NWSL Semifinals Preview: OL Reign vs. Kansas City Current
Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington – Sunday, October 23 at 7:30 PM ET
Players to watch:
OL Reign stars Bethany Balcer and Megan Rapinoe led the team in goals this season with seven apiece, marking the third consecutive regular season that Balcer has led her team in that department (’19, ’21, ’22, including ties). The only other player who has led their team in goals in every regular season since 2019 is Washington’s Ashley Hatch, who also did so in 2018. Interestingly enough, you would have to go back to July 31 to find a game in which the Reign won and Rapinoe or Balcer did not score (3-2, Angel City – Fishlock, Huerta and Heath). In addition, Rapinoe is also tied for the team high in assists (four) with defender Sofia Huerta, who scored one goal of her own in a stellar regular season. At the back, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has been a rock for the Reign and produced nine sheets to help lead the league alongside Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby.
Against Houston, Kansas City midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta notched the fourth penalty kick goal in NWSL playoff history (excluding shootouts) and once again demonstrated her poise in converting from 12 yards out. LaBonta has now fired home six penalties this season, becoming the third NWSL player with at least six goals from the spot in a single NWSL season (including playoffs), joining Kim Little (7) and Heather O’Reilly (6), who both did so in 2014. LaBonta now leads her team in goals as well with eight, though forwards CeCe Kizer and Kristen Hamilton lag just behind with seven and six respectively. What separates LaBonta this season, though, is the addition of her four assists as well. Those four assists lead the team, with defender Alexis Loera (3) and four others on two assists helping chip in. On the other end, in goal for the Current is Adrianna Franch, who has now played in 21 of the Current’s 23 contests on the season including playoffs. In that span, Franch has registered five clean sheets.
Match facts: OL Reign welcome the Kansas City Current to Lumen Field for the second of two enthralling semifinal clashes across the league this weekend, with Portland hosting San Diego in the first. Sunday’s evening matchup pits the 2022 NWSL Shield-winning Reign, who have not played a game since the first weekend of October, against the Current, who defeated the Houston Dash, 2-1, thanks to a goal in the 10thminute of added time in the second half to advance to this position.
After securing the best record in the regular season for the third time as a club (2014, 2015, 2022), the Reign will be looking to win their first playoff game since a 3-0 victory in the 2015 semifinals against the Spirit. The club’s current four-game losing streak in the postseason is tied for the longest losing streak in NWSL playoff history (Chicago – 2015 to 2018). Last year, the Reign faced eventual champions Washington Spirit and fell, 2-1, and both OL Reign and Portland, who was also ousted in the semifinals, hosted their matchup. However, Lumen Field may provide a new advantage for the Reign as they seek to set a new streak in a new venue.
On the other side, in their 2-1 win over the Dash in the first round, the Current both scored the earliest goal by a road team in NWSL playoff history (5th minute – LaBonta (p)) and the latest non-extra time goal in NWSL history (regular season or playoffs) with Kate Del Fava bagging the winner at 99:32. No stranger to late goals as a team, the Current have scored result-shifting goals in the 82nd minute or later on five different occasions this year so far. Now, though, they face a Reign side that has history of demonstrating the same shock ability late-on having scored five of their own result-shifting goals in the 80th minute or later as well.
History between these two sides is brief, but in the five times they have met previously in league play each game has resulted in a shutout on one side. OL Reign has three wins by the scores of 3-0, 2-0, and 1-0, while Kansas City has earned a pair of 1-0 victories. Therefore, one would think that whoever gets on the scoresheet first has the advantage, and the Reign won the two matches that they hosted in the fixture.
