Match Recap: OL Reign Race by Louisville with Le Sommer Brace

Written By Tara Rhoades

OL Reign (5-6-1) came to play in their first game back in Tacoma after two games on the road. Eugénie Le Sommer scored her first two goals for OL Reign to propel the team past an unfamiliar foe, Racing Louisville FC (3-6-2), who clashed with the Reign for the first time tonight. This is the Reign’s second shutout win in a row. 

OL Reign and Louisville started the game evenly matched, both teams attempting to find the other’s weakness. The Reign soon began to take control of the match, earning two shots in the ninth minute. In the 14th minute, OL Reign defender Madison Hammond picked up an injury and was replaced by Celia. 

Racing Louisville had a few chances to get on the board, having four shots blocked and one on target from the 15th to 23rd minute. The tempo shifted in favor of the Reign in the 27th minute when Dzsenifer Marozsán played the ball out wide to Le Sommer. Le Sommer dribbled the ball into the box and used her world-class footwork to chop the ball past the Louisville defense and find the back of the net. 

With momentum on their side, the Reign struck again before the end of the half. Jess Fishlock played a beautiful through ball to Le Sommer who dribbled past the Louisville defense and beat Michelle Betos one on one in goal to put OL Reign up 2-0 going into halftime. 

After halftime, the game slowed down a bit for the Reign, who have struggled to score goals in the second half this season. Possession was almost equal, OL Reign maintaining 50.1% of the possession throughout the half. Louisville put the Reign under a lot of pressure at times, earning ten shots in the second half, but ultimately the Reign defense remained strong to secure the shutout victory. 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:  

  • With this win, OL Reign are in 8th place in the NWSL standings, tied with the Houston Dash with 16 points 

  • OL Reign have won two consecutive games 2-0 

  • Sarah Bouhaddi earned her third clean sheet of the season 

  • Eugénie Le Sommer earned her first and second NWSL and OL Reign goals 

  • Dzsenifer Marozsán earned her first NWSL and OL Reign assist on Le Sommer’s goal in the 27th minute of the match 

  • Jess Fishlock earned her 20th regular season assist for the Reign on Le Sommer’s 43rd minute goal 

Tara Rhoades
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