By Hannah Chadwick (25/04/2024)
Huge score lines, 27 goals, unexpected signings, injuries It has been a busy weekend in the NWSL.
Our first game of the weekend was a sole goal thriller where Orlando Pride remained unbeaten as they took all three points from San Diego Wave. Summer Yates scored the only goal of the game which was her second for the club. Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sherdian made the initial save after Kerry Abello fired her shot at goal. Barba Banda also had her debut for the pride. While Wave managed to only have one shot on target in the 82nd minute which reduced them to 10 players as Alex Morgan was forced off after being injured after trying to receive a cross from Savannah McCaskill as she was taken down by defender Emily Sans and goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse. Both teams had opportunities to turn the game around but lacked the finishing ability.
Two late goals meant that Washington Spirit took the win over Gotham FC. Croix Bethune and Ashley Hatch both scored to claim the win. Spirit also kept their unbeaten streak. The first half had opportunities for both teams to score the opener but it was Casey Kruger for Spirit who picked up the ball in space and found Bethune who launched it into the top corner outside the box and she had the opening goal. It was Bethune once again causing trouble for the Gotham defence as she took a shot inside the box which resulted in a handball. Ashley Hatch covered the penalty giving her team a two goal lead. Both teams had chances the rest of the first half but were unable to find the target. We also had our first look at Gotham’s new signing Ann-Katrin Berger, a goalkeeper who spent six years at the club before departing.
Late second half goals from Racing Louisville means they beat Utah Royals FC. By five goals to one. Goals for Louisville came from Uchenna Kanu, Savannah DeMole who scored a brace, Reilyn Turner and Emma Sears. While Olivia Smith Griffitts thought she brought the royals back into the game. Kanu opened the scoring with a perfectly timed back post header after Lauren Milliet Cross. This was the momentum that Louisville needed as in the following 15 minutes they had multiple chances on goal, a chance saved off the line and forced royals goal keeper Many Haught into making six saves. Although the Utah equaliser came three minutes into the first half after making a beautiful run finishing with a well placed shot into the back post. It was a slow start to the second but the floodgates soon opened as DeMole pounced on a rebound after Haught saved the initial shot from Elexa Bahr. Then we had a VAR review which determined that Sears was fouled in the box once again DeMole stepped up and converted the penalty. The game then found a rhythm and both teams were unable to make any advancements until Carson Pickett drifted a cross in which found the head of Turner who found the back of the net. The fifth and final goal of the night came from Emma Sears as she picked up a pass in midfield and thought her way down the field before smashing a shot from 12 yards out.
Unbeaten, top of the table Kansas City Current take on Bay FC. This game was a seven goal thriller with Beatriz Zaneratto Joao scoring a brace, Bayley Feist, Temwa Chawinga also scoring a brace for current. While Kayla Sharples and Tess Boade scored for Bay. We also had the season ending injury to Bay midfielder Alex Loera who suffered an ACL injury. The first goal scored by Zaneratto was as she intercepted a failed pass and found herself one on one with the goal keeper and she didn’t miss. The next goal came just a few minutes later as Spaanstra was able to recover a cleared corner kick and sent the cross in, Feist managed to jump the highest to direct the header down and into the near post. This was also her first goal for the club. Although Bay did manage to get one back as Deyna Castellanos found the ball in a pocket of space and offloaded it to Kayla Sharples who found the back of the net. This was the closest to goal the current backline would allow them to get to the goal for the remainder of the match. DiBernardo continued her dominant performance as she controlled the play and became the playmaker. She was drawing players left and right which made an opening for Chawinga to score her first goal of the night by sending a long cross in and Chawinga controlled and took two touches before it found the back of the net. Chiwenga’s second goal was very similar to the first with DiBernardo once again being the playmaker behind the goal and she sent a long curved pass into her path, Chawinga avoided the defender and was one on one with the goalkeeper and it rippled the back of the net. The final goal of the night for Current was a combination of Chawinga and DiBernardo combining to win the ball and work it up the pitch before feeding it into Zaneratto who weaves her way through the defenders to add to the scoreline. The seventh and final goal did come from Bay and Joelle Anderson set up Tess Boade who took on several players before making her way down the left wing and finishing from close range.
Portland Thorns are hungrily looking for their first win of the season as they take on Houston Dash. With Christine Sinclair, Sophie Smith, Olivia Moulrie and Janine Beckie. All on target for the thorns it means that they pick up their first set of three points. While Diana Ordonez was on target for the Dash. The thorns got off to a dominant and fast pace in the first few minutes, with Sinclair finding herself sending a volley into the box after being set up by Smith. Smith finds herself in the thick of the action once again as she finds the ball at her feet as she outpaces the Dash backline and sends her shot past the diving figure of Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell. Dash soon found themselves a chance at goal in the 42nd minute when Elin Rubensson went to lob the ball over the head of thorns goalkeeper Shelby Hogan but she managed to reach back and punch the ball into safety. Straight after half time the Dash were constantly pressing the ball, which resulted in them turning the ball over as the combination between Michelle Alozie and Avery Patterson brought the ball into Dash possession and Alozie sent the cross in and Orzonez capitalised on it and found the back of the net. The final two goals came from Moultrie and Beckie. As Moultrie is threaded the ball through the box by Smith to find the back of the net and Beckie steals the ball of the Dash Defender before dribbling up the field to take on Campbell one on one and she doesn’t miss.
First half goals from Chicago Red Stars means they beat Seattle Reign FC away from home. Goal came from Ally Schlegel and Mallory Swanson for the red stars while Tziarra King was the sole scorer for Reign. The red stars also announce that Ava Cook has a season ending ACL injury. The first goal of the night came from a link up between Swanson and Schlegel as they weaved their way through the Reign defence before Schledge found the back of the net. Reign then spent the rest of the first half defending and not having any shots on goal. The red stars nearly had a third just minutes later as Swanson fired a shot towards goal and rattled the cross bar. As the game was approaching halftime Swanson unleashed a shot towards Reign keeper Laurel Ivory who was unable to stop her from scoring. Reign came out with energy and displaced urgency, want and quality after half time as they pressed high up the pitch and found success as they were picking up more loose balls. Using this technique Reign picked up a corner where rookie Emeri Adames sent a fast paced shot volleying towards the bottom corner of the goal but it was saved off the line. Tziarra King came on as a substitution in the 77th minutes making immediate impact as she scored just two minutes after coming onto the field as Welsh international Jess Fishlock plates the ball to the feet of king outside the 18 yard box took a touch before launching the ball to the upper right corner of the goal and adding her first goal to the tally for the season. Regin maintained their high press for the rest of the second half but were unable to find an equaliser.
A brace from Claire Emslie means that Angle City steals all three points at home to the North Carolina Courage. Tyler Lussi scored the sole goal for the Courage as they failed to gain any points. The opening minutes of the match were quiet as Angle City allowed courage to press them but held their shape and were not allowing them through. In the 22nd minute City had their first breakthrough as Alyssa Thompson was fouled just outside the 18 yard box which resulted in a free kick. Emslie steps up to take it and she curls it over the wall and inside the right post. The rest of the first half was quiet with no attempts on goal but both teams were pressing. The second goal for Angle City came from Emslie again as Lily Nabet sent the ball to Thompson who sent a pinpointed ball into the path of Emslie who beat the two remaining defenders and chipped the ball over Courage goalkeeper Murphy’s head and into the back of the net. The goal for Courage came in the 73rd minute from a free kick from defender Feli Rauch fell to the far side of the six-yard box and Tyler Lussi got a touch on it to send it into the back of the net. Both teams are now pushing for a goal with the biggest chances coming from Thompson for Angle City and Ashley Sanchez for Courage. But neither team was able to find another goal.
Coming Up This Weekend-
Saturday 27th April-
Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride
Angel City FC vs KC Current
Sunday 28th April-
North Carolina Courage vs Seattle Reign FC
Utah Royals FC vs Houston Dash
Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns
San Diego Wave vs Bay FC
Gotham FC vs Racing Louisville
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