USWNT players in NWSL: week 10

Anything can happen in any game in NWSL. While that’s a pleasant selling point for the league as a whole, it’s probably not very good for the nerves of fans whose teams take a sudden nosedive. This week that was both Orlando and Portland. It’s less of a problem for Orlando, Marta notwithstanding, but the Thorns are surely wondering how to take their ability to possess the majority of game and translate that into goals. Menawhile, Chicago turned it around on a dime after it looked like Sky Blue might nab an away result. The scorelines might have been pretty close across the league this weekend, but there was plenty of tension to be had. This is how the USWNT players in the league performed this weekend.

Orlando Pride 0 - 2 Houston Dash

Ali Krieger: Not much she or anyone else could do on the first goal, but the second was a case of Krieger and her fellow CB just getting beat by Daly.

Carli Lloyd: Lloyd’s absolute rocket from outside the 18 opened the scoring for Houston and her threaded ball from deep initiated the attack on the second goal.

Morgan Brian: Brian continues to not look 100% but she stayed sharp for Houston in a fairly interesting game and provided a shield for a back line that, despite the shutout, still needs a lot of help.

Boston Breakers 0 - 1 North Carolina Courage

Rose Lavelle: out with injury

Samantha Mewis: She didn’t have a lot to do as Boston did their best to circumvent NC’s middle. She helped on the defense end, although Boston didn’t really offer a ton of pressure in front of the 18 either.

Lynn Williams: did not play

Washington Spirit 1 - 0 Portland Thorns

Mallory Pugh: out with injury

Lindsey Horan: Horan really tried, working the middle and drifting wide in an attempt to put the ball in the box or get on the end of a header. But Portland continues their attacking woes, lacking the final ball in.

Allie Long: Long worked the defensive end, but wasn’t as box-to-box as usual. Washington put the fear of the quick transition into Portland early, and she wasn’t a threat in the box that often.

Meghan Klingenberg: Klingenberg wasn’t exposed too often as Portland attacked with three in the back, but she did have to chase Cheyna Williams a lot. Had Emily Menges not done her job in covering the space, Portland could have given up a lot more on their left side.

Seattle Reign 1 - 1 FC Kansas City

Megan Rapinoe: She was nearly able to sneak in on FCKC’s goal while Becky Sauerbrunn was dealing with another problem, allowing Rapinoe to blast past the last defender in Averbuch, but was later able to put in a good ball that led to the equalizer.

Becky Sauerbrunn: Some more attacking from Sauerbrunn, as to be expected with Seattle playing with 10 most of the game after an early red card.

Sydney Leroux: Fairly active game from Leroux, though no goal or assist from her. But the continued re-integration with KC’s attacking line seems to be proceeding apace for her as she finds more connections with her teammates.

Chicago Red Stars 2 - 1 Sky Blue FC

Christen Press: The team was looking to put Press in wherever they could, but Christie Pearce gave her a devil of a time trying to find an inch of space in the box.

Julie Ertz: She did her best to try to hit teammates with dinked balls over the top and worked on the back end intercepting balls for turnovers and generally making life harder for Sam Kerr.

Casey Short: Short was quite good on the day, cutting out multiple attempts at crosses while also pressing high. Her attacking run in the 67’ led directly to the Red Stars’ second goal.

Alyssa Naeher: After the first Sky Blue goal, not a lot testing her in the second half. She grabbed a cross that was headed to a dangerous spot and hung tough in a hard collision while punching out a ball.

Kelley O’Hara: did not play