Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Wins 1-0 In Stoppage Time
In the club’s first match back to NWSL play since July 7, forward Emeri Adames forced a game-winning own goal from North Carolina deep into stoppage time to secure the Reign’s first regular season win since May 3.
The visitors held the vast majority of possession in the first half of the match, but the Reign did well to thwart any offensive threats from the Courage, holding them shotless through the entire half.
On the other side of the ball, the Reign earned double the crosses of North Carolina and registered the only shot on target of the half in the 43rd minute from captain and midfielder Jess Fishlock.
In the second half, the momentum of the match shifted as the Reign began to take more control. From the 52nd minute, the Reign were knocking on the door, looking for the go-ahead goal. The team created chance after chance, with midfielder Ji and forwards Jordyn Huitema and Tziarra King testing Casey Murphy in goal.
The 58th minute brought a stellar passing sequence from the Reign, starting with a clean distribution from goalkeeper Claudia Dickey to forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević. The forward found the feet of a running Fishlock, who then one touched the ball across the middle of the box to King. King’s shot ended up in the hands of Murphy, denying the Reign the lead.
In the 77th minute, the Reign had another near goal in a play that saw Huitema and substitute Veronica Latsko’s back-to-back shots blocked, followed by a shot from newcomer Jaelin Howell that was saved by the woodwork.
Finally, seven minutes into eight minutes of added time, the Reign found a game winner when forward Latsko served a ball into the box and Adames got her head on the end of it, forcing Murphy to go to ground to save and eventually knock the ball into the back of the net.
Capping off an epic celebration of a club legend, the Reign earned three points and retired the number 15 in an unforgettable match.
KEY TAKEWAYS:
DAY OF CLUB DEBUTS: Tonight’s match featured three Reign FC debuts. Forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević started the match while midfielder Jaelin Howell and forward Nérilia Mondésir subbed in together in the 75th minute.
RISE FOR RAPINOE: With an attendance of 16,598, tonight’s match marks the second-highest regular season attendance in club history.
UNBEATEN IN FIVE: Seattle Reign FC extended its regular season unbeaten streak to five games (1W, 4D), a streak that started at home against Portland on June 16. This is Seattle’s first five-game unbeaten streak since last season (April 1-May 6, 2023).
The win marks Seattle’s first win against North Carolina since September 17, 2022, when the club won, 2-1, on the road.
LAURA HARVEY: Head Coach Laura Harvey, the winningest head coach in NWSL history, became the first head coach to reach 100 regular season wins tonight. Since the 2013 season, Harvey has earned 81 regular season wins with the Reign over two stints (2013-17 and 2021-present) and 19 wins with Utah Royals FC (2018-19). Tonight’s win was Harvey’s fourth against the Courage.
JORDYN BUGG: 18-year-old defender Jordyn Bugg, who made her club debut during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup in July, earned her first regular season start with the Reign tonight. Bugg finished her regular season debut with five duels won and one interception.
Following this match, Bugg will be heading to Colombia to represent the U.S. WYNT during the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
ANA-MARIA Crnogorčević: Forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević made her club debut tonight and first NWSL appearance since the 2019 season with the Portland Thorns. Crnogorčević is the first former Thorns player to make an appearance for the Reign since Tobin Heath in 2022.
CLAUDIA DICKEY: Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey earned her fifth regular season clean sheet to tie former Reign FC goalkeeper Casey Murphy for the fifth-most regular season shutouts in club history. Dickey finished the match with three saves.
SHAE HOLMES: Defender Shae Holmes made her sixth start of the season and finished the match with single-game career highs in duels won (7), tackles won (6) and interceptions (3).
SERIES: The win brings the all-time series to 4W-11L-3D between the Reign and the North Carolina Courage.
UP NEXT: The Reign travel to Kentucky to take on Racing Louisville FC on Saturday, August 31 at 4:30 p.m. PT. Fans can tune in to the match on Ion.
MATCH SUMMARY
2024 NWSL Regular Season
Seattle Reign FC 1– 0 North Carolina Courage
Date/Time: Sunday, August 25, 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 70, clear
Scoring Summary
SEA: NC Own Goal – 90+7’
NC: None
Discipline
SEA: None
NC: None
Lineups
SEA: GK Dickey, D Huerta, D Bugg, D McClernon, D Holmes, M Quinn, M Fishlock (c) (Howell 75’), M Ji (Athens 89’), F Huitema (Adames 89’), F King (Latsko 66’), F Crnogorčević (Mondésir 75’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, D Lester, M James-Turner, M McCammon
Total Shots: 17 (Ji – 4)
Shots on Goal: 6 (Ji – 2)
Fouls: 5 (Bugg – 2)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 3 (Dickey – 3)
NCC: GK Murphy, D Kurtz, D Berkely, D Williams, D Weatherholt, M Miura, O’Sullivan (c), M Sanchez (Pickett 78’), F Vine (Speck 86’), F Lussi (Wingate 63’), F Matsukubo (Jackson 86’)
Unused substitutes: GK Bova, D McLean, F Hopkins, D Rauch, M Pinto
Total Shots: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)
Fouls: 8 (Miura – 3)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 6 (Murphy – 6)
Player of the Match: Emeri Adames
Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Clerc
Assistant Referee 2: Seth Martin
4th Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Shawn Tehini
AVAR: Brian Marshall