In a reprisal of last year’s NWSL Championship Final, the Seattle Reign extended their dominance at the venue becoming affectionately known as Fortress Moda, running their record to 13-0-5 on the Moda Pitch at Leon H. Brigham Field at Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center with a 2:1 win over the defending league crown laureates, FC Kansas City, in a game which was nowhere near as closely contested as the final score would indicate as the sole KC marker came in stoppage time on a shot from rookie Shea Groom on which Haley Kopmeyer appeared to be screened by defender Rachel Corsie as the well-struck ball from the left side found the upper right corner of the net. It was one of five chances generated by the visitors, while at the other end Kansas City netminder Nicole Barnhart was significantly busier, facing thirteen shots, seven of which were on frame from the Reign.
FC KC and former US National Team goalkeeper plays the ball at Fortress Moda.
Much as we saw in the last home match, Laura Harvey’s team came out and looked dominant and capable of controlling the game almost at will, and in a formation which may have deviated from the customary 4-3-3, resembling more a 4-2-2-2 with Stephanie Cox, Kendall Fletcher, Rachel Corsie, and Lauren Barnes the back four in front of Haley Kopmeyer; Captain Keelin Winters and Mariah (Nogueira) Bullock in holding midfield; Kim Little and Jess Fishlock in attacking midfield, and Bev Yanez and Merritt Mathias filling the forward slots. It didn’t so much matter who was where in the attack, as the personnel and attack shifted as necessary to sustain pressure on the Kansas City defense, and at times the shape morphed into a 4-2-3-1, usually with Mathias as the lone forward.
The Reign dominated possession and dictated the tempo of the game for much of the first half, with Keelin Winters and Mariah Bullock getting headers from corners in the box but wide in the first three minutes.
In the twenty-third minute, Kendall Fletcher would find Kim Little alone in the box from the right side, but Barnhart was equal to the shot, the rebound came to Little, who redirected for Jess Fishlock, but which Fishlock pushed just over the bar on the volley.
Kim Little eludes Kansas City defenders in first-half action.
In the thirty-second, Little would elude the marking of the defenders in blue again, forcing Barnhart to make a kick-save to preserve the status quo. With temperatures on the pitch registering in excess of ninety degrees an hour before match time, the hydration break gave both sides a chance to regroup and fight dehydration in the hot conditions, but not even the water on the sidelines could dampen or cool the Reign offensive push.
With time ticking down in the first half, Fishlock would manage one more chance, but Barnhart would again be equal to the task, pushing the drive over and out of harm’s way. The half would expire with neither team managing a further chance.
The second half would open much the same way the first closed, with neither team managing much until the fifty-third minute, where Kansas City had a pair of set pieces, which came to nothing, and were followed by Kim Little just missing Kendall Fletcher at the right post a minute later. Danielle Foxhoven would come on to relieve Mathias in the sixtieth minute.
In the sixty-first minute, Fletcher would turn playmaker, lofting a long ball into the box which Beverly Yanez was knocked to the turf contesting. With both Barnhart and Kansas City defender Amy LePeilbet dueling with Yanez for the ball. Yanez would beat both to it, lying loose at the edge of the six-yard area, and manage to get enough of a touch to send it over the goal line.
After opening the scoring in the sixty-first minute, Bev Yanez ran to the sideline to celebrate with her parents.
Two minutes later, it was time of another installation in the Kim Little Show, and the Scot would not disappoint. Starting with an interception by Yanez, which she then laid off to Foxhoven, who looped a ball over the KC back line which Little brought down on her chest, managed to control on her right foot, and made no mistake in finishing past a helpless Barnhart.
Even after conceding late, the Reign would hold on for the three points- good enough to lift them into a tie with the Washington Spirit for the top of the table temporarily, although they’d relinquish that lead by a single point with the Chicago Red Stars’ 3-0 result against Sky Blue.
Next up, the Reign take on the Western New York Flash on Friday in Rochester in a battle of two of the hottest teams in the NWSL, with the Flash riding three wins in the last four and the Reign on a three game winning streak and unbeaten in six.
