Seattle Reign FC 2
Boston Breakers 0
Seattle, WA – Memorial Stadium – July 2, 2016
NWSL Regular Season Week 11
photos by Vanya Tucherov
Seattle began the night with four consecutive clean sheets and a chance to gain ground and be within a game of the final playoff spot as the second half of the 2016 NWSL season. The Reign FC were without two suspended players and their national team keeper. However, the impending return of Naho Kawasumi was was something for the struggling offense to possibly grab hold of.
Boston Breakers found themselves looking all the way up the ladder at the start of the night, but ongoing development would be boosted by stealing a win or even a point in Seattle. An 0-5-0 road record going in would be something they were looking to overcome.
However, the Reign FC would set aside any recent youth movement with the return of Manon Melis from injury and Nahomi Kawasumi back from a season and a half in Japan. Even with Hope Solo gone for national team camp, Haley Kopmeyer is hardly a rookie any more with all of her game action the past couple seasons and is really more of a number two starter than a true backup.
Kawasumi had a dream start with a goal in the fifteenth minute, bringing an already lively crowd to its feet.
Boston did not lack for defensive pressure and opportunities in the first half, nearly able to exploit the sun in the eyes of Kopmeyer on several crosses and corners. Kopmeyer was in gloves crafted to keep an injured hand playable. A Kim Little header off the post in the 45th minute nearly sent Seattle into the locker room up two, but Boston weathered the storm to keep it close at the half.
Boston was not short of pressure and a few chances in the second half, but Naho made it two nil in the 62nd with a left footer to make it a brace in her return game to Memorial Stadium.
The match was getting chippy after the second Seattle goal, with players commenting after the match about how that was not surprising given each team needing points. Lindsay Elston came on for Manon Melis after Kranich demolished Melis on a breakaway outside the box. Kendall Fletcher was shoved into her own keeper.
Seattle grabbing three points moves them within a game of the final playoff spot as of this posting; with momentum, players getting healthy, and new internationals in the rotation. Boston is still bottom of the table, but showed signs of possible things to come with their collective pressing and counters. With five consecutive clean sheets the Reign FC are minutes away from the NWSL record as they travel cross country to Rochester for Week 12.
