Jodie Taylor’s equalizer in the 70th minute gave Seattle Reign FC (8–4–6, 30 points) a critical point at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday, July 21 in the Lifetime Game of the Week. The draw keeps Seattle one point ahead of the Orlando Pride (8–6–5, 29 points) for second place in the NWSL standings. Toni Pressley scored the first goal of the match for Orlando, finishing from in close during the first half.
Lauren Barnes made the first highlight of the match with a crucial tackle on Dani Weatherholt. The Seattle defender slid in to stop Orlando’s attack just outside the penalty area, winning a throw-in for Reign FC. Seattle blitzed down the field after gaining possession in the sixth minute. Barnes played Steph Catley up the left flank, who whirled a cross into the box that went incomplete.
Bev Yanez took Seattle’s first shot of the match in the 10th minute. After Jasmyne Spencer got into the teeth of Orlando’s defense, she slipped a pass for Yanez. Using a one-touch, left-footed shot, Yanez grounded the ball to Pride goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer. Fouls by Toni Pressley and Weatherholt gave Seattle two free kicks in the early going. The second one, in the 16th minute, presented Nahomi Kawasumi with a free kick on the right wing. Kawasumi dropped a diagonal cross right on Jess Fishlock’s head. Having made a run from several yards out, Fishlock got a strong header on frame. Kopmeyer popped Fishlock’s header into the air before securing the catch.
Spencer was ruled offside in the 19th minute to stop a promising attack for Seattle. Not long afterward, Orlando won a free kick in the 21st minute to set up their first goal. A Reign FC defender booted away Marta’s original service into the penalty area. After a series of crosses, clearances, and blocked shots, Toni Pressley gathered the ball in front of the net. She took a touch to create space and launched the ball past Lydia Williams to put Orlando ahead 1–0.
After falling behind early, Seattle was soon forced to make its first subs of the afternoon. Yanez went down with an injury in the 23rd minute, bringing the match to its first stoppage. Vlatko Andonovski elected to replace Yanez with a substitute, bringing on Morgan Andrews in her spot. Kristen McNabb also came on in the 26th minute for Rumi Utsugi.
Taylor looked to even the score at the half-hour mark. After Seattle built possession for several minutes with crisp passing, Kawasumi served a pass for Taylor. The ball was a bit too far for Taylor to corral, as it bounced off her foot for Kopmeyer to take. A dead ball in the 32nd minute brought the first hydration break of the match, leading to an energized return to the pitch for Reign FC.
Following the delay, Taylor had two chances to equalize. In the 39th minute, Taylor took Fishlock’s through ball and tried to send it into the side netting. Taylor’s bending shot was headed for goal until Kopmeyer dove to block it away. Two minutes later, Kawasumi passed to Fishlock, who again assisted Taylor for a shot on goal. Fishlock’s aerial ball put Taylor in perfect position for a chance with her head. When Taylor re-directed the ball toward the far post, Kopmeyer again made an athletic save to stonewall Seattle.
Lydia Williams had her first save of the match just minutes before halftime. Chioma Ubogagu charged deep into Seattle territory before firing a left-footed shot from a tight angle. Williams stood at the near post and deflected the shot away. This kept the score at 1–0 and sent both teams to the locker room for halftime.
A corner kick in the 48th minute nearly resulted in Seattle’s equalizer. Fishlock darted a pass into space for Kawasumi, who took a rip at the ball. Kawasumi’s shot had good weight on it but missed the mark, keeping things at 1–0 in favor of the Pride.
Orlando’s first second-half shot came from Kristen Edmonds’ foot. Her shot did not bother Williams, instead bouncing wide of the goalpost. As the hour-mark approached, Fishlock and Taylor again synced up to create a chance. Fishlock trapped a header and delivered a pass for Taylor in the box.
As Kopmeyer stepped out to challenge Taylor, the English forward shifted to her left foot. When she finally released a shot, Pressley swooped in to block the ball out of play. This would be one of her last plays of the match, as Pressley would be removed for a substitute. Camila rose from the bench and relieved Pressley in the 59th minute.
Orlando head coach Tom Sermanni called on Emily van Egmond for his next substitute. The Australian midfielder took Ubogagu’s spot in the 67th minute. Not long afterward, Seattle finally broke through with their only goal. Steph Catley got things going by swinging a ball into the box. Kawasumi settled Catley’s cross and chipped one in for Taylor. Standing on the threshold of the goal, Taylor calmly pushed the ball into the net for Reign FC’s equalizer.
Taylor’s 70th minute-goal was her sixth of the 2018 season. The assist was Kawasumi’s third, tying her with Catley for most among Seattle players. A hydration break came in the 75th minute, setting up some frenzied final 15 minutes of play. Each team used the break to utilize their final substitutions. Seattle inserted Adriana Leon for Kawasumi, while the Pride brought on former Reign FC player Carson Pickett. On the other side of the break, Williams saved Camila’s shot that was lasered toward the center of the goal.
Morgan Andrews tried her luck in the 83rd minute with a long-distance shot. A goal would have been Andrews’ first of the season, but the former USC Trojan pushed it beyond the post. This would prove to be one of Seattle’s last chances of the match. As Orlando fought on the other end to secure a second goal, Theresa Nielsen made a world-class tackle on Marta to stop her in the box without fouling. When Leon uncorked a powerful shot up and over the crossbar in the 90th minute, it was the final Seattle opportunity of the afternoon. A yellow card for Barnes just after regulation ended was the last significant event of the match, as the referee’s whistle ended things in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
A point for Seattle keeps Reign FC in second place in the standings heading into a two-week break. The team is back in action on Sunday, August 5 for a home match with the Washington Spirit at 6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for the match with Washington are available at www.reignfc.com/tickets.
