Live Blogging: North Carolina Courage Hosts Portland Thorns FC 08/05/2018

NWSL Soccer: North Carolina Courage Hosts Portland Thorns FC 08/05/2018

Starting Lineups (Coming Up Shortly)

Hello and welcome to another edition of 'Live  Blogging on Shish on Women's Soccer'. Tonight it is the North Carolina Courage taking on Portland Thorns FC. The Courage comes in with a record of 14-1-4, 46 points. While the Thorns come in with a record of 8-5-5, 29 points.

A win by the Courage, or a draw plus Reign non-win, and North Carolina will win the franchise's 2nd consecutive NWSL Shield.  For the Defending Champion Thorns, they are more worried about keeping their playoff hopes alive, as they are in a fight with the Reign, Pride, and Red Stars, for the final three playoff spots. 

It is the North Carolina Courage taking on Portland Thorns FC. 

Match Location: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC 

The Courage will be in 4-4-2 formation, while the visiting Thorns will be in their 5-3-2 formation. 
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​The Courage are in their blue uniforms, while the Thorns are in red. 

1st Half:
:00:00: Courage will kickoff to start the 1st Half.
:03:00: Sinclair misses a shot, for the Thorns.
​:05:00: Williams' header misses the Thorns' Goal. 
:06:00: Courage wins a corner kick.
:08:00: Courage wins another corner kick.
:11:00: Debinha misses a shot, for the Courage.
:12:00: Williams misses a header, for the Courage.
:15:00: Injury Stoppage: McCall Zerborni, is taking to the bench.
:16:00: Courage will play 10 players, until Zerboni recovers.
:17:00: Williams misses a shot, for the Courage.
:18:00: Debinha shaken up on play. Purce with a foul.
:19:00: McCall Zerboni comes back into the game.
:21:00; McDonald misses a shot, for the Courage.
:22:00: Sinclair's shot saved by Rowland. NC 0, POR 0
​:25:00: O'Sullivan's shot is blocked.
:29:00: McDonald's shot missed, for the Courage.
:32:00: Bourelle misses a shot for the Thorns.
:32:00: Hydration Break. NC 0, POR 0
:37:00: GOAL: Lynn Williams with her 9th goal of the season. NC 1, POR 0
:39:00: McDonald misses her shot, for the Courage.
​:40:00: Courage wins a corner kick.
:42:00: Williams' shot is blocked. 
:44:00: GOAL: Williams kicks her 10th goal of 2018. NC 2, POR 0
:45:00: 4 minutes of stoppage time.
​:45:00+2: Mewis' shot is missed.
:45:00+2: YELLOW CARD: Emily Sonnett receives a yellow card, for bad foul.
:45:00+5: McDonald's shot is blocked.
:45:00+5: The Match has reached Halftime.

Halftime:
NC 2, POR 0
:37:00: Williams (9)
:44:00: Williams (10)

Halftime Thoughts:
Lynn Williams gets 2 goals, 7 minutes apart in this 3rd Match between The Courage and Thorns.

2nd Half:
:45:00: Thorns will kick off to start the 2nd Half.
​:49:00: GOAL: Lindsay Horan scores a header, for the Thorns. Thorns are back in the game. NC 2, POR 1
​:54:00: Williams' shot missed. 
:58:00: Williams shot blocked. Courage wins the corner kick.
:58:00: SUBSTITUTION: Caitlyn Foord replaces Ana Maria Crnogorcevic, for the Thorns.
:59:00: Mewis' shot saved by Franch. 
:62:00: Thorns win a corner kick.
:65:00: Mewis shot is saved. 
:66:00: Williams misses her shot, for the Courage.
:69:00: Courage wins a corner kick.
:69:00: SUBSTITUTION: Elizabeth Ball replaces Midge Purce, for the Thorns.
:70:00: Erceg's header saved by Franch. NC 2, POR 1
​:71:00: Foord misses a shot, for the Thorns.
:73:00: Debinha shot saved by Franch.
:73:00: SUBSTITUTION: Andressinha replaces Hayley Raso, for the Thorns.
:76:00: Courage wins a corner kick.
:77:00: SUBSTITUTION: Crystal Dunn replaces Samantha Mewis for the Courage.
:78:00: HYDRATION BREAK: NC 2, POR 1
​:84:00: Andressinha misses, for the Thorns.
:85:00: YELLOW CARD: Catilyn Foord gets a yellow card, on a bad foul.
:85:00: SUBSTITUTION: Kristen Hamilton replaces Debinha. 
:90:00: 5 minutes of stoppage time.
:90:00+1: McDonald shot is blocked. Courage wins a corner kick.
:95:07: The Match has reached Full Time.

Final:
NC 2, POR 1
NC: (15-1-4, 49 points)
POR: (8-6-5, 29 points)
North Carolina Courage wins 2018 NWSL Shield. Courage has won 2nd consecutive NWSL Shield. 
:37:00: Lynn Williams (9)
:44:00: Lynn Williams (10)
:49:00: Lindsay Horan (10)
PoG: Lindsay Williams (NC) 2 G

Final Thoughts;
The Courage played like what I have called them all year, 'Women Among Girls'.  The Courage wins the NWSL Shield, for the 2nd time in as many years. The question will be, whether or not The Courage will play this way in the Middle of September, all the way to the NWSL Championship. 

As for the Thorns, they are still trying to get into a rhythm. And now they are wondering if they can have enough to survive this Playoff Run, with the Reign, Pride, and Red Stars. 

The Courage will go to Chicago, to play the Red Stars. While the Thorns will visit the Pride, in Orlando. 
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