Seattle Reign FC 0
Orlando Pride 0
NWSL Regular Season
Memorial Stadium – Seattle, WA
June 3, 2018
Nearing the midpoint of the 2018 season the likely playoff teams are emerging. As such, positioning for top four spots and the home playoff match makes every point that much more essential. When the teams jockeying for those positions play, the point importance is getting magnified.
For Seattle, the chance of keeping the second spot in the standings could make the postseason virtually lacking in travel should they get a home match and win before a short jaunt down I-5 to Portland for a final. Orlando and runaway leader North Carolina are looking at a cross country trip for a final, but could avoid doubling up that travel with home playoff matches. Head to head matches like Sunday evening in Seattle can mean very large point swings.
The first half saw a fair amount of Seattle possession and direct play, with Orlando using its speed to counter. Although neither side hit the back of the net, there were near misses that either side could find themselves ruing later.
Seattle extended its first half clean sheet record to ten matches. The clean sheet record is additionally impressive given line up changes in the back four throughout the first half of the season. Allie Long in the defensive mid role had been essential with impressive play, but Seattle was able to slot Rumi Utsugi into that role against Orlando and seemingly not miss a beat.
Familiar faces for Reign fans were back in Seattle for the first time since the Reign off-season roster overhaul. Haley Kopmeyer got her first start of the season for the Pride in her old surroundings.
The second half saw much more of the play to Orlando than the first, but still no goals for either side. There were a few clear chances that both sides can look to that could have opened up the match, but instead it remained a tight and physical game to the end.
Neither keeper faced a barrage, but both made at least one clearly important second half save with Seattle keeper Lydia Williams kick save and the Pride’s Kopmeyer pushing a Naho shot over the bar.
In the end the points split doesn’t change the standings, but the points dropped might be ones both look for as the season progresses.
Seattle Reign FC
Lydia Williams, Christen Westphal, Kristen McNabb, Lauren Barnes, Theresa Nielsen, Rumi Utsugi, Beverly Yanez, Jess Fishlock, Kiersten Dallstream (Elizabeth Addo, 62’), Jodie Taylor, Nahomi Kawasumi (Jasmyne Spencer, 62’)
Substitutes Not Used: Morgan Andrews, Maddie Bauer, Michelle Betos, Alyssa Kleiner
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 5
Saves: 3
Yellow cards: 1
Fouls: 10
Corner kicks: 2
Offsides: 2
Orlando Pride
Haley Kopmeyer, Poliana, Shelina Zadorsky, Monica, Carson Pickett, Emily van Egmond, Dani Weatherholt (Christine Nairn, 76’), Alanna Kennedy, Kristen Edmonds, Sydney Leroux, Chioma Ubogagu (Danica Evans, 76’)
Substitutes Not Used: Sarah Shimer, Abby Elinksy, Lotta Ökvist, Toni Pressley
Total shots: 12
Shots on goal: 2
Saves: 5
Yellow cards: 1
Fouls: 16
Corner kicks: 1
Offsides: 0
Attendance: 5,251
Scoring Summary – N/A
Misconduct Summary
Spencer – Yellow (70’)
Zadorsky – Yellow (79’)
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referees: Jennifer Garner, Dan Stupca
4th Official: Jeff Arthurholtz
photos by Vanya Tucherov
