OL Reign 2
Racing Louisville FC 2
July 1, 2023
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign hosted Racing Louisville FC on Saturday afternoon in Seattle in NWSL regular season play.
With internationals now away on prolonged world cup duty, the roster moves and line up plans for this period are now in motion. Roster depth and preparation will be an ongoing story line in the coming weeks, especially going into expansion drafts and more roster spots available in the near future.
The Reign entered the match near the top of the table, just a few points off the pace of the Cascadia rival Portland Thorns FC. Racing Louisville entered in 8th place on the table, five points below the line but still with time to make up ground.
The Reign were able to field a similar side to what they have sent out for Challenge Cup matches, given there were no players out for injury. Coach Laura Harvey has made it clear throughout the season that her roster preparation and Challenge Cup line ups were an opportunity to not merely to get players minutes, but to have a plan and continuity of sorts for this next stretch of matches.
The Reign still could feature regulars in the defense and up front, along with veterans with experience.
Racing Louisville was not hit quite as hard from international absences, but do also have players out on the injured list. Even with those absences, key players like Abby Erceg, Jaelin Howell, and Carson Pickett were able to form a core in the line up.
A beautiful summer day in Seattle had both clubs taking the opportunity early to try and create chances. Both managed to get early pressure and the early stages of the match were fairly open and flowing.
Pickett would create a truly dangerous moment in the 19th, a corner drifting in to the high far post that Reign keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce did well to manage and not carry into the goal.
The visitors would get on the board first, as Wang Shuang would convert a penalty in the 23rd minute. Louisville was rewarded with the goal, having had the better of the play in the first quarter of the match. The Louisville pressure provided them with more chances and dangerous situations in the first half as the hosts were able to counter, but not really sustain lengthy possession or attacks.
The penalty would be the margin going into the interval.
The Reign would bring a lot more pressure, really getting a chance to sustain possession and attack through the early stages of the second half.
The match remained at a single goal well into the half as the substitutions came on. The hosts began to really assert themselves, but the Louisville defense remained able to absorb and deflect without conceding the equalizer.
Racing would get their second goal in the 76th minute. In a slightly disjointed sequence, Paige Monaghan would push a volley past Tullis-Joyce.
The two goal margin would not last, as the Reign finally would break through as Veronica Latsko would get a head on a cross and cut the margin.
Elyse Bennett would equalize in the 87th, flicking on a Nikki Stanton header to reduce a two goal lead in four minutes.
The late goals and drama led to a frantic finish in stoppage.
Splitting the points was brutal for a Louisville side that controlled a good portion of the match and managed a two goal lead. For the Reign, rescuing a point late was essential in at least keeping the top of the table in reach.
LINK For Paul Kahl Match Gallery
LINK for Nate Koppelman Match Gallery
BOX
Scoring
RGN: Latsko – 82’, Bennett – 87’
LOU: Wang Shuang – 24’, Monaghan – 76’
Discipline
RGN: McClernon (Caution – 4’), Fishlock (Caution – 23’), Stanton (Caution – 53’)
LOU: Wang Shuang (Caution – 41’), Pickett (Caution – 88’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Phallon Tullis-Joyce, D Brown (Malonson 72’), D Hiatt, D McClernon (Holmes 80’), D Barnes ©, M Van der Jagt (Athens 80’), M Stanton, M Fishlock (Latsko 65’), F Balcer, F Bennett, F King (Weinert 72’)
Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, M Canales, M Viggiano, F Edwards
Total Shots: 12 (Bacler, Fishlock – 3)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 14 (Stanton – 5)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 2 (Tullis-Joyce – 2)
LOU: GK Lund, D Milliet, D Pickett, D Erceg, D Pikkujamsa, M Howell ©, M Fischer, M Baggett, M Wang Shuang (Ekic 90’), F Monaghan, F Davis (Goins 67’)
Unused substitutes: D Lester, D Wyne, F Kanu, GK Sekany, D Holloway, F Parker
Total Shots: 7 (Three tied with – 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 18 (Four tied with – 3)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 2 (Lund – 2)
Referee: Alex Billeter
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Clerc
Assistant Referee 2: Baboucarr Jallow
4th Official: Mike Hohnholz
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
AVAR: Eric Weisbrod
