Hi everyone! We hope everyone has been doing well and staying healthy. Sorry for the delay on games, but because it has taken a while, we are posting, A LOT of games! Let's get to it!
March 25th Games
March 25th
Racing Louisville FC vs Houston Dash
This was a very evenly matched game. Both teams came out strong but the first goal happened in the 16th minute when Kristen Davis took the ball out of the air and was able to rocket it into the bottom left corner. Racing Louisville was now up 1-0! The next goal was a nice one. In the 40th minute, Jessica McDonald volleyed the ball into the right side of the goal with the inside of her right foot, it was a great goal. Racing Louisville now had a two-nothing lead. No other goals were scored in the first half, but in the second half, Houston came to play. In the 56th minute, Maria Sánchez was able to take advantage of an attempted clear and volley the ball into the left side of the goal. Houston wasn’t done yet though. Two minutes later in the 58th minute, Marisa Viggiano took advantage of a beautiful touch and was able to one-touch the ball into the net. Houston had just tied the game! A few minutes later in the 64th minute, Houston earned a Penalty Kick in the box. Rachel Daly was able to rocket that kick into the left side of the goal, winning Houston Dash the game! Neither team was able to score again. The final score was Houston Dash 3, Racing Louisville FC 2.
March 25th
Washington Spirit vs NJ/NY
The Washington Spirit came out strong in this game. However, in the 22nd minute, NJ/NY Gotham FC earned a penalty kick in the box. Kristie Mewis stepped up and shot the ball into the right side of the goal, putting NJ/NY Gotham FC up 1-0 in the 23rd minute. Washington had a few more shots in the first half but they weren’t able to put one away. At halftime, the score was NJ/NY Gotham FC 1, Washington 0. In the 61st minute, Ashley Hatch rocketed the ball into the bottom right corner with her left foot, tying up the game! In the 65th minute, Amber Brooks received a red card, which meant Washington played with ten players for the rest of the game. Despite that, they still had a few opportunities, but neither team was able to score again and the final score resulted in 1-1.
March 25th
Chicago Red Stars vs Kansas City Current
It took a little while for the action to get started, but once it did, it didn’t stop. In the 22nd minute after Mallory Pugh for Chicago tried to dribble into the box and was denied, Vanessa DiBernardo ran up to the ball and struck it, the ball took a deflection which threw off Kansas City's keeper. BUT even with the deflection the ball still went into the net! Chicago was up 1-0! Going into the half, Kansas knew that they needed to make a change, and that is exactly what they did. In the 58th minute, after getting a ball from far outside of the 18-yard box, Hailie Mace rocketed the ball into the right upper 90 of the goal! It was such a beautiful goal, AND it tied the game, 1-1! It was looking like the game was going to end in a 1-1 draw, but Kristen Hamilton wasn’t going to let that happen to Kansas City. In the 86th minute, after getting a ball popped over the top to Hamilton who was in the middle of the 18, she hit the ball with the laces of her right foot and into the roof of the net! The game ended with Kansas City taking the 2-1 win!
March 26th games
March 26th
Angel City FC vs OL Reign
This was a game, with A LOT of goals! Although Angel City came out fast and took multiple shots on goal, OL Reign was the first to put one in the back of the net. In the 12 minutes after a great through ball, Veronica Latsko got the ball and placed it just inside the near post to put OL ahead! It didn’t take long for OL to strike again; In the 17th minute after a cross-in, Alana Cook ran near post, bringing her defender with her, and still was able to get up and head the ball to the far post and into the goal! OL Reign went into the half with a 2-0 lead. OL Regin took no time to get back into the swing of things when the second half started. Only 5 minutes into the 2nd half, Veronica Latsko played the ball across the middle of the 6-yard box, and Angelina was able to get to it, put it in the back of the net and give OL the 3-0 lead! Although they were down, Angel City wasn’t just going to give up. After getting the ball in the middle of the 18-yard box, Tyler Lussi rocketed the ball past OLs goalkeeper and into the back of the net! Angel City fought hard, but the game ended in a 1-3 loss to OL Reign.
March 26th
North Carolina Courage vs Orlando Pride
Even though the game was back and forth, one penalty kick decided who got the victory. After a handball in the box by Orlando Pride, North Carolina got their prime opportunity to put themselves ahead. In the 61st minute, Merritt Mathias stepped up to take the penalty kick for North Carolina. Merritt Mathias ran up to the ball…. And booted it right into the roof of the goal! The Courage had taken a late-game lead! The Courage defended their lead well, and came away with a 1-0 win over Orlando Pride!
March 26th
San Diego Wave vs Portland Thorns
The Portland Thorns took no time to get the game going, like no time at all. After only 5 minutes, Sophia Smith received the ball just outside of the 6-yard box, then shot the ball across her body using her right foot, and shot the ball just past San Diego's goalkeeper! The Thorns had an early 1-0 lead! Even with more than 85 minutes left in the game after Portland scored, they were able to hold on and get the 1-0 victory
March 30th games
March 30th
Orlando Pride vs NJ/NY Gotham FC
This was a very evenly matched game. The game was very back-and-forth for most of the game. No goals were scored in the first half, and it was looking like that might've been the case for the second as well. There were plenty of opportunities, including 2 post hits and a few good shots, but the only goal to be scored was in the 86th minute when Midge Purce took advantage of a volley off of a throw and was able to hit the ball into the back of the goal. There were three minutes of extra time but it wasn’t enough for Orlando to score. The final score was NJ/NY Gotham FC 1, Orlando Pride 0.
March 30th
Washington Spirit vs North Carolina Courage
This was an intense game. In only the fifth minute Débora Cristiane de Oliveira took advantage of a poor clearance and was able to get North Carolina the early lead. They weren’t done yet. In the 26th minute, Taylor Smith took advantage of a beautiful pass and was able to pass the ball into the bottom right side of the goal. North Carolina was up 2-0! Neither team was able to score again in the first half. There were a few opportunities for Washington in the second half but their first goal didn’t come until the 58th minute when Trinity Rodman received a play into the box and was able to volley the ball into the top of the goal. Was this the beginning of Washington’s comeback? Washington scored again in the 67th minute! Ashley Hatch headed the ball into the left side of the net, tying up the game! Washington had another close shot but neither team was able to score again, the final score was Washington Spirit 2, North Carolina Courage 2.
March 30th
Chicago Red Stars vs Racing Louisville
Although there were many, many shots on goal and multiple crossbar hits, neither team was able to score. The game ended in a 0-0 tie.
March 30th
Houston Dash v Kansas City Current
This game took no time to get started it was the fastest goal in Challenge Cup History! After receiving a corner kick in the first 2 minutes, Kansas City had their prime opportunity to get ahead early, and that is exactly what they did. After receiving a perfectly placed ball in the middle of the 18-yard box, Taylor Leach used the inside of her right foot and volleyed the ball into the far post of the goal! What a beautiful goal to put Kansas ahead early! Kansas was like “we could use a safety net going into the half” and Kristen Hamilton had them COVERED! In the 28th minute, after getting across from across the box to the far post, Kristen Hamilton was able to separate herself from her defender and jumped, using the inside of her foot to tap the ball into the back of the net! Kansas City went into the half up 2-0! Only 15 minutes into the 2nd half, Kansas struck again. After Elyse Bennett was able to turn around her defender and take the ball down the field, she played a great through ball to Lo’eau LaBonta who shot with her left foot across her body, putting the ball into the right side netting of the goal! Kansas City has struck again! Houston fought but Kansas City was able to take home the 3-0 victory!
March 30th
Portland Thorns FC vs Angel City FC
This was a tough loss for Angel City. The first goal came in the 31st minute when Sophia Smith shot the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal with the inside of her foot, giving Portland the 1 nothing lead. The next goal came in the 53rd minute, when Yazmeen Ryan took advantage of a deflection and rocketed the ball into the left side of the net, giving Portland the 2-0 lead. The final goal to come was in the 78th minute, when Morgan Weaver rocketed the ball into the right side of the goal, helping Portland end the night with a 3-0 win. Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road for Angel City and they will bounce back!
We hope you enjoyed this blog and don't forget to check out our others! Stay safe and healthy!
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