Sky Blue keeper Kailen Sheridan punches the ball out of Ifeoma Onumonu’s reach (Photo Credit: Moira McConnell)
A complete antithetical turn-around after last week’s 5-4 roller coaster. Sky Blue FC go up early and maintain their lead for ninety minutes. Still without a head coach, Sky Blue FC improved leaps and bounds from their past results. While scoring only one goal may not be as exciting, per se as the nine goal fiasco from last week, Sky Blue FC have finally found their defensive shape. With this success comes much more, this was their first shutout since the first of July, their third all season. This game was the first time since July that Sky Blue hadn’t conceded more than four goals in a single game and this game is their first back-to-back win since early July.
Sky Blue FC’s offensive star made history tonight. Sam Kerr got her sixteenth goal this season, tying the record for most goals scored in a single season. With four games left in the season, Kerr is well on-track to breaking this record. And if this form continues, for Sky Blue and for Kerr, 2017 playoffs are a likely future.
Boston Breakers Julie King gives chase to Sam Kerr of Sky Blue FC (Photo Credit: Moira McConnell)
The first and only goal came in the fifth minute, when Nikki Stanton sent a long ball over the top of the Breakers defense landing in front of Sam Kerr who easily slipped past her defender, Megan Oyster. Breakers Goalkeeper Abby Smith was caught in no-man’s-land, too far off her line to save a shot by Kerr and too far out to get to the ball before Kerr could. Smith decides to put the pressure on Kerr, closing the space but then missed the ball. Kerr scored easily on an open net.
Despite that being the only goal of the night, that was not the end of the excitement. In the ninth minute, Kerr laid a ball off to Madison Tiernan who forced a good save out of Smith.
Fifteen minutes later, in the twenty-fourth minute, Daphne Corboz sent in a corner. Kerr got above Allysha Chapman and headed the ball just under the crossbar. Smith skillfully tipped it past the end-line.
In the thirtieth minute, Boston Breakers finally put on an attack of their own. Smith sent the ball long, well in Boston’s half, landing in front of Ifeoma Onumonu who took the ball into Sky Blue’s eighteen. Luckily Sheridan got a good jump and squashed the break. Three minutes later, Corboz sent an excellent pass to Kerr whose shot was wide by inches.
Only two minutes later, in the thirty-fifth minute, Boston got another chance. Adriana Leon was tripped as she passed to a wide-open Onumonu. The referee played advantage as Onumonu took her shot. Kayla Mills deflected the shot wide of goal.
Daphne Corboz of Sky Blue FC tangles for possession against Boston Breakers Allysha Chapman (Photo Credit: Moira McConnell).
Just before the half, in the forty-fourth minute, Midge Purce pushed her way past Taylor Lytle and a sliding Erica Skroski. Purce sent a low cross to Leon, who was making a near-post run. Leon’s attempt hit the outside of the side-netting.
The next attempt on goal was in the sixty-second minute when Domi Richardson sent a ball long to Tiernan. Tiernan didn’t reach the ball, but Brooke Elby headed the ball centrally, landing kindly for Sarah Killion. Killion sent the ball to Kerr, who poked the ball past Oyster. Smith timely stepped off her line and blocked Kerr’s shot.
Five minutes later, Sky Blue FC get a free-kick about thirty-five yards away from goal. Corboz stood over the ball, and sent it to Kerr. The ball passed by Kerr’s head, but Boston was unable to clear the ball, giving it back to Kerr who took her shot, missing wide.
In the eighty-third minute, Chapman passed by Corboz and sent a cross to the top of the six. Sheridan jumped up and punched the ball, only seven yards away. The ball landed right at the feet of Rosie White who volleyed the ball over the crossbar. That was the best attempt by the Breakers during the game.
After four minutes, Boston got another attempt. Purce passed the ball to Onumonu at the thirty, who played it off to Chapman. Chapman sent the ball back to Purce and attempted a cross. The cross didn’t connect to a Breaker player, instead Sheridan parried it to Raquel Rodriguez.
Sky Blue defender Kayla Mills and Boston Breakers forward Ifeoma Onumonu (Photo Credit: Moira McConnell)
The last attempt came in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half. Lytle delivered a corner, which was headed wide by Julie King. It only cleared to the eighteen where Kelley O’Hara one-timed it high into the air. Maya Hayes headed to Kerr, who sent in another header to the far post. Smith handled the ball well, pushing it wide of the goal.
When asked what changed on the back-line for Sky Blue, David Hodgson said that practice was focused on defending as a unit and closing gaps. “It’s mentality rather than anything else. These girls know how to defend, they know good shape, they know crap shape.”
While it is believable that professional soccer players know how to boost their defense, it was unlikely that such a dramatic change like this would happen in only a week. The difference between the marking and defensive organization of last week and of this week is remarkable. FC Kansas City will be the next team to test the stability of Sky Blue FC’s defense and to try their hand against Sam Kerr.
Sky Blue FC
NWSL
