Match Forecast: OL Reign Faces Chicago in Challenge Cup Quarterfinal
OL Reign will face the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinal of the NWSL Challenge Cup on Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. PT. The two clubs did not face one another during the preliminary round of the competition.
“Now, we are in the knockout rounds, so there is more pressure,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “We have had good stretches during the first round, but we must now put everything in place for a total match where we are strong.”
Last Match: 0-0 Draw vs. Portland
OL Reign played rivals Portland Thorns FC to a 0-0 draw to close out the preliminary round of the Challenge Cup on Monday, July 13. The draw saw OL Reign finish the preliminary round in third place with five points and a 1-1-2 record.
The club kept its third clean sheet of the tournament in the draw, tying North Carolina for the league lead in shutouts. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos made four saves to keep Portland off the score sheet.
“I think these games (against Portland) are always good games,” OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock said. “Regardless of whether we have fans or anything. Today especially, Portland needed to win to get off the bottom and we knew that we didn’t want to lose. I think that was the type of game that you saw today. I’m proud of the girls. We had three days less rest (than Portland) coming into this, we played four games that were really tough. To finish with that attitude, mentality, and that vital point was huge for us.”
Fishlock-ed In
The match was Fishlock’s first competitive appearance for OL Reign since she suffered a season-ending ACL tear last June. Fishlock, who typically plays as a midfielder, subbed on for striker Jodie Taylor and played the final 18 minutes up top as the club looked for a late goal.
Fishlock said her lack of playing time in the preliminary rounds came out of an abundance of caution surrounding her health.
“Our whole plan this tournament was to not rush me into the games,” Fishlock said. “Playing here on turf we didn’t want to do that, but we wanted me to be available for the knockout stages. It was just about getting me that time. I think coming in today was tactical, we wanted to be able to put a little more pressure on higher up.”
Examining the Bracket
Defending league champions North Carolina claimed the top seed after posting a perfect 4-0-0 record in the preliminary round. They will face Portland, whose draw with OL Reign on Monday secured their finish at the bottom of the table with a 0-1-3 record. The two sides met in the nationally-televised tournament opener on CBS, with the Courage winning 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Lynn Williams.
The Houston Dash and Utah Royals FC finished as the fourth and fifth seed, respectively. The two sides played to a 3-3 draw on June 30, that saw Utah score two goals in the final eight minutes of play to salvage a point.
The Washington Spirit finished as the second seed and will play seventh-place Sky Blue FC in Saturday’s other quarterfinal. Washington did not play Sky Blue in the preliminary round, but managed wins over Chicago and Houston to claim the number two seed with a 2-1-1 record.
Should OL Reign win its match against Chicago, it will face the winner of the Washington – Sky Blue match, which will be played Saturday, July 18 at 11:30 a.m. PT.
Raising Money for Pride
OL Reign celebrated its annual Pride Match, presented by Boeing, when it played Portland. The players donned their blue kits for the first time, featuring special rainbow numbers on the back.
Beginning at halftime of the match, the jerseys were made available for purchase. The player-worn, team-signed kits sold out in under 30 minutes OL Reign’s online store, raising over $6,000 for Rainbow Center Tacoma, a nonprofit which provides resources to the LGBTQA community in the south Puget Sound.
Scouting Chicago
The Chicago Red Stars posted a 1-2-1 record en route to their sixth-place finish in the preliminary round of the NWSL Challenge Cup. The club has played all of its games close, scoring twice and conceding three times across their four matches.
Three-time NWSL Golden Boot winner and Australian international Sam Kerr departed the club in the offseason, heading to Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League. 2019 NWSL assist-leader Yuki Nagasato has seen limited minutes with a left leg injury in the preliminary round, as has defender Tierna Davidson.
Still, Chicago boasts a rock-solid back line that includes Julie Ertz, Casey Short and Sarah Gorden. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher started three matches during the preliminary round, posting a 1-2-0 record and a 1.00 goals against average.
“We are both two clubs with strong defenses,” Benstiti said. “And of course, we both have had some injuries that have impacted our attack. We must be very precise with the ball and when we get opportunities, we must execute.”
Injury Report – Presented by MultiCare
Midfielder Kelcie Hedge will miss the match after suffering an ACL tear on July 1. Hedge is joined on the injury list by midfielders Allie Long and Morgan Andrews, who are both listed as questionable for the game against Chicago.
Fans in the U.S. and Canada can watch every match of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup on CBS All Access. International fans can watch the match live on the league’s official Twitch channel.