Week 12 of the NWSL was full of surprises and table shuffling. The two top sides stumbled, the expansion sides keep impressing, and the league's top goal-scorer returned in triumphant fashion. Washington is poised to take over the top spot, with Gotham close behind.
The table is getting crowded at the top. San Diego sits at 28 points, with Portland and Washington just one back. Gotham, Utah and Kansas City share third, four points out. The playoff race is heating up, with the eighth and final spot being hotly contested by six teams. NWSL Week 12 brought the excitement.
Boston looks more impressive every week. The expansion side has earned points in six of its last eight matches, and controlled the latest match against Chicago from the start. The Legacy started this match early on with a soft penalty call. Jorelyn Carabali sent a ball over the top to a streaking Aissata Traoré. After minimal contact, she went down in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.
Amanda Gutierres stepped up to the spot and fired past Katie Atkinson for the lead at 22 minutes. The home side was firmly in charge of the rest of the half, but neither side could find the back of the net again.
Boston started the second half just as the first had ended, and broke through in the 58th minute. Chicago stymied a Gutierres attack, and looked to be breaking out of its own end. However, a miscue at the top of the box left the ball free, and Nichelle Prince was Jenny-On-The-Spot. She grabbed the prize, dribbled around Atkinson, and tucked home for a 2-0 lead.
Chicago threatened several times late, with Jamese Joseph striking the crossbar, and both Mal Swanson and Jordyn Huitema being stopped by Casey Murphy . Boston leapfrogs Chicago in the standings, while the Stars suffer a tenth shutout of the season.
Bay FC still has hopes to make a playoff push, and started that push on the road in Louisville. Racing has been snake-bitten all season, with one-goal losses in nine of 13 matches. On this day, the visiting side came in and controlled the match from start to finish.
Louisville's Ellie Jean sent a header toward goal in the 13th minute, which Jordan Silkowitz easily handled. The home side would not have another shot on target all match. Bay, meanwhile, tested Jordyn Bloomer often. Following two crossbars, it finally broke through in the 21st minute. Karlie Lema took a pass deep in the box, turned and fired on Bloomer. She stopped the shot, but the rebound came out in front of the box.
Kennedy Fuller did what attacking players should and followed the shot in. She easily poked home to give the visitors the lead. Bay kept pressing, and only Bloomer's heroics kept the score at 1-0.
Bay continued the attack in the second, and doubled the lead early on. After trying to start from the back, Bloomer was pressured by Lema. The Bay forward stole the ball and walked in alone. She calmly put the ball in to double the lead. Bay retained control for the rest of the match, and comfortably took the three points.
Following a period of rest after an injury sustained just before the break, Orlando's Barbra Banda returned to the pitch and picked up right where she had left off. The Zambian international came on as a sub late in the match, much to the dismay of Kansas City.
The match started off with an entertaining but scoreless first half. The Current did put the ball in the net in the 25th minute through Haley Hopkins, but Debinha was ruled offside. The scoring started early in the second with Marta getting the home side on the board. In the 49th minute, Marta was trailing the play about 10 yards behind the box. Jackie Ovalle sent the ball to the Brazilian superstar, and oddly enough, no Current players came out to challenge her. Given all the time in the world, Marta surveyed the scene, picked her spot, and sent a low shot into the corner beyond the reach of Marisa Jordan.
The Pride wasted little time doubling the lead. 57 minutes in, Ally Lemos sent a perfect corner into the far post. Hannah Anderson rose high above all others and planted a terrific header. Banda finished the scoring for Orlando in the 86th minute. When she came on 10 minutes earlier, she had been full of energy and Kansas City was chasing her all over. On this play, the Banda forced the action, and Jordan misplayed the ball. With nothing between her and goal, the Pride striker easily put home her league-leading 12th goal of the season. Orlando maintains the last spot in playoff contention, while Kansas City remains in the sixth slot.
Gotham went up against Utah with the two sides separated by one spot in the table. Following the match, the two sides remained separated by one spot, but had switched positions. Utah came in ahead, and went ahead first in this match. Following an incredible double save from Ann-Katrin Berger in the 20th minute, the Royals broke through in the 23rd minute.
Kiana Palacios controlled the ball at midfield and sent a pass over the top to Cece Delzer. Gotham called for the offside, but Delzer timed it perfectly, the flag stayed down and she unleashed past Berger for the lead.
That lead vanished as quickly as had materialized. Immediately after the restart, Nuria Rabano took down Gotham's Jordynn Dudley in the box. The penalty was called straightaway, and Esther stepped up to the spot. She took a deliberate approach, then went to Mandy McGlynn's left for the equalizer. From there, Gotham started to tee off on the hosts. Esther hit the post, and shortly thereafter, Jaedyn Shaw struck the crossbar. Then, just before the half, Guro Reiten sent a beautiful corner into the box. Tierna Davidson struck it expertly out of the air and past McGlynn for the lead.
The second half was more composed than the first, and it took until the 70th minute for Gotham to put the match on ice. Sarah Schupansky spotted Esther making her run across the middle. The young midfielder dropped an absolutely sublime ball right onto the Spaniard's laces. Esther went around McGlynn, then pushed the ball far post for the last goal of the match. Esther is as much at home in Utah as she is in Gotham, having scored six goals in three matches at the Royals' home stadium. With the win, Gotham overtakes Utah in the standings, and could go top of table in the next match.
Washington has been in top form as of late, winning seven of their last eight matches, and allowing just six goals in that time. North Carolina had won four straight matches. In this tilt, it was the vaunted Spirit defense that made the difference against the high-powered Courage offense. For the first half, Washington spent most of the time in the Carolina end. Two marvelous saves by Kailen Sheridan kept the visitors off the scoreboard, but the Spirit would only be denied for so long.
In the 37th minute, Kate Wiesner sent a ball into the box, and Leicy Santos finished with what has to be a front-runner for goal of the year. The Colombian international took the pass on her right foot, popped it up to her left, and fired past Sheridan. The ball never touched the ground from the time of Wiesner's pass to when it hit the back of the net.
The Spirit doubled the lead just before half through superstar Trinity Rodman . Tara McKeown dropped a ball in between the two Courage centerbacks. Rodman turned on the speed and beat both to the ball. She took one touch, then put it past Sheridan. Early on in the second half, the Courage looked as though they had cut the lead in half.
The menace that is Ashley Sanchez took a free kick from just outside the box. Her shot ripped past Sandy MacIver , and the Carolina faithful celebrated. However, after VAR check, Shinomi Koyama had interfered with the wall, and the goal was called back. Shortly after that, Sanchez had another great chance, but MacIver came out to snatch the ball from her foot.
The Courage had several more chances, with Shinomi hitting the crossbar and Sanchez causing fits, but they could not solve the Washington defense. The Spirit go second in the table, while Carolina remains in seventh.
In one of the week's two upsets, Angel City's roller coaster ride of a season continued up, as the California side defeated their cross-state rivals in San Diego. The Wave were top of the table coming in, while Angel City was outside of playoff position. The difference in this match was the stellar goaltending of Angel City's Angelina Anderson, and economy of opportunity for the visitors. Angel City had several good chances early on, and cashed in just 17 minutes in.
Jun Endo ran the line and sent the ball in toward goal. Wave keeper Luisa Agudelo got her hands to it, but the ball trickled over her and came down just outside the goal line. Maiara Niehaus was there to get her head to it and give the visitors the lead.
The lead was doubled just nine minutes later off of an excellent set piece. Sveindís Jónsdóttir launched a throw-in all the way into the box for Angel City. Evelyn Shores tipped it slightly, and the ball came to a falling Ary Borges . The Brazilian international put an acrobatic shot through Agudelo's legs and the away side was up 2-0. Just before half, Gisele Thompson nearly made it three, but Agudelo brought out her best save of the night.
San Diego came out of the half hungry, and this is when Anderson shined. She stopped two point blank attempts, then got help from her best friend in the 86th minute. After a penalty call, Lia Godfrey stepped up for the home team. She sent her shot to Anderson's left, while the Angel City keeper dove right. However, Godfrey's shot was just a hair too far left, and bounced off the post. Angel City cleared, and happily took home the three points. San Diego remains atop the table, but several teams are only one point behind with games in hand.
After Portland's legendary down-two-players win over Seattle in Week 2, the Reign was eager to settle the score at home. The Cascadia Clash is the NWSL's oldest and fiercest rivalry, with the Thorns holding a slight edge. Going into the match, Portland had 18 wins, Seattle 15, and the sides had drawn 11 times. The Clash is always a feisty battle, and this edition was no different.
Seattle started this one off early. Just seven minutes in, Ryanne Brown came down the left side with a head full of steam. She received a perfect ball from Ainsley McCammon in stride, took one touch, and uncorked a rocket into the far side. Mackenzie Arnold got a finger on it, but not enough to keep the ball out. The sides exchanged several good chances throughout the rest of the half, and the breakthrough for Seattle came late.
In the 43rd minute, after an excellent press from Seattle, Sam Meza got the ball on the right side. She sent it over the top to the left side, and a charging Maddie Mercado got her head to it. She went near post, and Arnold was frozen by the shot. The home side took the 2-0 lead into the half. Portland came out firing in the second half, but between Cassie Miller 's excellent keeping and two posts, the ball could not find the net. Seattle moves closer to a playoff spot, while Portland remains tied for second.
In a match that was not for the defensive-minded, Houston traveled to Denver to square off against the expansion Summit. From the start, it was apparent that the home side had one thought in mind — shoot.
Denver tested Houston keeper Jane Campbell early and often, and were first to get on the scoresheet 14 minutes in. Janine Sonis sent a corner high to Yazmeen Ryan outside the box. The winger took the pass, turned to lose her defender, then blasted a rocket top bin past Campbell. The Denver fans however, didn't even get a chance to celebrate. The Dash took the ensuing start straight down the field, and Linda Ullmark came down the right side and sent the ball into the middle. The pass was slightly behind Maggie Graham, but came off of her directly to a following Kat Rader. She made no mistake and put the ball well out of the reach of Abby Smith . The Denver lead had lasted 90 seconds.
The shooting gallery was far from over, and Denver cashed in just before half. Ally Brazier was driving the box when she was brought down by Cate Hardin. The referee pointed directly to the spot, and Denver's captain Sonis stepped up. She went low to Campbell's left, and Campbell went the same. Sonis' shot was too fast, however, and went just past the Dash keeper. This lead also lasted but a short time.
The halftime break notwithstanding, Houston drew level just five minutes later. A wonderful passing play saw Graham drop the ball into the middle of the box. Ullmark dove for it and tipped it past Smith on a terrific effort. Denver pressed hard the rest of the match, but could not find the winner. Campbell made eight saves on the night, and the sides shared the points.
Boston Legacy 2-0 Chicago Stars
Racing Louisville 0-2 Bay FC
Orlando Pride 3-0 Kansas City Current
Utah Royals 1-3 Gotham FC
North Carolina Courage 0-2 Washington Spirit
San Diego Wave 0-2 Angel City FC
Seattle Reign 2-0 Portland Thorns
Denver Summit 2-2 Houston Dash
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