OL Reign 0
Washington Spirit 0
October 6, 2023
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season
Multiple storylines converged in a Friday night match up in Seattle between OL Reign and Washington Spirit.
First, margin for error in the NWSL playoff run in. Both sides began the night above the line for playoff qualification, but with a close and crowded table making points essential. Neither could really affor to drop points, even splitting them with a draw, as the teams below the lione could pass them by heading into the final week. The Spirit were above the Reign, so the notion of a draw would at least keep them there.
Megan Rapinoe‘s final regular season home match filled the city and stadium with events and tributes. The emotions of an event match in the midst of a playoff run would be a challenge of focus.
An NWSL Record crowd was guaranteed prior to the match, as the host Reign announced they had surpassed the San Diego Wave record crowd of 32,000. (It turned out to be 34,130 and the new league record.)
Additionally, the Reign were still without starters Rose Lavelle, Sofia Huerta, and Alana Cook. Cook was serving a suspension for the red card she received Sunday against North Carolina, a foul that maybe kept the Reign above the line.
The Spirit also came in with a ten match unbeaten run on the Reign across all competitions.
The festive atmosphere and celebration helped set the match off at a quick pace, with both sides attempting to stretch the field and push for an early advantage.
The hosts had a few opportunities on goal in the early going, Veronica Latsko notably putting a long range shot just over the bar in the seventh minute. Trinity Rodman would also get a decent look on goal with a header just over in the eleventh minute. The early goal did not come for either side.
With so much on the line season wise, it was no surprise the match was played with a playoff like intensity. The tackles and fifty fifty balls were just that much more strongly contested, and more so as the match progressed.
The intensity on the pitch was carrying over to the sidelines, where Spirit coach Mark Parsons would find himself on the receiving end of a yellow card just before the half.
The match would go into the interval level and goalless, a result neither side was particularly looking for with results of other matches on the night coming across the ticker.
Rapinoe nearly got the home side on the board early in the second half in the fiftieth minute after a frantic series of attacks led to her getting a clear shot to the near post, but Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury was positioned well to grab it.
Reign keeper Claudia Dickey pushed a Trinity Rodman shot over the bar moments later, keeping the match level as the high paced play from the first half carried over.
Although the attacks and pressure continued, any of the chances were long range or highly contested, neither side really giving the other much of a clear or easy chance on goal. A number of yellow cards became part of the story of the second half.
Both keepers were strong and confident in the air, grabbing numerous attempts as more direct approaches on goal became necessary with the clock running down. Rodman was again denied late on a spectacular save by Dickey and the match would end goalless.
With the result, Washington extends its unbeaten run to eleven against the Reign.
The draw did nothing to mute the enthusiastic Seattle crowd, which stayed en masse for the post match ceremony honoring Rapinoe. The record crowd was loud and engaged throughout the match.
In the end, the result was not what either side wanted or needed. It is better for Washington than for the Reign, as Houston could leap frog Seattle over the weekend. Decision day weekend will see a must win scenario for the Reign in Chicago and a likely must win for the Spirit at home to North Carolina.
LINK For Photog Album Paul Kahl
LINK For Photog Album Nate Koppelman
BOX
Scoring
RGN: None
WAS: None
Discipline
RGN: Sonnett (Caution– 56’), Latsko (Caution – 84’)
WAS: Staab (Caution – 42′), Sarr (Caution – 46′), Sullivan (Caution – 66′), McKeown (90+7’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Dickey, D McClernon, D Sonnett, D Brown, (Bennett 74’) D Barnes, M Quinn, M Van der Jagt, M Fishlock, F Latsko, F Balcer (Huitema 66’), F Rapinoe ©
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Angelina, M Athens, D Hiatt, D Malonson, F King, D Holmes
Total Shots: 13 (Fishlock, Latsko, Rapinoe – 3)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Rapinoe – 2)
Fouls: 6 (McClernon – 2)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 5 (Dickey – 5)
WAS: GK Kingsbury, D Staab, D Butel, D McKeown, D Carle, M Sanchez (Bailey 83’), M Sullivan, M Metayer, F Rodman, F Sarr (Biegalski 65’), F Hatch
Unused substitutes: GK Barnhart, D Elwell, D Brooks, M Huster, M Sheva, M Ricketts
Total Shots: 17 (Rodman – 8)
Shots on Goal: 5 (Rodman – 4)
Fouls: 11 (Rodman – 3)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 5
Saves: 3 (Kingsbury – 3)
Referee: Thomas Snyder
Assistant Referee 1: Bennett Savage
Assistant Referee 2: Jeffrey Skinker
4th Official: Dion Coxe-Trieger
VAR: Adorae Monroy
AVAR: Maggie Short
