Match Forecast: OL Reign Head to Houston to Face the Dash
OL Reign take on the Houston Dash for the first time in the 2021 NWSL Regular Season. Houston is coming off a big win against Orlando, while the Reign looks to pick up three points after a difficult loss to Gotham.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday, July 2 at BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on Paramount+
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 2-4-1 (7 points, ninth place), Houston Dash: 3-3-1 (10 points, seventh place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match
1. LAST MEETING – OL Reign and the Houston Dash last met during the 2021 Challenge Cup at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington, where the teams battled to a 0-0 draw. The match was OL Reign’s first game of 2021 and was Houston’s second. It was an evenly matched meeting, the teams splitting possession 53.7 percent (OL Reign) to 46.3 percent (Houston Dash). Sofia Huerta had the best chance of the night for OL Reign when she took a powerful shot inside the box that landed straight in Houston goalkeeper Lindsey Harris’ hands in the 62nd minute. Both teams’ backlines and goalkeepers held strong, keeping the game scoreless.
2. OL REIGN LOOK TO REGROUP – The Reign most recently played NJ/NY Gotham FC and suffered a 3-0 loss. This is the largest margin of defeat for the club this season, so the team is looking to get back on track and climb the NWSL standings. With a flurry of players coming and going the last month, the team is looking to establish some consistency and find harmony on the field as a group. In their match prior to the loss against Gotham, OL Reign looked good, glimpses of the team’s potential evident in the 2-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars. “I'm positive about the future, I know we will get better,” said forward Eugénie Le Sommer. “We need to work on it at training, to be better together, and of course finish the chances we have on goal.”
3. SCOUTING HOUSTON– Houston is currently in seventh place, with three wins, three losses and one tie for a total of ten points. The team most recently beat first place Orlando Pride and ended their seven-game unbeaten start to the season. Houston scored first, when forward María Sánchez finished a ball played in by midfielder Kristie Mewis in the 18th minute. The Dash did not wait long to score a second. Midfielder Sophie Schmidt clipped a ball in to forward Veronica Latsko, who headed the ball into the back of the net in the 27th minute. Orlando found one goal back, just four minutes into the second half. Midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir headed a ball in from a curled corner-kick ball from midfielder Marta. Houston’s 2-1 victory marked Orlando’s first loss of the 2021 season.
4. INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS CALLED UP – With the Olympics just a few weeks away, international players are beginning to leave their club teams to join their national teams. Houston had six players called up while OL Reign had four.
For Houston, Jane Campbell (USA, alternate replacement player), Allysha Chapman (Canada), Rachel Daly (Great Britain), Kristie Mewis (USA), Nichelle Prince (Canada), Sophie Schmidt (Canada, alternate replacement player) were all called up for the Olympics. María Sánchez was also called up to Mexico for their friendly matches against the USA on July 1 and 5.
For OL Reign, Rose Lavelle (USA), Megan Rapinoe (USA), Nicole Momiki (Japan), and Quinn (Canada) will be playing with their national teams in the Olympic Games in Tokyo, while Jimena López was called up to Mexico for their friendly matches against the USA on July 1 and 5.
MultiCare Injury Report
OUT
Ally Watt – Right Knee
Rosie White - Illness
QUESTIONABLE
None
INTERNATIONAL DUTY
Nicole Momiki
Quinn
Rose Lavelle
Megan Rapinoe