Underdogs crash NWSL Challenge Cup semifinals
The NWSL Challenge Cup knockout round delivered a healthy dose of chaos, with three of the four lower-seeded teams advancing to the semifinals and three of them doing so after winning tense shootouts.
Kailen Sheridan stopped Bayley Feist’s penalty kick and No. 7 seed Sky Blue advanced to the Challenge Cup semifinals 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw with the No. 2 seed Washington Spirit on Saturday.
Sky Blue will play the No. 6 seed Chicago Red Stars, who also advanced 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw with No. 3 seed OL Reign in the late match.
On Friday night, the No. 4 seed Houston Dash advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw against the No. 5 seed Utah Royals.
Under tournament rules, tie games went straight to a shootout rather than extra periods. The last game to go to penalties before Friday night was the 2016 league championship.
The No. 8 seed Portland Thorns were the only team to avoid penalty kicks, upsetting the No. 1 North Carolina Courage 1-0 in regulation Friday. The Thorns will play the Dash in the semifinals.
The Washington-Sky Blue match featured former Orlando Pride goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, who saved the third Sky Blue penalty kick taken by Domi Richardson. However, the Spirit’s Samantha Staab sent the next shot over the crossbar to keep the teams even.
Sky Blue’s Elizabeth Eddy pushed the ball to the left and past Bledsoe to give her team a 4-3 edge.
The Spirit’s Bayley Feist took the final penalty kick, sending it wide right and straight into the gloves of Sheridan, who clinched the win for Sky Blue FC. With their spot in the semifinals secured, Sheridan excitedly punted the ball across the field as her team sprinted to dog-pile on top of her.
“Honestly, I think I got a little bit lucky,” Sheridan said. “It’s just a good game for us. We knew this was do or die. If we wanted to move on … this was the first day and the only day that mattered.”