Elyse Bennett scored in the 87th minute to pull OL Reign into a 2-2 draw with Racing Louisville on Saturday in the National Women’s Soccer League.
OL Reign trailed 2-0 until Veronica Latsko got one, heading in Bennett’s cross in the 82nd minute.
In the 87th, OL Reign earned a corner kick, and Nikki Stanton sprinted from the top of the box to head in the cross. The ball bounced off the turf and Bennett flicked it backward with her head, tying the score.
Wang Shuang put Louisville ahead in the 24th minute, scoring on a penalty kick after a Reign handball in the box. In the 76th minute, Paige Monaghan’s near-post shot slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, doubling Louisville’s lead.
OL Reign (7-4-3) was missing eight players, who were with their national teams preparing for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand: Angelina (Brazil), Alana Cook (USA), Sofia Huerta (USA), Jordyn Huitema (Canada), Rose Lavelle (USA), Quinn (Canada), Megan Rapinoe (USA), and Emily Sonnett (USA).
Louisville (3-4-7) was without four World Cup-bound players: Ary Borges (Brazil), Alex Chidiac (Australia), Savannah DeMelo (USA), and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa).
KANSAS CITY CURRENT 1, PORTLAND THORNS 0
Michelle Cooper converted a penalty kick in the first half and Kansas City blanked Portland.
The Thorns (7-3-4) needed a win or a draw to remain atop the NWSL standings. With the loss, they fall a point below North Carolina.
Cooper’s penalty came in the 36th minute, and Kansas City (5-9-0) withstood a barrage of 26 Portland shots the rest of the way.
Christine Sinclair (Canada), Sophia Smith (United States) and Hina Sugita (Japan) have all departed Portland to prepare for the World Cup, as has Crystal Dunn (United States) and Rocky Rodriguez (Costa Rica).
Kansas City is without Debinha, who was called up by Brazil.
CHICAGO RED STARS 1, SAN DIEGO WAVE 0
Ella Stevens scored her fourth goal of the season as Chicago won at home against San Diego.
Both teams had early chances. San Diego’s Rachel Hill struck the right post on a breakaway in the 17th minute. Bianca St. Georges hit the post on the other end in the 22nd.
Just before halftime, Stevens got her head on Tatumn Milazzo’s cross, powering the ball into the goal.
Five Wave players departed this week to prepare for the World Cup and were unavailable for the match: Naomi Girma (USA), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden), Alex Morgan (USA), Kailen Sheridan (Canada), and Emily van Egmond (Australia).
The Red Stars were without three international players, Jill Aguilera (Puerto Rico), Cheyna Matthews (Jamaica), and Alyssa Naeher (USA).
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Chicago (4-9-1). Goalkeeper Emily Boyd, subbing in for Naeher, made four saves to earn the shutout. It was San Diego’s (6-6-2) third straight loss.
NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE 1, HOUSTON DASH 0
Tyler Lussi sent a long-distance shot into the far corner in the 59th minute to give North Carolina the victory at home against Houston.
It was the fourth straight win for the Courage (8-4-2), who jumped in front of the Thorns in the NWSL standings. Houston (4-6-4) is winless in its last four matches.
The match was delayed due to thunderstorms in Cary.
The Courage played without six World Cup-bound players. Emily Fox (USA), Mille Gejl (Denmark), Rikke Madsen (Denmark), Casey Murphy (USA), Kerolin Nicoli (Brazil), and Denise O’Sullivan (Ireland).
Houston was missing three Canadian players, Allysha Chapman, Nichelle Prince, and Sophie Schmidt, as well as Havana Solaun, who will represent Jamaica in the World Cup. The Dash signed Andressa Alves this week, although she won’t play until her World Cup with Brazil concludes.
ORLANDO PRIDE 3, WASHINGTON SPIRIT 0
Julie Doyle scored twice in the first half and Orlando went on to blank Washington in another match on Saturday that was delayed by weather.
Doyle slammed home a rebound for Orlando in the 9th minute. She struck again seven minutes later, whipping in a cross that was contested but went untouched and snuck into the far post.
Ally Watt’s shot was deflected in the 61st minute, putting Orlando up by three.
Six Spirit (6-3-5) players missed the match, as they departed for World Cup training camps this week. Aubrey Kingsbury, Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez, and Andi Sullivan were called up by the United States, while Marissa Sheva will represent Ireland and Riley Tanner is playing for Panama.
On the other side, Orlando (5-8-1) was without two Brazilian players, Adriana and Marta, who is heading to her sixth World Cup.
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