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PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Western New York Flash won just three games on the road during a National Womens Soccer League regular season that stretched from spring blooms into fall foliage. All three road wins came against teams that ultimately failed to make the playoffs, the last of those wins necessary on the final day of the regular season to ensure they avoided that same playoff-less fate.On Sunday afternoon at Providence Park, in front of an NWSL postseason record crowd of 20,086 and against the leagues best team, the Flash did enough to win another road game.Then they did it all over again, a 4-3 overtime victory earning a place in next weeks title game.When it ended, Portland coach Mark Parsons called it the game of the year. He was half right.It was one game. And what a game it was. But Western New York had to win it twice.Which is in its own way twice as impressive.Ahead by two goals against a host that had trailed by that margin just once at home this season, Western New York watched its lead evaporate. Instead of victory, there was 30 minutes more soccer. So the Flash, without momentum on their side, without the crowd on their side and without their ejected coach on the sideline, did it all over again. Two goals in the first period of overtime finally proved enough to win the day.It was the antithesis of so much that is postseason soccer, when the stakes tempt coaches and players to tread caution. Portland not only won the regular season title but compiled the best goal differential and allowed fewer goals than any other team. It did that without many of its best players for long stretches -- seven of 11 starters in Sundays semifinals were also Olympians who spent a good bit of the summer in Brazil. Despite all of that, Western New York refused to play it safe.There was never a chance we were going to park the bus, said Western New York coach Paul Riley, who was ejected late in the first half after arguing with officials and watched the remainder of the game from behind the scenes while assistant Scott Vallow took charge. Were just not that type of team. Even if I told them to park the bus, they wouldnt park the bus. Theyd just ignore me.But with a field littered with proven international stars, almost all of them in Portlands red uniforms and most of them occupying the entirety of the midfield, the Flash floored it. They were direct, aggressive and full throttle.You let Allie Long get on the ball, Lindsey Horan get on the ball, and eventually theyre going to break you down, Riley said of two of Portlands many game-controlling midfielders. The problem is if you do that, and then they score, then what? Whats Plan B after that? Because now youve got to come and open the game up. I think from the start we felt make it an attacking game, open the game up, make it a free-for-all and see what happens.Already sparsely coiffed, Parsons said he lost more hair and felt as if he had four heart attacks. Which more or less sums up the Flashs success in making it a roiling tempest of a game.Western New York struck first, against the early run of play, when a teammates scuffed shot fell to Sam Mewis in the box and she stuck the ball in the back of the net in the 16th minute. Rookie Makenzy Doniak made it 2-0 in the 38th minute, heading in a cross from Jessica McDonald. Both goals were indirectly the result of long McDonald throw-ins. In fact, three of the four goals Western New York scored began with McDonald chucking the ball into dangerous space and seeing what the ensuing chaos produced.Throw the ball far, Christine Sinclair half joked when asked what Western New York was able to do to be so successful. We knew it was a huge weapon for them. And we faced it before. Its just we werent able to deal with that today. We talked about it before the game, [that] its almost better for them to have the ball at their feet than for us to kick the ball out for a throw-in. But we didnt learn from it, and we kept giving them those opportunities. And they made us pay.Notably gracious in defeat, though it had to sting for a player who has been so good for so long that is easy to forget even her prime will eventually end, Sinclair wasnt diminishing the Flash. But if the goals came courtesy of a not-so-secret weapon, the win was much more involved.After goals from Portlands Sinclair and Emily Sonnett leveled the game after 90 minutes, Western New Yorks Lynn Williams scored both of her teams goals in the first overtime. That pushed the lead to 4-2 before the Thorns pulled one back in an ultimately fruitless effort to force penalty kicks.One Williams goal was the eventual result of another throw-in, the other a terrific first-touch finish off an assist from Mewis at the end of a long counter attack. But this wasnt a result earned through momentary opportunism. More than the goals, Williams embodied Western New Yorks game plan on the day when she pressed a Thorns defender in the corner nearest Portlands goal early in the second overtime period. The crowd roared their approval, rightly, when a corner wasnt conceded. But in the bowels of the stadium, Riley had to be cheering the effort still present in his young forward nearly two hours into the match.The part that I like about her is shes very coachable, Riley said. She wants to learn. She knows how to run now. We spent a lot of time with her. I had Amy Rodriguez when Amy was this age, and shes very similar. Great speed, great turn of pace. She knows how to run. Shes now learning how to hold the ball up a little bit. Her finishing is getting better. Shes got all the tools. She didnt play at a big school, she didnt play in a big club program. Shes a brilliant story.The leagues Golden Ball winner, tied for the regular-season lead in goals with Houstons Kealia Ohai, Williams is a star in the making. Western New York has several of those.I think she deserves to be MVP, to be perfectly honest with you, Riley said.There was, of course, some sweet vindication for Riley, even in absentia. Let go by the Thorns after two disappointing seasons and no playoff wins, he took over Western New York only a couple of months before the regular season. He recalled a meeting early in the process when it seemed both he and the players were wondering if it was the right fit. But the Flash won their opening game at FC Kansas City, one of those three road wins, after a late missed penalty.Maybe that changed the season for us, I dont know, Riley said.Defeat has a thousand fathers. Portland didnt deal well with McDonalds throw-ins, or generally with the size and physicality she and Williams offered. The fans inside Providence Park certainly made it clear they felt the officiating didnt help, either, a possible handball and several other penalty shouts uncalled. Horan hit the crossbar in the first overtime, and Western New York cleared a potential leveler in the second overtime.Western New York could have lost. More important is a team with so little experience played to win.Maybe the playoffs were a possibility, they reasoned after that opening win in Kansas City. Then in another year or two, the young players more seasoned, perhaps a run at a championship. Instead, its on to Houston.We just didnt expect it, Ill be perfectly honest with you, Riley said. But here we are.They could have fooled a lot of people Sunday. Its hard enough to win in Portland once.Let alone twice.Robin Lopez Bulls Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Kris Dunn Bulls Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. http://www.officialbullsfanstore.com/kids-denzel-valentine-bulls-jersey/ . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. Antonio Blakeney Jersey . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Antonio Blakeney Bulls Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year.While Australia lurch through a wide range of selection conundrums ranging from resting bowlers to Steven Smith saying there is no-one banging down the door domestically and now the sudden stepping down of Rod Marsh, South Africa are seemingly spoilt for choice in a remarkable change of fortune from last summers struggles. Back then, it seemed South Africa were touching the bottom of their talent pool. Now, that bottom has been proven false and they have options in every discipline.Instead of delight in any schadenfreude, convener Linda Zondi remained mindful of the cycles that a selection committee can go through. One thing I have learned in this position as convener of selectors is that its a thankless job. You have to understand the position you hold. Either way, there will be issues. I dont want to get involved too much in the Australian selection but as long as we are happy where we are, I am comfortable. There will be hard times going forward. Im happy with the team, the environment, the players and the way they have performed for us. Its excellent, he said.Zondi was appointed in July last year, after serving on his predecessor Andrew Hudsons panel, and his first task was to pick the squad to tour India. On that trip, South Africa lost both Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander to injuries, prompting a revolving door of fast bowlers that were used through the summer. Kagiso Rabada made his first appearance in Mohali, Chris Morris and Hardus Viljoen debuted against England and Kyle Abbott yo yo-ed in and out of the side. At the other end of the team sheet, there was pressure to find an opening batsman when Stiaan van Zyl struggled and its not as though everything in between was settled.Dane Vilas was used that time after Quinton de Kock was not included in the India Test squad because of losing form earlier in the year. Like van Zyl, Vilas also battled. Instead of recalling de Kock immediately, the gloves were given to AB de Villiers who responded with complaints about workload. In addition to that, both Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy lost form and were dropped in turns, leaving the middle order lacking muscle.Before Zondi and his panel could begin to find a solution, ahead of the New Zealand series this August, they were hit by another requirement. They needed to meet transformation targets too. The system seemed set to fail but the selectors have come out smiliing with targets met and a winning team.dddddddddddd How did they achieve that?The board makes policy, and our role is to implement those policies, Zondi said. When we got to the stage where the policies were passed, we were in the position where the best represented South Africa, regardless of any target or colour. All the players deserve to be there and weve got young guys that are coming through to add to the senior squad.The panel was helped by the return of Steyn - albeit temporarily - and Philander, the second coming of Duminy, the ability of du Plessis to step up and the coming of age of de Kock, Temba Bavuma and Rabada - but theyve also made some brave calls. Dane Piedt was dropped for the Australia Tests for two rookie spinners and Morne Morkel, battling fitness concerns, has not yet been recalled.Those decisions were not easy but Zondi explained that they were made with the focus on combinations and conditions. We are looking at conditions and seeing how we feel, and how the players suit a particular role. The combination is important.Crucially for South Africa they have been able to toggle their combinations because they have enough players in each department. Their attack includes seamers who offer speed, swing and seam movement; they have an offspinner in Duminy, a left-arm spinner in Keshav Maharaj and a wristspinner in Tabraiz Shamsi plus they have attacking batsmen like de Kock and Rilee Rossouw to Bavumas more cautious style.That has allowed them to compile as diverse a squad as possible and, having studied the domestic set-up, Zondi believes the trend will continue.You can only make those decisions when you know you have a good enough back-up in whatever role you are looking at. Domestically, I am happy with what Ive seen. The stronger the franchise matches are, the better for South Africa A and the Proteas.We have a lot of guys, who are matric (final year or school) and performing at franchise level and guys that have been in the system for a while are dominating. Another benefit that I see is that weve got good coaches so its a good combination of the two. We are in a position where players in every single role is available. Its just a matter of us taking those guys to that next level and seeing how we move on. ' ' '