Match Recap: OL Reign Falls 2-1 in LA
OL Reign (7-3-7, 24 points, 6th place) fell 2-1 to Angel City FC (5-6-6, 9th place) on the road at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Substitute forward Megan Rapinoe’s 74th minute penalty kick was the Reign’s lone goal of the night.
OL Reign started the match with warning signs to Angel City as defender Lu Barnes displayed her footwork and an attacking threat in the fourth minute earned an early corner for the visitors. The momentum shifted about ten minutes later, when the home side found the opening goal of the match. After a diagonal ball, forward Scarlett Camberos played a ball across the face of goal and forward Clarisse Le Bihan was there to put it in the back of the net.
Down a goal, the Reign fought to push forward and stay in the match. Forward Jordyn Huitema earned a low shot in the 24th minute of the match, but it wasn’t enough to challenge DiDi Haracic in the net for Angel City.
Just a minute later, midfielder Rose Lavelle possessed the ball in the box for the Reign and beat her defender as she attempted to find Sofia Huerta out wide. However, the pass was stopped inside the box by Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson’s raised arm. Despite going to video review, the penalty was not called in favor of the Reign and play went on.
Angel City held onto the lead through halftime and after the break, the Reign made one change to bring on veteran forward Megan Rapinoe. Immediately, Rapinoe’s impact on the game was felt as she came up with a chance just three minutes into the half and brought renewed energy into the squad.
Though OL Reign was quick to apply pressure on Angel City to start the half, the home side once again got on the board first. Le Bihan served a free kick into the box and found midfielder Madison Hammond making a run in 57th minute.
Less than 20 minutes later, forward Bethany Balcer was taken down in the box and this time, a penalty kick was awarded to the Reign. Rapinoe stepped up to the spot and was cool as ever as she slotted the ball past Haracic to put OL Reign on the board.
OL Reign had another close chance in the 85th minute when Huerta tested Haracic, forcing her into making a save and conceded a corner to the Reign. The Reign continued to push for an equalizer through seven minutes of stoppage time, but couldn’t quite find the final touch, ultimately dropping three points on the road.
UP NEXT: OL Reign returns home to Lumen Field next weekend on Sunday, September 3 at 3:00 p.m. against the Orlando Pride.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 1 – 2 Angel City FC
Date/Time: Sunday, August 27, 5:00 p.m. PT
Location: BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California
Weather: 79, Clear
Scoring Summary
RGN: Rapinoe – 74’
LA: Le Bihan – 13’, Hammond – 57’
Discipline
RGN: Hiatt (Caution – 49’)
LA: McCaskill (Caution – 64’), Johnson (Caution – 90+6’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Dickey, D Huerta, D Cook, D Hiatt (McClernon 86’), D Barnes ©, M Van der Jagt (Bennett 86’), M Quinn, (Fishlock 63’) M Sonnett, M Lavelle, F Huitema (Balcer 63’), F King (Rapinoe 46’)
Unused substitutes: GK Tullis-Joyce, M Angelina, M Stanton, F Latsko
Total Shots: 14 (Fishlock, Huerta – 3)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Huerta – 2)
Fouls: 9 (Hiatt – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 7
Saves: 1 (Dickey– 1)
LA: GK Haracic, D Riley © (Spencer 70’), D Gorden, D Reid, D Vignola, M Hammond, M Weatherholt, M McCaskill (Leroux 87’), F Thompson (Endo 58’), F Le Bihan (Johnson 69’), F Camberos (Emslie 87’)
Unused substitutes: GK Isenhour, D Nielsen, M Nabet, M Henry
Total Shots: 5 (Hammond, Le Bihan– 2)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Le Bihan – 2)
Fouls: 10 (Le Bihan – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 3 (Haracic – 3)
Player of the Match: Megan Rapinoe
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Art Arustamyan
Assistant Referee 2: Ricardo Ocampo
4th Official: Osvaldo Landeros
VAR: Malik Badawi
AVAR: Maggie Short