Match Forecast: OL Reign Host KC With Full Seating Capacity Available to Fans

OL Reign take on Kansas City NWSL for the first time in the 2021 NWSL Regular Season on Sunday evening. Kansas City is coming off a tie with Gotham FC, while the Reign continue to look for three points after two shutout losses. This is the first game since 2019 that the Reign will offer full capacity seating to fans at Cheney Stadium. 

WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 4:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 11 at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington 

WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on Paramount+. Fans can get tickets to watch the game in person here. 

2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-D-L): OL Reign: 2-5-1 (7 points, ninth place), Kansas City NWSL: 0-6-3 (3 points, tenth place) 

Key Points Ahead of the Match:

1. LAST MEETING – OL Reign and Kansas City last met in the Reign’s final game of the 2021 Challenge Cup at Field of Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. OL Reign came away with a 2-1 victory after going down 1-0 in the sixth minute of the match. Jess Fishlock tied it up in the 34th minute when she converted a penalty kick. The teams went to the locker room tied at half time. The second half was deadlocked at 1-1, though OL Reign dominated possession. The Reign finally found breakthrough when Lauren Barnes played a cross to Celia in the box. Celia headed the ball over the Kansas City goalkeeper to score the game winning goal for OL Reign in the 84th minute.  

“I don’t think you will see a lot of difference tactically. I think there may be some minor tweaks but ultimately it is going to be the players that are going to change the tactics. Obviously, we come up with a strategy and idea of what we want to do but it is the individual players that really execute tactics,” said Interim Head Coach Sam Laity. He continued, “From a mentality and intensity perspective, I expect to see a change in that, especially when playing at home.” 

2. SCOUTING KANSAS CITY– Kansas City is currently in tenth place in the NWSL standings, with zero wins, six losses and three draws. Most recently, Kansas City earned a point against NJ/NY Gotham FC in a 1-1 draw after a three-hour weather delay in Harrison, New Jersey. Gotham scored first when midfielder Nahomi Kawasumi played a ball across the top of the box to forward Ifeoma Onumonu, who beat the KC goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart in the 31st minute. Kansas City forward Mariana Larroquette found the equalizer in the 83rd minute, when she picked off a pass from the Gotham FC defense and hit an impressive shot from outside the box, beating Gotham goalkeeper, Amanda McGlynn, to earn a point on the road. 

OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer said, “Right now, I think we are really focused on us. Obviously, we do talk a little bit about how [Kansas City] plays and what we can do to combat the long balls and we can break them down, but a lot of it is just us right now.” 

3. INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS OUT – Both teams will have the depth of their rosters tested, as they will be without the players who were called up to their national teams for the Olympics Games in Japan. Kansas City will be missing three players – defender Katie Bowen who was called up to play with New Zealand, midfielder Chloe Logarzo who was called up to play with Australia and Desiree Scott who will be representing Canada.  

Though the starting lineup has varied throughout the season for OL Reign, the team will be tested with the absence of several key players. Originally, the Reign had four players departing to join their national teams for the Olympics, but Angelina was called up to Brazil following an injury in the squad, bringing the total to five players. 

Most notably, the midfield has been impacted for the Reign, with Angelina, Rose Lavelle and Quinn out representing Brazil, USA and Canada respectively. OL Reign will also be missing two forwards, Nicole Momiki and Megan Rapinoe, representing Japan and USA. This season, the Reign has struggled to find the back of the net, so it will be essential for the team to connect offensively and step up to fill the gaps left the players in Tokyo. Similar to OL Reign’s match against Houston, we could see midfielders Dani Weatherholt and Shirley Cruz called on to hold down the midfield, while forwards Bethany Balcer and Tziarra King could be called on to work with Dzsenifer Marozsán and Eugénie Le Sommer in the attack. 

4. CHENEY STADIUM AT FULL CAPACITY – OL Reign is set to play its first home match with full seating capacity available to fans, without COVID-related entry and seating restrictions, since 2019. Through the 2021 Challenge Cup and beginning of the 2021 NWSL Regular Season, Washington State health and safety guidelines regarding COVID-19 prohibited 100% capacity but as of July 1, fans are allowed at full capacity, adding intensity and energy to the game day atmosphere, however fans who are not vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask for the health and safety of fans around them. Tickets to the match are still available and can be purchased on Ticketmaster. 

MultiCare Injury Report: 

OUT  

Ally Watt – Right Knee  

Rosie White - Illness  

QUESTIONABLE  

None  

INTERNATIONAL DUTY  

Nicole Momiki  

Quinn 

Rose Lavelle 

Megan Rapinoe 

Angelina