The anticipated championship rematch between Reign FC and FC Kansas City came and went, and with it three points slipped by the defending NWSL Shield holders at the hands of the defending NWSL champions.
FC Kansas City forward and U.S. Women’s National team member Amy Rodriguez continues to cause issues for Reign FC, and this time her 48th minute strike was all the home side needed to grab their first win of the new campaign.
With the loss, Reign FC finish its two-match road trip 0–2, and now move to 1–2–0, holding on to the three points they grabbed in its 5–1 win over Western New York Flash to open the 2015 season.
Possession swayed between the two sides in the first half and numerous chances were created to no avail.
Reign FC looked like it would get on the board first when forward Merritt Mathias took a left-footed shot from the top of the box that skipped wide of goal.
Back-to-back chances fell for FC Kansas City in quick succession as Reign FC failed to successfully clear the ball. In the 17th and 22nd minute, Rodriguez let two promising chances slip by as she fired wide of the target both times.
Reign FC’s best chance of the half came in the 27th minute when a give and go by forward Megan Rapinoe freed midfielder Kim Little into the box who put her shot across goal, just out of the reach of forward Beverly Yanez.
FC Kansas City answered with a chance of its own 10 minutes later when midfielder Erika Tymrak crossed a ball into the box that Rodriguez knocked off the woodwork.
Three minutes into the second half, FC Kansas City forward Sarah Hagen played a through ball for Rodriguez and she chipped her shot over goalkeeper Hope Solo to put the home side up 1–0.
Reign FC almost had its equalizer in the 75th minute when Rapinoe volleyed a rocket of a shot from the top of the box that almost snuck by FC Kansas City goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.
Despite the added pressure, Rodriguez’s 48th minute strike would prove to be all FC Kansas City needed to hold on for all three points.
Both sides finished the match with 10 shots, while FC Kansas City held the advantage of shots on goal with five to Seattle’s three.
With the result, Reign FC suffered its first successive losses since the 2013 season.
Reign FC now returns home to take on the Washington Spirit on Saturday, May 2 on the Moda Pitch at Memorial Stadium. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. (PT) with a live, high-definition webstream available at YouTube.com/NWSL.
Visit ReignFC.com or call (855) REIGN-FC for details on single match tickets. Great seats start at just $19.
NWSL Match Report
Match: Seattle Reign FC at FC Kansas City
Date: April 23, 2015
Venue: Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, Mo.)
Kickoff: 5 p.m. PT
Scoring Summary
FCKC: Amy Rodriguez, 48’ (Hagen)
Lineups & Stats
SEA: GK Hope Solo, D Stephanie Cox, D Lauren Barnes, D Kendall Fletcher, D Elli Reed, M Keelin Winters, M Jessica Fishlock, M Kim Little, F Merritt Mathias (Foxhoven, 83), F Beverly Yanez (Dallstream, 68), F Megan Rapinoe
KC: GK Nicole Barnhart, D Amy LePeilbet, D Becky Sauerbrunn, D Becca Moros, D Leigh Ann Robinson, M Heather O’Reilly (Averbuch, 86), M Jen Buczkowski, M Erika Tymrak (Bogus, 83), M Lauren Holiday, F Sarah Hagen (Groom, 76), F Amy Rodriguez
Referee: Brandon Artis
Assistant Referees: Amanda Ross, Ryan Cook
Fourth Official: Christopher Slane
Stats Summary Shots: Seattle 10 / Kansas City 10 Shots on goal: Seattle 3 / Kansas City 5 Saves: Seattle (Solo) 4 / Kansas City (Barnhart) 3 Corner kicks: Seattle 4 / Kansas City 0 Fouls: Seattle 6 / Kansas City 9 Offside: Seattle 3 / Kansas City 2
Attendance: 2,466
