Washington Spirit comes up short at home against Boston Breakers

Washington Spirit  |   September 23, 2017
Washington Spirit comes up short at home against Boston Breakers Featured Image

Boyds, MD – Saturday September 23, 2017: Meggie Dougherty Howard, Angela Salem during a regular season National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match between the Washington Spirit and the Boston Breakers at Maureen Hendricks Field, Maryland SoccerPlex.

Boyds, MD (Sept. 23, 2017) – The Washington Spirit fell 3-0 to the visiting Boston Breakers on Saturday night in front of 3,475 fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Following a scoreless first half, all three Breakers goals came in an eight-minute span early in the second half, putting the game out of reach. Washington registered nine shots in the second half, but three timely saves by Boston goalkeeper Abby Smith and a pair of offside calls on would-be goals by Mallory Pugh and Cali Farquharson kept the Spirit off the scoreboard.

“We were happy with the last half hour, we had good energy and had the ball in their half and generated a lot of scoring chances,” said Spirit head coach and general manager Jim Gabarra. “We’ll look to carry that momentum into our final match against Seattle.”

The Breakers recorded the only shot on target of the entire first half, a seventh minute attempt off the foot of Rosie White, which Haracic saved comfortably. However, less than two minutes into the second half, Boston’s Natasha Dowie headed home a cross sent in by Canadian international Adriana Leon to put the Breakers ahead.

In the 54th minute, Leon made a run into the Spirit box and loaded up for a shot as defender Kassey Kallman came in for a challenge, and the ball crossed the goal line having last touched Kallman, going into the books as an own goal.

Boston’s final tally came moments later in the 55th minute, as Leon found the net with a tap-in coming off a broken play following a cross into the box. Brooke Elby sent a dangerous short range cross over to just in front of the goal line, and the momentum of Kallman’s clearance attempt unfortunately carried the ball across the plane.

In the 62nd minute, Pugh received a well-placed through ball from Havana Solaun on a run up the middle and promptly powered a shot into the right corner of the net, but was ruled offside.  

Pugh linked up with Farquharson 10 minutes later on a combination play up the left side, and Farquharson connected on a powerful near post shot, but also drew an offside flag.

Pugh generated another scoring chance in the 79th minute, bolting across the right side of the field and finding space in the box, but her shot aiming for the bottom left corner went just wide of the far post.

Farquharson nearly scored in the 86th minute, charging into the box to recover a deflection and taking a close range shot, but Smith was able to close in and knock it away.

Overall, Washington held possession for 52.2 percent of the game, racking up 379 passes to Boston’s 354. The Breakers outshot the Spirit 11-9 overall, with four shots on target to Washington’s three.

The Spirit will close out the 2017 NWSL season next Saturday, September 30 against Seattle Reign FC at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. [TICKETS]

NWSL Match Report
Match: Boston Breakers at Washington Spirit
Date: Sept. 23, 2017
Venue: Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, Md.
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Attendance: 3,475
Weather: 70s, clear

Scoring Summary:
                              1              2             F
BOS                       0              3              3
WAS                      0              0              0

BOS – Natasha Dowie (Adriana Leon) – 47’
BOS – Own goal Washington – 54’
BOS – Adriana Leon – 55’

Lineups:
WAS: 21-Didi Haracic; 3-Caprice Dydasco, 4-Shelina Zadorksy (C), 6-Kassey Kallman, 22-Alyssa Kleiner; 23-Tori Huster, 12-Morgan Proffitt (8-Lindsay Agnew, 75), 29-Meggie Dougherty Howard; 9-Havana Solaun, 7-Cali Farquharson, 11-Mallory Pugh
Subs not used: 18-Kelsey Wys, 5-Whitney Church
Head Coach: Jim Gabarra

BOS: 14-Abby Smith; 21-Margaret Purce, 4-Megan Oyster, 17-Amanda Frisbie (23-Katie Stengel, 76), 2-Allysha Chapman; 26-Angela Salem, 3-Brooke Elby, 10-Rosie White, 19-Adriana Leon (22-Ifeoma Onumonu, 73), 9-Natasha Dowie (C), 18-Tiffany Weimer (33-Hayley Dowd, 65)
Subs not used: 15-Sammy Joe Prudhomme
Head Coach: Matt Beard

Stats Summary: BOS / WAS
Shots: 11 / 9
Shots on goal: 4 / 3
Saves: 1 / 2
Corner Kicks: 1 / 8
Fouls: 15 / 11
Offside: 4 / 3

Misconduct Summary:
BOS – Amanda Frisbie (caution, 69)
BOS – Rosie White (caution, 77)

Officials:
Referee: Luis Guardia
Assistant Referee 1: Shane Kennard
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Wooten
Fourth Official: John Jr Griggs

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