NWSL, Week 3 in review: No more looking back

The Seattle Reign are in first place. FC Kansas City is in last place. Seattle has played three games and won all of them, handily. FC Kansas City has played three games, is winless, and has managed just a single point. The Reign have the best goal differential in the league, and have allowed just one goal all season -- that came on a penalty kick. FC Kansas City has the worst goal differential and has scored just three goals all season, including one that came on a penalty kick. Can we please stop for directions now? None of this looks even a little bit familiar.

Washington’s not going to just roll over after all

After a tough midweek loss to Seattle and a quick turnaround for Saturday’s game in Chicago, Washington seemed all set to take the next steps in the slow descent towards the bottom of the table and the team the Spirit were a season ago. Instead, Mark Parsons’ side shook off the loss, kept things close with the Red Stars and jumped on one of the few decent chances either side had.

Washington’s goal came after a string of solid possession and pressure at the start of the second half that began with a run from Crystal Dunn that left the Chicago defense scrambling. Dunn’s run turned into a foul on Danesha Adams and a free kick from Yael Averbuch. Averbuch’s free kick -- a shot from distance that looked like it took Karina LeBlanc a bit by surprise -- was pushed out for a Washington corner. The Spirit couldn’t convert on the set piece but managed to maintain possession. The whole sequence -- along with a questionable non-call on Washington in front the Red Stars goal -- left the Chicago defense in such disarray that everyone lost track of Tori Huster. Huster was left unmarked at the back post and had little trouble heading a cross from Adams past LeBlanc for the game’s only goal.

Someone in KC should probably be checking to make sure there’s not an obscure rule wherein all those awards can be revoked

FC Kansas City has last year’s Golden Boot, MVP, Rookie of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year winners. Maybe. The names on the jerseys are the same, but as best as anyone can tell, the Blues appear to have hired some third-rate impersonators to take their places. The Lauren Holiday-Erika Tymrak show was so good a season ago, but the thing has totally jumped the shark and the storylines don’t even make sense anymore. New cast member Amy Rodriguez was a breath of fresh air for a minute, but three episodes in and even A-Rod’s wondering just who is writing these things anyway.

The latest episode, The Gang Takes a Trip to Portland, had promise. Holiday even managed to get on the score sheet via a PK, presumably so Rodriguez wouldn’t be so lonely anymore and yay, small victories. But then that part at the end where Jessica McDonald scored twice for the Thorns in a span of four minutes? Yikes.

No Pinoe, no problem

A season ago, the only thing the Seattle Reign were able to do without Megan Rapinoe was consistently find new and interesting and increasingly depressing ways to lose games. On Sunday, the Reign played without Rapinoe, who’s dealing with a foot injury -- for the second straight game. They won. Because all Seattle does now is win. Three games in and Laura Harvey’s inaugural NWSL campaign seems like so distant a memory that George and Martha Washington probably took in a few games.

The Reign improved to 3-0-0 on the season with another convincing victory, this time over Houston. Kim Little had both goals for Seattle, her third and fourth of the season. The first came on a PK and the second after a perfect through ball from Bev Goebel found Little in front of the net. The Scotland international took a few touches, sending a pair of Dash defenders and goalkeeper Erin McLeod totally the wrong way, before a cool finish that gave Little her second of the night.

Right now, there is no team in NWSL that’s more fun to watch than the Seattle Reign.

Boston. Sky Blue. Sigh.

Imagine if the 2013 Washington Spirit traveled to Harvard Stadium, cloned themselves and then tried to play soccer for 90 minutes. That’s kind of what this game was like. With the exception of Lianne Sanderson and Julie King, who both had very good nights with a goal and an assist each, Boston and Sky Blue FC are just not very good.

There were a few positives for the Breakers -- the first win of the season being the biggest, but also that Boston didn’t give up a single PK, kept the defensive breakdowns to a minimum and managed to create multiple offensive chances.

Of course, it all happened against a Sky Blue FC team that apparently didn’t find out they were playing a game until 80th minute. Or were playing a game, but the game they thought they were playing was How Many Times Can We Be Offside? At least Monica Ocampo scored a goal. Sky Blue FC actually managed two goals in this game. Sky Blue is still winless, but guys, two goals! In one game!

Scores

Washington Spirit 1-0 Chicago Red Stars
FC Kansas City 1-3 Portland Thorns
Houston Dash 0-2 Seattle Reign
Sky Blue FC 2-3 Boston Breakers