Of all opponents the Courage have, Chicago has generally been their bogey team. It hasn't worked out that way in the past semifinals between the two teams, so here's hoping things regress to the mean in the final this year. X-D
Thats pretty surprising. I figure NCC is not scared of any teams or have lost to most teams consecutively. Usually I always think of Portland that gives the most trouble.
Yeah, it's interesting. Here are how many points different teams have taken from the Courage in their three Shield-winning seasons (i.e. not counting playoff games) since moving to NC: CHI: 9p/3g + 2p/3g + 7p/3g = 18p/9g POR: 3p/2g + 0p/3g + 4p/3g = 7p/8g UTA: 0p/2g* + 5p/3g + 1p/3g = 6p/8g ORL: 6p/3g + 0p/3g + 0p/3g = 6p/9g NJ: 4p/3g + 0p/3g + 1p/3g = 5p/9g SEA: 0p/3g + 1p/3g + 3p/3g = 4p/9g DC: 0p/3g + 0p/3g + 3p/3g = 3p/9g HOU: 0p/2g + 1p/3g + 0p/3g = 1p/8g NC has Portland pretty well figured-out, as Portland has 2W-1D-5L against NC in the regular season. Conversely, Chicago has 5W-3D-1L against NC, though only one of those five wins were in NC. And of course, Portland is 1-1 against NC in the playoffs, while Chicago is 0-2 (so far).
It's not Chicago so much as Sam Kerr always get up for the Courage regardless of who she's playing for, and for some reason Alyssa Naeher seems to have her best games against North Carolina. I don't care what FIFA thinks, Sam Kerr is the best womens' player out there right now.
I would assume so, but if they want me in the parking lot the whole game, that's where I'll be. I am working for the league starting Friday, but the actual assignments on game day are above my pay grade.
OK, my flight leaves Chicago at 8:00 tomorrow and gets into RDU around 11:30ish am. Who else is going to be at the game on Sunday? What kind of NWSL Championship festivities will be going on this weekend there? What kind of weather are we expecting in the area for Sunday? I saw some brief reports this morning that rain is expected. I was hoping to get away to Myrtle Beach for a day before I head home on Tuesday for a round of golf.
Open to the public training is tomorrow. 2 hour block for each team. There's a Men in Blazers event, and I see the Equalizer Soccer is doing a pub event tomorrow night.
Oh no, Tierna Davidson has been ruled out of the NWSL Championship after suffering an ankle sprain during training on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/9nKmfcdJqF— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) October 25, 2019
See the final preparations for both @TheNCCourage and @chiredstarsPR for the #NWSLChampionship: https://t.co/Cc5zwcgHr7#NWSL pic.twitter.com/yqZQZZkeKr— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 25, 2019
Its not an official NWSL event, but Jen Cooper is hosting her annual WoSoCo. However, I don't know if you'll get there in time and you need to purchase tickets.
The center referee for the championship final is Rosendo Mendoza according to PRO (Professional Referees Organization) I found three NWSL assignments for Mr Mendoza this season (again according to the PRO website): 4/28 Houston vs NC 6/21 Portland vs Utah 9/21 Reign vs Sky Blue Complete assignments for the Championship:
Of the three matches Rosendo Mendoza officiated in the NWSL this season, I think I only saw the last one, 21 Sept, Sky Blue visiting Reign FC. It's harsh to judge a referee on a single call, but I came across one call I especially disliked. Around 28:30 of the match, Carli Lloyd stomps at the ball and appears to catch Steph Catley on the ankle. No foul was called and simply a throw-in awarded to the Reign. Lloyd gets the ball, probably, but it's a risky, hard challenge that almost certainly takes out Catley. To me, it's a bad example of not calling a foul because "she got the ball". Or it's a case of US national team privilege. The play is right in front of Mendoza, who's in good position to see it. He did give a yellow card to Lloyd eventually - in the 50th minute for a kick to the back of the leg of a Reign player when Lloyd was late to the ball. An obvious foul and easy decision.
As it happened last week, it would be much appreciated if someone could post an available link for a poor European viewer with no ESPN.
Wow, I start doubting that I am here too early, because of the fact that today was the end of daylight savings here in Italy, so maybe I didn't correctly calculate the time of the start of the game. Can anyone confrim if it's starting right now or in about an hour?