By Marilia Macedo
At Lumen Field, OL Reign (0-1-3, 3 points) and Washington Spirit (1-1-2, 5 points) played to reach three more points in the NWSL regular season, but they only got one point each due to a scoreless draw.
In the first half, OL Reign kept the possession and tried to surprise the visitors with good plays by Huerta, Lavelle, Balcer, and Latsko. However, attempts to open the scoreboard were not accurate during the match – balls over the post and the keeper Kingsbury made good saves. On the other hand, the defensive system was solid with Cook and Hiatt, and Tullis-Joyce made good appearances when the team needed it the most.
Laura Harvey changed the team during the break, and one of those chosen to enter the field in the second half was Megan Rapinoe. Until the end, the home team had the ball and kept attacking, with speed plays and counterattacks. Still, nothing happened – the players struggled to finish the plays but were blocked by the defenders and denied by Kingsbury. Unsatisfied, Harvey made a curious substitution: Tziarra King replaced Rapinoe with a few minutes left for the final whistle, which ended 0-0.
It was the third draw for OL Reign in this regular season, and Laura Harvey’s squad still has a lot to improve – they need to be more clinical in front of the goal. In search of the first victory, the best match will be against Kansas City in Seattle, at Lumen Field, on Wednesday, May 25, at 7 PM PT.