Match Recap: Seattle Falls to Orlando
Seattle Reign FC closed out the NWSL regular season competition with a 3-2 loss against the Orlando Pride at Inter & Co Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello and Marta scored for the home side while Jordyn Huitema and Maddie Mercado tallied goals for the Reign.
Orlando was on the front foot early, nearly scoring the opening goal in the 2nd minute of the match, but Barbra Banda’s cruyff into the back of the net was called offsides.
The Reign had an opportunity to take the lead in the sixth minute when Ji laid it off to Tziarra King who crossed the ball into the box, but nobody was there to finish the shot.
Orlando got the go-ahead just three minutes later when a Summer Yates switch to the right flank put Ally Watt in position to dribble into open space toward goal and rocket the ball past Claudia Dickey.
Seattle responded quickly just one minute later, when a cross from King landed in the feet of Huitema who finished one-time to level the score.
The home side took the lead again in the 26th minute after Watt beat Hannah Glas 1-v-1 down the right flank and crossed the ball in for Abello to toe-poke past Dickey.
Seattle had potential to tie up the score in the 45th minute when Ji was in point blank range to get a shot off, but Abello was there to block the attempt.
The second half continued in Orlando’s favor when Marta extended the lead even further in the 57th minute. The Brazilian international found space to dribble down the center of the pitch and into the eighteen yard box to strike the ball near post.
The Reign had a chance to score in the 65th minute off a Veronica Latsko corner kick, but Huitema’s redirected header from deep in the six skied over the net.
Then in the 84th minute, Latsko’s cross into the box found Maddie Mercado’s head to cut the deficit to one. The Reign continued to battle it out in search of another goal during the final moments of the match, but were unable to surpass Orlando and finish the night with points on the road.