At @blissett 's request, the semifinal thread: Times are in local time, MDT, and games have now moved to Rio Tinto Stadium. Both games on CBS All-Access and Twitch, nwslofficial2. July 22 10:30 am Semifinal #1: Houston Dash vs Portland Thorns 8:00 pm Semifinal #2: Chicago Red Stars vs Sky Blue
I bet the quality of play improves. The horrible pitch they have been playing on has been, in large part, responsible for a lot of the poor play and even contributed to a number of injuries. I have never really liked the field Salt Lake plays on but it is grass and that will be a vast improvement. I admit that a good part of my dislike of that field is that I find Salt Lake unusually boring to watch most of the time.
I had actually forgotten we were going to finally have grass. I am even tempted to change my predictions for the semifinals accordingly, but I am too lazy to deeply reflect about the implications.
Dribble of info on injuries (These are injuries being mentioned in the press conferences right now; I don't think an actual report has been released): -Megan Oyster for Houston is questionable with a fractured rib. (Are you actually questionable then? Seems like you'd be out, but I've never fractured a rib.) -Horan is a game-day decision.
It actually depends on how it is fractured and which rib. A green-stick break of some of the ribs are not dangerous and only slightly painful wile the same break of other ribs can eve be life threatening in any even light activity. The location of the break along the rib is also important. Personally, I would never play a payer with even a "safe" break in any match like this of somewhat limited importance.
For the record... The Pride's fan "stan" polls have picked CHI and HOU. Which, if you believe in the curse of the Pride stan, means a NJ-POR final in a few days. X'-D
Sh*t. Looks like my semifinal predictions are going to be wrong, but I'm not changing them! Also I loved Portland asking all their fans to vote for Houston.
Christine Nairn out today with "general medical." The NWSL says this morning that Christine Nairn is out of today's game due to a "general medical" issue.— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) July 22, 2020 I have to admit that my first thought on this was "Is 'general medical' code for a positive test?"
[#4.HOU-POR.#8] Prisock for Oyster (thorax). 📋 Your Dash XI for the @NWSL Challenge Cup Semis#HoldItDown— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) July 22, 2020 Westphal for Reynolds (concussion); Bourielle for Horan (left hip); Charley for Lussi. Our Starting XI vs. Houston. 💪#NWSLChallengeCup | #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/x5wkspQqdU— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) July 22, 2020 Houston: Q Oyster (not starting) Portland: Q Klingenberg (starting), Horan (not) / OUT Reynolds, Smith, Franch, Sauerbrunn, Bixby
04' 0-0 Houston switches to Prince at box top left. Prince drifts inside to arc top left, quick chip through Portland's line to Visalli back-cutting the scrum to 8m right post, Visalli tries a reflex one-touch left volley but whiffs, ball bounces right under her foot. 08' 0-0 Hanson right throw-in at 27m, down wide right to Groom 1-v-1 on Klingenberg at 10m wide right. Groom drives endline, Klingenberg cedes a corner. 09' 0-0 K.Mewis right ck, too far past mouth over endline left. Houston are living in Portland's 1/2, as Portland figures 89' of dogged defense worked the last time, it'll work again
Yes. I though that Portland would score 4 in this match now it is only 2 and maybe not that. Sinclair will need to do a LOT more than she has done for a long time and her first attempt at goal was both weak and WAY off target.
15' 0-0 CB Hubly roams way up to circle top left to challenge Groom. Groom spins cw and escapes past circle (her) right, Hubly overcompensates trying to get back and bumps Groom down from the right flank. Foul, brief stoppage as Groom winces. 16' 0-0 Schmidt fk at circle top mid-right, long ground pass to Groom at 25m mid-right. Groom passes down wide right for Prince, cross to 6-top center headed away from Daly. Prince crosses again from 13m wide right to 5m center, Eckerstrom catches high. 18' 0-0 Prince darts to 7m box right, ground cross back to 9m 1/3 right. Groom throws body into a 40-60 challenge, spins herself down, Portland clears. 19' 0-0 Rodríguez launches a long vertical pass for Charley's run toward arc top mid-right, Naughton heads away. That's about the 3rd vertical pass Rodríguez has tried. 20' 0-0 Prince crosses again! Houston 8-1 crosses, about 2/3 of those are Prince's!
Sinclair is a liability right now. Her touches and passes are off and she is always being beaten to the ball. Portland is effectively playing with only 9 field players.
That was what I expected but the real grass is not having the effect I thought it would and neither team looks sharp at all. Both teams are killing their own attack with poor play and poor choices.