Around the NSL: Bending it like Benati; Calgary’s collapse; Rapid and Roses still on top

Welcome back to the View from Row Z, Northern Super League superfans!

While yours truly has been caught up in all things FIFA World Cup since the men’s tournament kicked off June 11 during the NSL’s well-deserved bye week, Week 8 kicked off two days later with a doubleheader last Saturday.

Get your footy-lingo hats on and let’s take a look back at the storylines from last weekend.

Highlight of the week

I’m not sure how to describe Halifax Tides midfielder Julia Benati’s goal on Saturday against the Calgary Wild, but boy was it a beauty.

The midfielder bent the ball from near the sideline and over the fingertips of Wild goalkeeper Katelin Talbert to open the scoring.

Saorla Miller’s dart of a kick before halftime made the lead 2-0 and Calgary couldn’t rally for a comeback, being shut out for the third straight game.

Which leads us to the Wild.

The Calgary collapse

What has happened to Calgary? I know I said this in the last View, but since they drew 2-2 with the Montreal Roses in Week 4, they can’t find the back of the net.

It’s not for lack of effort. There were several dangerous chances from the club in its most recent loss, testing Tides goalkeeper Rylee Foster-Inman with five shots on target — one less than the Tides. The club also registered 13 total shots — two less than Halifax.

Lots of targets, lots of shots, but no results.

Fans can understand manager Sinead McSharry’s reasoning to stick with Talbert, as it’s the Wild’s offence that can’t capitalize on its chances. But something has to change, and at this point nothing seems glaringly obvious — save for Calgary’s one total point in the standings, seven behind AFC Toronto’s fifth place spot.

How ’bout them Roses?

After a draw in the second game of the doubleheader, the Roses sit a point out of top spot in the standings with 14. The visitors were down midway through the second half after a beautiful Lauren Rowe top corner for the homeside.

But — in the fourth minute of stoppage time no less — Toronto product Lisa Pechersky curled in the equalizer for the road team.

The win guaranteed Montreal a win’s worth of points over the Tides that have been cruising towards the top of the standings.

Rapid on top

The Ottawa Rapid are currently enjoying top spot bragging rights in the league — and deservedly so after toppling Vancouver 3-1 Sunday on the road.

Min-a Lee opened the scoring in the 28th minute for the Rapid before Jessica De Filippo tied it up right before the halftime break. Delaney Baie Pridham retook the lead for the visitors five minutes into the second half. She capitalized again in the 74th, two minutes after the Rise lost a body on the pitch when Kennedy Faulknor was booted from the game on a red card-worthy jersey tug in the box.

Vancouver rattled off 20 shots to Ottawa’s 12 — though the Rise only managed to lob three of the 20 on target to the Rapid’s five. And flowers go to Rise goalkeeper Jessica Wulf. Pridham’s second goal of the game was the only goal conceded after losing Faulknor to the red card.

Rapid goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais stole the show in surviving Vancouver’s barrage of shots in her direction.

(Day to watch) Games of the week

Sunday’s doubleheader should be a real treat.

Ottawa will be tested on the road in the opener against Toronto (11 a.m. CT, CBC Gem). The Mighty Maroons have shown promise these past few weeks and are a team to watch for a climb in the standings.

In the matinee match, Calgary hosts the Roses in a rematch of Week 4 (1 p.m. CT, CBC Gem). The Wild should be desperate and Montreal will be looking to catch Ottawa in the standings.

Spoiler alert: the Halifax Tides drew the Vancouver Rise 1-1 on Thursday in an early Week 9 contest — but that’s for next week’s View.

Happy watching, footy fans!

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen