OL Reign 1
NJ/NY Gotham FC 4
May 21, 2023
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season
The opportunity for two competing clubs to end the weekend top of the table was on the line in Seattle on Sunday afternoon when NJ/NY Gotham FC visited OL Reign in NWSL regular season action. The league is roughly a third of the way through the regular season and clusters seem to be emerging in the standings near the top and the bottom. With little room for error to remain in the shield mix, the hosts and Gotham each needed the three points to move top of the table or risk finding themselves as low as in fourth or fifth with dropped points.
The Reign was coming off a disappointing road result last weekend in North Carolina, being held goalless for only the second time in the regular season.
Gotham has clawed their way up the standings in low scoring matches, keeping the opponents off the scoreboard, but not scoring many goals themselves.
The match took little time getting interesting. Kristie Mewis laid off a pass to Jenna Nighswonger, who cracked a left footed shot from outside the box to the high far post. The Seattle crowd was stunned. The early stages of the match had not seen the hosts come out with the same pace they often do, with Gotham able to control much of the early possession and press forward to create the better early opportunities.
Lynn Williams celebrated her thirtieth birthday with a twelfth minute goal, taking advantage of a loose ball and slotting a low drive past the oncoming Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Where The Reign often take it at teams in the early stages, they instead found themselves looking for the match down two goals at home early. Williams continued her torrid start to the 2023 season, making Seattle pay for the lightest mistake.
OL Reign would respond as the half progressed, getting some chances and increasing possession. However, the Gotham defense remained staunch and was difficult to break down. The visitors showed good defensive discipline, holding their shape well against the Seattle side coming at them from different angles.
The early goals had turned the presumed match narrative on its head. Gotham appeared comfortable on the ball defending with the two goal lead and being patient at the first half progressed.
Instead of Seattle breaking through, Gotham would counter and press. Good ball movement in the Reign penalty area caused an opening and Taylor Smith would make it three nil in the thirty-eighth minute. Reign teams have rarely lost at home in the decade of the franchise, and few times have they faced a deficit of being down three.
Bethany Balcer and Jordyn Huitema found themselves with chances as the half wound down, but the Gotham defense managed to close them down.
Seattle showed fight in the early stages of the second half, coming out of the interval pressing Jess Fishlock forward into the offense to add pressure.
But, as the hour mark approached, Gotham was up to the task. A nice through pass from Megan Rapinoe to Bethany Balcer created a chance that goalkeeper Abby Smith did well to stop at close range to maintain the three goal margin.
Gotham was patient, but not just sitting back. Williams got a solid look on goal in the seventieth the Tullis_Joyce was able to handle.
Bruninha would pounce on a loose ball in the seventy-third minute, pasting a left footed volley to the near post from close range and it was four nil.
Jordyn Huitema would grab one back for the home crowd, poking in a loose ball from close range in the seventy-seventh.
Gotham had managed points on the season, but goals had been scarce prior to this match. Given the Reign penchant for clean sheets and staunch defense at home, this was a particularly interesting result. Other than Rose Lavelle, this was a first choice and healthy Reign side that had not been pushed around like this in some time.
With all of the results over the weekend, Gotham and the Reign had the opportunity to go top of the table with three points. Gotham would nab those points to leap frog three clubs and instead of being top of the table the Reign would suddenly find themselves in fifth.
BOX
Scoring
RGN: Huitema – 77’
NJNY: Nighswonger – 10’, Williams – 12’, Smith – 38’, Bruninha – 73’
Discipline
RGN: Latsko (Caution – 71’), Fishlock (Caution – 78’)
NJNY: Ryan (Caution – 80’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Huerta, D Cook, D Hiatt, D Barnes © (Latsko 65’), M Sonnett, M Quinn (Brown 65’), M Fishlock, F Balcer (Stanton 76’), F Huitema, F Rapinoe (Bennett 65’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Athens, F King, D Holmes, M Van der Jagt
Total Shots: 10 (Balcer, Huitema – 3)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Balcer, Huitema – 2)
Fouls: 8 (Brown, Rapinoe – 2)
Offsides: 7
Corner Kicks: 5
Saves: 3 (Tullis-Joyce – 3)
NJNY: GK Smith, D Bruninha, D Krieger ©, D Jean (Edmonds 46’), D Smith (Ryan 66’), M Martin, M Mewis (Guðmundsdóttir 90’), M Farrelly (Zerboni 81’), M Sheehan (Onumonu 81’), F Nighswonger, F Williams
Unused substitutes: GK Haught, D O’Hara, D Freeman, M Long
Total Shots: 14 (Williams – 5)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Williams – 2)
Fouls: 5 (Five tied with – 1)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 3 (Smith -3)
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
Assistant Referee 1: Katarzyna Wasiak
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Gonzalez
4th Official: Corbyn May
Var: Sorin Stoica
Avar: Tony Obas
