Match Recap: OL Reign Goes Undefeated in Three-Game Week with Draw Against Louisville
OL Reign (7-4-3, 24 points, 2nd place) finished up their three-game week with a 2-2 comeback draw against Racing Louisville FC (3-4-7, 16 points, 8th place). On a warm Seattle Saturday, OL Reign went down 2-0 before mounting a comeback to salvage the draw in front of 7,495 fans.
The match started out physical, setting the tone for a match that would contain 32 fouls between the two teams. It was back and forth until the 23rd minute, when Louisville was awarded a penalty kick for a handball in the box. Wang Shuang stepped up to the spot and converted the kick.
Chasing the game, the Reign recorded two shots just minutes after Racing’s goal, but neither was enough to make it past Lund in goal. At the half, it was 1-0 in favor of the visitors.
Following halftime, neither team made any immediate subs. The Reign were the first to notch a shot, from midfielder Jess Fishlock, followed by a shot from forward Bethany Balcer and another from Fishlock, but the Reign couldn’t quite get on the board.
In the 76th minute, Louisville doubled their lead after a collision at the top of the Reign’s box led to Paige Monaghan taking possession of the ball, turning and shooting it into the back of the net.
Now down two goals at home, OL Reign had to dig deep to turn the match around. The team’s substitutes brought an onslaught of energy for the team to build to a comeback. In the 82nd minute, forward Veronica Latsko got the Reign started, as she beat her defender in the box to get her head on the end of a cross from forward Elyse Bennett.
Energized and determined, the Reign pushed on, finding the equalizer just five minutes later. On a corner kick, midfielder Nikki Stanton made a run from the top of the box and connected with the ball. Bennett was waiting at the front post, where she used her head to get a final touch on the ball and flick it into the back of the net.
Through five minutes of stoppage time, the Reign did well to keep Louisville out of the back of net to secure their comeback draw and go undefeated during another busy three-game week.
Key Facts:
· ANOTHER TIE: OL Reign earned its fifth consecutive draw against Racing Louisville FC across all competitions. It is OL Reign’s second-longest run of consecutive draws against a single opponent in league play, behind a six-match draw streak against Orlando from May 2017 to April 2019, the longest such streak in NWSL history.
· COMING BACK STRONG: OL Reign earned its third comeback of the 2023 season after conceding first to earn either a win or a draw. This also marks the second time of the season OL Reign trailed against Louisville by two goals and came back to get the tie.
· THE STREAK CONTINUES: Tonight’s draw extends OL Reign’s all-time unbeaten streak against Racing Louisville FC to six games (across all competitions). The Reign remain undefeated against three NWSL teams all-time (Angel City FC, Racing Louisville FC and San Diego Wave FC).
· Prior to the Week 14 games, only the Wave are undefeated against more NWSL teams all-time (4).
· ELYSE BENNETT: Forward Elyse Bennett scored the game-tying goal in the 87th minute, marking her second of the season and fifth in her career (regular season).
· RYANNE BROWN: Defender Ryanne Brown made her first start in the NWSL regular season of her career. The second-year defender finished with four interceptions, three duels won and 41 touches.
· VERONICA LATSKO: Forward Veronica Latsko scored the Reign’s first goal of the match in the 82nd minute to help the Reign start its comeback.
· Latsko has 12 goals all-time and four goals this season, tied for her most in a single season since her first year in the league (2018).
· PHOEBE MCCLERNON: Defender Phoebe McClernon made her first start for OL Reign since October 1, 2022, after suffering an injury at the start of the 2023 season.
· McClernon led the team in interceptions (6) and added five clearances.
· SERIES: The draw brings the all-time series to 1-0-5 between the Reign and Racing Louisville FC.
· OL Reign (7-4-3) will play their next match on Friday, July 7, at Exploria Stadium against Orlando Pride (4-8-1).
UP NEXT: OL Reign travel to Orlando to take on the Pride next Friday, July 7 at 4:00 p.m. PT.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 2 – 2 Racing Louisville FC
Date/Time: Saturday, July 1, 12:30 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
Weather: 74, sunny
Scoring Summary:
RGN: Latsko – 82’, Bennett – 87’
LOU: Wang Shuang – 24’, Monaghan – 76’
Discipline
RGN: McClernon (Caution – 4’), Fishlock (Caution – 23’), Stanton (Caution – 53’)
LOU: Wang Shuang (Caution – 41’), Pickett (Caution – 88’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Phallon Tullis-Joyce, D Brown (Malonson 72’), D Hiatt, D McClernon (Holmes 80’), D Barnes ©, M Van der Jagt (Athens 80’), M Stanton, M Fishlock (Latsko 65’), F Balcer, F Bennett, F King (Weinert 72’)
Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, M Canales, M Viggiano, F Edwards
Total Shots: 12 (Bacler, Fishlock – 3)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 14 (Stanton – 5)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 2 (Tullis-Joyce – 2)
LOU: GK Lund, D Milliet, D Pickett, D Erceg, D Pikkujamsa, M Howell ©, M Fischer, M Baggett, M Wang Shuang (Ekic 90’), F Monaghan, F Davis (Goins 67’)
Unused substitutes: D Lester, D Wyne, F Kanu, GK Sekany, D Holloway, F Parker
Total Shots: 7 (Three tied with – 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 18 (Four tied with – 3)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 2 (Lund – 2)
Player of the Match: Veronica Latsko
Referee: Alex Billeter
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Clerc
Assistant Referee 2: Baboucarr Jallow
4th Official: Mike Hohnholz
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
AVAR: Eric Weisbrod
Pool Reporter Question: For Racing Louisville’s goal in the 76th minute, a foul appeared to be signaled prior to the goal being scored. Why did the goal count, and what happened with the foul being called/not called?
Answer: Despite the offense that occurred, the refer applied advantage and signaled advantage to allowed play to continue, and the goal was awarded.