Match Recap: OL Reign Splits Points with Courage
OL Reign (8-8-4, 28 points, 6th place) split the points with the North Carolina Courage (8-7-5, 29 points, 4th place) in front of over 10,000 fans at Lumen Field. The first half of the match was action packed, featuring a goal for each team, as well as a red card for OL Reign.
As the match began, it was clear that OL Reign was content to sit deep and allow North Carolina to enjoy the majority of possession while they displayed their own defensive abilities and prepared for counterattacking opportunities.
The Courage got the first chance of the match in the second minute, when Kerolin’s attempt to poke a cross into the back of the net was saved by the post, clearing the immediate danger. Play continued on and OL Reign began to build in the offensive third.
The home side found the opening goal with their first shot of the match. Starting from a corner kick, forward Megan Rapinoe served a ball to the back post, where forward Bethany Balcer broke free of her defender and left nothing to chance with a powerful header into the back of the net.
As the first half was coming to a close, North Carolina pressed forward, earning four consecutive shots before finding the back of the net to equalize. Defender Kaleigh Kurtz played a ball over the top of OL Reign’s defense to a running Kerolin, who carried the ball centrally before finding the back of the net.
Deep into first half stoppage time, Kerolin received another through ball and was in on goal before Alana Cook challenged her, earning a red card in the process. Shortly after the card, the match went to halftime and the 10-player OL Reign squad had time to regroup.
In the second half, OL Reign adjusted well to being down a player and played a stellar defensive game. Emily Sonnett, who was previously playing midfield, slid into the backline, making her veteran leadership presence especially felt throughout the remainder of the match.
The Reign weathered a storm of 18 shots in the second half but did not concede again. On the other side of the field, the Reign found four shots of their own, despite being focused on a strong defensive performance.
At the final whistle, OL Reign split the points with the Courage, maintaining their sixth-place position in the standings as the team pushes to clinch their spot in the playoffs.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME: With tonight’s headed goal from forward Bethany Balcer, OL Reign earned its league-leading 10th headed goal of the season.
HOME SWEET HOME: Since naming Lumen Field home at the start of 2022, OL Reign has earned 42 points in regular season play (12-4-6), earning the most points at home in the league in that span.
RESILIENT RED CARD: After defender Alana Cook received a red card just before halftime, OL Reign was able to earn a point and keep the score even, 1-1. Since 2013, OL Reign has never lost a game after receiving a straight red card in a game. The last time OL Reign lost a match after receiving a red card (second yellow card) was in 2013 – the club’s first-ever red card.
BETHANY BALCER: Forward Bethany Balcer scored the opening goal of the match via header in the 21st minute, earning her sixth goal of the season (fourth scored via header). Balcer leads the NWSL in headed goals (4) through Week 20 and has a league-best 13 headed goals since entering the league in 2019.
MEGAN RAPINOE: Forward Megan Rapinoe earned the assist on the opening goal in the 21st minute from a corner kick, marking her fifth of the season, which leads the club. Rapinoe has 26 assists all-time, which is the most in club history and is tied for fifth in NWSL history.
SERIES: The draw brings the all-time series to 3-10-3 between the Reign and North Carolina Courage.
UP NEXT: OL Reign plays their final regular season home match of the season at Lumen field against the Washington Spirit. This match is OL Reign’s Forever Rapinoe: A Celebration of Megan Rapinoe Match, celebrating the illustrious career of forward Megan Rapinoe ahead of her retirement from professional soccer. The match kicks off at 5:00 p.m. PT and tickets are available HERE.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 1 – 1 North Carolina Courage
Date/Time: Sunday, October 1, 5:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
Weather: 59, clear
Scoring Summary
RGN: Balcer – 21'
NCC: Kerolin – 43'
Discipline
RGN: Cook (Red card – 45+7’), Stanton (Caution – 67'), Huitema (90+2’)
NCC: Matsukubo (Caution – 90')
Lineups
RGN: GK Dickey, D McClernon, D Cook, D Holmes (Latsko 71’), D Barnes ©, M Sonnett, M Van der Jagt (Quinn 88’), M Stanton, M Fishlock (Angelina 90+5’), F Balcer (Huitema 71’), F Rapinoe
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Athens, D Hiatt, F King, F Bennett
Total Shots: 5 (Balcer, Rapinoe – 2)
Shots on Goal: 2 (Balcer, Rapinoe – 1)
Fouls: 10 (Stanton – 3)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 6 (Dickey – 6)
NCC: GK Murphy, D Kurtz, D Collins, D Williams, D Fox, M Matsukubo, M O’Sullivan ©, M Miura, F Kerolin, F Boade (Hopkins 72’), F Lussi (Gejl 65’)
Unused substitutes: GK Rowland, M Pinto, D K. Pickett, F Ratcliffe, M Tagliaferri, M V. Pickett, F Madsen
Total Shots: 25 (Kerolin– 7)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Kerolin – 2)
Fouls: 9 (Hopkins – 2)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 9
Saves: 1 (Murphy – 1)
Player of the Match: Bethany Balcer
Referee: Elton Garcia
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Schwartz
Assistant Referee 2: Austin Holt
4th Official: Aidan Velasco
VAR: Shawn Tehini
AVAR: Tom Felice
Pool Reporter
Question: What aspects of the replay allowed the referee to determine the North Carolina goal was not offside? Were there enough angles on the replay to determine a clear and obvious outcome?
Answer: From the angle provided to the referee, he determined the attacker was onside based on the location of both players at the kick point.