The competition's home team stole the show by staging a massive 3-3 comeback in the final 10 minutes but the talk of the game remains Rachel Daly's disallowed goal, moments after she had bagged a brace with 45th and 47th minute strikes across both halves to put Houston Dash 2-1 up.
It would have been the first hat-trick of the first professional team sports competition to take place in America in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the referee decided otherwise.
Was the match official right to deny the 28-year-old English star from collecting a trio of goals?
Fans shared their take on Twitter:
— Just Women's Sports (@justwsports) June 30, 2020
My reaction to @RachelDaly3 third goal not being called a goal...I'm marking it down as a hat trick pic.twitter.com/wywZMeYPaR
— nwsl fanatic (@nwsl_fanatic) June 30, 2020
That's so unlucky for Rachel Daly and @HoustonDash. Should be goal. Could have put this game away...#NWSLChallengeCup
— Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy) June 30, 2020
Noooooooo RACHEL DALY WAS ROBBED of her hat-trick. This is some bullshit. Where is VAR?!?
— Anthony DiCicco (@DiCiccoMethod) June 30, 2020
The rule in question (Law 12) why Rachel Daly's third goal was disallowed. Plenty to crap on NWSL referees for (although not yet this week, knock on wood), but not that one. #NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/Ym8JYhDGUP
— Ray Curren (@rjcurren) June 30, 2020
Curious question: how far away from the GK does the ball need to be before they are no longer interfering but playing the loose ball in play? Certainly by the time it gets to midfield, but how long before that? 1 foot away from the GK? 5 ft? 10 ft? 10 yards?
— Barrett Madden (@madden_barrett) June 30, 2020
Meanwhile, the free international streaming of Houston Dash 3-3 Utah Royals on the NWSL's Twitch channel saw audiences peak at 18,000 live viewers towards the final quarter of the match. Domestically, the NWSL Challenge Cup's household ratings are positive.
As reported by Show Buzz Daily, the tournament's opener on CBS was the most viewed soccer match over the past week (June 22-28) with 572K viewers in total. It scored 0.37 as it toppled NBCSN's broadcast of Manchester City vs Christian Pulisic's Chelsea (0.35) which gathered 511K viewers.
The only annoying thing about women soccer is the ppl who chronically underestimate the demand for it.
— Steven (@andreste1589) June 30, 2020
As things stand in the NWSL Challenge Cup, North Carolina and Washington Spirit are the only teams to have grabbed all three points as they defeated Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars respectively on the opening day of the tournament, last Saturday. Utah Royals and Houston Dash share a point apiece whilst OL Reign and Sky Blue FC will find out where the stand after Matchday 1. Their encounter kicks off at 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday (2:30 AM GMT on Wednesday night).
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Cobertura de TV y streaming en vivo en United States
Cobertura de TV y streaming en vivo en United States
