Midweek start! Even NWSL tweets only this match so far: Partial injury list, for this match only: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/injuries Stream is live now! Starting line-ups: 867516801038659584 is not a valid tweet id
[NC-SkB] 20' 1-0 Williams golaaaaazo from arc top right off left post 2/3 high. 42' 2-0 NC right ck, McDonald outjumps the scrum and pike-heads down to 2m 1/3 left, off Sheridan's chest, ball backspins out to 3m. S.Mewis pokes it once into Sheridan + 2 defenders, pokes it a 2nd time up into back left high. Too many defenders still on the goalline, keeping her onside.
Kerr-less, Sky Blue is tooth-less. Meehan, Corboz a bit too hesitant going forward. At this point, down 2-0, Sky Blue might decide to let Kerr and Rodriguez sit this game out to ensure that they're 100 percent for the next one.
If they don't sub in for the second half and SkyBlue concedes again, I could see Holly keeping both out, especially with how wet it is.
55' 2-0 Sky Blue subs in (1 of 3) #20 Samantha Kerr for #2 McKenzie Meehan. 56' 2-0 Mix-up/snafu at 27m centerline, ball pops past 3 and sends Debinha chasing 5m alone to arc top. Debinha clangs her 2nd touch to spot, can't catch up to that, Sheridan slides out and pins ball against own hip. It'd be about 6-0 if Sheridan wasn't in the way all the time
NC has serious speed advantage in every match-up. Sky Blue can't even dribble 10m safely because they get overtaken from behind, and they can't find threatening passes because nobody's winning their races. NC has some height advantage, too, with S.Mewis and McDonald.
That's been the story every time these two teams play. SkyBlue has had one player who could ever match up with the Flash strength and speed wise, and she's now in Portland.
Here's a data table, through today's North Carolina v NJNY game: The purpose of the table is to provide more information about where teams currently are in the "standings" than just their points and games played totals. In particular due to the apparent importance of home field advantage, it includes detail about how teams have done in home games and in away games, as well as the "strength" of their opponents in home games and in away games. I think it's self-explanatory, but if not feel free to ask questions about what the columns mean. I've got this set up so that I simply can add game results into my spreadsheet as they occur and the table will update itself. (I hope.) I'll try to post updated tables as games occur.
In fact I wonder why Sky Blue didn't play two of their key players in this difficult away match, especially Kerr. Is it because it was a mid-week game and the coach wanted to give a rest to these players to avoid exausting them? But then why showing up at all, if you plan to give so much of an advantage to the home team? I mean, it seems to me that SBFC's attitude resembled to giving up this game for lost to begin with.
a) seemed to me that Dalen Cuff and Jordan Angeli kept mentioning Sky Blue's 3 games in 7 days, but rarely mentioned that NC was in the same situation. b) Stanton played like an All-Pro. c) NC's predilection to shoot elicited another excellent goalkeeper performance. We can add Sheridan's highlight reel to Barnhart's and Labbé's. d) Did Sheridan really get a hand on McDonald's shot, or did Jess hit the cross bar on her own? e) I think I have been under-valuing Erceg's contributions as CB. The team was much better today than on Sunday without her. I think the yellow card she got was harsh for what happened. f) Normally when a different keeper plays, announcers talk about potential communication problems with back line. This time they might have mentioned that Rowland and Dahlkemper played together 4 years at UCLA. g) In general, I am more comfortable with Rowland between the pipes than D'Angelo because D'Angelo seems always to make one bad play a game when she decides to come off her line, and I like Rowland's height advantage.
I've stopped paying attention to the errors, omissions, and oversights from the NWSL broadcast crews. I haven't been deep in the NWSL, but I was the only non-Dan Lauletta media member to cover all six WUSA/WPS champsionships, and I've shot an average of 15+ NCAA D1 (mostly ACC and College Cup) women's games every year for the last 15 years. I shudder at some of the stuff they get wrong. No notes, no spotter. Basic facts from earlier in the season are often wrong and then repeated.
Courtney Niemiec has retired. I would guess that Darian Jenkins will be activated, putting the Courage back to 20 players.
The Dash are playing poorly to begin with, and they never beat Seattle. But could the Reign wilt under midday Houston heat? Seattle is less used to the weather, but their passing style works in their favor. Letting the ball do the work instead of the players. Houston meanwhile tends to rely on speed and athleticism from its forwards, and they might tire out in such conditions.
Week 7 marches on: Injuries were disclosed last night: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/injuries It looks like a hot day in Houston.
[HOU-SEA] 22' 0-0 Yanez slides coming back into center circle to poke ball, a Dash steps between her legs and evidently rakes it. Yanez hobbling, Beckie counters the other way: 1-v-3, pass left headed away and Corsie clears into far touch. Yanez has sprung a major leak, blood oozing out of her right thigh and rolling down her calf. All Reign promptly run into the shade at the sideline for ice-soaked towels. 24' 0-0 Yanez stretchered off. 24' 0-0 Seattle subs in (1 of 3) #33 Katlyn Johnson for #17 Beverly Yanez.
28' 0-0 Seattle ping over midfield, K.Johnson is 1-v-1 on Cambria Privett (now I understand why she goes by "Cami" ) past circle top, 1/2 step off her left flank. K.Johnson swim-move gets right shoulder in front, bump and both stumble -- Privett goes down, tiny arm-tug pulls Johnson off-balance, ball rolls free on lovely green grass toward arc top as Johnson finally sprawls and face-plants at 25m. Foul -- on K.Johnson 29' 0-0 Andressa unmarked at circle right, lags a perfect pass on her home field grass to box top mid-right for N.Prince outrunning Pickett, to 9m mid-right. Right foot shot rises over Kopmeyer, off crossbar 1/6 right, bounces across mouth and Seattle pokes it over. 30' 0-1 Off the corner, eventually Rapinoe pokes ball free at own box top mid-left, counters 1-v-all past midfield. Simple centering pass to K.Johnson in a hole at 32m center, Johnson fires an inside-out diagonal pass into Rapinoe's stride through box top mid-left. Kawasumi runs the right post lane, Rapinoe measures a cross -- then shoots or crosses from 11m box left, off Roccaro's thighs, wrong-foots Williams and bounces in at near post low. This game -- 30' 0-1 Scheduled 1H hydration break.
49' 0-1 Ohai outruns Utsugi to a ball at her own box top mid-right, calm ping up centerline, Brooks(?) chips way over center circle for Prince 1-v-1 on Barnes(?). Kopmeyer is way up above arc top, but slightly rushed, shanks an awkward right roundhouse clearance to Beckie at 27m center. Houston ping into box top mid-right, backpass to Prince in arc center, she shoots one-touch right instep outswinging and beats Kopmeyer's dive -- off outside of left post and over endline. Prince needs the right post for the cycle
[CHI-NC] 54' 2-1 DiBernardo right ck, outswings to 4m 1/3 left, D'Angelo goes up with both hands in traffic but fumbles it, NC kick it out to 25m arc left. Press measures it, somewhat mishits a skyball with hang time, dropping to 6m 1/3 right. D'Angelo comes out, Mautz outjumps her hands and bounces a header over her, into empty net. Looks like NC relied too much on the trap line to catch Mautz, and had no pressure around her. 59' 3-1 Ertz gathers at 23m arc right, touches to arc top center, blasts a shot -- into S.Mewis's legs. Ball tunnels through and spins to a stop at arc top left, DiBernardo settles. One touch leftward, left foot golaaaaazo into left 90, over a fuming D'Angelo.
[HOU-SEA] 63' 0-2 Utsugi unmarked at 30m mid-left, long switch to Kawasumi at arc top wide right, with Levin playing a soft zone. CF K.Johnson creeps through box top center past spot, veers right to cut in front of Roccaro, receives precise diagonal ground pass at 9m 5-right. One touch centerward shakes Roccaro overpursuing against her back, Johnson spins 180 cw and scythes left foot one-touch rising over Williams' right hand, into center back high. Flashback: Just this Thu 05/25 past midnight at the FIFA U20 WC, Joshua Sargent did that same spin-cw-one-touch-shot to beat Senegal 1-0. And some kid was sitting in a hotel room watching the highlight on wi-fi, saying I could do that
[CHI-NC] 82' 3-2 NC fk at 21m arc top, S.Mewis fakes a run-up, Debinha curls right instep over wall into 4/5 right post high, off Naeher's fingertips and in. Like Vanuatu's Bong Kalo vs. Germany U20s [HOU-SEA] 85' 0-2 Ugh, Houston is kind of luckless: constantly getting behind and into box, but never sharp enough to create obvious chances. (And then they hit wood) Yanez sits tranquilly on the bench, her right leg mummy-wrapped tight, immobilizing the knee. The gash was 2" (5 cm) long That'll probably keep her out for a few practices ...
[CHI-NC] FT 3-2. [HOU-SEA] 90+5' (of +5') 0-2 Beckie squares to O'Sullivan at arc top box right. O'Sullivan passes down wide right back to Beckie, she touches to 6m wide right, whips in a cross to 4.5m 4-right. Andressinha steps over ball, does the spin-right-backheel flick, strands Kopmeyer near post -- ball trickles across empty mouth, off left post low, Stott taps over endline left. This Universe Is Not Fair 90+6' (of +5') 0-2 Poliana dribbles past box top left, switch left to Daly at 24m mid-right, 1st shot blocked at arc top back to arc top left. Daly chases, shoots one-touch up centerline low, Kopmeyer smothers. Off-camera, as Daly jogs back toward midfield, the heat(stroke) claims her: she sags to all fours, rolls over onto back, looks partially conscious. Concerned Reign players promptly surround her. Trainers sprint out and lay ice-water towels over her face and neck. Ref calls the game. Daly strapped into stretcher, they took her shoes and socks off -- and laid a towel over her legs? 90+ F on the field, heat index > 100, and humid.