Yazmeen Ryan scored against her former team and Kat Asman made four crucial saves in the Denver Summit's 3-0 win on Sunday over visiting Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League.
In the day’s other matches, the North Carolina Courage stunned the Chicago Stars 6-0; the Washington Spirit came from behind to beat the Portland Thorns 2-1; the Orlando Pride overtook the Houston Dash 3-1; and the Seattle Reign beat the San Diego Wave 1-0.
Gotham (13-4-6)
has sat atop the National Women’s Soccer League standings for six weeks, with its last loss coming July 4 against the Wave. The expansion Summit had already beaten Gotham once this season, recording the first win in franchise history 2-0.
Denver (8-8-6) opened the scoring in the 50th minute when Yuzuki Yamamoto connected on the volley from Ayo Oke.
Rookie Olivia Thomas extended Denver’s lead in the 82nd minute, driving into the box before ripping a shot past goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.
Six minutes later, Ryan sent a shot to the bottom left corner out of Berger’s reach.
Ashley Sanchez had a hat trick in North Carolina's 6-0 rout of the Stars (5-17-1) in Evanston, Illinois and now leads the league’s Golden Boot race with 18 goals.
Sanchez, lurking at Chicago goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s back post, capitalized on a cross and knocked a ball that was pinging around the box into the back of the net in the 11th minute.
Just six minutes later, Chioma Okafor pushed the lead to 2-0 with her first NWSL goal.
The Courage (12-8-3) combined for three goals in eight minutes in the second half. Shinomi Koyama scored in the 61st minute and two minutes later, Ryan Williams collected a rebound and put it away to make it 4-0.
Sanchez converted a penalty before capping her hat trick with a header off a cross from Williams. in the 81st minute
Mélissa Bethi scored her first league goal in her first start for the Spirit in the 80th minute in Portland.
Trinity Rodman beat the defenders down the sideline and crossed to Bethi for the goal.
The Thorns (11-7-5) set the tone early when Sophia Wilson converted a penalty in the 18th minute. Portland was awarded the kick after Monique Ngock pulled down Thorns midfielder Nina Nijstad in the box.
The Spirit (13-6-4) leveled the match in the 59th minute when Nijstad committed a foul against Bethi in the penalty box. After video review, Tara Rudd stepped up to score the lick.
Washington’s Andi Sullivan was ejected in the seventh minute of stoppage time after a rough tackle just outside the penalty area.
Barbra Banda made Orlando Pride history Sunday, converting a 42nd-minute penalty to become the club’s single-season scoring leader.
Her 14th goal of the season surpassed Marta’s record set in 2017, as the Pride went on to defeat the Houston Dash 3-1 in Orlando.
Banda’s record-setting goal capped a first half in which Orlando took advantage of early Houston mistakes. Dash rookie Leah Klenke put the Pride ahead with an own goal in the 14th minute before conceding a penalty against Summer Yates 28 minutes later.
Banda sent her shot into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper Jane Campbell, giving Orlando a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
Banda has scored in eight different home appearances this season, a feat achieved by only four players in NWSL history.
Orlando (9-12-2) stretched its advantage in the 64th minute on Haley McCutcheon's goal.
Houston (7-11-5) scored less than 10 minutes later when Khyah Harper’s cross found Kiki Van Zanten, who headed the ball past goalkeeper Cosette Morché.
Maddie Mercado finished off a lofted cross from Maddie Dahlien with a header for a goal in the Reign's win at home.
Seattle (10-8-4) played with a player advantage over San Diego (12-8-3) for much of the match after Wave defender Amelia Van Zanten was shown a red card in the 13th minute. Van Zanten was sent off for a tackle from behind on Dahlien.
Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey made six saves before exiting the match following a collision with Wave forward Ludmila. Cassie Miller helped preserve Seattle’s clean sheet.
___
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
