PORTLAND, OR – SEPTEMBER 18, 2018: Chicago Red Stars midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo takes a cross during the North Carolina 2-0 victory over Chicago Red Stars at Providence Park during the NWSL semi-final on September 18, 2018, in Portland OR (Photo by Diego Diaz/Icon Sportswire).
Providence park without its thorns felt very much like a rose without petals. Whilst the showing was respectable for a last minute, midweek game in a “neutral” location, even with the majority of the crowd cheering for the red stars over the courage, it was sedate. It is worth noting that the attendance, 4,646 fans, is still higher than the average attendance of 5 NWSL teams.
With Zerboni and Rowland missing from the North Carolina, and Chicago with all their best, there was a note of hope for the Red Stars. The game started, much the same as the league’s mishandling of the hurricane Florence situation, with a misstep which resulted with the ball going out of bounds. In the third minute, the Red Stars put it off the cross bar, but it was only due to D’Angelo’s quick hands that they didn’t bury the second attempt.
In the fifth minute, McDonald would speed past Ertz, over her foot and bury it in the net to a tune of sedated boos, which were considerably less vocal compared to what happened every time Hinkle touched the ball. A header in the seventh minute would threaten again, but Naeher would gather it.
Sam Kerr would try her luck in the ninth minute, and it would ricochet off the post and back out into play. A cross from Casey Short, meant to find Kerr’s head, would instead find D’Angelo’s gloves in the eleventh. In the fifteenth, Morgan Brian would aim for the corner, and D’Angelo would dive for it. The corner would result in nothing.
Sam Kerr of the Chicago Red Stars rises above the rest (photo by Dante’y Buitureida).
In the 21st minute, a soft touch on McDonald would make her go to ground, winning a free kick just outside the box. It would go just wide and out. In the 24th minute, a point blank shot from McDonald would thump off Ertz with a sound easily heard in the press box. The corner would result in another corner from what was dangerously close to being another own goal.
In the thirtieth minute, some nerves would result in Naeher leaving her box to challenge Williams for the ball. She would win it, and take out the other as a result. In the 33rd, Naeher would save again, and the resulting corner produced nothing again. In the 42nd minute, only the glove of D’Angelo would deny Nagasato from scoring what might have been a beautiful goal.
The second half started out with a Red Stars chance, albeit not a very dangerous one. What might have been a second goal from Debinha in the 51st resulted in, instead, an offside call. A solid shot from Short went straight into D’Angelo’s gloves.
The Red Stars making their mark on the match resulted in clinical fouls and a more physical Courage as the match progressed. Mathias’ frustration, in particular, resulted in a foul just outside the box which gained her a yellow and gave the Red Stars a dangerous free kick in the 73rd minute. Morgan Brian missed the ball and collided with the post. Eventually she would rise and finish out the game.
In the 86th minute, the Courage would strike again, via Sam Mewis, from a distance. That would ultimately seal the deal. Once again the NC Courage head to the final, facing the same opponent for the second straight season.
The NC Courage and the Portland Thorns face off for the NWSL Championship September 22nd at Providence Park; kick-off 1:30 pm PT.
NC Courage
Chicago Red Stars
