Teamwork makes the dream work

Final-gasp aim helps Houston Sprint spoil Bay FC residence opener

52


Havana Solaun‘s aim within the tenth minute of stoppage time spoiled Bay FC’s residence opener and gave the Houston Sprint a 3-2 comeback victory on Saturday.

Bay FC‘s Deyna Castellanos scored her first NWSL aim within the first half when she pounced on a rebound and fired into the higher left nook, however a second-half Diana Ordóñez brace put the Sprint forward.

Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, extra (U.S.)

Racheal Kundananji, who joined Bay FC in a world-record deal, equalized within the 93rd minute earlier than Solaun’s last-minute aim gave Houston its first win of the season.

Castellanos’s aim opened the scoring, though Ordóñez took maintain of the sport within the second half. Her first aim got here within the 66th minute when she gained the ball close to the midway line and dribbled towards the aim earlier than discovering María Sánchez to her left, who took a number of touches to create area and despatched a cross again to Ordóñez to nod in.

Ordóñez bought her second within the 87th minute. Houston was awarded a penalty because of a handball within the field. Ordóñez stepped as much as take the kick, which was initially saved by Lysianne Proulx however fell again to the ahead, who made no mistake together with her second probability.

Within the 93rd minute, Kundananji lower into the field and unleashed a shot into the higher left nook to stage the match. She grabbed a Zambian flag on the sideline to have fun changing into the primary Zambian participant to attain in an NWSL match.

The sport’s winner got here within the a centesimal minute when Bay FC clearance bounced towards Solaun, whose left-footed shot took a slight deflection and slipped into the left nook to seal the win for the Sprint.

Elsewhere, Kansas Metropolis remained good this season with a 4-2 victory over Angel Metropolis on Saturday on the Present’s new CPKC Stadium.

The Present are 3-0-0 and sit atop the NWSL.

Vanessa DiBernardo opened the scoring for the Present within the seventh minute when teammate Bia Zaneratto gained the ball excessive up the sphere and crossed it to Temwa Chawinga within the center, who flicked the ball to her proper with the skin of her foot. DiBernado shot and located the higher proper nook.

The Present scored once more simply earlier than half-time when Alexa Spaanstra headed in DiBernardo’s cross on the far put up.

Sydney Leroux headed in Claire Emslie‘s cross within the fiftieth minute for Angel Metropolis, however the Present responded a minute later. After her teammate gained a clearance, Zaneratto collected the ball and handed to Chawinga on her proper. The ahead despatched a strong shot into the again of the online, changing into the primary Malawian participant to attain within the NWSL.

Angel Metropolis put some strain on the Present to shut out the match. Within the 79th minute, Madison Curry pounced on a free ball from a nook kick, bringing Angel Metropolis to inside one.

A couple of minutes later, Rocky Rodríguez scored what the tying aim on an identical play off a nook, however a video assessment disallowed the aim for offside.

The Present bought an insurance coverage aim late within the match when Angel Metropolis goalkeeper Angelina Anderson got here far off her line to punch a ball away, however it fell to Zaneratto, who slipped her shot into the higher proper nook.

Veteran midfielder Desiree Scott subbed into the match late, marking her return after being sidelined with an damage all of 2023.

In Portland, Uchenna Kanu scored a pair of targets within the first six minutes for Racing Louisville, however the Portland Thorns got here from behind for a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

Portland midfielder Sam Coffey scored the equalizing aim late in stoppage time after Morgan Weaver’s aim within the 52nd minute.

Kanu, a Nigerian ahead who joined Racing Louisville final season, scored within the third and sixth minutes. It was the quickest brace in league historical past.

It was Louisville’s third straight draw to open the season, whereas the Thorns stay winless.

“It is irritating for the ladies, we’re not dropping (however) drawing all these video games will not win you something,” Racing defender Abby Erceg mentioned.

In North Carolina, Brianna Pinto‘s first-half aim helped the Braveness earn a 1-0 residence win towards reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC.

The Braveness improved to 2-1-0 for the season.

Simply earlier than half-time, defender Ryan Williams discovered Bianca St-Georges down the proper facet, who crossed the ball into the field. Ashley Sanchez centered it to the center together with her head, and Pinto flicked the ball into the left nook.

Gotham had eight pictures within the second half however completed with only one shot on the right track.

Info from the Related Press contributed to this report.