The end is drawing near for the NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret. On Wednesday, the final four teams will face off in the semifinals to determine the matchup for the championship game on Sunday, July 26 at 12:30 p.m. ET at Rio Tinto Stadium in a match that will nationally televised on CBS.
Portland Thorns FC take on Houston Dash in the early match with kickoff time slated for 10:30 a.m. MT, and Sky Blue FC will face Chicago Red Stars in the evening matchup with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. MT.
After finishing last in the group stage Portland Thorns FC knocked off two-time defending league champions North Carolina Courage with a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinal stage. Rookie Morgan Weaver netted the lone goal for the Thorns, but it was goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom who arose as the hero, with an outstanding performance between the pipes to propel her side to the next round.
Houston enters the semifinal round after their win in penalty kicks over hosts Utah Royals FC. After finishing scoreless after regulation, the Dash secured their place in the semifinal when goalkeeper Jane Campbell made two saves in the penalty kick shootout to outmatch Utah.
Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC also enter their match after both winning in penalty kicks during their respective quarterfinal matches. The Red Stars defeated OL Reign, while Sky Blue outshot Washington Spirit. Both sides had strong goalkeeping performances, but outside of penalty kicks neither team was able to find the back of the net.
Both semifinal contests can be seen live on the CBS All-Access streaming platform.
