NWSL: Hope Solo granted 'personal leave'

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Aug 28, 2016

The Hope Solo saga took another turn on Saturday as her NWSL team, Seattle Reign FC, announced that the U.S. star was “was granted a personal leave." The development comes three days after her contract with U.S. Soccer was terminated and she was suspended from the national team for remarks made after the USA-Sweden game.

U.S. Olympias in NWSL:
BOSTON:
Whitney Engen (90 minutes)
CHICAGO:
Alyssa Naeher (90 minutes)
Julie Johnston (90 minutes)
Christen Press (90 minutes, 1 goal)
HOUSTON:
Morgan Brian (69 minutes)
Carli Lloyd (not with team)
FC KANSAS CITY:
Becky Sauerbrunn (90 minutes)
ORLANDO:
Alex Morgan (90 minutes)
PORTLAND:
Meghan Klingenberg (90 minutes)
Tobin Heath (90 minutes)
Lindsey Horan (90 minutes)
Allie Long (90 minutes, 1 goal)
SEATTLE:
Megan Rapinoe (sub-11 minutes, 1 goal)
Hope Solo (on personal leave)
SKY BLUE FC:
Kelley O'Hara (sub-43 minutes).
WASHINGTON:
Ali Krieger (90 minutes)
Crystal Dunn (67 minutes)

With Haley Kopmeyer in goal, the Reign beat its rival Portland Thorns, 3-1, to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth. The start was the seventh of the season for Kopmeyer, who has a 1.00 goals-against average. Seattle signed for Santa Clara keeper Andi Tostanoski to replace Solo.

After Solo was informed of the suspension, she did not attend Seattle's practice on Thursday. Reign coach Laura Harvey told the Seattle Times she wanted to give Solo some space to process U.S. Soccer's decision but admitted she was unclear of the contractual implications of the contract termination.

U.S. national team players receive one salary from U.S. Soccer for their national team play and another for playing in the NWSL. U.S. Soccer's subsidies have been a critical part of allowing the women's league to survive into its fourth season.

Of the 17 U.S. Olympians in the NWSL, 13 have played this weekend and two have a game on Sunday. Only Carli Lloyd, who is not with the Houston Dash, and Solo did not play.

Christen Press, Allie Long and Megan Rapinoe (in her first appearance of the season for the Reign) scored.

NWSL, Week 17:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
Orlando 1 (Stengel 57) Washington 2 (Williams 37, Nairn 57).
Att.: 7,052.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27
WNY Flash 2 (Sanderson 36, Doniak 58) Houston 2 (O'Sullivan 28, Ohai 53).
Att.: 6,449.
Seattle 3 (Melis 27, 50, Rapinoe 94+) Portland 1 (Long 92+).
Att.: 5,888.
Sky Blue FC 1 (Kerr 94+) Chicago 3 (McCaffrey 31, Press 73, Huerta 80).
Att.: 3,108.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28
FC Kansas City 0 Boston 2 (Schoepfer 38, Mewis 81).
Att.: 2,206.

NWSL Standings:
PTS TEAM W-L-T GF/GA
35 Washington 11-3-2 26/13
29 Portland 8-3-5 21/15
28 Chicago 8-4-4 17/14
27 WNY Flash 8-5-3 31/20
------------------------------------
23 Seattle 6-5-5 21/15
22 Sky Blue FC 6-6-4 19/23
18 Orlando 6-10-0 15/21
16 FC Kansas City 4-8-4 11/16
13 Houston 3-8-4 16/19
10 Boston 2-12-1 9/29