71' 3-0 Sky Blue subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #15 Sabrina Flores for #5 Nicole Baxter 78' 3-0 Chicago subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (4 of 5) #33 Katlyn Johnson for #3 Arin Wright (injured). 88' 3-0 Purce races McCaskill head-on to a 50/50 at arc top left, trips her. 89' 3-1 T.Davidson fk at arc top left, left foot backspin chip to 6m 1/3 left, no swerve. Chicago send 5 parallel runs from 10m right-ish slanting right-to-left across goal. Gautrat stops better than Richardson, twist-heads to 1/4 right 1/2 high, wrong-foots Sheridan and banks in off her left hand. That's like a back-shoulder throw in gridiron. .@moeebrian pulls a goal back for @chiredstarsPR.3-1 | #NJvCHITune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/x43npEwBLG— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 10, 2020 89' 3-1 Sky Blue subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #18 Mikaela Howell for #8 Erica Skroski. FT 3-1. Sky Blue 8(3)-(5)22 shots(sog), 1-11 corners, 8-35 crosses vs. 41-2 clearances, 5-7 fouls, 42% possession. That 100% shooting percentage helps
Courage go up a goal in the 89': 89'- @lynnraenie puts the Courage up late!#NCvWAS 4-3— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) October 10, 2020
Purce was another highlight for Sky Blue. And I totally agree on Gorden; for much of this game, she was Chicago's only bright spot. Everyone else looked to be done with the Fall Series and ready to go on break or to the WNT camp.
The Washington-North Carolina game ends with the Courage winning 4-3: [FINAL] NC Courage 4-3 Washington Spirit #NoFinishLine— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) October 10, 2020
[REI-POR] Murphy for Betos; Hammond for T.Smith (and Cox flips to RB); Weatherholt for White. Our Starting XI squad is 🔒 in. pic.twitter.com/JqpUAK6Ldf— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) October 10, 2020 Klingenberg for Pogarch; Salem for Ogle; Charley for Weaver. 🥁...Our final starting XI for 2020. #RGNvPOR #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/3k9mPNeqE1— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 10, 2020 Portland clinches 1st on 10 pts with a win, or 2nd on 8 pts with a draw. OL Reign need this win + another win to join the 7-pt logjam. And previously posted on p.1: OL Reign: Q Hiatt / OUT Hedge, Betos, Ashley Portland: Q nil / OUT Franch, Bixby, Seiler
I decided to watch this one match just to see if things were better with more matches being played and I have to say I cannot tell a thing since the match on Twitch has such a low angle that there is no way to see either placement of the players or which runs might be open. It makes what could be a good match unwatchable. I guess I was not wrong to not watch all the rest if this is what has been placed on TV.
10' 0-0 Hammond shields off Smith at own arc top box (her) left, turns away to arc top mid-left. Smith harasses from behind, digs ball away and passes to Horan spinning unmarked to 15m mid-(their)right. Murphy charges out, Horan turns and shoots across mouth, Murphy leg-blocks it aside from close range. 12' 0-0 Sinclair crosses from ~5m wide right through the 6, Murphy dives out through 1/4 (her) right and slaps it away from any far-post run. Yes, the Twitch stream camera tonight is only slightly higher than at field-level, resulting in a very low angle. It looks less than FullHD resolution, too. 14' 0-0 Klingenberg steals(?) and darts to arc top box left, slips a diagonal pass to 15m mid-left for Smith cutting through mid-left. Smith shoots across mouth past Murphy's horizontal dive, just wide right low. Yes, I see the field-level turret camera gunner standing in OL Reign's right end zone, which gives some behind-goal replay angles. 16' 0-0 Reign hoof ball to Portland's box top, Eckerstrom pans into view. Sad: there is no mirror-image camera guy in Portland's end zone. Happy: The midfield camera extends its neck boom, and ascends by z + 10m or so, gaining a pigeon's-eye view
They finally started showing a "slightly" higher angle for short periods but they keep switching to meaningless closeups at low angles. However what i have seen a a decent angle says that the play is a bit better so far.
20' 0-0 Salem settles at circle back left, ball pops straight up chest-high. Long steps forth and pokes ball away(?), Salem completes her kicking motion and half-steps self through Long's right lower leg. Long stays down, all play on around her. Klingenberg dribbles past her up (her) left touch, passes ahead to Smith down box left. Smith circles back, Brooks(!) runs around behind her outside flank and steals ball. Stoppage, trainer, Long limps around but resumes. 24' 0-0 Cruz overtakes Rodríguez from behind and chest-bumps her, promptly drapes an arm over Rodríguez's left shoulder and pulls her back-and-down, but also kicks her foot? Foul, brief pause for wincing. 26' 0-0 Weatherholt passes inside-out to Cruz down box left, alone to 10m. Cruz tries a dink pass to endline mid-left for Weatherholt continuing her run, just too hard. 27' 0-0 Huerta beats Klingenberg down wide right with a hesitate-and-go, crosses from 8m box right to 6m center. Spencer swings for a half-volley on the up-bounce, disrupted by Westphal, and they both sprawl down. Ball deflects behind Balcer's run to 7m left post, Balcer turns back and collects, spins and shoots, blocked point-blank by Eckerstrom's feet or shin. 29' 0-0 Reign cross from ~wide right to 6-top right, Long swings waist-high right roundhouse on the up-bounce, soft pop-up drops to Eckerstrom at right post. 30' 0-0 1H hydration break.
I see they are still using "hydration" breaks. I know it is world wide and I know it is said to be good for the players but all it really is now is a coaching timeout and very Mickey Mouse.
40' 0-0 Smith receives at circle top right, Long overtakes her and outsizes her greatly, leans right forearm upon Smith's upper back, and flattens her with it. Foul, yellow card on Long. 42' 0-0 Portland serve to arc left, Charley jumps facing away with Brooks tight against her back, heads ball straight up. Ball drops at box top center, Charley turns to chase but folds self over McNabb's outstretched leg -- no call for obstruction (yet). Neither get ball, Brooks runs around behind McNabb and lunges toward ball at Charley's feet, they entangle feet and Brooks chest-bumps Charley down and away off ball as Charley scissors Brooks' plant foot. Ball trickles harmlessly to 6-top -- foul on Brooks, pk. 43' 0-1 Sinclair pk, right instep into back left low, as Murphy dove right. +3'. Cool as you like from the spot by @sincy12 😎0-1 | #RGNvPORTune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/QKRYawigJW— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 11, 2020
45+3' (of +3') 0-1 Balcer drives through box top right, stops hard at 14m mid-right, sets up left foot shot. Sauerbrunn recovers through box top mid-right, slides and blocks shot over endline right. 45+4' (of +3') 0-1 Reign right ck, glances to endline wide left. HT 0-1. Reign 10(2)-(3)5 shots(sog), 2-1 corners, 13-5 crosses vs. 12-13 clearances, 2-1 offsides, 6-4 fouls, 48% possession.
46' 0-1 Spencer overtakes Rodríguez from the left, Rodríguez slides at ball and kicks Spencer en passant. Foul. 46' 1-1 Hammond(?) fk at arc top left, soft chip to 10m 1/3 left, Horan heads it away to 22m left post. Cruz blasts one-touch through traffic to 10m 1/3 right, Brooks raises knee-high right instep and deflects ball into left back low, with Eckerstrom stranded. Quick thinking from @abrooks22 and @OLReign have equalized!1-1 | #RGNvPORTune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/dB6tf3csLk— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 11, 2020 49' 1-1 Klingenberg whips a cross from 25m mid-left, off the back of a defender's head. Ball deflects rightward to Sinclair's feet at spot, bounces up and away to 10m 2/5 left. Sinclair swings knee-high left roundhouse to center waist-high, Murphy reflex-catches.
67' 1-1 OL Reign subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #23 Taylor Smith for #22 Jasmyne Spencer. 70' 1-1 Klingenberg left ck to 8m right post. Amidst the scrum, Horan gets an arm entangled with Brooks, both topple backward, Horan's head bounces off the turf. Foul, pk, Horan stays down. Stoppage, trainer. 72' 1-1 Yellow card on Reign HC Benstiti. Horan walks off unassisted. 73' 1-2 Sinclair pk, right instep hard into back left low, past Murphy's dive. .@sincy12 x 2️⃣ from the PK spot. 1-2 | #RGNvPOR Tune in now on @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/qvETGIzZC1— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 11, 2020 75' 1-2 Portland subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #22 Morgan Weaver for #9 Sophia Smith. 75' 1-2 2H hydration break.
80' 1-2 Portland play a thousand short passes. Horan finally serves toward arc top left for Sinclair, Reign win that. Cox misses a pass up wide left. 81' 1-2 Portland longball sends Weaver past Cox up wide left, to 15m. Cross toward spot, Horan pokes ball up centerline and chases. Murphy smothers ball at 4m 1/3 left, Horan slides shoes into Murphy's chest. No injury, minimal impact, just looked awkward. 83' 1-2 Brief stoppage for Hammond. OL Reign subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #35 Leah Pruitt for #24 Bethany Balcer - (3 of 5) #33 Kim Hazlett for #99 Madison Hammond. Hazlett's 1st cap!
86' 1-2 Portland subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #34 Tyler Lussi for #38 Simone Charley - (3 of 5) #20 Kelli Hubly for #18 Christen Westphal. 86' 1-2 Cox crosses from arc top wide right to 6-top left post, Menges(?) heads away from Long, over endline left. 87' 1-2 Cox left ck, to 8m 1/4 right. Long jumps and glance-heads down to 1/4 right low, Eckerstrom is right there and scoops it up. 89' 1-2 OL Reign subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (4 of 5) #12 Morgan Andrews for #6 Allie Long - (5 of 5) #31 Rosie White for #28 Shirley Cruz. 90+2' (of +4') 1-2 Portland subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (4 of 5) #37 Emily Ogle for #11 Raquel Rodríguez.
OL Reign was robbed. The first penalty call wasn't a penalty. It was two players getting tied up with each other. The second penalty call was questionable. I really dislike that questionable penalty calls have such an influence in the game. They shouldn't be called unless the infraction is obvious and/or deliberate.
Well what I saw from this match is that the NWSL is little better than it was earlier. Bad passing was matched by bad defense and bad finishing. Portland only was able to score from PKs and The Reign was little better. The camera work and announcing was even worse than I remember. I am pretty content that I made the right choice to not watch any of this "fall series" as there have been so many other things that I can do that fill my time. I hope that next year things get better. They can get little worse.
Lol Amber should have put on her skates and hockey pads. She was taking people out even at the end of the game, when she took out weaver who had a clear run in front of her, then complaining. a least she can say she had a piece of every goal tonight.
90+4' (of +4') 1-2 Yellow card on Weatherholt, for a foul on Horan. FT 1-2. Portland clinches 1st place in the Fall Series. Reign 19(4)-(10)15 shots(sog), 3-7 corners, 21-17 crosses vs. 20-23 clearances, 2-1 offsides, 15-13 fouls, 46% possession. Comparing OL Reign to Houston: - Reign's backline (Cox/Brooks/McNabb and a rookie) are a clear tier down. - Reign's midfield (Long/Weatherholt/Cruz) have less mobility and firepower. - Reign's frontline (Huerta/Spencer/Balcer) aren't scoring. They're not fast enough to run behind defenses, not precise enough to pierce defenses with passing, have no particular height advantage for crosses, and aren't great finishers. I give them a partial pass because it's Benstiti's 1st year, so a transition / culture shock was to be expected. The possession game has improved. Realistically, they need a few true weapons to give them any edge. Until then, this is their level.