NWSL Week 4 round-up: Houston outlasts Racing in penalty frenzy, Orlando snubs Angel City

NWSL Week 4 saw all 16 teams in action. The league’s last unbeaten side fell, a couple of shooting galleries erupted, and five sides earned clean sheets.

Orlando Pride knocked Angel City from a perfect start, Houston Dash and Racing Louisville put on a penalty clinic, and expansion side Denver Summit continues to impress.

Let’s take a closer look at the results of NWSL Week 4, the last week of play before the international break.

San Diego stifles Boston, gains away victory

The Legacy entered the tie down a player, as forward Ella Stevens was issued a post-match red card for a challenge against Utah in Boston’s last match. The first half of the current tilt offered little excitement. Neither side mounted a serious attack, and neither goalkeeper had to make a save. The teams seemed to be playing more not to be scored on, rather than score themselves. Both sides merely bottled up the middle, with almost no play on the wings.

The second half started as the first ended, with both sides trying to break through the middle and ignoring the wings. The first shot on goal of the match finally came in the 54th minute, an effort that Boston’s Casey Murphy easily gathered. The Wave finally broke the spell in the 64th minute on a quick counter. Kimmi Ascanio broke up Boston’s attack, and fed Ludmila on the left side. Left alone against Murphy, the Brazilian international put an excellent curving ball in the far side. The goal woke up both sides, and the action intensified.

Super-sub Mel Barcenas nearly doubled the Wave’s lead in the 82nd minute, but Murphy denied. Boston had some furious action in the San Diego box in injury time, but was unable to generate a shot on goal. The Legacy is still searching for its first point, while San Diego is top of the table.

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Orlando ends Angel City’s perfect run in last moments

Orlando dominated play in the first half, something Angel City is not used to. Barbara Banda was a nightmare for the visitors in the box, unleashing shot after shot. Haley McCutcheon joined her teammate in the relentless attack, but the Pride was unable to get anything past Angelina Anderson. Angel City’s offense was stymied, and could not muster any shots that Anna Moorhouse had to save. The two sides went into the half scoreless, with Orlando surely feeling that should have had at least one goal to show.

Orlando kept a foot on the gas in the second half, looking for the opener. Angel City matched the energy this half, but still could not put a shot on target. The two sides remained scoreless, and then, late in the match, the fireworks came. In the 84th minute, McCutcheon and Angel City’s Sarah Gorden collided heavily with Anderson following a Banda cross.

The ball lay just outside the goal line, and the Pride striker put it in. Both sides stood around, wondering if the goal would stand. It did, and the home side celebrated, but not for long.

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Ten minutes were added on, and in the 92nd minute, the ball came out to the top of the Orlando box. Giselle Thompson sent in a high shot that hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced down, hit the bar again, then was gobbled up by Moorhouse. A quick review showed that the ball had crossed completely over the line, and the score was tied. Angel City players surely thought that they had rescued a point, but fate can be cruel.

In the 98th minute, the legendary Marta delivered a corner for the Pride. The ball fell just in front of goal, and in the scramble of players, McCutcheon was able to poke it home for the winner.

And, if you want to see why women’s football is the greatest sport on the planet, watch this clip of Angel City’s Kennedy Fuller and Taylor Suarez meeting Marta after the match.

Houston outlasts Racing in PK-filled match

This match had plenty of action from the get-go, and it was the visitors that struck first. A cross from Ellie Jean struck Avery Patterson’s hand inside the box in the 19th minute. After a lengthy review, the penalty was awarded to Racing. Taylor Flint stepped up to the spot and put the ball past Jane Campbell in the 24th minute.

The two sides tested each other several times, and then the home side got a penalty kick of their own. Malia Berkley had the ball just in front of goal, and Sarah Weber went to ground to challenge. Her challenge was very late however, and the referee pointed to the spot. Future superstar Kat Rader evened the score at 39 minutes, completely crossing up Jordyn Bloomer. The action continued throughout, but no further goals came.

Racing got out of the restart in perfect fashion. In the 49th minute, Lauren Milliet sent a sublime through ball to a streaking Emma Sears. Campbell stopped her shot from in close, but the ball lay tantalizingly on the goal line. Weber pounced and hammered it home for the lead. The lead did not last long, however.

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Just two minutes later, Dani Colaprico fed the ball to Kiki Van Zanten just outside the box. The Louisville defense backed off of her, so the striker lined up her shot and fired past Bloomer. The hosts then took their first lead of the night in the 67th minute. Fans had to think they were watching a replay, as Van Zanten nabbed her brace from the exact same spot with the exact same shot.

The replays kept coming, as the third penalty of the night was called in the 80th minute. Campbell came out to try to challenge Kayla Fischer. The Dash keeper was called for the foul in the box, and Flint stepped up for her second PK of the match. Campbell chose the correct side, but the shot was too quick and went in the bottom corner for the equalizer. And then, just as the match looked to end in a draw, a fourth PK decided the match. In the 97th minute, Milliet tried to clear the ball before Van Zanten, but arrived late. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Sarah Puntigam sent her shot left while Bloomer went right. The high-scoring affair ended with the home side nabbing the three points.

Utah blanks Chicago for second win in a row

Utah looked to continue its point streak at the expense of a struggling Chicago side. The Royals dominated the match, but neither the home side nor the visiting Stars could break through. Chicago had a glorious chance in the 13th minute when Jenna Bike sent a great cross into the box. Nádia Gomes got her head on it, and only an incredible diving save from Mia Justus kept the scoresheet blank. Unfortunately for the visiting side, that would be their first and last shot on target all match. The Royals took over, and controlled every aspect of the match from that point on. Chicago keeper Katie Atkinson made several heroic saves to keep her team in the match, and the two sides went in to the half all even.

The second half started as the first had ended. Utah kept immense pressure on Chicago, and had several more great chances. These included several corners, woodwork struck at least three times, and more heroics from Atkinson. The home team was finally able to break through on an attack in the 70th minute. Cece Delzer worked her way along the line in the Star’s box. She was dispossessed by Tessa Dellarose, and play carried on. However, at the next whistle the call came in to look at the play.

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After a lengthy review, the referee called the foul on the Chicago defender and pointed to the spot. Mina Tanaka stepped up and placed a perfect shot in the right corner, the only shot to get past Atkinson all night. That was all Utah needed, as Chicago did not manage another serious attack and lost its third straight.

Chicago is a side that is in serious trouble right now. The offense is anaemic, having scored but two goals all season, as well as having been shutout four out of five matches. On the other side of the ball, it has let in the most goals in the league, and the -9 goal differential is worst by far. The international break will be an important time for the Stars to try to right the ship.

Kansas City extends Gotham’s offensive woes

This match was a treat for all fans, as stars Temwa Chawinga for Kansas City and Jaedyn Shaw for Gotham returned from injury. And, it did not take long for Shaw to return to her old ways. In the 29th minute, Gotham’s striker took a pass from Savannah McCaskill just outside the box. Shaw quickly turned and fired a low shot to the far corner. The shot took Current keeper Lorena off-guard, and the visitors were up 1-0.

The home side wasted little team equalizing, however. Croix Bethune sent a long ball up to Michelle Cooper on the right side. She sent a cross directly to Chawinga, who gave a beautiful one-touch, back-heel pass to a wide open Debinha in front. The Brazilian international easily slotted home to set the match all square.

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Cooper was not done providing offense for the Current. In the 60th minute, she took a pass from Ally Sentnor just outside the box. The winger took one touch, then let go another low shot toward the far corner. The ball was beyond Ann-Katrin Berger’s reach, and the home side had the lead. The Current maintained control for the rest of the match, until the very last moments of play.

With five minutes added on, Gotham earned a corner in the 95th minute. After the initial attempt was cleared, the ball came out to Berger, who was playing up in a last-ditch effort to equalize. She let loose a rocket, and a diving Lorena had to make a spectacular save. Kansas City cleared, and held on to the victory. Gotham’s scoring woes continue, as the side has found net but twice in their five games this season.

North Carolina, Portland battle to exciting draw

This match started off hot and provided excitement for the Carolina faithful in the first half. It was visiting Portland that struck first, and early. In the 12th minute, Jayden Perry dropped a cross directly in front of goal. A diving Reilyn Turner headed the ball down and past Kailen Sheridan. The Courage would equalize in the 28th minute. Manaka made a terrific run down the left side, then cut in to the box. She let a slow roller go to the far post that was placed perfectly. The ball was just beyond the reach of Mackenzie Arnold, and also barely caught the inside of the post.

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Portland wasted little time re-claiming the lead. In the 33rd minute, Reyna Reyes sent a wonderful cross into Olivia Moultrie. Her shot was straight on, and Sheridan made a great save. Moultrie did what goal-scorers do, and followed her shot. The rebound came right back to her, and the phenom poked it home with her left foot. The Thorns’ lead lasted but five minutes. North Carolina ran an excellent offensive set, and Ryan Williams got the ball on the endline. She sent it into the middle of the field, and the ball came to Ashley Sanchez at the top of the box. She sent a strong shot high into the top corner that Arnold had no chance at, and the sides were even yet again.

The second half provided several chances for both sides, but neither could convert. Sanchez sent an offering wide late, and the Courage had another solid chance in extra time, but Payton Linnehan’s effort also went wide of goal. The shared points leave Portland second in the table; North Carolina sits 12th.

Seattle, Denver settle for scoreless draw

Denver traveled up to Washington to take on the Reign in a match that had a lot of excitement, great offense, defense, and goal-keeping, but could not muster a goal. The first half was wonderful football. Summit captain Janine Sonis was keen to get the Denver offense going. She had several shots, and tested Seattle keeper Claudia Dickey twice from range. She also had a hand in the visiting side’s best chance of the half. The Canadian international sent an over-the-top ball to Melissa Kössler in the box. The striker took one touch, turned, and fired on net. Her hard shot shook the crossbar savagely, but the ball stayed out. Denver controlled the rest of the half, but had no other chances as close as that one.

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The second half was well-played, however, it did not provide so many moments of offense as the first. Maddie Mercado had an excellent chance in front of goal for the hosts but sent her shot over the bar. Sonis had another excellent chance late, but her header went straight at Dickey, who easily made the save. As a 0-0 scoreline would suggest, this match was very evenly played. Possession, shots, corners, and chances were all very similar for both sides. Seattle stays near the top of the table, while newcomer club Denver picks up points for the fourth straight match.

Washington nets first victory of season at Bay

Washington traveled from coast to coast, and properly dominated their hosts. The Spirit peppered Bay keeper Jordan Silkowitz with 10 shots throughout the match, while only allowing one to get through to Sandy MacIver. The visiting side controlled every aspect of the match from possession to set pieces to defense, and everything in between. And yet, was unable to find the back of the net until the second half, in the most improbable fashion possible.

In the 58th minute, Rosemonde Kouassi’s through ball sent Paige Metayer streaking down the right side. She cut in toward the Bay goal, but lost control of the ball to Anouk Denton. Denton sent a pass to Silkowitz, who attempted to clear, but saw her effort strike directly off of defender Brooklyn Courtnall. The ball went high in the air and landed just over the line in the Bay net.