PORvORL | 4 – 1 pic.twitter.com/zaB6XSKknP— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 7, 2017 Meanwhile, Portland's defense has smothered Orlando all game long, giving them no space for runs and no shot windows.
Your play-by-play was awesome as ever Gilmoy. I didn't see you mention Morgan (apart from Walt Disnsy's references): did she recover from her Epcot adventure?
Last week against Chicago was 21,144: which is currently considered a sellout for Thorns and Timbers games A new 4,000 seat East stand addition in 2 years. Selling out a playoff game is tough. account holders have to buy all the seats on their account. I have four seats and it was up to me to fill them on short notice at $40 a pop.
Orlando's execution of their gameplan was awful. What they were trying to do wasn't the worst plan ever (far better than what Panama put out last night), but it doesn't matter how good your strategy is if your players can't execute it properly. Don't play a high line and then have your keeper glued to her line. Monica had a terrible game, Krieger was flat out beaten on at least two of Portland's goals, and Edmonds capped off a poor season with an inexcusable decision to leave Sinclair alone in the box. The only players for Orlando that didn't suck were Kennedy and Catley.
The key was the Thorns had some of the top talent in every position, whereas the Pride did NOT. Bringing in stars like Long, Nadim & Brynjarsdottir was the final clincher. do you think Kennedy will play mid in the W-League or for the Matildas?
Varley also had a couple of passes to no one. I thought Marta did all she could with the triple team.
Klingenburg looked really bad for both the Thorns and USWNT in 2016. I was ready to see anyone take over her spot. This year has been completely different - she has been fantastic all year, and deserves a call-up
Kling was injured throughout 2016. As I recall, it was a back issue and, for a long time, they couldn't figure out what it was.
NC Courage vs Chicago Red Stars video feed is now working: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/games/info/6y5k1vyqumzgm1ko63hksbpm2
In the first half, NC looks the better team. NC is winning in the central midfield. I don't think anybody on Chicago has played very well except Katie Naughton at center back. Colaprico has a yellow card. Zerboni and O'Sullivan may try to take advantage of that. . I'd say it's about time to sub out Hoy, move Huerta up top, and put Mautz in the midfield. Chicago has to find some offense. NC is going to get a goal or two. .
Given how tired everybody was -- except for Casey Short and Taylor Smith. It would have been interesting to see the teams play another 30 minutes in overtime. What a contest between Short and Smith all game long! The better team today won. I'm surprised NC didn't score 2 or 3 goals. And Chicago couldn't make a dent in the NC defense. .
[NC-CHI] 90' 1-0 S.Mewis left ck, inswings to 6-top center. McDonald jump-lunges but overshoots, ball bounces off her back and out to box top arc right. O'Sullivan runs on unmarked, blasts one-touch right foot low into the scrum -- rattles downward through Ertz's wicket at 6m right post, deflects across mouth, wrong-foots Naeher at right post, bounces into 1/8 left back low. +3'. .@OSullivanDenise comes up huge with her first goal of the season for @TheNCCourage. 3 minutes of stoppage.#NWSLPlayoffs | #NCvCHI | 1 – 0 pic.twitter.com/59G4sswiZv— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 8, 2017 FT 1-0.