Match Recap: Reign Battle to 0-0 Draw Against North Carolina Courage
OL Reign played its first match of the 2021 NWSL Regular Season against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington, when the teams battled to a hard-fought 0-0 draw.
Defender Lauren Barnes—a Reign original—was honored before the match, as the game marked her 150th regular season game, a feat that only one other player has accomplished in NWSL history. Barnes is the first to reach 150 games played with one team, featuring for the team since its inaugural season in 2013. Barnes was named Budweiser Player of the Match after her solid performance against North Carolina.
From the kickoff, the North Carolina were looking to get on the board, with an early shot in the second minute that went off the crossbar and over the goal from Abby Erceg’s head. The Reign responded with a sequence of passes up the left sideline. The play progressed up the field but was ultimately ended when the ball was played over the end line and out for a goal kick.
The two teams battled for possession of the ball physically, setting a clear tone for the match. OL Reign earned a free kick just past the halfway line 10 minutes into half. The North Carolina defense cleared the ball out of danger, but back into the possession of OL Reign, who were pressing high up the field.
Barnes did well to hold down the Reign defense, directing traffic every time the ball reached the backline. Sofia Huerta had the ball at her feet in the 14th minute and beat several North Carolina defenders to combine with Jess Fishlock. However, the promising attack was shut down before the Reign could find a shot on goal.
In the 17th minute, North Carolina got forward to win a corner kick. The Reign struggled to clear the danger but managed to do so after several partial clearances. The Courage won the ball back and got a shot off in the 18th minute, but did not find the back of the net.
Down at the opposite end of the field, Leah Pruitt did well to apply heavy pressure to the North Carolina defense and win the ball, but she was dragged down and won a free kick in the 19th minute. Erceg was issued a yellow card for her challenge on Pruitt.
Fishlock earned a right-footed shot from just outside the box in the 21st minute, narrowly missing the goal over the crossbar. Dani Weatherholt led a dangerous free kick in the 29th minute. The ensuing cross was played in near the penalty kick spot, but in the end the ball went out for a North Carolina goal kick.
OL Reign earned another free kick in the 31st minute, in a dangerous position about 25 yards away from goal. Huerta played the ball into the box looking for her teammates, but North Carolina goalkeeper Casey Murphy grabbed the ball out of the air. Continuing the attack, in the 33rd minute Fishlock served a ball into the box, around 6-yards out, but it ran out of play for a goal kick.
Reign goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was called on in the 35th minute to grab a floated ball out of the air. OL Reign diffused the pressure and pushed into the attack. A 36th minute miscommunication between the Courage goalkeeper and defender resulted in a corner kick for the Reign.
With just one minute of stoppage time added in the first half, North Carlina earned a late throw in, close to the Reign end line, applying pressure to the defense in the final minute of the half. Bardsley came up with an important save in the 45th minute to bring the two teams into half time tied 0-0.
After a first half which lacked accuracy in the final third of the field, OL Reign came out strong in the second half, applying immediate pressure on North Carolina. Pruitt had a shot in the 49th minute from the right side of the box, but placed it just over the bar. Soon after, she played in a dangerous cross but couldn’t connect with a teammate.
In the 57th minute, Megan Rapinoe entered the match for Tziarra King and made an immediate impact.
Pruitt led a strong attack in the 61st minute, when she threaded a ball through to Bethany Balcer in the box, who was able to turn and fire off a shot, but straight into the hands of Murphy.
Rapinoe put in a dangerous from out wide in the 63rd minute, but no OL Reign players were able to get on the end of it. Just a minute later, Fishlock beat the North Carolina defense to take a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, but missed wide.
Another opportunity came for OL Reign in the 69th minute, when Rapinoe took a powerful shot, smashing the ball off the near post. Still hungry for a goal, the Reign forced Murphy to make a big save after Pruitt found Balcer in the box in the 74th minute.
Fishlock earned another shot from outside the box in the 76th minute, but was not able to capitalize on the opportunity, missing to the left of the goal. North Carolina found a chance of their own in the 84th minute, but the headed shot ended up on top of the net.
With a two minutes of stoppage time added, the game was end to end, as both teams searched for a game-winning goal. However, neither team was able to find the back of the net and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
OL Reign will take on the Portland Thorns in their next match of the NWSL regular season on Sunday, May 23 at 3:00 p.m. PT at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. The game will air on CBS Sports Network.
OL Reign are back home at Cheney Stadium on Sunday, May 30 at 4:00 p.m. PT against the Washington Spirit. Tickets for the match are on sale now at Ticketmaster, with prices starting at just $16.00.