OL Reign will host the other semifinal in Tacoma on Nov. 14 after defeating Kansas City, 3-0 on Saturday. The win clinched the Reign the No. 2 seed. Portland Thorns FC had already clinched the No. 1 seed and the shield to host the other semifinal.
Here is what happened on Saturday in the National Women’s Soccer League:
Kansas City 0, OL Reign 3
The Skinny: OL Reign spoiled the unveiling of the Kansas City Current brand with a 3-0 win at Legends Field, paced by a third brace of the season from Eugenie Le Sommer. The win wrapped up the No. 2 seed and a bye to the semifinals for the Reign in the NWSL’s new six-team playoff format. Kansas City’s season is over, having already been locked into last place prior to the match.
Kiki Pickett’s own goal in the 35th minute opened the scoring for the Reign. Sofia Huerta served a cross in from the right side and left Kansas City goalkeeper Adrianna Franch between two minds. The ball dropped just in front of the six-yard box and deflected off Pickett.
Le Sommer doubled the lead on a Megan Rapinoe corner kick in the 49th minute, then added her second goal emphatically 15 minutes later.
One Key Moment: Le Sommer’s second goal was a thing of beauty. Rapinoe played a wall pass with Dzsenifer Marozsan, then Rapinoe pointed to the spot she wanted Le Sommer to run to and lined a cross to the oncoming French attacker for the powerful header.
LE SOMMER! 3rd Brace of the season makes it 3-0 OL Reign#KCvRGN l https://t.co/k1mmahThWQ l #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/E2DHIkU5V1
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 31, 2021
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 31, 2021
Inside the Game: The Reign won this comfortably, which isn’t so much a given for a Kansas City team which is much improved in the second half of the season. Marozsan and Jess Fishlock creatively interchanged between their No. 9 and No. 10 roles, respectively — as they’ve done throughout the second half of the season — and the Reign owned the flanks through Rapinoe and Huerta.
The Goals:
- OL Reign — (Own Goal, Kiki Pickett), 35′
- OL Reign — Eugenie Le Sommer (Rose Lavelle), 49′
- OL Reign — Eugenie Le Sommer (Megan Rapinoe), 64′
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