With the Women’s World Cup reaching the round of 16, many think that the only women’s action is happening north of the border, but the American women’s domestic league (the National Women’s Soccer League, or NWSL) is also brimming with action.
This was evidenced in yesterday’s game between the Portland Thorns and FC Kansas City, it was a match that finished in an enthralling fashion. The game’s first goal was scored by FCKC when Jen Buczkowski, from a free-kick, served the ball towards forward Sarah Hagen who headed in a neat ball past Thorns keeper Michelle Betos, who came out a bit late.
FCKC seemed to be in control of the match and seemed to have the three points in the bag McCall Zerboni received a red card for an unwarranted aggression against a Kansas City player. FCKC’s Shea Groom came in on a hard challenge on Sinead Farrelly, for which she recived a yellow card, but in the process of the foul she fell down and McCall Zerboni came in and stepped right on Groom’s back. Needless to say, it was a well deserved red card and Portland went down to 10 players with 20 minutes left.
All signs pointed to a Portland Thorns loss, until the unexpected happened. Portland managed to get a corner kick in stoppage time and Michelle Betos came out from her goal to act as an extra attacker. Their first corner went out, headed by a FCKC player, but their second corner arched beautifully towards Michelle Betos and she dove trying to get a head on it. Betos connected beautifully with the ball and headed it right on net, as FC Kansas City players tried desperately to keep it out, but the referee correctly called that the ball had crossed the line before the FCKC players pushed it out. Take a look at the highlight reel and forward to the 2:28 to see Betos’ fantastic goal.
And another look from a different angle clearly shows that the ball had indeed crossed the line before the FC Kansas City defenders were able to clear it out.
GOALKEEPER @MichelleBetos with the equalizerrrrrrr!!!!!! #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/TlUUS1CEQI
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) June 20, 2015
This was a historic goal for the NWSL as it goes down as the first goal to be scored by a goalkeeper in league history. Along with a historic goal, you have to admit, it was a pretty sweet goal as well.
