Live-Blogging: Washington Spirit Hosts Utah Royals FC 08/21/2019

NWSL: Washington Spirit Hosts Utah Royals FC 08/21/2019

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Starting Lineups

Hello and welcome to another edition of ‘Live Blogging on Shish on Women’s Soccer’. Tonight it is a battle of playoff contenders as Washington Spirit Hosts Utah Royals FC. The Spirit comes in with a record of 6-7-3, 21 points, while the Royals come in with a record of 8-6-3, 27 points.

This is an important match between both clubs. Rose Lavelle and The Spirit are in a must-win to try and stay alive in the playoff race. They are chasing the Reign and tonight’s opponent, Utah Royals. The Royals are staying afloat in the playoffs due to Amy Rodriguez, Christen Press, and Nicole Barnhardt.

It is Washington Spirit taking on Utah Royals FC, coming up shortly.

Match Location: Maureen Hendricks Field at Maryland Soccerplex, Boyds, MD
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Josh Eastern, Eddie Ryan are the commentators for tonight's game. 

Spirit is in their red jerseys and blue shorts. Royals are in their road white uniforms. 

Both teams are in a 4-3-3 formation. 

Injury Update: Rose Lavelle is out due to a head injury. 

1st Half:
​​:00:00: Spirit wins kickoff, to start the 1st Half. 
:01:51: WEATHER DELAY: The Match is under a Weather Delay. WAS 0, UTAH 0
​8:00 p.m. CDT. Washington Spirit's Twitter Page tweets estimated time of resumption at 8:17 p.m. CDT. 
Pride Leading Red Stars 2-0; 61st Minute 
​:01:51: The Match has resumed.
:04:00: Hatch's shot saved by Barnhardt. 
:04:00: Spirit with a corner kick.
:05:00: Elise Kellond-Knight gets a yellow card for tripping Amy Rodriguez. 
:09:00: Spirit with a corner kick.
:11:00: INJURY DELAY: Vero is being looked at by Royals Training Staff. 
:14:00: Royals with a corner kick.
:15:00: SCORE: WAS 0, UTAH 0

​:20:00: Di Biasi missed a shot, for the Spirit
Pride Defeated Red Stars 2-1 
:32:00: SCORE: WAS 0, UTAH 0
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:33:00: Dougherty-Howard's shot missed, for the Spirit.
:33:00: Sullivan's shot blocked, for the Spirit. 
:39:00: Press' shot saved by Bledsoe.
:40:00: Hatch's header saved by Barnhardt. 
:43:00: Spirit wins a corner kick.
:44:00: Nielsen's shot blocked by Barnhardt. 
:45:00: 2 minutes of stoppage time. 
:45:00+3: Logarzo's shot saved by Barnhardt. 
:45:00+3: The Match has reached Halftime.

Halftime:
WAS 0, UTAH 0

Halftime Thoughts:
It is a match you would expect from defensive minded clubs. There were some scoring chances the last 15 minutes, but Bledsoe and Barnhardt are keeping this match scorless.

2nd Half:
:45:00: Royals will kickoff, to start the 2nd Half. 
:47:00: Doughtery-Howard's shot saved by Barnhardt.
:47:00: Spirit wins a corner kick.
:48:00: Spirit wins a corner kick.
:48:00: Spirit wins a corner kick.
:48:00: Spirit wins a corner kick, for the fourth time.
:48:00: Barnhardt saves the ball from the corner kick.
:50:00: YELLOW CARD: Christen Press gets a yellow card for tripping Ashley Hatch.
:51:00: Doughtry-Howard shot too high. 
:53:00: Press'  shot saved by Bledsoe.
:53:00: Press' shot saved by Bledsoe.
:54:00: Rodriguez's bicycle kick saved by Bledsoe.
:59:00: Hatch's shot missed, for the Spirit.
:60:00: SCORE: WAS 0, UTAH 0

​:62:00: Jonsdottir's shot too high, for the Royals.
:62:00: INJURY DELAY: Kellond-Knight having to leave the game, with a hamstring injury.
:64:00: Dorian Bailey replaces Elise Kellond-Knight, for the Spirit.
:70:00: Weber's shot blocked, for the Royals.
:74:00: Hatch's shot missed, for the Spirit.
:75:00: SCORE: WAS 0, UTAH 0

:76:00: SUBSTITUTION: Cheyna Matthews replaces Chloe Logarzo, for the Spirit. 
:78:00: Rodriguez's shot too high, for the Royals. 
:80:00: Press's shot blocked, for the Royals. Royals get a corner kick.
:81:00:  Katie Stengel replaces Lo'eau Labonta, for the Royals.  
:86:00: SUBSTITUTION: Bayler Feist replaces Crystal Thomas, for the Spirit. 
:87:00: Spirit wins a corner kick.
:88:00: Barnhardt saves the corner kick by Di Biasi.
:89:00: Di Biasi's shot blocked.
:89:00: Sullivan's shot too high, for the Spirit. 
:90:00: 3 minutes of stoppage time.
:90:00+1: Scott with a arm shot to Hatch.
:90:00+2: Sullivan's shot saved by Barnhardt.
:93:05: The Match has reached Full Time.

Full Time: 
WAS 0, UTAH 0
WAS: (6-7-4, 22 points)
UTAH: (8-6-4, 28 points)

Final Thoughts:
The Spirit were attacking Barnhardt, but she didn't let anything go the net. Spirit looked like they missed Lavelle and Pugh in their eleven. As for the Royals, you didn't see a lot of passes between Christen Press and Amy Rodriguez, except for Rodriguez's shot in the 78th Minute. But in the end Audrey Bledsoe and Nicole Barnhardt record clean sheets. 

In this time of the season draws become either wins or losses. The draw is a loss for the Spirit, because they needed to win to catch the Royals and Reign. While the Royals' draw is a win, because they didn't lose their lead on the Spirit. However the draw didn't help the Royals leap frog the Courage and Red Stars, where the latter lost tonight vs. Pride. 

Spirit will host the Pride at Audi Field, home of D.C. United on Saturday. While the Royals won't play again until Friday September 6th, against the Thorns in Utah. 

This is Paul Shishkoff, Jr. This has been 'Live Blogging on Shish on Women's  Soccer'. Thanks for visiting this page.