Pre Match Notes

The Seattle Reign are meeting the Kansas City Current for their second meeting of the NWSL regular season. In their first meeting, the Reign were able to maintain a 0-0 draw, with the defense and Laurel Ivory, shutting down the Current’s attack at every turn. Up until now, the Kansas City Current remain undefeated with seven wins and four draws, while the Reign are coming off of three straight losses in their last three games.

The Reign put on a strong defending clinic against the Current in their first meeting, however, the challenge for the team now is going to involve getting their attack forward, connecting where it counts, and finishing their chances. The Reign has shown some positives in regard to their recent matches against the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit, despite coming off of losses in both of those games. However, the message is still clear: The Reign has to do more if they want any hope of saving their season.

There needs to better awareness in the backline, as well as better support in the defense. The midfield and attack have shown they can maintain control and get forward, as well as create chances and connect in the attack. There has been improvement in the team’s chemistry, but there needs to be consistency. Will the Reign be able to get on the scoreboard this time around against Kansas City? It’s likely, but in order to win there needs to be more consistency from the Reign team as a whole.

Line Up Notes

Starting Eleven: We have Laurel Ivory in the goal. For defenders, Alana Cook, Shae Holmes, Phoebe McClernon, and Sofia Huerta. For midfielders and forwards: Angharad James-Turner, Jess Fishlock, Jordyn Huitema, Bethany Balcer, Tziarra King, and Veronica Latsko.

It’s an interesting line up. The Reign could be playing in a 4-3-3, or a 4-2-2-2. I like this attack consisting of Fishlock, Huitema, Balcer, King, and Latsko; however, it’s going to come down to whether the team can get forward, connect in the attack, and finish their chances. When it comes to this match against Kansas City, the Reign need to maintain control of the midfield as much as possible; however, I’m not entirely sure if the Reign will be able to do that with just Fishlock and James-Turner in the midfield. Granted, Latsko and King, as well as Balcer, will be dropping back to assist the midfield, but how the Reign goes about maintaining that control and getting forward, will be interesting to see.

First Half Notes

Seattle Reign 2-2.

Goal Scorers for the Reign: Huitema (2).

Huitema would connect with a cross from Latsko, grabbing the Reign’s first goal of the match. Kansas City would score soon after, making it 1-1. Fishlock’s cross would find Cook. Cook would head it towards the goal, and Huitema would finish it, making it 1-2 in favor of the Reign. Kansas City would score not too long after, making it 2-2.

So far, the Reign are doing well when it comes to their midfield and attack. The Reign are getting forward and creating chances, and Huitema has been doing well in front of goal. In the second half, I would like to see the Reign creating more chances, and I would like to see King making her presence more known in the attack. She has been able to sneak behind the Kansas City backline a few times on that left wing. There has been good support in the attack, and with Huitema’s return, there appears to be more confidence there as well. If the Reign can maintain more control of the midfield, and keep up their attack, the team can grab more goals in the second half.

In regard to the Reign’s backline, they haven’t been doing well for some time, and this first half is just making it clearer and more obvious. Despite going up by one twice in this first half, the Reign would end up losing their lead, due to poor responses from the backline. At times the backline is too high. They’re not reading those long pass behind the backline, and they’re leaving too much open space in the box. They need to be better organized, and respond better to Kansas City’s attack, especially in transition.

Second Half and Closing Notes

Seattle Reign lose 5-2.

Goal Scorers for the Reign: Huitema (2).

The biggest problem for the Reign in this match wasn’t their attack, it was their backline. Despite an all right first half, the Reign’s second half didn’t start off well. Kansas City would grab two goals in the first five minutes of the second half, then it was downhill from there, after the Current were awarded a penalty kick, due to Ivory’s foul in the box.

Kansas City, in this second half, were applying more pressure to the Reign backline and midfield, and unfortunately, the Reign struggled to respond to that added pressure. The backline was giving way to the Kansas City attack, and couldn’t keep up with their runners. The Reign backline was still too high. There were too many open spaces in the box, which allowed easy access for the Kansas City attack.

When it came to the Reign midfield and attack in this second half, they were getting forward and creating some good chances; however, the attack wasn’t nearly as threatening as it needed to be. The attack is showing some growth and potential, especially when it comes to their movement, build-up plays, connection, and support; however they need to take more risks, and be more aggressive.