Sophia Smith was not very subtle with her attempt(s) to waste time during a NWSL match between the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns on Saturday night. As a result, she will be suspended.
The 23-year-old forward picked up one of the weirdest and funniest red cards of all-time.
Smith, who actually scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win for Portland, received her first yellow card in the 89th minute while still on the pitch. It was issued as a result of a very obvious attempt to kill the clock.
Not long thereafter, Smith was subbed out for Izzy D’Aquila in the seventh minute of stoppage time. The move was in part to protect her from a second yellow card and subsequent red card. There was also an element of strategy involved. More time ticked down while she slowly made her way to the sideline.
However, there was still a good chunk of clock remaining when Smith subbed off so she decided to take matters into her own hands when a ball was kicked out in the 12 minute of stoppage time. She tried to hide the ball under the bench. It didn’t fool anyone!
In fact, the shenanigans was deemed as time wasting so Smith was issued her second yellow, which is immediately escalated to a red. A red warrants a suspension in the next NWSL match. Barring a successful appeal, the Thorns will be without their best forward during their next game against rivals Seattle Reign.
To make it even funnier, Sophia Smith tried to play it off like she was just getting the ball from under the bench— even though it was extremely obvious that she put the ball under the bench in the first place!
Full replay of Sophia Smith trying to hide the ball under the Thorns bench, for which she got her second yellow.
— Ryan Clarke (@RyanTClarke) June 9, 2024
Suspended for the next match over shithousery, pending appeal. #BAONPDX #NWSL https://t.co/hckvuUMPUW pic.twitter.com/WksQks6rgg
Even Portland’s coaching staff couldn’t stifle its laughter!