After a month off, Seattle Reign FC returned to the pitch on Sunday evening, hosting the North Carolina Courage. With 10 games left in the season, if Reign FC are to go on an impossible run and climb the standings, they're going to need to basically win out.
They took a step in the right direction with a dramatic second-half stoppage-time victory. Forward Emeri Adames got her head on a Veronica Latsko cross that then bounced off the post and into North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy, but she was unable to secure it, and the ball trickled into the back of the net for Seattle to beat the Courage 1-0. Finally, Laura Harvey got her 100th NWSL win.
While the scorekeeping ultimately ruled it as a Casey Murphy own goal, Adames celebrated the goal in style, re-creating Megan Rapinoe's iconic World Cup pose as the Reign Legend was celebrated before the match with her number 15 jersey being retired.
WHAT WORKED: MEGAN RAPINOE
Before the ball was kicked, Reign fans gathered to celebrate the phenomenal, extraordinary career of Megan Rapinoe. Her number 15 became the first to be retired in the club's history, and the pre-match ceremony was filled with fun, love, and respect for one of the biggest athletes/celebrities to represent the Puget Sound region.
Perhaps with something special in the air to celebrate Rapinoe, it was fate that a special moment would happen for Adames, as she had posted in her Instagram Stories this photo taken with Rapinoe a few years ago. Over the course of this season, Seattle Reign FC head coach Laura Harvey had talked about how if circumstances were different and Adames had joined the team last season, she would have had Rapinoe be her mentor – as her potential is something special.
WHAT WORKED: NEW PLAYERS PROVIDING SPARK
Ana-Maria Crnogorčević played in the NWSL for two seasons at Portland Thorns. She returned to the NWSL tonight, making her Reign FC debut as part of the starting eleven and played like she hadn't been out of the league for five years. Crnogorčević made runs in the first half to stretch North Carolina's defense and also showed her familiarity with how quick the transition game of the NWSL is.
Both Jaelin Howell and Nérilia Mondésir entered the match for Seattle in the 75th minute and seamlessly joined a second half where Seattle controlled pretty much everything. If it weren't for some superhuman goalkeeping by North Carolina's Casey Murphy, Seattle would have likely had two goals and wouldn't have had to rely on the dramatic stoppage-time winner.
As much as the three new major players are still getting settled in, there was something encouraging to see what each of them did tonight and what impact they just might make with the remaining games this season.
WHAT WORKED: JORDYN BUGG
Adames wasn't the only 18-year-old who shined tonight against North Carolina. Defender Jordyn Bugg had such an impressive showing in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup that she got her first NWSL start tonight. She put in a shift that drew high praise from teammate Jess Fishlock and head coach Laura Harvey. North Carolina's midfield likes to stay very fluid and on the move, and with their setup not having a pure striker, it's a guessing game as to who to keep in check and when to step up. It's a tough ask for anyone. Yet tonight, every decision Bugg made on or off the ball simply worked.
"I look at that number and I'll be thinking about every one of you. Every Pride flag. Every trans rights flag. Ever Black Lives Matter flag. Every equal pay flag. Every 'Fuck Portland' flag."
Megan Rapinoe joked that it was a good thing that she was on a time limit during her jersey retirement ceremony before the match. She did deliver a gem of a quote when summarizing what she'll be thinking about whenever she looks to the rafters and sees her number 15 up there, as much as every Reign fan knows that the number 15 will forever and always be Megan Rapinoe.
"I think I'm gonna throw up."
Naturally, it'll be tough for any player to come down off such an emotional high like being responsible for the match-winning goal in stoppage time, but Emeri Adames tried to put the moment into words. "I was just telling my friends in the locker room I think I'm gonna throw up. I'm so excited. I have so much adrenaline right now. When everyone was running up to me after the game, I thought that I'm just gonna wake up and be in my bed like I actually thought I was dreaming," said Adames.
With the win and results around the league, Seattle started the day in last place but are now up to 12th place with 14 points, with a better goal differential than Houston Dash. Nine games to go in the regular season, every game is a must-win for Seattle. It's that simple. Next up for the Reign is a trip to Louisville on Saturday, as they meet Racing Louisville with the headline of the reunion for Jaelin Howell and Bethany Balcer facing their former teams. That match is scheduled for a 4:30 PM PT kickoff and will be broadcast on ION.
