Match Recap: OL Reign Ends Challenge Cup Run

OL Reign fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville FC in the UKG NWSL Semifinal in a hard-fought match at Lumen Field. With quality spells throughout the match, the Reign were unable to find the final ball needed to advance to the final in North Carolina.  

OL Reign had a stellar first ten minutes of the match, dictating the tempo and finding chances on goal. Newly returned midfielder Angelina found the first shot on goal in just the second minute of the match, sending a warning sign to Racing Louisville. Forward Tziarra King followed with a shot in the 10th minute of the match.

As the game progressed, Louisville got more into the match and began to challenge the Reign. The visitors earned three consecutive shots before finding the opening goal of the match in the 28th minute. After gaining possession of the ball from the Reign, forward Kristen Davis took two touches before finding the back of the net.

Through the rest of the first half, the Reign responded well and fought back against Louisville, finding five more shots from five different players, but couldn’t equalize before the end of the half.

After halftime, the team came back strong, once again getting into the attack and opening the shooting of the half. As the match was approaching the 60th minute, defender Sofia Huerta was two-hand shoved at the edge of the box. Initially, the Reign were awarded a penalty kick, but the play was reviewed, and the penalty kick was changed to a free kick outside of the box.

Frustrated, the Reign pressed on battling a Racing Louisville that was keen to burn time off the clock. In the 65th minute, OL Reign found the back of the net after beating Louisville’s defense in the box, but the goal was not allowed, as the referee called a foul on midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt off the ball.

In the 82nd minute, OL Reign nearly found the goal they needed, as substitute Emily Sonnett found Jordyn Huitema on the back post, but her header went just over the goal. Despite the team fighting until the end of the match, the Reign fell short, ending their 2023 Challenge Cup run.

UP NEXT: OL Reign takes on their biggest rival, Portland Thorns FC, in a regular season match up on Saturday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Portland, Oregon.

MATCH SUMMARY

2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Semifinal

OL Reign 0 – 1 Racing Louisville FC

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 6, 7:00 p.m. PT

Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington

Weather: 67, Cloudy

Scoring Summary

RGN: None

LOU: Davis – 28’

Discipline

RGN: None

LOU: Holloway (Caution – 34’), Kgatlana (Caution – 62’)

Lineups

RGN: GK Ivory, D Huerta, D Hiatt ©, D Holmes, D McClernon, M Stanton (Fishlock 78’), M Van der Jagt, M Angelina (Sonnett 66’), F Latsko, F Bennett (Huitema 66’), F King (Rapinoe 77’)

Unused substitutes: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Barnes, D Cook, M Athens, D Brown

Total Shots: 16 (Huerta – 3)

Shots on Goal: 2 (Hiatt, King – 3)

Fouls: 12 (Van der Jagt – 4)

Offsides: 4

Corner Kicks: 6

Saves: 1 (Ivory – 1)

LOU: GK Lund, D Millet, D Lester, D Erceg ©, D Holloway, M Pikkujamsa, M DeMelo, M Borges, M Monaghan (Pokorny 64’), F Kgatlana (Nadim 78’), F Davis (Kanu 88’)

Unused substitutes: D Wyne, M Howell, F Fischer, F Ekic, GK Beall, F Goins

Total Shots: 6 (DeMelo – 3)

Shots on Goal: 2 (Davis, DeMelo – 1)

Fouls: 12 (Borges – 3)

Offsides: 1

Corner Kicks: 2

Saves: 2 (Lund – 2)

Player of the Match: Sofia Huerta

Referee: Natalie Simon

Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner

Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Smith

4th Official: Adorae Monroy

VAR: Kevin Broadley

AVAR: Maggie Short