21' 1-0 Prince drives to 4m mid-right and turns 2 defenders, backpass to 7m right post. Groom runs on, opens hip and half-volleys right instep but launches it way over bar. Maybe get over the ball and use the foottop ... 25' 1-1 Dahlkemper clangs ball a bit too far ahead of herself to 35m 6-right, tries to stretch-flick past Groom -- but Groom anticipates it well and shin-blocks ball past Dahlkemper, then sprints past her. Groom creeps through box top right post to 12m, pulls Labbé out to 6m center -- then taps a short diagonal pass to 5m 1/5 left and Latsko easily taps in past Labbé's backward dive. We've got ourselves a game 😏@V_Latsko12 has an easy finish after @sheabayy2's unselfish play.1-1 | #NCvHOUTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/Eb2CdUMnc3— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020 31' 1-1 1H hydration break.
33' 1-1 Prince dribbles fast from 25m mid-right due north, accelerates past Kurtz through box top mid-right, outpaces her to 4m. Fast ground cross to 3m center, Labbé dives and micro-touches ball, it deflects off Andrzejewski's right heel(?) anti-goalward and NC clears. 36' 1-1 Debinha receives at 6-top right, bounces off a defender, backpasses to box top 1/3 right. Speck snipes right instep through traffic, Campbell dives horizontally to right post, just wide right. 37' 1-2 Off that restart, Houston works upfield, steal from Roccaro(?). Groom collects at 25m arc left, takes a bump from behind from Milliet and stumbles but pokes a pass to 6-top mid-left. K.Mewis runs on and blasts one-touch left instep near post, threads a tiny gap between left post low and Labbé's right foot. .@HoustonDash are on 🔥@KristieMewie slots the ball home after some 💪 play from @sheabayy2.1-2 | #NCvHOUTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/gBzfeDvic5— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020
I think it deserves highlighting that Groom had a good first half after the misses in the first 15 minutes or so. She had both assists, and not just assists but forcing the turnover on the first one and fighting through a tackle to get the assist on the 2nd.
44' 1-2 Chapman lofts a high cross from ~box top wide left to 3m right post, Latsko tries a sliding volley-poke but slices it wide right. +5'. 45+2' (of +5') 1-2 Groom pokes ball ahead to Latsko at 25m mid-right. Houston has a 2-v-2, Andrzejewski momentarily stays behind ball through arc top left post -- but ball slows down in grass and bags Andrzejewski offside Thereafter, Latsko crosses to 6-top left post and misses Andrzejewski anyways. 45+5' (of +5') 1-2 Prince gets behind Kurtz caught way upfield at circle back, dribbles alone through box top right to 6m mid-right. Fast cross through 3-center misses Latsko, bends wrong way over endline left. HT 1-2. NC is experimenting with this 3-back + sweeper, because with about 10 new players, why not It's not the only problem -- when NC has the ball, they aren't moving like NC. On the other side, Houston has flipped a teamwide mental switch, and now they play like aggressors, which exposes NC's little inaccuracies in the back. North Carolina 2(1)-(2)5 shots(sog), 2-2 crosses vs. 3-4 clearances, 2-1 offsides, 4-4 fouls, 44% possession.
46' 1-2 North Carolina subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #22 Hailey Harbison for #28 Danica Evans. 49' 1-2 Ln.Williams chases down a longball to 4m mid-left, shot or cross blocked over by Prisock. 50' 1-2 NC left ck, short? Debinha splits 2 to 13m mid-left, lifts a cross toward right post but nobody there, wide right. 52' 2-2 NC left throw-in at 27m, to Ln.Williams at 25m mid-left. Quick square pass right to Debinha, she pokes ball behind Andrzejewski's momentum, collects behind her to 25m arc left, blasts right foot shot over Campbell's dive, into right 90 Otherworldly from @Debinha7 🧙♀️✨2-2 | #NCvHOUTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/Fp7rLynwqS— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020
53' 2-2 Labbé outlets to Milliet through own box top right. Chapman inexplicably goes all-in on a head-on challenge, solidly whacks Milliet's right shin and flips her over. Foul, 2nd yellow = red card on Chapman. Andrzejewski drops back into Chapman's LB spot. 55' 2-2 Rn.Williams passes, Ln.Williams offside. 56' 2-2 Debinha passes, Ln.Williams offside. 58' 2-2 Houston subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #17 Erin Simon for LB #26 Bridgette Andrzejewski - (2 of 5) #7 Katie Stengel for #12 Veronica Latsko. 60' 2-2 Debinha passes, Ln.Williams offside
Houston gets back ahead from a goal from Schmidt. 3-2. The defending at times has been sketchy, but for the viewer, this game is fun; those not watching are missing out.
70' 2-3 K.Mewis(?) turns back to circle top box right, lifts a long forward pass toward Stengel at box top right post. Stengel chests ball down behind her into Schmidt's stride weaving right-to-center behind her. Schmidt opens vast lateral separation to box top center, shoots left instep bend around Labbé's dive, into back left edge 1/2 high. ..@sophieschmidt13 is not playing around 🚀2-3 | #NCvHOU Tune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/oUovtnBPpe— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020 75' 2-3 2H hydration break.
Williams ties it up in the 83'! 3-3. Baisden in her debut gets the assist. Again, like I said, this game is fun!
79' 2-3 North Carolina subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (3 of 5) #29 Rylee Baisden for #2 Lauren Milliet. 81' 2-3 Prince rounds Roccaro at 25m center, Roccaro reaches out and shoves/tugs her off-balance through arc top. Foul, fk. 82' 2-3 Houston fk at arc top, driven into the wall. Schmidt shoots left foot through the wall, just wide right low. ~~ 2-3 Houston subs in { 2nd of 3 }: 82' (3 of 5) #10 Christine Nairn for #6 Shea Groom 83' (4 of 5) #24 Jamia Fields for #8 Nichelle Prince.
I feel like some players heard about the discussions around WNT players heading overseas and if the NWSL is dying. Their emphatic answer is that the NWSL is not dead. With players like Debinha, it is still very much a fun league to watch.
83' 3-3 Off that restart, Baisden toasts Nairn down wide right to 5m mid-right, with LB Simon caught 20m behind both. Backpass to 12m right post, Ln.Williams shoots one-touch right instep low volley, spins it perfectly across mouth into left 90, way over Campbell's stretch. The goals just keep coming 😱🤯@lynnraenie draws this one level.3-3 | #NCvHOUTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/LSUmiCW7mV— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020 86' 4-3 Dahlkemper right ck to 6-top left post, Prisock heads it away to arc left. Speck knocks it down to 16m 6-left, Debinha shoots one-touch right foot across mouth through eight players, bounces past Campbell into back right low. +4'. Another one for @Debinha7 and the 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇 goal of the game 💥4-3 | #NCvHOUTune in now on @CBS and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/BWQ97K0Kft— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2020
This reminds me of that very first year of NC, when it was clear that Riley didn't care about defense as long as the Courage scored more goals... Just heartbroken for Houston. This was one of their best performances to date, and yet NC still pulled out the win somehow. I guess a lot of that was Chapman, who gifted NC the first penalty and then earned a second yellow to put HOU down a woman for most of the second half...
90+2' (of +4') 4-3 Debinha takes ball to right corner flag, wins a corner. 90+4' (of +4') 4-3 Ln.Williams and Debinha take turns taking each other's corner kicks to walk the clock down. Finally Ln.Williams fouls Simon. 90+5' (of +4') 4-3 K.Mewis right ck, inswings to 2m 2-left, glances off Prisock's head over endline left. 90+5' (of +4') 4-3 Labbé gk, and -- FT 4-3. NC's depth paid off: they had enough energy to create late chances, and the precision to finish them. Houston did well for 85'. North Carolina 13(5)-(4)12 shots(sog), 6-1 corners, 12-7 crosses vs. 6-14 clearances, 5-4 offsides, 6-6 fouls, 46% possession.
I guess, at least, this game was a great advertisement to have on network TV for NWSL... past two champions in a seven-goal affair? I hope people were watching.
Well that was a game. Can't say it was a "fair" result - except that the red card (or more specifically both yellow cards) were absolutely deserved, and as far as the Courage pulling a rabbit out of the hat and actually winning, well that's what the big bad championship teams do. They win games they probably shouldn't.