Seattle Reign FC 1
Western New York Flash1
NWSL Regular Season
Seattle, WA – Memorial Stadium – July 16, 2016
A week after meeting in Rochester playing under conditions the NWSL later admitted they should not have approved, Seattle Reign FC and Western New York Flash met at Seattle’s Memorial Stadium.
Manon Melis grabbed an early goal. The Flash equalized before the half. And despite an energetic push in the second half by Western New York the Seattle defense held up and the teams each took a point.
Seattle was playing with rookie third keeper Andi Tostanoski, playing for the injured Haley Kopmeyer. Tostanoski played a solid match in her first pro start.
The point means that in the two game back to back WNY grabbed four points to Seattle’s one and extended the gap between them and suddenly playoff chasing Seattle.
Instead of chasing a third consecutive NWSL Shield, Reign FC are running out of three point opportunities to even make the playoff four. With the arrival of reinforcements in the form of Japanese internationals, this cannot be what Seattle had in mind just a few weeks ago when fourth was within their grasp.
Western New York now finds itself with a cushion in third and a real chance at a run at a home playoff match or even the NWSL Shield with the final third of the season in front of them.
Photos by Vanya Tucherov
