Seattle Reign FC 2
Washington Spirit 0
NWSL Regular Season
Seattle, WA – Memorial Stadium
August 5, 2018
Playoff qualification and positioning for a home field round one is the story for Seattle Reign FC down the stretch. With North Carolina already having claimed the NWSL Shield earlier in the evening, Seattle played host to Washington Spirit looking to keep hold of the 2nd place in the table and the valuable home field match 2nd place brings.
A sunny and warm August evening in front of the new Memorial Stadium screen and scoreboard set the stage for a potentially fast paced match on the notoriously narrow Memorial pitch.
The first half was a brisk affair with the host side pushing for the opening goal, but the Washington defense holding up despite having three national team players sitting on the bench. The Spirit generated some offensive opportunities in the first half, pushing Seattle.
Jasmyne Spencer finally broke through for the home side just before the interval in the 44th minute. A series of passes led to an Allie Long chip over the Washington defense that Spencer was able to control and finish for a Seattle lead. Goals right before the interval can seriously alter the course of matches and as much as Seattle had to feel it deserved the lead, Washington had to feel punished for having played a solid first half.
The early 2nd half was a grind. Chances continued to come. Washington brought in the national team contingent in a wave after the 60th minute, when Rose Lavelle, Andi Sullivan, and Mallory Pugh all entered the match.
However, Seattle doubled the lead in the 71st minute on a Jodie Taylor finish off a quick Megan Rapinoe throw in restart.
Washington pressed forward, pushing to cut the lead, nearly doing so in the 80th with Caprice Dydasco’s low blast saved by Lydia Williams. The final ten minutes were seen out by Seattle, and three incredibly important points on a night when other league results were favorable with theirs.
Photos by Vanya Tucherov
Seattle Reign FC
Lydia Williams, Alyssa Kleiner, Megan Oyster, Lauren Barnes, Theresa Nielsen, Kristen McNabb (Morgan Andrews, 68’), Jess Fishlock, Allie Long, Megan Rapinoe (Jaycie Johnson, 90 + 3’), Jodie Taylor, Jasmyne Spencer (Christen Westphal, 89’)
Substitutes Not Used: Michelle Betos, Nahomi Kawasumi, Adriana Leon
Washington Spirit
DiDi Haracic, Caprice Dydasco, Rebecca Quinn, Tori Huster, Estelle Johnson, Whitney Church, Meggie Dougherty Howard, Havana Solaun (Andi Sullivan, 61’), Taylor Smith, Francisca Ordega (Rose Lavelle, 61’), Ashley Hatch (Mallory Pugh, 69’)
Substitutes Not Used: Aubrey Bledsoe, Mallory Eubanks, Cali Farquharson, Joanna Lohman
Referee: Mark Allatin
Assistant Referees: Deleana Quin, Joshua Haimes
4th Official: Chad Stewart
Attendance 3,704
Scoring Summary
SEA – Spencer, 44’
SEA – Taylor, 71’
Misconduct Summary
SEA – Oyster, 84’
