Match Recap: OL Reign Claims Dominate 4-1 win over Gotham FC
OL Reign (6-4-6, 24 points, 5th place) pulled off a dominate 4-1 against NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-9-0, 12 points, 11th place) at Lumen Field. With this win, OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey became the winningest coach in NWSL history.
OL Reign started the match with a high press, forcing Gotham to make quick decisions under pressure. The home team found their rhythm as the match progressed, taking six shots in the first 10 minutes of the match.
The Reign found the first goal of the match in the 15th minute. Forward Megan Rapinoe started the play with a long throw in, that perfectly bypassed Gotham’s defense, allowing midfielder Rose Lavelle to get on the end of it and one touch it to the far post, past Gotham goalkeeper Michelle Betos.
OL Reign continued to dominate the game, controlling the pace and creating attacking opportunities. The Reign took nine shots from the 25th to 40th minute, while holding Gotham to zero shots in that time. As the half was coming to a close, when Rapinoe pressured Gotham at the top of their own box, winning possession for the Reign.
She dribbled the ball into the box and was brought down by a Gotham defender, winning a penalty kick. The forward stepped up to the spot herself and calmly dispatched her penalty kick into the back of the net, doubling OL Reign’s lead going into halftime.
After the halftime break, OL Reign was the first to strike, adding a third goal in the 69th minute of the match. It was Rapinoe again, boosting the Reign’s lead to three goals. Defender Lu Barnes found forward Jordyn Huitema with a throw in to start the play. Huitema laid the ball off to Rapinoe, who one-touched it to the far post.
Gotham pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute, from the foot of forward Taylor Smith. Just one minute later, OL Reign was three goals ahead once again, when a ball lofted into the box by Rapinoe forced a Gotham own goal.
OL Reign maintained the three-goal lead through the end of the match, claiming an important three points at home.
Key Facts:
· With this win, OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey notched her 82nd win, which is now the all-time regular season win record in the NWSL
· OL Reign forward Jordyn Huitema earned her first NWSL assist
· Megan Rapinoe is the fourth NWSL player this season to notch two goals and one assist in the same game
· After today, Rapinoe has scored 11 of her 12 pk attempts, just one shy of Kim Little’s club record
· With this win, OL Reign is the first team in the league to reach five home wins in the 2022 season
UP NEXT: OL Reign will travel to Louisville to compete in the Women’s Cup
MATCH SUMMARY
2022 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 4-1 NJ/NY Gotham FC
Date/Time: Sunday, August 14, 2022, 12:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 70, Sunny
Scoring Summary
TEAM
RGN: Lavelle – 15’, Rapinoe – 42’, 69’
NJNY: Smith – 72’, Own goal – 73’
Discipline
RGN: Barnes (Caution – 87’), Heath – (Caution 90’)
NJNY: Johnson (Caution – 24’), Jean (Caution – 41’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Huerta, D Cook, D Hiatt, D Barnes, M Fishlock, M Quinn, M Lavelle, F King, F Huitema, F Rapinoe
Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, F Latsko, D Lopez, M Stanton, D McClernon, M Van der Jagt, M Athens, F Heath, F Balcer
Total Shots: 21 (Rapinoe – 10)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Rapinoe – 4)
Fouls: 5 (Five tied with – 1)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 1 (Tullis-Joyce 1)
NJ/NY: GK Campbell, D Chapman, D Prisock, D Naughton, D Jacobs (Hanson 46’), D Sanchez (Gareis 80’) M Viggiano, M Schmidt, M Groom (Ogle 68’), F Salmon (Abam 80’), F Prince (Eddy 90+3’)
GK Betos, D Dydasco, D Jean, D Freeman, D Johnson, M Torres, M Zerboni, M Mewis, M Monaghan, F Smith, F Purce
Unused substitutes: F Tucker, M Baxter, M Cudjoe, F Yokoyama, D Flores, F Onumonu, D Dorsey, F Bike, GK Hancuff
Total Shots: 9 (Smith – 3)
Shots on Goal: 2 (Smith, Mewis – 1)
Fouls: 12 (Jean, Johnson – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 4 (Betos – 4)
Budweiser Player of the Match: Megan Rapinoe
Referee: Matthew Corrigan
Assistant Referee 1: Baboucarr Jallow
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Davis
4th Official: Corbyn May