Match Recap: OL Reign Falls 1-0 in Orlando
OL Reign (7-5-3, 24 points, 3rd place) fell 1-0 to Orlando Pride (6-8-1, 19 points, 8th place) at Exploria Stadium. On the road, OL Reign never quite found their rhythm and Orlando’s first half goal made all the difference.
OL Reign started the match out with a quick play that resulted in a shot from forward Elyse Bennett just 20 seconds into the match. The shot was followed by a corner kick, but OL Reign couldn’t put the ball on target and play went on.
Momentum slowly shifted in favor of the home side as they won back-to-back corners in the 4th minute. 10 minutes later, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made a diving save to keep the score level, but it wasn’t long before Orlando found the only goal of the match.
Orlando forward Julie Doyle received the ball out wide and whipped a cross into the box, finding the head of fellow forward Messiah Bright.
After the goal, the Reign continued to defend, stopping seven shots from the Pride in the first half. The 23rd minute saw an early change for the Reign, as midfielder Nikki Stanton came on for Jess Fishlock. In stoppage time of the first half, Bennett found another shot for the Reign, but didn’t quite hit the back of the net.
After halftime, the Reign came out stronger than the previous half, pushing through the exhaustion and humidity. After a 54th minute shot from Orlando, the Reign did well to step up, holding Orlando shotless for half an hour.
On the other side of the ball, both Bennett and defender Shae Holmes, who subbed onto the field at halftime, found shots on Orlando, but after 90 minutes and nine minutes of stoppage time, the Reign couldn’t find the finishing touch and fell 1-0 on the road.
Key Facts:
· CAPTAIN BARNES: OL Reign original, defender Lu Barnes made her 200th NWSL regular season start, becoming the first-ever player to reach that milestone.
UP NEXT: OL Reign returns from the league-wide break on July 28 for a UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC at Lumen Field. Tickets to the match are available HERE.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 0 – 1 Orlando Pride
Date/Time: Friday, July 7, 4:00 p.m. PT
Location: Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida
Weather: 83, partly cloudy
Scoring Summary
RGN: None
ORL: Bright – 16’
Discipline
RGN: Stanton (Caution – 69’), Bennett (Caution – 76’)
ORL: None
Lineups
RGN: GK Phallon Tullis-Joyce, D Brown (Malonson 63’), D Hiatt (Holmes 46’), D McClernon (Canales 89’), D Barnes ©, M Van der Jagt, M Fishlock (Stanton 23’), F Balcer, F Latsko, F Bennett, F Athens (Weinert 63’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Luany, M Viggiano, F Edwards
Total Shots: 5 (Bennett – 3)
Shots on Goal: 2 (Bennett – 2)
Fouls: 12 (Bennett – 4)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 6 (Tullis-Joyce – 6)
ORL: GK Moorhouse, D McCutcheon ©, D Montefusco, D MAdril, D Strom, M Villacorta, M Cluff, M Tymrak (Martinez 89’), F Doyle (Watt 62’), F Bright (Listro 88’), F Abello (Celia 67’)
Unused substitutes: GK Nelson, D Cosme, F Allen, M Reiss, F Yates
Total Shots: 16 (Bright – 6)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Bright – 4)
Fouls: 9 (Cluff – 3)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Moorhouse – 2)
Player of the Match: Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Referee: JC Griggs
Assistant Referee 1: Art Arustamyan
Assistant Referee 2: Kataryzna Wasiak
4th Official: Marie Durr
VAR: Malik Badawi
AVAR: Emma Richards