PBP: Fall Series 2020, Week 5

Sky Blue: Sheridan for Haracic; Johnson for Lewandowski.
Washington: Hellstrom for Jacobs; Thomas for McCool; Hatch for McClure.

Sky Blue: Q Lewandowski / OUT Dydasco, Lloyd, Wright, Pugh, Zerboni
Washington: Q nil / OUT DiBiasi, Huster, Sullivan, McGrady, Boissiere

 

30' 0-0 1H hydration break. There's a hilarious sideshow in the HC Burke - HC Coombe Realtime Verbal Instruction duel. Coombe's gameplan is clearly to not let Burke monopolize the sound channel, which results in occasional -- duets

Sky Blue 1(1)-(3)7! shots(sog), 0-2 corners, 0-10 crosses vs. 2-0 clearances, 0-1 offsides, 3-2 fouls, 55% possession. Washington has spent most of 1H launching repeated fast breaks into Sky Blue's box. Burke's voice gets kid-in-candy-shop when he's yelling "TWO ON ONE!" or "FOUR ON THREE!", which surely goads his team into exuberantly pressing attacks.

 

HT 0-0. Sky Blue 3(1)-(3)11 shots(sog), 1-2 corners, 2-12 crosses vs. 3-2 clearances, 0-1 offsides, 5-6 fouls, 57% possession.

 

50' 0-1 Thomas slides at arc top mid-left and stuff-blocks ball off E.Johnson's foot. Feist collects and drives to 12m left post, Freeman blocks her shot out to 24m arc right. Yokoyama collects and turns away from Richardson, steps to 18m arc right, shoots hard right instep past Sheridan's dive, off left post low, it bounces across into center back low. Her 1st NWSL goal!

52' 0-1 Loose ball spins along Washington's box top mid-right, Cudjoe runs on and shoots one-touch to crossbar 1/4 right, Bledsoe tips it over.

54' 0-1 Purce cuts endline past 2, Hellstrom lunges with a leg sweep and trips her down. Foul, yellow card = 2 accumulated, Hellstrom misses Washington's 1st match in 2021

56' 0-1 Yellow card on Richardson, for a sliding tackle on Feist.

 

~~ 0-1 Washington subs in { 1st of 3 }:
59' (1 of 5) #18 Jessie Scarpa for #33 Ashley Hatch
60' (2 of 5) #6 Katie McClure for #31 Crystal Thomas.

62' 0-1 Sky Blue subs in { 1st of 3 }:
- (1 of 5) #5 Nicole Baxter for #17 Dominique Richardson
- (2 of 5) #8 Erica Skroski for #22 Mandy Freeman.

65' 0-1 Hellstrom passes left to Dougherty Howard(?), one-touch diagonal pass to Feist down wide right. Quick cross to 5m 4-right, McClure shoots one-touch right foot but doesn't turn it enough, into right side netting.

 

73' 0-1 Washington subs in { 2nd of 3 }:
- (3 of 5) #4 Natalie Jacobs for #17 Kumi Yokoyama.

75' 0-1 2H hydration break.

81' 0-1 Yellow card on Cudjoe = 2 accumulated, for a foul on McClure. Cudjoe shall miss Sky Blue's 4th match (vs. Chicago).

86' 0-1 Washington subs in { 3rd of 3 }:
- (4 of 5) #5 Brooke Hendrix for #2 Jenna Hellstrom. Trainer helps Hellstrom limp gingerly into near touch.

87' 0-1 Purce starts a 3-v-7 counter, diagonal pass left to Onumonu, offside. Sky Blue haven't created numerical advantage all game. I think it's partly because of Washington's energetic defense, and partly because Washington has midfield speed advantage, so it costs Sky Blue more energy to outwork them enough to add numbers, and they can't keep doing it. +4'.

90+1' (of +4') 0-1 Yellow card on Dougherty Howard, for a dead-ball shove? That's her 2nd, she misses Washington's 2021 opener.

 

FT 0-1. Washington finishes their 4-match Fall Series with 7 pts, temporarily ahead of Portland. Sky Blue have 3 pts with 1 to play (vs. Chicago).

Sky Blue 10(2)-(5)17 shots(sog), 4-2 corners, 9-20 crosses vs. 7-9 clearances, 2-3 offsides, 12-12 fouls, 2-2 yellow cards, 52% possession.

 

[UTA-POR]
A.Smith for Lowder; Leach for Del Fava.

Run it back one last time Utah! 💪#URFC | #NWSLFallSeries pic.twitter.com/QBYEUzUESN

— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) October 4, 2020

Pogarch for Klingenberg (2 yellows); Ogle for Salem; S.Smith for Charley; Weaver for Lussi.

Our Starting XI vs. @UtahRoyalsFC. pic.twitter.com/s9KIND3VTJ

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 4, 2020

Utah: Q Ship / OUT Barnhart
Portland: Q nil / OUT Franch, Bixby, Seiler

 

09' 1-0 Vero turns at circle top in a 4-v-4 fast break, with all 4 Portland defenders chasing back to their own endline. A.Rodriguez makes a strong central run behind the CBs, Vero floats a diagonal pass left to LaBonta with 1/2-step lead over Westphal through arc top mid-left. LaBonta chests ball into own stride, follows to 15m mid-left, shoots left foot half-volley across mouth. Eckerstrom dives centerward and double-blocks ball down to 5m 1/4 right, Rodriguez backcuts Sauerbrunn and taps into back right low.

.@AmyRodriguez8 cleans it up and @UtahRoyalsFC are in the lead 🧹

1-0 | #UTAvPOR

Tune in now on @CBSSportsNet and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/7juwpV4fTy

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

Maybe Sauerbrunn pulled up a little bit at the end and let Rodriguez open the final gap, but mostly Eckerstrom put that rebound in the worst possible cm². Credit to LaBonta for taking a deadly shot in the first place.

 

33' 1-0 Westphal serves from 30m box right, Horan already knows where it's going and wrestles her way past Weber, to 5m 6-left. Soft header across mouth to 5m 1/6 right, Sinclair back-cuts Bowen and swings shin-high left instep half-volley but gets no power. A.Smith dives in time and claws ball out of goal mouth, 3/4 over but not fully over.

.@abbyys44 somehow denies @sincy12 the equalizer on this close-range chance 🤯

1-0 | #PORvUTA

Tune in now on @CBSSportsNet and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/KTkkmQYeF7

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

HT 1-0. Utah 7(3)-(2)5 shots(sog), 3-2 corners, 9-17 crosses vs. 11-7 clearances, no offsides, 3-4 fouls, 46% possession.

 

46' 1-0 Portland subs in { 0th of 3 }:
- (1 of 5) #38 Simone Charley for #9 Sophia Smith
- (2 of 5) #40 Marissa Everett for #22 Morgan Weaver.

59' 1-1 Horan drives down box left to 8m, shoots left foot shross to 4m 1/3 left, with Charley lurking at 6-top 3-right, not closely marked. A.Smith senses that the cross must not pass, dives and cups with left hand, soaking almost all of its momentum away. Ball trickles to 5m 1/4 right, Charley steps to it and shoots one-touch left foot as Weber steps out and Leach leaves Sinclair to converge. All six shoes meet in a three-way crunch, ball deflects off Weber's right shin and squirts due left to 4m 1/4 left. Sinclair lurks thereat, lifts knee-high right instep and vollleys past Smith, into 1/3 left back low. Good play by Charley to be there and react decisively.

The 🐐 does it again. @sincy12 levels the score!

1-1 | #UTAvPOR

Tune in now on @CBSSportsNet and @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/kDRj4yMQAz

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

61' 1-1 Portland subs in { 1st of 3 }:
- (3 of 5) #36 Angela Salem for #11 Raquel Rodríguez.

65' 1-1 Utah subs in { 1st of 3 }:
- (1 of 5) #12 Taylor Lytle for #21 Verónica Boquete.

69' 1-1 Portland subs in { 2nd of 3 }:
- (4 of 5) #20 Kelli Hubly for #4 Becky Sauerbrunn.

 

90' 1-1 Portland subs in { 3rd of 3 }:
- (5 of 5) #34 Tyler Lussi for #40 Marissa Everett, who came on at 46'.

FT 1-1. Utah 18(5)-(5)14 shots(sog), 7-2 corners, 22-25 crosses vs. 19-23 clearances, 6-8 fouls, no offsides, 41% possession.

 

[HOU-NC]
Nairn for Chapman.

📋 One more time at @BBVAStadium #HoldItDown | @MDAndersonNews

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) October 4, 2020

Rowland for Labbé; Baisden for Kurtz; and a 4-4-2.

1312878915480956933 is not a valid tweet id

Houston: Q Andrzejewski, Oyster / OUT McCoy, Simon
North Carolina: Q Kurtz, Miramontez / OUT Mathias, Watt, Meehan

 

16' 0-0 Prince turns past Merrick down box right, crosses to 5m 1/3 left. Rn.Williams clears it away, Dahlkemper clangs it to 8m center, Groom reflex-stabs a shot rising to 2/5 left 1/2 high, Rowland slaps it over bar.

🚫 @rowland_katelyn with a potential @Verizon Save of the Week contender 🚫

0-0 | #HOUvNC

Tune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/2ea3HDtF1l

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

30' 1-0 K.Mewis right ck, backpass to Hanson at arc top box right, one-touch return pass to her. Milliet is lone chaser out there, K.Mewis cuts past her to 1m mid-right. Soft cross to 6-top right post, Schmidt steps away from Roccaro momentarily wrong-footed, lifts simple grasstop right instep volley across mouth into 1/4 left back high, with Rowland stuck at right post. Schmidt now has a 4-match scoring streak

There's no stopping @sophieschmidt13 😤

1-0 | #HOUvNC

Tune in now on @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/MQoLbuRMvj

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

37' 2-0 Dahlkemper outlets to Perea at own arc top mid-right. Harmless backpass -- oh no, Groom slides in and pokes ball right off Perea's toes! K.Mewis slide-hooks a pass through arc left to Latsko still up in a standard high press on NC's backline. Since NC's CBs naturally split to either side to avoid her press, they're not marking her on a turnover, oh no! Latsko receives 5m alone at 16m 3-left, touches to 10m, shoots right instep bend around Rowland coming out, perfectly into right bottom pipe. Don't hesitate with Groom afoot, she does not wait for your slow tempo

The @HoustonDash are cruising 🚘@KristieMewie's sliding pass finds @V_Latsko12, who doubles the advantage.

2-0 | #HOUvNC

Tune in now on @Twitch. #NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/BftSJj0QfY

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2020

HT 2-0. Houston dare to attack NC and force mistakes.

Houston 6(5!)-(1)4 shots(sog), 5-0 corners , 10-3 crosses vs. 2-6 clearances, 4-2 offsides, 2-3 fouls, 57% possession.

 

46' 2-0 North Carolina subs in { 0th of 3 }:
- (1 of 5) #22 Hailey Harbison for #29 Rylee Baisden
- (2 of 5) #32 Havana Solaun for #2 Lauren Milliet.

~48' 2-0 Groom collects a loose ball at 15m left post, Perea steps up alongside her and gives a gentle two-handed quarter-shove (without fully extending arms) to Groom's upper back. Groom promptly sprawls face-first -- no call

56' 2-0 NC left ck, to 5m 3-right. Debinha does a drop-kick half-volley rising just wide right.

60' 3-0 Chapman longball from behind midfield wide left to Latsko through arc top left. Latsko turns away from Dahlkemper, taps back to K.Mewis arriving through 25m 6-left, 2 steps ahead of NC's chasing midline. Mewis properly senses pressure behind her (and/or keeps her internal clock running), accelerates to 15m 6-left, shoots left foot on the run across mouth -- and it skips past Rowland frozen (and partially screened?), into right bottom pipe. I think Rowland must dive for that, but she has some history in misjudging ball in/out snap decisions.

.@KristieMewie is on another level tonight 📈

The midfielder has been involved in all three goals for the @HoustonDash.

3-0 | #HOUvNC

Tune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/tTHm9XDP3N

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 5, 2020

 

68' 3-0 Interesting case for LotG eagles: NC play an inside-out diagonal pass through arc top mid-right. At the instant of the pass, Solaun (NC) is 1 step offside up box right. But then Schmidt (Houston), following her run, stretch-stabs ball off own chest and shin, and it continues past her into Solaun's stride. Solaun collects to 10m mid-right, and AR flags her offside. So she benefitted from being in an offside position, even after a deflection off the defender?

70' 3-0 Yellow card on Groom, for (dissent after?) a foul on Roccaro.

 

74' 3-1 Debinha chases down a long pass at box top left, turns away and swings a right instep cross to 9m center. Naughton heads ball straight up, it drops at 8m 2/5 left. Ln.Williams reflex-volleys but leans back at contact, ball rises past Campbell off crossbar 2/5 left, bounces down hard and Houston clear through arc left. NC switch right, Rn.Williams drives a low cross from 27m box right to 15m right post. Ln.Williams jumps with Naughton on her back, glance-heads a perfect lob across mouth. Campbell misreads it, doesn't jump to meet it at crossbar -- and it drops perfectly through left 90 into back left low.

ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖@lynnraenie pulls a goal back for @TheNCCourage.

3-1 | #HOUvNC

Tune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/7a5i3y3zOR

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 5, 2020

75' 3-1 2H hydration break.

78' 3-1 North Carolina subs in { 1st of 3 }:
- (3 of 5) #28 Danica Evans for #24 Peyton Perea.

79' 3-1 Houston subs in { 1st of 3 }:
- (1 of 5) #24 Jamia Fields for #14 Brianna Visalli.