Match Recap: Seattle Scores Twice in Defeat Against Washington
At Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Seattle Reign FC fell 3-2 to the Washington Spirit. After going down 3-0 in the first 45 minutes of the match, the Reign found one goal back in stoppage time of the first half, from the head of forward Veronica Latsko. The second half of the match nearly went scoreless, but rookie forward Emeri Adames found her first professional goal on the last play in stoppage time, bringing the final score to 3-2.
The Reign began the match fast and furious, applying pressure to the Spirit almost immediately. Seattle earned three shots within the first ten minutes of the match before Washington took hold of the match and notched the opening goal.
In the 21st minute, Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan took possession of the ball and found forward Kate Wiesner out wide. Wiesner headed the ball into the middle of the field, finding the feet of forward Ouleymata Sarr, who in turn fed the ball through to midfielder Croix Bethune. Bethune took one touch before hammering a left-footed shot into the back of the net.
17 minutes later, Washington was awarded a penalty kick after goalkeeper Laurel Ivory battled for the ball against Washington forward Trinity Rodman. Sullivan stepped up to the spot and converted the kick, doubling the lead for the home side.
The Spirit’s final goal of the match was scored in the 45th minute of the match. Sullivan played a ball into space on the outside for Bethune, who crossed the ball into the middle of the Reign’s six-yard box, where Sarr was waiting to head it into the back of the net.
Before the half was over, the Reign pulled one goal back. Midfielder Ji and forward Tziarra King combined to find defender Phoebe McClernon out wide. McClernon, poised on the ball, played a perfectly placed cross into the box, where forward Veronica Latsko darted across Washington’s defense to get her head on the end of it and narrow the Spirit’s lead just before the halftime whistle sounded.
The second half of the match saw the long-awaited return of Seattle forward Jordyn Huitema in the 60th minute. The Canadian forward immediately made an impact in the match, pushing the Reign offensively. Nine minutes after coming onto the field, Huitema directed a shot toward goal, but the post saved the Spirit from conceding.
In the dying minutes of stoppage time, the Reign recorded a second goal. With the final play of the match, defender Sofia Huerta swung a free kick to the edge of the box, finding the head of midfielder Jess Fishlock. Fishlock’s head popped the ball out to Adames, who showed her skill with a clean volley into the back of the net.
At the final whistle, the Reign fell 3-2, just one goal short of a comeback draw.
KEY TAKEWAYS:
NEW STARTING XI: Through all 11 games this season, the Reign have not listed a replicated starting XI as the club continues to utilize the depth of the squad. Defender Sofia Huerta is the only player to start in all 11 games and to play every minute this season for a total of 990 minutes.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CONNECTION: Forward Veronica Latsko and defender Phoebe McClernon played together at the University of Virginia. Tonight marks the second time they’ve connected on a goal since they both started playing for the Reign in 2022. The first time they connected for a goal was in the 2023 NWSL quarterfinal against Angel City FC, when McClernon sent in a cross to Latsko, securing the game-winning goal.
EMERI ADAMES: Forward Emeri Adames entered the match in the 72nd minute and scored her first-career goal in stoppage time of the second half off an assist from midfielder Jess Fishlock. Adames, 18, is now the youngest goal scorer in club history and sixth-youngest goal scorer in NWSL history.
JESS FISHLOCK: After breaking the club’s all-time assist record last week against Orlando, midfielder Jess Fishlock extended her club record to 28 assists and is now tied for the fourth-most assists in NWSL history with San Diego Wave FC Alex Morgan and NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams. Fishlock now has three assists this season, tied for the most on the team with midfielder Ji So-Yun.
VERONICA LATSKO: Forward Veronica Latsko scored in stoppage time of the first half to register her second goal of the season. Latsko finished the match with a team-leading 14 duels won and three shots. Latsko now has 14 regular-season goals in her NWSL career, seven with the Reign. Of her 14 goals, seven have been headed goals, tied for the third-most headed goals in the NWSL since she entered the league in 2018.
SERIES: The loss brings the all-time series to 14W-10L-8D between the Reign and Washington Spirit.
UP NEXT: The Reign have an international break next week but return to action on Sunday, June 9 at 3:00 p.m. PT on the road against the Kansas City Current. Fans can tune into the match on KING 5+ and KONG in the Seattle area and NWSL+.
MATCH SUMMARY
2024 NWSL Regular Season
Seattle Reign FC 2 – 3 Washington Spirit
Date/Time: Friday, May 24, 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
Weather: 79, clear
Scoring Summary
SEA: Latsko – 45+5’, Adames – 90+6’
WAS: Bethune – 21', Sullivan (P) - 29’, Sarr – 45'
Discipline
SEA: Ivory (Caution – 38'), Van der Jagt (Caution – 43’)
WAS: None
Lineups
SEA: GK Ivory, D Huerta, D Barnes (c), D Cook, D McClernon (Woodham 85’), M Fishlock, M Van der Jagt (Stanton 45’), M Ji (Athens 85’), M James-Turner (Huitema 61’), F Latsko, F King (Adames 72’)
Unused substitutes: GK Perez, D Brown, D Holmes, F Weinert
Total Shots: 13 (King, Latsko – 3)
Shots on Goal: 4 (King – 2)
Fouls: 15 (Barnes – 3)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 4 (Ivory – 4)
WAS: GK Kingsbury (c), D Krueger, D Butel, D McKeown, D Carle, M Bethune (Silano 85’), M Sullivan, M Hershfelt, F Rodman (Ratcliffe 73’), F Wiesner (Brown 67’), F Sarr (Hatch 73’)
Unused substitutes: GK Barnhart, M Stainbrook, F Ricketts
Total Shots: 10 (Sarr – 4)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Rodman, Sarr – 2)
Fouls: 11 (Krueger – 3)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 1
Saves: 2 (Kingsbury – 2)
Referee: Joshua Encarnacion
Assistant Referee 1: Nicholas Seymour
Assistant Referee 2: Rhett Hammil
4th Official: Marie Durr
VAR: Robi Hullner
AVAR: Benjamin Wooten