Match Forecast: Seattle Reign FC Takes on San Diego Wave in Second Meeting of 2024
Seattle Reign FC are back at Lumen Field for a Friday night showdown against the visiting San Diego Wave FC. The 7:00 p.m. match is the second meeting between the two teams in the 2024 season, but the 11th all-time meeting across all competitions.
WHEN AND WHERE: Reign FC kickoff at 7:00 p.m. PT at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.
WHERE TO WATCH: Tickets to the match are available HERE to catch the action from Lumen Field. Otherwise, fans can tune in on Prime Video.
2024 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): Seattle Reign FC:1-5-0 (14th place), San Diego Wave FC: 2-2-1 (8th place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – Seattle Reign FC and San Diego Wave FC have already met once this season, in the Reign’s third match of the season. The match was an intense, end-to-end battle that only grew in ferocity as time went on. The final 15 minutes saw attacking opportunities for both sides, but ultimately, the game was decided in the eighth minute of stoppage time, when Wave forward Alex Morgan cut the ball back to substitute Emily van Egmond, who put her shot to the lower right corner to take the lead for San Diego in their home stadium.
“I thought we did a good job in how we'd set up, how we'd structured ourselves for big periods of that game. We obviously had some injuries and illnesses and people not available for that game. Unfortunately, the injuries haven't got much better, but we know that we did some good things defensively in that game, we just weren't really a threat as much as we wanted to be on the offensive side. So, I think trying to match the two - continue to have that attacking threat, but also be mindful that they obviously have a lot of attacking threats, too. So, we've got to make sure that we're defensively solid," said Seattle Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey.
The Reign have hosted the Wave at Lumen Field a total of five times in the head-to-head series, treating home fans to six goals and three clean sheets across the five matches.
2. SCOUTING SAN DIEGO – The Wave are currently in 8th place in the NWSL standings, with two wins, two losses and one draw on the season. Most recently, San Diego took on expansion side Bay FC and won 2-1 at Snapdragon Stadium. The Wave scored first, netting a goal in the 13th minute of the match when midfielder Kimmi Ascanio played a ball to midfielder Makenzy Doniak to find the back of the net.
Bay FC found a goal back at the start of the second half, bringing the score level, but conceded a second goal to the Wave in the 78th minute to seal the game. Midfielder Savannah McCaskill played a pass out wide to forward Elyse Bennett, who found forward Jaedyn Shaw close to goal.
San Diego has five players out with injury ahead of tonight’s match – Melanie Barcenas (hip), Sofia Jakobsson (lower leg), Alex Morgan (lower leg), Abby Dahlkemper (thigh), Naomi Girma (thigh).
3. LOOKING FORWARD – With just one win so far in the 2024 NWSL season, the Reign are looking to get back to their winning ways. Though this has been a trying time for the team, there’s no sense of panic throughout the locker room. The team is fully focused on the game plan and improving from week to week.
“I mean, I think we're in a tough spot a little bit right now. I think nobody wants to be losing in the way that we've been losing, but I don't think anybody has put their head down at all,” said Seattle Reign FC goalkeeper Laurel Ivory.
“I think we all believe in what we're doing, and we all believe in the game plans that we're putting forward, it's just a matter of little things and executing in places that we know we can execute in. So, I think everyone's feeling really good. I feel good and I'm just ready to play already.”
“Yeah, I think the group has stayed pretty levelheaded. I think that we're in a process-driven environment like, yes, results are important, we're in a results business. But I think when you live through process and you live through performance related - how you view games is performance related - that's what makes everyone feel that we're not that far away,” said Harvey.
“Have we been threatening enough at times? Yeah. Have we finished chances when we should? No. Have we given the opponent opportunities to score goals that's quite unlike us? Yes. So, we've got to try and marry the two up a little bit to get in a position where, because we know that we haven't been able to score a ton of goals, we've got to keep the opponent limited to nothing as much as possible. So, I think that's where sort of the mindset goes, and fair play to the group, I think that every week there's been a few times where we've been really frustrated, or you can see the players are - it's hurting them a lot. But I think because they see what we're trying to do, I think that they're very engaged and very much want to try and turn this around, for sure.”
3. DEEP SQUAD – The month of May is incredibly busy for the Reign. This match begins a stretch of eight days that will see the team play three matches – two at home and one on the road. During this time, having a deep squad will be crucial to finding success. Currently, Seattle has three players out injured, but they are progressing well in their respective recoveries.
“I actually think with the people that are healthy, we're in a good place. I think physically, we're in a good spot. So, the thought of having to play Friday, Wednesday isn't too challenging. I think that Wednesday, Saturday will be the big area of focus of what do we need for Kansas to try and get a result, but also what do we need going down to Portland,” shared Harvey.
During this period of potential squad rotation, it will be key that team stays organized, playing clean in the attack and smart on defense.
MultiCare Availability Report:
OUT
Claudia Dickey (knee)
Jordyn Huitema (back)
Quinn (knee)
QUESTIONABLE
None