Match Recap: OL Reign Falls 2-0 in NWSL Semifinal
OL Reign fell 2-0 in the NWSL semifinal match against the Kansas City Current. The match featured support from a record-breaking of 21,491 fans, almost doubling the Reign’s previous single match attendance record.
The match got off to a tumultuous start for the Reign, when the team conceded a goal in the fourth minute. OL Reign struggled to clear the ball from the box and Kansas City’s Alex Loera cleaned it up, putting the ball to the far post to open the scoring of the match.
Down a goal, OL Reign pressed on, beginning to dominate possession of the match. The team struggled to find quality chances on goal but managed nine shots in the first half. The Reign’s best chance of the half came from midfielder Jess Fishlock, when she rocketed a shot off the crossbar just before halftime.
After halftime, OL Reign came out still looking to equalize. To start the second half, Fishlock found two more shots for the Reign. The home-side was getting forward, searching for a goal to tie it up and putting Kansas City under a lot of pressure. However, in the 63rd minute, the Current doubled their lead against the momentum of the match, when forward Kristen Hamilton took space at the top of the box before hitting shot to the low corner.
Just over ten minutes later, it looked like OL Reign had pulled a goal back, when forward Megan Rapinoe served a corner into the box and forward Jordyn Huitema got her head on the end of it, but the ref ruled that ball did not cross the line and score remained 2-0.
OL Reign continued to push on, earning many corner kicks and connecting passes in the offensive half of the field, but not quite finding the finishing touch. Despite being down two goals, the Reign never stopped fighting for the comeback. At the final whistle, the Reign fell 2-0, marking the final game of their 2022 season.
MATCH SUMMARY
2022 NWSL Semifinal
OL Reign 0-2 Kansas City Current
Date/Time: Sunday, October 23, 2022, 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 52, Clear
Scoring Summary
RGN: None
KC: 4’ – Loera, 63’ – Hamilton
Discipline
RGN: None
KC: None
Lineups
RGN: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Huerta, D Cook, D Hiatt, D Barnes (McClernon 88’), M Fishlock, M Quinn (Stanton 88’), M Lavelle (King 88’), F Rapinoe, F Huitema, F Balcer (Balcer 68’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, D Lopez, F Latsko, M Athens, M Canales
Total Shots: 16 (Fishlock – 5)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Fishlock – 3)
Fouls: 10 (Quinn, Van der Jagt – 2)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 14
Saves: 1 (Tullis-Joyce – 1)
KC: GK Franch, D Edmonds, D Ball, D Merrick (Rodriguez 64’), D Mace, D Del Fava, M Loera (Leach 85’), M LaBonta (Curran 85’), M Scott, F Kizer (Bennett 45’), F Hamilton
Unused substitutes: D Winebrenner, M McCain, GK Miller, M Logarzo, GK Schneider
Total Shots: 8 (Hamilton – 3)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)
Fouls: 12 (Scott – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 7 (Franch – 7)
Budweiser Player of the Match: Jess Fishlock
Referee: Alex Billeter
Assistant Referee 1: Tiffini Turpin
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Smith
4th Official: Brad Jensen