We've already had one game this week, with North Carolina putting on a show in a 4-0 win over Houston.
[POR-CHI] 02' 1-0 Horan(?) hoofs long from own 30m wide right past circle top box right. S.Johnson has a 3m lead over Raso, tracks back to own arc top box right, backpass to Dalton. Dalton tries a one-touch return pass to S.Johnson -- but directly into Raso's right foot at box top mid-right. Raso pounces on the bounce, one-touch left foot curls past Dalton into center back low. Wow, like Bouhaddi to Lloyd 2' - Wow! If you weren't awake before, you are now as @HayleyRaso puts the @ThornsFC up 1-0 early. #PORvCHI #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/ZAkcooy9GS— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017 13' 2-0 Raso chips down wide right for Sinclair spinning past DiBernardo(?), to 12m box left. They face off, Sinclair eventually stutter-drives down to 2m box right, lifts a cross to 10m 1/4 left. Gorden heads ball down to 14m center -- but directly into Sykes's legs. Ball pops ups, Sykes steps back and faces up, flicks right foottop off the drop, just inside right post to back right low. 13' - It is now 2-0 for @ThornsFC as @ashsykes91 scores off chance created by none other than @sincy12. #PORvCHI #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/y7A24GLaxh— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017
71' 2-1 DiBernardo runs onto a ball at 18m mid-right, shoots one-touch right foot across mouth, over Franch's dive, off crossbar 1/4 left, bounces down hard and up. Reynolds swings right roundhouse to clear, gets partial power, out to 22m box left. Huerta boxes out Horan, dribbles centerward to 22m arc left, head down right foot crossbody pull on the run, soars over Franch's dive into left 90 71' - A beautiful strike by @schuerta brings @chicagoredstars back into this game. Now down just 2-1. #PORvCHI #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/ujLSPcd1L7— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017
82' 2-1 Heath left ck, to 8m right post, Mautz(?) heads it away to 25m box right. Sykes dribbles past Gilliland to box top wide right, fast cross to 4m center is just past Long jumping with Huerta. Foul on Huerta, for obstruction/holding. 83' 3-1 Nadim pk, right instep into back left edge 2/5 high (Franch dove wrong). 83' - @ALLIE_LONG earns the penalty and @nadia_nadim converts it to give @ThornsFC a 3-1 advantage. #PORvCHI #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/En7hUIwWdF— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017 FT 3-1.
1.North Carolina - Orlando.4 is actually a big deal (to them). Orlando (37 pts) trails 3.Chicago (39 pts). If Orlando wins at North Carolina, then they sneak into 3rd and play at Portland in the semis (and Chicago plays at North Carolina). If Orlando draws or loses, then the semifinals are the same as today: 1.NC-ORL.4 and 2.POR-CHI.
Alex Morgan said, following last week's Orlando-Portland tie, that she wanted Orlando to play Portland again -- in Orlando, she said. So they apparently don't want to play Portland in Portland next week. And Chicago -- shame on them, their management, not their players -- apparently want to come in fourth so they don't have to play Portland in Portland (again) next week and instead can play North Carolina in North Carolina. I was very disappointed with what Chicago did. They should get in trouble with the league, especially considering this was the Lifetime game of the week. I really like their players and, until now have liked their management, but they made a very poor decision about today's game. And oh, yeah, I know Chicago beat North Carolina three times this year, so naturally would like to play them in the semi-finals. But you just don't give away games, not in a league that's still somewhat fragile. It cheats the fans and diminishes the league.
[WAS-SEA] Looks like a young(er) line-up for Seattle tonight. Reed gets a swan song start, and some others are maybe playing to ... inform Harvey's offseason trading decisions Pugh, Farquharson, Solaun Huster, Dougherty Howard, Proffitt Kallman, Zadorsky, Church, Dydasco Haracic Yanez, K.Johnson, Kawasumi Utsugi, Nairn, Fishlock Pickett, Barnes, 26 Maddie Bauer, Reed 24 Madalyn Schiffel
27' 1-0 Bauer (stacked way to the left, with Pickett apparently upfield) passes to Fishlock facing away at circle half-front left, Proffitt digs ball away with a spin-cw, flicks to Dougherty Howard up circle right to (their) half-front. Pugh begins her inside post route past Reed from circle half-front left, diagonal pass to 35m arc left, Pugh blows past Reed through arc top, with Bauer as LCB and nobody in the RCB slot. Schiffel comes out to 16m, Pugh cuts right around Schiffel diving horizontal, chases to 8m 7-right, bounces a shot just inside right post low. Reed took a more direct line to right post, and still couldn't slide for a clearance try. Buckle in, we got some goals happening.@MalPugh, take one. #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/D2se6V0tlr— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017 32' 2-0 Haracic restart sails to Seattle's back line up at 30m. Barnes spins away from Farquharson, dribbles up box left to circle halfback -- Utsugi promptly slides back into Barnes' hole. Barnes tries a spin-and-drag, Farquharson reads it and slide-pokes ball away. Solaun runs on and dribbles past Barnes to 35m box right, lures Utsugi into stepping up, square pass left to Dougherty Howard -- and continues her own run. Bauer steps up and stretches poorly, Dougherty Howard one-touch diagonal tap springs Solaun 1-v-0 through 24m box right -- meanwhile Pugh begins her own lurking run up centerline at 25m, behind Reed's back. Solaun dribbles from arc top mid-right to 9m 6-right, Pugh beats Reed to 10m left post, diagonal pass to 3m left post bisects Schiffel on knees and Reed, Pugh taps into 1/3 right back low. Wow, when Barnes goes walkabout, this backline is ... very, very young at heart. Rinse and repeat, it's Mal Pugh again for @WashSpirit!#WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/aNLKHEDvp1— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017
[BOS-NJ] 25' 1-0 Oyster passes to Purce at box top right touch. Purce launches a fast cross to 5m 1/3 left, Leon jumps at 1/4 right but it's over her head. Casey comes out to centerline, punch misses, ball continues past her to Dowie already airborne, who glance-heads down-and-up into 1/3 left back 1/2 high. .@100Purcent ➡️ @tatsdowie for the header home and her first of the night in #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/dG5IWP28Kh— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017 28' 2-0 Elby dribbles past Stanton to arc top left touch. Weimer kicks ball off Elby's legs, taps it again to arc top wide left -- Dowie raises arm and front-cuts Freeman from 15m center. Weimer bends an early cross to 6m 3-left, Dowie jumps center-to-left, flick-heads across mouth. Casey dives and misses, ball curls and bounces into back right low. That cross might be on-frame already, and any redirection gives the GK a nasty interception problem to solve. .@tatsdowie bags herself a brace as the explosion of goals across the #NWSL continues.But we got one more for you from #BOSvNJ... pic.twitter.com/oFfAsiH8XA— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017
34' 2-1 Hayes chips a cross from box top wide left to 6m 1/4 left, Kerr sticks right foot out waist-high and flicks it past Chapman, across A.Smith, into 1/4 right back low. Her 17th sets the NWSL record -- and it had to be something even crazier than a bicycle 1️⃣7️⃣Record broken. @samkerr1 gets one back for @skybluefc and earns herself a piece of #NWSL history. #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/YHKA6MyRh2— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 30, 2017 76' 2-2 O'Hara crosses from 24m wide right to spot, Kerr faces away and is bumped off ball by Oyster. Ball continues to Tiernan unmarked at 7m 8-left, clangs centerward to 8m 6-left. Tiernan hook-cuts endline past Purce, to 6-top left, shoots left instep between A.Smith's legs, into center back low. 76' - @SkyBlueFC's @MadisonTiernan scores to tie the game with assist from @kohara19. #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/tS5pOuLr1A— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 Oh hey, look, it's Sky Blue coming back from behind
[NC-ORL] 22' 0-1 Morgan advances to 27m wide left, pulls T.Smith up to her, pokes leftward into Ubogagu's stride overlapping up left touch. Ubogagu chases to 9m wide left, one-touch left instep cross to 11m 1/3 left. Edmonds comes to ball, left instep step-block low across mouth, past Rowland's dive into right bottom pipe. Wow, Ubogagu supplied the power and Edmonds just had to reflect it. .@Kris10edmonds didn't want to be left out of the #NWSL scoring frenzy. She puts the #ORLPride up in North Carolina with this goal. #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/fpDKMXxofB— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 51' 0-2 Ubogagu passes from own box top to Hill at circle back left, ball poked by T.Smith (who's that far upfield). Hill spins and chases to circle tangent back left, taps square right to Marta, continues her own run up arc left lane. Marta slows up to 35m arc right, has 3-v-5, passes ahead to Morgan at 25m mid-right -- and starts her own vertical sprint past Zerboni momentarily lulled. Morgan standing-putts a diagonal pass down to 8m 7-right, Marta outruns Holstad Berge and arrives first, one-touch right instep shot deflects off Rowland's right wrist and knee, into center back low. Looking to lock down that 3️⃣ seed.Morgan, Marta, goal. It's 2-0 to the visiting @ORLPride. #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/f9EWFvbW2P— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017
I kinda want least one playoff match to be the 2011 WNY champions (Marta/Morgan/Harris/Edmonds) versus the 2016 WNY champions (now NC Courage) but if this match can be remembered as such, thus setting up for the shield winners to exit in the SFs by facing a team they've lost to multiple times this season already, I guess I'm okay with it. Either way, would love to ORL actually make it to the final. Would be great attendance.
You get a comeback, you get a comeback, you get a comeback! [WAS-SEA] 71' 2-1 Dallstream receives at midfield box right, chips a fast longball that bounces past Church at 25m arc right. Fishlock overtakes her on the inside, brave jump-touch out-heights Church's flick try. (Replay shows that the ball actually hits Fishlock's right forearm no call) Ball bounces to 12m 6-right, Haracic comes out to 10m and jumps to block, Fishlock hop-volleys waist-high over Haracic -- perfectly measured arc, soft bounce into center back 3/4 high. 71' - A great long ball over the top springs @JessFishlock in behind who hits a sweet floater for the goal. @ReignFC down just 2-1. #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/SqtbN0bjAX— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 83' 2-2 Seattle chip from the back to circle center, Fishlock stoop-heads facing away. K.Johnson one-touch backpass from circle top left back to Fishlock -- but her curl distracts Dydasco for just an instant. Crummer back-cuts Dydasco on the outside, Fishlock chips one-touch past Crummer's shoulders to arc top mid-left. Haracic comes out to 12m 3-left, Crummer one-touch left instep mini-lob over her, bounces at 0.5m center and bends into 1/5 right back 1/2 high. 83' - What a great finish by @ReignFC's @LarissaCrummer! It all tied up at 2-2. #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/czZKW6QznR— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 90' 2-3 Nairn kicks a pass up left touch from circle top, Crummer chases alone past box top -- somehow Dydasco got caught 10m further upfield. Ball sidespins to 8m wide left, Crummer one-touch cross to 6-top 4-left, K.Johnson (tightly marked by Zadorsky) opens hips to face away and micro-flicks ball to 8m 1/3 left. Dallstream (tightly marked by Kallman) scuffs ball toward spot, everybody overruns it -- except Fishlock, who anticipates the touch and takes the direct route. Fishlock stretch-hooks one-touch right instep from 11m 2/5 right, rising off Haracic's right hand, up into 1/3 left back 2/3 high. 90' - It is @JessFishlock with her second goal on the night to give @ReignFC a 3-2 lead. #WASvSEA pic.twitter.com/KD5IdVhDYy— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 FT 2-3. This edit box takes emoji codes, but strips them out from the final post
[BOS-NJ] 79' 2-3 Sky Blue left ck (not shown), to 6-top center, Meehan aggressively lunges past Chapman for a header try -- misses? Ball continues down to 4m 1/5 right, Skroski bull-pushes Frisbie backward from 6m to 4m, stretches right foot behind Frisbie's calves, perfectly half-volley dinks past A.Smith's dive, into back right low. 78' - Off the cornerkick, @Erica_Skroski finds the loose ball and taps it into the back of the net to give @SkyBlueFC a 3-2 lead. #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/o1TQnHt86b— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 85' 3-3 Dowie spins cw at 24m arc left, plays left to Onumonu down box left to 8m just inside box left. Onumonu lifts a cross to left 90, Casey jumps and palms ball goalward behind her -- falls backward into goal, scoops ball out but off left post, it bounces in behind her. Oh no. Credited as an own goal to Casey, but if Onumonu's cross was going in regardless, it should just be a goal for her. 85' - An own goal (C. Casey) by @SkyBlueFC, we are now all tied up at 3-3. #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/WukDV9XRlW— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 87' 3-4 Skroski passes to Galton at 14m wide left, Galton races Purce to 0.5m mid-left. Hard cross misses everybody, bounces at 6m 6-right. O'Hara runs on at 6m 8-right, one-touch hop right instep volley skips off 6-top right, into center back low. 87' - Amazing - @kohara19 reads the cross and hits a blast to give @SkyBlueFC a 4-3 advantage. #BOSvNJ pic.twitter.com/j4E4YZPxxf— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 FT 3-4. Can the home team hold a lead or a draw??
First of all, I want to say I was disappointed at the lineup myself. If he wanted to rest players, that's OK, rest a couple like Ertz and Press maybe but not pretty much the whole team. Dames started pretty much the whole bench and benched the starters. Michelle Dalton shouldn't be playing in a women's pickup game in Chicago much less on a pro team. Sorry to say that but that's how I feel Second CP, don't confuse the Head Coach with "Red Stars Management". Rory is the Head Coach and he makes field decisions. Arnim is the owner and is in it for all the right reasons. And third CP, I'm questioning your motives for your tirade. Are you actually mad that the Red Stars didn't play their starters or are you mad that Portland now has to face Morgan, Marta and Orlando in the semis??? And in your opinion now has a less of a chance to win and move to the Championship game? Hmmm? Is that what you're really mad about? And fourth, how would you punish Chicago? How would you justify this? They played players on their legally registered roster. Take away their team? OK, I get my deposit for next season's tickets and those who do can get the satisfaction of a team that's been around now since 2009 taken away from a major city and now you've weakened the league even more. Having said all this, I am not happy with what Rory did tonight. He could have started the starters and slowly subbed them out if he wanted. But Rory, please, NO MORE DALTON!
[NC-ORL] 62' 1-2 Hamilton switches right to T.Smith way up at arc top wide right, 1-v-1 on Ubogagu. Smith dribbles centerward through 14m box right to box top arc right, taps a delicate vertical pass between Ubogagu and Catley, to L.Williams facing away vs. Krieger at 12m right post. L.Williams takes one touch to 12m 6-right, snipes right instep rising over Harris's dive, into right 90. Game on in North Carolina. @lynnraenie gets one back for @TheNCCourage.(There's more, we know.) #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/ZMurMwA9y6— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 67' 2-2 L.Williams pk, right instep bounces under Harris's left hand, into 1/4 right back low. .@lynnraenie. Again. This time on the penalty kick to even things up in North Carolina.It's 2-2 in #NCvORL. pic.twitter.com/MEWVvxJUg6— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 90+1' (of +5') 2-3 Orlando fk at arc tangent left, Morgan and Marta stand behind it, Kennedy to the left. Morgan starts her fake-run behind Kennedy down 6-left lane -- Kennedy pulls right instep over the wall, perfectly into left 90. Carpe diem, seize the 3-seed! The very definition of late game drama.@AlannaKennedy gets it done for the @ORLPride. Pride up 3-2! #NCvORL pic.twitter.com/xeJPv2OXav— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 1, 2017 FT 2-3. Tough day for all 3 home teams
I agree with your distinction between ownership and the coach. I'm actually not against any of them, as Rory obviously has been a good coach, but I think he made a very poor decision for the league and professional women's soccer -- and for the fans at Providence Park and on LIfetime, including me. I also agree with you that if he had rested one or two starters, no complaint, but it sure looked like he threw the game. I can understand why he might do that (I, like you, am not sure that was his intention), but I think it's bad for women's soccer, for fans, and appeared to be poor sportsmanship whatever his actual reasoning was. (I think the Lifetime broadcast crew gave him a big "pass," so shame on them too.) In some respects, I'd rather play Chicago here, but in others I'd rather play Orlando. I think Portland and Orlando are the two best teams, so we get to go to Providence Park and see them play here in Portland. And, from a pragmatic perspective, wanting Portland to win, it's probably better to play them here than in Orlando.
Awwww poor BOS.... I really thought they could close out the season well, that was a winnable match. Would have been nice to have more wins than in 2015.
Thanks, guys, for disagreeing but keeping it very civil. Not that this place uses to get flames or too much heated discussions, but it's good to see people express themselves through respect. Reps for both. I was just going to ask... So I am not the only one to think that this Dalton GK was basically unpresentable. Talking about Red Stars' line-up: Yuki Nagasato was obvioulsy serving the suspension for last week's (questionable ) Red Card. I hope she was suspended just for this game and she will be back for the play-off matches, won't she?
Michelle Dalton is a very nice person, does a lot for the Club outside of the field, etc. But IMO, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, not up to par of what a pro goalkeeper should be. She has been given several chances over the last few years to prove herself and failed every time giving up silly goals. There are plenty of goalkeepers to chose from that have been good in college, no need to keep a goalkeeper anymore that cannot prove herself in the pro ranks and gives up silly goals it seems every game.