Match Forecast: OL Reign Set to Take on the North Carolina Courage

OL Reign is set to play another match on the road, this time against the North Carolina Courage in Cary, North Carolina. After nearly a full week to train, the Reign will battle for their second ever win in Cary.

WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 12:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 14 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC

WHERE TO WATCH: Fans can tune in to FOX 13+ in the Seattle-area, Paramount+ in the U.S. and TSN+ in Canada to watch the match.

2023 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 6-1-1 (13 points, 2nd place), North Carolina Courage 2-3-1 (7 points, 9th place)

Key Points Ahead of the Match:

1. LAST MEETING – Most recently, the teams met in a regular season match on September 17, 2022, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. North Carolina. In that match, the Reign picked up their first ever win in North Carolina, despite going down a goal in the sixth minute of match. The Courage did not hold onto the lead long though, as OL Reign found an equalizer just five minutes after the initial goal was scored. Defender Sofia Huerta played a ball to the far side of the 18-yard box, where forward Megan Rapinoe took a shot from her wide position but was denied by the goalkeeper. Midfielder Rose Lavelle was waiting for the rebound and make no mistakes as she struck the ball into the back of the net to tie the match.

Forward Megan Rapinoe took the lead for OL Reign in the 26th minute. Wearing the captain’s armband, she stepped up to take a freekick from distance. Displaying her incredible precision, she opted for a shot, bypassing North Carolina’s wall and sneaking the ball to the near post to give OL Reign the comeback lead on the road.

2. SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA – Most recently, the Courage battled to a 3-3 draw against the Portland Thorns. North Carolina started the game with a goal in the first minute. It took 20 minutes before Portland equalized, but North Carolina scored again just two minutes after the equalizer, retaking the lead. The Courage went into half time with the lead, but in the 52nd minute, Portland tied the match again. In the final 20 minute of the match, the teams scored a goal apiece, ultimately splitting the points in Cary.

“It’s two teams that like to have the ball, like to possess. I think you have to decide with them what things you’re willing to allow them to do and what things you want to try and stop them to do because I don’t think you can try to stop them from doing everything. I think we just have to learn from a little bit of last year,” said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey.

“I actually wasn’t on the trip last year, I had [COVID-19], so it’s my first time back in North Carolina for a while, actually. So, I think we had to dig in last year and three goals were scored pretty quickly in the game and then we had like a long 70 minutes, maybe, to try and hold on to this lead, so you know you’re going to have to do that here. Obviously, it’s our first trip on the east coast with hot and humid weather conditions, too, and that always can play a part. So, we’re mindful of that, but we want to make sure that we do the things we need to do to be able to try and get control of the game wherever possible.”

3.  CONTROL THE MATCH – For OL Reign, it will be important to control the match and play the game that they want to play. With both teams typically leaning into possession, the Reign will look to have a strong start to the match and set the tempo.

“I think for us, we have to remember what we’re good at and I think when we can get on the front foot defensively and high press, we’re at our best. So, we want to do that and it’s arguably, it’s hard but it’s not as hard as letting them have the ball and defending your own half 90 minutes – that’s way more hard work,” said Harvey. “We have to pick and choose our times to do what we want to do, but we know that we can’t be passive, we know we can’t drop off because it’s just not going to be beneficial to us to do that and then when we have the ball, we’ve got to be mindful of what we do with it to keep ourselves in a position where we can keep it as much as they want to keep it, so we can control the tempo of the game a little bit.”

MultiCare Availability Report:

OUT

Angelina (SEI - knee)

Rose Lavelle (leg)

Phoebe McClernon (back)

Olivia Van der Jagt (excused absence)

QUESTIONABLE

None