Match Forecast: OL Reign on the Road Again vs. Gotham FC
OL Reign is set to play its second 2023 regular season match, on the road once again, this time against NJ/NY Gotham FC. This is the first meeting between the two teams since September 21 of last year. As the only team in the league to start the regular season with back-to-back road games, OL Reign looks to finish their road trip with a win against Gotham FC after a tough loss in Washington last Sunday.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available on FOX 13+ in the Seattle area, Paramount+ in the U.S. and locally at Rough & Tumble Pub
2023 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 0-1-0 (0 points, 11th place), NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-0-0 (3 points, 3rd place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – Most recently, the teams met in a regular season match on September 21, 2022. OL Reign came away with a 1-0, thanks to a penalty kick from forward Megan Rapinoe. Today’s matchup marks the 26th meeting all-time between the two clubs, with the Reign on a three-game win streak against Gotham FC, starting back in August 2021. Prior to September 21 of last year, the last meeting between the teams resulted in a 4-1 win at home for OL Reign in August.
2. SCOUTING GOTHAM FC – Like OL Reign, this is Gotham FC’s second match of the 2023 regular season. The team started off its 2023 campaign with a win on the road against Angel City FC.
After initially going down one goal, scored by rookie Alyssa Thompson, Gotham battled back in the second half to score two goals and win the match. The equalizer came in the 55th minute on a penalty kick. Midge Purce stepped up to the spot and coolly placed the ball in the top right corner. Just ten minutes later, Lynn Williams scored the game-winning goal. Purce played a ball out right for Williams, who made no mistakes as she blasted it inside the far post.
“I think their threats are that they can counterattack you quicker than most teams in this league. I think with (Gotham FC midfielder) Allie Long back as well, I think they have someone who can dictate the game and the temper of the game from midfield,” said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey.
“Yeah, I think they're the biggest things, obviously got a really good result in LA, it's not an easy place to go to. So, we're hoping that the field can be a little bit better than last week, so we can play a little bit of our game, but I actually think it suits them too to be able to play. So, hopefully, it's a little bit nicer on the eyes because watching that Washington game back was painful."
3. ON THE ROAD AGAIN – OL Reign is set to play its second consecutive game the road to open the 2023 season. The last time the Reign opened the season with two back-to-back road games was 2013, the inaugural NWSL season.
The Reign has played Gotham on the road a total of 11 times, coming away with five wins, three draws and three losses. OL Reign has earned five clean sheets in those 11 road games all-time against Gotham FC. The only NWSL team to be shut out at home by a single opponent more than Gotham against the Reign is the Houston Dash (six times against both OL Reign and Portland).
“I think we know that Gotham has a lot of great players and they did really well in free agency and just bringing a lot of key people from the league into their team this year. So, we know that they have a lot of speed up top and obviously good balance in their midfield, not to mention the fact that they have a pretty solid defense and goalkeeper. So, I feel like every team in the league is great and we know that going into any game – no game is going to come easy. So, I feel like Gotham poses different threats than Spirit maybe did, but I think that we will be ready for them and I think this time around we will finish out the game how we should,” said OL Reign forward Elyse Bennett.
4. WHEN IT REIGNS, IT POURS: In six of OL Reign’s 11 wins against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the team has scored three or more goals. In those six games, the Reign have scored three goals three times, four goals two times and five goals once. Across 11 victories, the Reign have earned five shutout wins.
There are only three instances in which OL Reign scored one single goal in a win against Gotham. One of those matches was the most recent meeting between the two teams at Red Bull Arena on September 21 of last year. The Reign’s other two 1-0 victories came during the 2018 season.
MultiCare Availability Report:
OUT
Angelina (SEI - knee)
Phoebe McClernon (back)
Quinn (leg)
Megan Rapinoe (calf)