Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Falls One Goal Short Against Chicago
Returning to Seattle after a three-game road stretch, the Reign fell 2-1 to the Chicago Red Stars. The Red Stars scored both of their goals in the first half of the match, while the Reign pulled one goal back in the second half, but their momentum came too late to score an equalizer before the clock ran out.
Seattle was on the back foot starting the match, conceding a goal in the fourth minute of the match. On a counterattack, Chicago forward Mallory Swanson played forward Ally Schlegel in behind the Reign’s defense, allowing her to find the back of the net in two touches.
The Reign spent the majority of the first half defending, fielding seven shots from Chicago, five of which were on target. In the 14th minute, Swanson fired a shot toward goal, but the crossbar prevented another goal, keeping the ball out of the back of the net. In the 20th minute, Reign goalkeeper Laurel Ivory, in her first NWSL regular season start, made a crucial save to stop Chicago from doubling their lead.
Just after the half hour mark of the match, the Red Stars netted their second goal of the match, from the foot of Swanson. The Reign saw the rest of the half through, heading to the locker room down 2-0.
After halftime, the Reign took the field with more energy than the first half, displaying more urgency and quality. The team opted to press Chicago higher up the field, finding success when applying pressure to the backline of the visitors.
In the 57th minute of the match, the high press won back-to-back corner kicks for the Reign, building even more momentum in their favor. Rookie forward Emeri Adames fired off one of the most threatening shots of the match, volleying the ball toward the lower corner of the goal, but it was saved off the line.
The 77th minute of the match brought a pair of changes for the Reign, who continued to build momentum toward goal. Forward Tziarra King came onto the field for forward Emeri Adames and forward McKenzie Weinert slotted in for forward Veronica Latsko.
King made an immediate impact in the match, scoring the Reign’s lone goal of the evening just two minutes after coming onto the field. In the attack, midfielder Jess Fishlock played the ball to the feet of King outside the 18-yard box, who took one touch before launching the ball into the upper right corner of the goal and recording her first goal of the 2024 season.
The Reign pressed on, earning over 66% of possession in the final fifteen minutes of the match, in addition to four more shots, but time ran out before the team was able to find the all-important equalizing goal. When the final whistle sounded, the Reign fell 2-1 to the Red Stars.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
NEW STARTING XI: Today’s matchup featured a new starting XI for the Reign for a fifth consecutive time this season. Defender Sofia Huerta is the only player to play every minute of all five games for a total of 450 minutes.
EMERI ADAMES: Forward Emeri Adames became the youngest player in club history to start in a regular season game (18 years, 19 days). Adames finished the match with two shots, tied for the most on the team.
Adames has appeared in all five games this season and has totaled five shots, the third-most shots on the team.
JESS FISHLOCK: Midfielder Jess Fishlock assisted the Reign’s lone goal when connecting with King in the 79th minute, marking her first assist of the 2024 season.
Fishlock’s assist ties former Reign FC forward Megan Rapinoe for most assists in club history (26), which is also tied for the fifth-most assists in NWSL history.
TZIARRA KING: Forward Tziarra King scored in the 79th minute, just two minutes after entering the match, to bring the score 1-2. The goal marks King’s first goal of the 2024 season and fourth in her career.
LAUREL IVORY: Goalkeeper Laurel Ivory made her first-ever NWSL regular season start. Ivory previously started four NWSL Challenge Cup games in 2023.
Ivory finished the match with six saves, the most by a goalkeeper on the Reign this season and tied for the fifth-most saves in a single game throughout the league.
SERIES: The loss brings the all-time series to 11W-12L-8D between the Reign and Chicago Red Stars.
UP NEXT: Seattle Reign FC travels to North Carolina to take on the Courage on Saturday, April 27 at 4:00 p.m. PT. The match is available to stream on NWSL+ or KING 5+ and KONG locally.
MATCH SUMMARY
2024 NWSL Regular Season
Seattle Reign FC 1 – 2 Chicago Red Stars
Date/Time: Sunday, April 21, 3:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
Weather: 56, sunny
Scoring Summary
SEA: King – 79’
CHI: Schlegel – 4', Swanson – 31'
Discipline
SEA: Ji (Caution – 51'), Huerta (Caution – 66')
CHI: Malham (Caution –7'), Hocking (Caution – 54'), Bianchi (Caution – 90+5’)
Lineups
SEA: GK Ivory, D Huerta, D Barnes (c), D Cook, D Woodham (McClernon 46’), M Van der Jagt (Quinn 46’), M Ji (Athens 72’), M Fishlock, F Latsko (Weinert 77’), F Adames (King 77’), F Balcer
Unused substitutes: GK Perez, D Holmes, D Brown, M James-Turner
Total Shots: 14 (Four tied with – 2)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)
Fouls: 10 (Ji– 3)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 7
Saves: 6 (Ivory – 6)
CHI: GK Naeher, D Malham, D Staab, D Kuikka, D Milazzo, M Roccaro, M Bianchi, F Hocking (Joseph 70’ (Gomes 90+3’))), F Swanson, F Schlegel (Cook 70’), F Bike
Unused substitutes: M Groom, M Nesbeth, GK Wood, M Franklin, D Biegalski, D Anderson
Total Shots: 12 (Swanson – 6)
Shots on Goal: 8 (Swanson – 4)
Fouls: 9 (Bianchi – 4)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 5
Saves: 1 (Naeher – 1)
Player of the Match: Emeri Adames
Referee: Elton Garcia
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Clerc
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Gonzalez
4th Official: Justin St. Pierre
Var: Adorae Monroy
Avar: Kaili Terry