Oh, and just to make you feel even older, look at how Yuki Nagasato (and Homare Sawa, and Shinobu Ohno...) used to score back in 2008 :
I was at the game on Saturday in Orlando. The Red Stars looked like a team that is peaking at the right time. They controlled the ball majority of the time and Kerr was superb even though Harris made a couple of nice saves denying her a couple of goals, I was confident she would eventually score. Orlando looked like a team who was in disarray. Stars everywhere but just do not play as a team. The days of Marta taking a game over a done. My understand while I was in Orlando was that Sermanni signed a two year extension recently. Well, as much I I like Sermannni, this team needs new leadership. Looks like he has lost the team, IMO. A nice crowd in Orlando compared to the two other games I've seen there this summer. A critical game against Sky Blue next Tuesday at Toyota Park. Red Stars can't take Sky Blue for granted, they have nothing to lose. Red stars will be without their USWNT players but still have Kerr against a team that will miss two of it's starters. Let's get those points!
I want to mention something I happen to notice after the game in Orlando. You know when after a game, the reserves who did not play or those players who played just a few minutes are out there running sprints up and down the field? I'm sure you folks have seen this. The Red Stars bench players did the same, but in the middle of the group running sprints with them was one player who played her butt off during the entire game. Captain Julie Ertz. This in my opinion is a true Captain and Leader. Imagine a player who is exhausted from playing a full, intense game and yet has the leadership quality to feel that her duty was not just to Captain the team on the field during the game but to also lead those who did not play in the game and run sprints up and down, up and down the full field afterwards. As a die-hard Red Stars fan I say, thank God we have Julie Ertz!
Finally, the Red Stars get a mention in a major local newspaper. I immediately went and bought me a hard copy.
https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...lue-fc-0-match-recap-report-nwsl-2018-week-23 https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...o-red-stars-5-sky-blue-fc-0-nwsl-2018-week-23
The case for longer playoffs https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...hicago-red-stars-nwsl-playoffs-too-dang-short
Interesting article and I would agree if it were certain that home and home rounds would be profitable. I'm wondering, though, how many teams make money now on home games and whether they would make (or lose) money even for home playoff games.
Apart from the worry @cpthomas expressed, I find the plan for home and away matches really attractive, especially on the sport-side, since it should reward the most consistent team. Maybe it's just the fact that I am European, but I guess I would really dig a format like this!
https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...pen-thread-red-stars-playoffs-fire-best-cooks https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...ek-24-preview-lineup-predictions-how-to-watch
Portland wins today's game against Utah is basically meaningless http://www.nwslsoccer.com/game/portland-thorns-vs-seattle-reign-2018-09-07
https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...s-1-nwl-2018-match-recap-kerr-naeher-nagasato https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...oyals-2-chicago-red-stars-1-nwsl-2018-week-24
sam kerr wins golden boot https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...wsl-golden-boot-still-good-at-soccer-fight-me
Random bit of trivia, since I know it's come up in the past: with 10 draws in 24 games in 2018, the Red Stars have owned the title "most draws in the league" for the fourth time in NWSL's six years.
Arnim on News Radio 780: https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/hurricane-looming-chicago-soccer-teams-match-nc-question
This game should have been announced as moved days ago. Play it in Portland as Rory suggested. It appears to me that NC is still insisting on playing in NC. Aside from the bad weather, there should also be a consideration for travel by the visiting team. There will be travel chaos days following this hurricane, hotel unavailability, etc. I know NC supporters are harping on how it won't be fair for them not to play at home. But is it fair for the Red Stars to travel under such conditions?
Apparently, the Thorns were asked whether they could host the game and said they could. But also apparently, that option no longer is under consideration.
I think that was a great alternative, one that Rory suggested. However, IMO, NC's push for home field advantage is putting everything in chaos and dangerous for everyone.
In the Chicago Sun Times yesterday: https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports...rolina-courage-rory-dames-hurricane-florence/
...so, nc should not be pushing for home field advantage? seems like progress is going around in circles.