Seattle Reign FC 1
North Carolina Courage 1
NWSL Regular Season
Seattle, WA – Memorial Stadium
August 25, 2018
The top two in the NWSL table met Saturday afternoon in Seattle’s Memorial Stadium with something important still on the line for the home side.
North Carolina had already clinched the NWSL Shield and the home first round match, but Seattle still needed points or help to clinch second place and remaining home and in Cascadia for the 2018 playoff run.
Seattle was without either of its USWNT contingent due to injury and late scratch. But, their depth meant other internationals like Elizabeth Addo and U23 international Morgan Andrews started in their place.
The weather conditions had improved in Seattle, but were still not great in regards to air quality and the NWSL instituted the two breaks per half.
The breaking up of the match into sixths is the league choosing to do something about the health of the players, but it does alter the flow of the match that feels rather disjointed.
Even without a few starters, Seattle chose to go at the Courage early, getting two corners in the first few minutes. With the game broken up into 15 minute segments, the first half certainly saw swings in the flow of play that were related to the stoppages.
At the interval it was goalless, which is the way Seattle’s defense tends to keep matches in 2018. Seattle still has an opportunity to set NWSL defensive records for shutouts and goals against in its final match.
The deadlock finally gave way in the 67th minute on a long header by Seattle defender Theresa Nielsen that somehow found its way to the back of the net.
Late in Stoppage Time North Carolina tied the match, ending the Reign FC defensive minutes streak and denying Seattle a clinching of a home match at that point. Chaos in front of the Seattle goal eventually led to Lynn Williams getting enough of a touch to poke in the equalizer.
The 95th minute goal not only tied the match, but means Seattle may not end up hosting a playoff game they could have started selling tickets to and promoting for three weeks. In the end, anything less than three points was meaningless to the standings as now the Portland match on September 7 is for the home field September 15, with Seattle hosting should that match in a draw. Had Seattle lost to North Carolina, nothing about that would have changed.
Above article photos by Vanya Tucherov / Website kicker photo by MEL / Box score photo below by Maddy Grassy
Attendance: 4,455
Scoring Summary
SEA – Nielsen, 67’
NC – Williams, 90 + 6’
Misconduct Summary
NC – McDonald, 23’
NC – O’Sullivan, 45 + 3’
SEA – Taylor, 79’
NC – Mathias, 85’
Seattle Reign FC
Lydia Williams, Steph Catley (Christen Westphal, 90 + 3’), Megan Oyster, Lauren Barnes, Theresa Nielsen, Morgan Andrews, Jess Fishlock, Kristen McNabb, Jasmyne Spencer, Jodie Taylor, Elizabeth Addo
Substitutes Not Used: Michelle Betos, Jaycie Johnson, Nahomi Kawasumi, Alyssa Kleiner, Adriana Leon, Rumi Utsugi
North Carolina Courage
Katelyn Rowland, Abby Erceg, Merritt Mathias, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, McCall Zerboni, Denise O’Sullivan (Heather O’Reilly, 72’), Debinha, Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald (Kristen Hamilton, 81’), Crystal Dunn
Substitutes Not Used: Sabrina D’Angelo, Elizabeth Eddy, Kaleigh Kurtz, Cari Roccaro, Meredith Speck
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referees: Diego Blas, Jeremy Weed
4th Official: Corbyn May
