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Seattle Reign FC 1
North Carolina Courage 0
August 25, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season
The Seattle Reign FC hosted North Carolina Courage on Megan Rapinoe jersey number retirement night at Lumen Field on Sunday night. Rapinoe’s 15 was retired and the city of Seattle had been host to a number of events and tributes over the weekend, culminating in the ceremony Sunday evening at the match.
The final stretch of the season has a sense of urgency for the Reign, as they enter the match bottom of the table. With a ten match run in, there is still time to get hot and make up a few games and get to the final playoff spot, but there is no real margin for error at this point for a club that was in the championship match last year and won the shield the year prior.
North Carolina entered the international break playing well and are above the playoff line, so continuing to play as they have been and finish strong will set them up for a shot at a title match.
The hosts made several roster moves in recent days; including trading away Bethany Balcer and bringing in two internationals and Jaelin Howell.
Seattle Reign FC vs North Carolina Courage FC, Megan Rapinoe Jersey Retirement
Right out of the gate it looked like the Courage were going to take it to the Reign, pushing and nearly breaking through in the opening minutes. Seattle would weather the early storm, getting a few looks themselves. In the 14th minute North Carolina broke through behind the Reign defense but was unable to convert. This early end to end pace would be the way of things throughout much of the half. Carolina especially seemed to be pushing up their right flank, challenging the left side of the Reign defense.
As Carolina continued their pressure, the Seattle defense continued to bend and hold their shape. The Reign took a few counter opportunities forward as the half progressed, finding opportunities on goal few to come by. With the exception of some chances on corners, the Courage defense also held their ground.
Jessica Fishlock nearly broke open the scoring near the end of the first half. After getting on the end of a through ball the shot was smothered by Courage keeper Casey Murphy.
The half would end goalless.
Seattle Reign FC vs North Carolina Courage FC, Megan Rapinoe Jersey Retirement
The Courage continued to have the better of possession, but both clubs came out in the early stages of the second half with their metaphorical foot on the gas. It looked like the Reign were going to break through, but much as the story of 2024 has been, the opportunities were stopped or went over the bar.
Murphy smothered what looked like a certain goal in the 58th minute as Tziarra King put in from close range to no avail.
Howell would come on in the 74th with Nérilia Mondésir to make their Reign debuts With Ana-Maria Crnogorčević in the starting eleven, all three new additions found the field Sunday evening.
There was a spark in the Reign offense as the match wound down, but Murphy continued to be difficult to get past. The Courage found the possession balance shift in the final minutes, as the Reign could not afford to simply settle for a draw and a point and put on a late push.
The stoppage time winner would come six minutes into stoppage time. Emeri Adames would sneak a header past Murphy, a cathartic moment for the Reign. The official ruling is own goal on Murphy as the ball spun off the post into her and into the goal.
A festive night and a crowd of 16,598 was loud and raucous throughout the celebratory evening. The crowd would go home after witnessing an exciting match and three potentially season saving points.
Seattle Reign FC vs North Carolina Courage FC, Megan Rapinoe Jersey Retirement
The match was also the 100th regular season win for Laura Harvey, the first coach to reach that milestone in the NWSL.
BOX
NCC (4-3-3): Casey Murphy; Dani Weatherholt, Malia Berkely, Kaleigh Kurtz, Ryan Williams; Denise O’Sullivan ©, Narumi Miura, Ashley Sanchez (Victoria Pickett – 77’); Tyler Lussi (Olivia Wingate – 63’), Cortnee Vine (Meredith Speck – 87′), Manaka Matsukubo (Riley Jackson – 87′)
Subs Not Used: Marisa Bova, Haley Hopkins, Brianna Pinto, Felicitas Rauch, Charlotte McLean
SEA (4-3-3): Claudia Dickey, Shae Holmes, Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg, Sofia Huerta, Ji So-Yun (Olivia Athens – 89′), Jess Fishlock (Jaelin Howell – 75’), Quinn, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (Nérilia Mondésir – 75’), Jordyn Huitema (Emeri Adams – 89′), Tziarra King (Veronica Latsko – 66’)
Subs Not Used: Angharad James-Turner, Julia Lester, Ainsley Mccammon
Score:
NCC: 0
SEA: 1
Goals:
NCC: –
SEA: C. Murphy – 90+7′ (OG)
Yellow/Red:
NCC: –
SEA: –
Attendance: 16,598
