Match Forecast: OL Reign to Battle NJ/NY Gotham on the Road on Saturday

OL Reign will take on NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on Saturday, June 5 at 4:00 p.m. PT. The match will feature several compelling storylines: the introduction to the starting XI of goalkeeper Ella Dederick or Cosette Morché, who will step in for the injured Karen Bardsley;  the first matchup against former OL Reign midfielder Allie Long, who was traded to Gotham FC prior to the start of the regular season; and the second match for midfielder Rose Lavelle, who will have completed her first full week of training with the club.

WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 4:00 p.m. PT at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey

WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on Paramount+ in the United States and on Twitch outside the United States.

2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-D-L): OL Reign: 1-1-1 (4 points, seventh place), NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-1-1 (4 points, fifth place)

Five Key Points Ahead of the Match

1. LAST MEETING – OL Reign and NJ/NY Gotham FC last met during the 2020 Challenge Cup at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, where the two teams battled to a 0-0 draw. Gotham is unbeaten in its last three matches against the Reign, but prior to that OL Reign had won four straight matches against the former Sky Blue FC. Megan Rapinoe has scored eight goals against Gotham FC in her last six matches against the team.

2. OL REIGN LOOK TO CONTINUE ROAD WIN STREAK – OL Reign have won two away matches in a row and are looking to secure a third. This streak comes after the team went winless on the road for eight matches. In their two most recent away matches, the Reign have outscored their opponents 4-2. First, the team earned a 2-1 victory over Kansas City in their final match of the NWSL Challenge Cup, with goals from Jess Fishlock and Celia. The team continued their winning ways when they traveled to Providence Park in Portland, Oregon and defeated their rivals, the Portland Thorns, 2-1, with goals from Megan Rapinoe and Shirley Cruz. In both matches, OL Reign went down 1-0 before making a comeback.

“We’re ready,” said OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock. “We’ve had a good couple of training sessions, and we know what we want to do or try and do.”

3. SCOUTING NJ/NY GOTHAM – NJ/NY Gotham FC most recently played against Portland Thorns FC on Sunday, May 30. The first half of the match was scoreless at Red Bull Area, but Crystal Dunn found the lone goal of the match for Portland in the 56th minute. Gotham has not won a match since May 15, when they beat the Houston Dash 1-0 in their opening match of the NWSL regular season. Going into the match, the Reign will be focused on making smart decisions that allow their own talented players to shine, rather than focusing on the talents of NJ/NY Gotham.

“It is really our own problem to figure out something more efficient in the final third and when we attack, we have to be more determined,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti.

“We need to attack with authority and assertiveness in the final third.” Said Fishlock. “We lacked that in the game against Washington and as a collective we need to be better.”

4. CHANGES TO CONSIDER – This weekend’s match brings about a few changes of note for OL Reign. First, OL Reign will be without goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, who sustained a non-contact injury to her hamstring in last weekend’s match against the Washington Spirit. Given the timeline for recovery, the match against the Spirit will be Bardsley’s last with OL Reign, as her loan from Manchester City expires on June 30. The team will need to adjust to missing her veteran presence in goal, as the match against Gotham will be the first time this season that she will not be starting in goal.

“Bardsley was a fantastic addition to our squad and exceeded all expectations on and off the pitch,” said OL Reign CEO Bill Predmore. “We are all hopeful that the impact of the injury will be limited and that she’ll be ready for the Olympics.”

The club will also be without its Canadian international Quinn, who was called in by Canada prior to the start of the FIFA break. Similarly, the JFA have called in forward Nicole Momiki prior to friendly matches in for the Japan WNT during the upcoming June window.

5. SOCIAL MEDIA BANTER – Following OL Reign’s match against Portland, where the team picked up their first win of the season, Megan Rapinoe started some social media banter with NJ/NY Gotham, after referring to the team as “Gotham New York New Jersey Sky Blue FC.” The NJ/NY Gotham FC Twitter account fired back at Rapinoe, saying “Seattle OL Tacoma Reign? Do we have that right?” The fun banter created extra buzz for the game on social media, making this weekend’s match sure to be a compelling battle.

MultiCare Injury Report:

OUT

Watt – Right Knee

Celia – Right Thigh

Bardsley – Left Thigh

George – Left Ankle

QUESTIONABLE

None

INTERNATIONAL DUTY

Quinn

Momiki