Match Recap: OL Reign Advances to Fifth Consecutive NWSL Semifinal with 1-0 Win Over Angel City FC
OL Reign defeated Angel City FC 1-0 to advance to the NWSL semifinals. OL Reign forward Veronica Latsko’s 87th minute game winner was the difference maker in the match, ultimately earning the win and sending the Reign to the semifinal against San Diego the first weekend in November.
Midfielder Jess Fishlock got the action of the match kicked off in the 13th minute, when she gained possession of the ball and spotted Angel City’s goalkeeper off her line and attempted to shoot the ball from around midfield but missed the frame of goal.
As the match continued, the Reign struggled to find their touch, but the team continued to challenge Angel City offensively and defensively. Angel City nearly opened the scoring of the match in the 30th minute, but OL Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey was there to keep the score level. OL Reign had another close call in the 39th minute, but Angel City was unable to direct anything on frame. Forward Veronica Latsko had a shot in the 45th minute, followed by two minutes of stoppage time to end the half.
In the second half, OL Reign stepped it up, taking full control of the match. After making some defensive tweaks, the tempo of the match increased, and the Reign dictated the game. Forward Megan Rapinoe fired off a shot in the 47th minute, sending the ball just over the top of the goal, but sending a warning sign to Angel City.
Just five minutes later, there was a flurry of action in the offensive third of the field for the Reign, as Fishlock, Rapinoe and defender Phoebe McClernon all had their efforts on goal denied. Momentum continued to build in the match, aided by midfielder Rose Lavelle making her return to the field in the 64th minute.
Rapinoe found yet another chance in the 69th minute as she took a free kick, but her effort went high. The Reign were forced to make another change in the 79th minute, as a 76th minute challenge from Angel City took Reign forward Jordyn Huitema out of the game. Lavelle had a chance of her own in the 85th minute, nearly finding the back of the net, but Angelina Anderson in net for Angel City made a save to keep the Reign off the board.
Finally, the Reign found the game winning goal in the 87th minute of the match. McClernon received the ball in a wide position before serving a cross into the middle of the box. Latsko made a perfectly time run to meet the ball and head it into the back of the net, giving OL Reign the lead they needed to win the match. At the final whistle, the Reign won 1-0 and punched their ticket to the NWSL semifinals in San Diego on November 5.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
ANOTHER ASSIST: OL Reign has 13 different players with an assist between the regular season and playoffs in 2023, which is the second most in the league. Additionally, the Reign have five defenders – Lauren Barnes, Alana Cook, Sofia Huerta, Phoebe McClernon and Emily Sonnett – with an assist in the regular season and playoffs combined, the most in the NWSL.
SECOND-HALF GOALS: Forward Veronica Latsko scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute. OL Reign has now scored a league-best nine goals in the final 15 minutes of play during the 2023 season.
SWEET SEMIFINALS: With tonight’s result, OL Reign has advanced to the NWSL semifinals for the fifth consecutive year and will travel to San Diego to face the Wave on Sunday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. PT.
CLAUDIA DICKEY: Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey has recorded her third consecutive clean sheet and fourth this season since making her first regular season start on August 27 against Angel City FC. Dickey is the second goalkeeper in OL Reign history to record a clean sheet in the playoffs.
VERONICA LATSKO: Forward Veronica Latsko scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute of her first-ever playoff start. In 2023, Latsko has scored three goals against Angel City FC across all NWSL competitions and leads the all-time series in scoring with four goals.
Latsko is now the eighth player in Reign history to score in the NWSL playoffs.
PHOEBE McCLERNON: Defender Phoebe McClernon earned the assist on the game-winning goal, marking the second assist of her career and first since joining OL Reign in 2022.
UP NEXT: OL Reign will travel to San Diego for an NWSL semifinal match up at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. PT.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Quarterfinal
OL Reign 1 – 0 Angel City FC
Date/Time: Friday, October 20, 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
Weather: 54, cloudy
Scoring Summary
RGN: Latsko – 87'
LA: None
Discipline
RGN: Huerta (Caution – 90+5’)
LA: McCaskill (Caution – 76')
Lineups
RGN: GK Dickey, D Huerta (Stanton 90+4’), D Cook, D Barnes (c), D McClernon, M Quinn (Lavelle 64’), M Sonnett, M Fishlock, F Latsko, F Huietma (Balcer 79’), F Rapinoe (Van der Jagt 90+3’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Angelina, D Hiatt, D Brown, F Bennett
Total Shots: 9 (Rapinoe – 3)
Shots on Goal: 5 (Fishlock – 2)
Fouls: 7 (Rapinoe – 3)
Offsides: 0
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 0 (Dickey – 0)
LA: GK Anderson, D Nielsen, D Gorden, D Riley © (Spencer 81’), D Vignola, M McCaskill, M Henry, M Hammond (Johnson 89’), F Leroux (Le Bihan 81’), F Camberos (Endo 81’), F Emslie (Thompson 70’)
Unused substitutes: GK Haracic, D Reid, M Weatherholt, M Nabet
Total Shots: 2 (Camerbos – 2)
Shots on Goal: 0
Fouls: 13 (Vignola– 3)
Offsides: 0
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 3 (Anderson – 3)
Player of the Match: Veronica Latsko
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Art Arustamyan
Assistant Referee 2: Matthew Rodman
4th Official: Abdou Nidaye
VAR: Grek Dopka
AVAR: Maggie Short