Flash Head to Boston with Chance to Clinch Playoff Spot
September 6, 2016 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Western New York Flash News Release
ALLSTON, MA --- The Western New York Flash (8-5-4), who sit in 4th in the National Women's Soccer League standings, are traveling to New England this weekend to face the last-place Boston Breakers (3-13-1). This will be the first of two meetings between the Flash and the Breakers in the month of September, and the third meeting between the two sides in 2016. The previous two meetings both ended with dominant Flash wins.
On Saturday, the Flash played the Washington Spirit at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, MD. Despite the Spirit being the best team in the NWSL this season, the Flash were able to rally and earn the 1-1 draw in Washington. In a game where WNY outshot the Spirit 25-8 and dominated the possession battle, both teams generated scoring chances early and often. But it was not until the 64' that someone finally got onto the scoreboard, when Washington's Katie Stengel took a feed from Crystal Dunn and barely beat a charging Sabrina D'Angelo to give the Spirit a 1-0 lead. Fortunately, Samantha Mewis was in the right spot at the right time in the 85', as she was able to corral the ball after a crazy 30-second stretch and put a shot on goal that Washington goalkeeper Kelsey Wys was only able to get a piece of before the ball squeaked over the line. The tie would prove beneficial for both sides, as the Spirit were able to clinch a playoff berth and the Flash moved into a tie with the Chicago Red Stars for third place in the standings. Unfortunately, the Red Stars tied the Seattle Reign FC 2-2 on Sunday, once again giving Chicago sole possession of third place.
The Breakers played in Oregon this past Sunday, dropping their match 5-1 against Portland Thorns FC. After gaining the early lead in the 14', Portland kept adding to their total throughout the rest of the game, as Nadia Nadim led the effort with a hat trick and an assist. As for the Breakers, they only trailed in shots 16-10 and got their lone goal in the 84' minute thanks to Julie King, who headed a Eunice Beckmann free kick into the net. The Breakers have now lost 7 of their past 10 games, and are 1-2 since resuming play after the Olympic break.
With two wins already this season against Boston, the Flash are looking to sweep the season series versus Boston with a win on Wednesday and a win on September 24. A win by WNY would also give them their first since July 9 at home against Seattle. In the previous two wins against the Breakers, the Flash scored 11 goals combined, while only allowing one goal in their 180 minutes of play. In the first meeting between the two teams, Lynn Williams led the Flash with 2 goals, providing half of the scoring in a 4-0 Flash win. Then, on June 24, the Flash had an offensive explosion for 7 goals, as Jessica McDonald tallied 3 goals and an assist, while Williams added 2 goals and an assist. Christen Westphal scored the lone Boston goal in the 38'.
After seventeen matches, the Flash sit in fourth place in the NWSL standings with 28 points, trailing the third-place Chicago Red Stars by one point. Following Wednesday's game against Boston, the Flash will fly straight to Portland to face the Thorns on Sunday, September 11. The Flash will finish their regular season on September 24 when they return to Massachusetts to face the Breakers again. The Breakers currently sit in last place with ten points, eight points behind the ninth-place Orlando Pride.
The Flash will be able to clinch a spot in the 2016 NWSL Playoffs with a win against the Breakers on Wednesday, paired with a Seattle loss (vs. Washington) AND a Sky Blue FC loss or draw (vs. Orlando).
This week's match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET at Jordan Field in Allston, MA. A live stream of the game will be available at youtube.com/NWSL.
National Women's Soccer League Stories from September 6, 2016
- Flash Head to Boston with Chance to Clinch Playoff Spot - Western New York Flash
- PREVIEW: Sky Blue FC Opens Home-And-Home Set with Orlando Pride - Sky Blue FC
- Houston Dash Forward Kealia Ohai Voted NWSL Player of the Week - Houston Dash
- Washington Spirit Hosts Seattle Reign FC on Wednesday with Home Playoff on the Line - Washington Spirit
- Red Stars Unbeaten Run on the Line against FCKC - Chicago Stars FC
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