Match Forecast: OL Reign Back in Action Against Angel City
OL Reign is set to take on Angel City FC in the first regular season clash between the two teams. With a win and a draw against Angel City in the UKG Challenge Cup this season, the Reign look to continue their undefeated record against the L.A. based side.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 27 at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA
WHERE TO WATCH: Fans can tune in to Paramount+ or get tickets to attend in person here.
2023 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 4-3-1 (13 points, 5thplace), Angel City FC: 2-3-3 (9 points, 10th place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – Most recently, the teams met in a Challenge Cup match and drew 0-0, battling until the end of the match. The Challenge Cup match featured rotated lineups and Midfielder Olivia Athens notched OL Reign’s lone shot on target in the 48th minute of the match. OL Reign’s backline and goalkeeper had a standout performance to keep the clean sheet.
2. SCOUTING ANGEL CITY – Most recently, Angel City played the North Carolina Courage on the road and drew 0-0. Similar to OL Reign, Angel City has not won a match in their last two regular season meet ups. Head-to-head, OL Reign has never lost a match against Angel City FC in any competition.
"I think Angel City are a good team. I think that they are solid, said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey. “I think they try and play good football. I think you saw last week in North Carolina that they just stayed in the game. I think they have a bit of a mentality of staying in it, which helps when you're on the road because it can be tough. So yeah, I think that is a big indicator for them."
3. MENTALITY – Though OL Reign is winless in two matches, the team has a strong mentality. Even in a tough streak, the team bands together to get through it. After a strong week of training, the team is ready for the challenge.
"I think that this team is extremely special and when we came back into training, everyone just kind of had - we were pretty serious, we needed to have good chat, but our first training back, we were like - had a lot of energy, we were working really hard and I think just kind of coming together, like I've said before, but it's super important and it's going to take a lot bigger of a challenge to get in between this team and this locker room," said OL Reign midfielder Nikki Stanton.
"I'll just add to that - I think, we have a lot of players in this team that have played in this league for a long time, who know what it takes to bounce back from tough losses. I think it's been a long time since we've had back-to-back losses. So, all those records are there, all those stats are there to always be broken and unfortunately, some stats you don't want to break but they get broken and that was one of them. But I do believe that after this week, the way that the team has been approaching things - our mentality, our ideas around what we need to do to be good on the field, not just in tomorrow's game but moving forward, have taken on another level, this week,” said Harvey.
“I think, like (midfielder) Nikki (Stanton) says, we are and always have been a place where, when we need to be serious, we're serious, when we're out on the field, we love what we're doing because why would you not enjoy doing this job? So, we have to continue to keep that joy involved in what we're trying to do and also, keep pushing each other to be better. I think that this group, specifically this Reign group we have right now, does a really good job of pushing each other every day.”
MultiCare Availability Report:
OUT
Angelina (SEI - knee)
Marley Canales (Covid protocol)
Rose Lavelle (leg)
Phoebe McClernon (D45 - back)
QUESTIONABLE
None