For the third time this season and fifth consecutive overall, Orlando Pride (8-6-5, 29 points) and Seattle Reign FC (8-4-6, 30 points) each took a point from their matchup. On a muggy Saturday afternoon, the two sides played to a 1-1 draw, with Toni Pressley scoring the Pride’s goal in the opening half.
“I thought we started okay. We had some decent passages of play, but we didn't seem to have the energy tonight to really threaten Seattle as much as we should have and I just felt we made, what I call, a lot of really fundamental errors. And I felt that again we went back into bad habits at times and it was kind of frustrating,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “Particularly the second half, I found it a very frustrating game if I'm being honest. Really delighted that we hung in and got a point and that keeps us right in the mix, but there's some fundamental parts of our game that we need to do an awful lot better."
After controlling the opening 45 minutes, the Pride took a 1-0 lead into halftime courtesy of Pressley. In her second straight start, the defender pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area and fired it past Reign goalkeeper Lydia Williams. It was Pressley’s first goal of the season and second career goal, both coming in purple at Orlando City Stadium.
Early in the second half, Reign FC’s Jodie Taylor slipped into the box and attempted to shoot around Orlando goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer. But Pressley came up big again, this time on the other end of the field, blocking the shot and then clearing it from danger.
Kopmeyer made six saves in her second start of the season. Her first came against the same Seattle side, her former team, in a scoreless draw on June 3.
The Reign were able to break Kopmeyer’s shutout bid in the 70th minute, after Nahomi Kawasumi picked out Taylor in the six-yard box. The forward used a quick touch to sneak the ball past Kopmeyer from close range.
The Pride will see two weeks before their next match, returning to Orlando City Stadium on Aug. 5 to take on Sky Blue FC. The match will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET, with tickets available at orlando-pride.com/tickets or by calling (855) ORL-CITY.
During the break, Pride players Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, Marta, Monica and Poliana will all compete with their respective national teams in the Tournament of Nations.
NWSL Match Report
Match: Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign FC
Date: July 21, 2018
Venue: Orlando City Stadium
Kickoff: 3:50 p.m. ET
Attendance: 5,074
Weather: Clear, Humid
Scoring Summary:
Goals
1
2
F
Seattle (8-4-6)
0
1
1
Orlando (8-6-5)
1
0
1
ORL - Toni Pressley 21’
SEA - Jodie Taylor (Nahomi Kawasumi) 70’
Lineups:
Orlando Pride: Haley Kopmeyer; Ali Krieger ©, Monica, Shelina Zadorsky; Toni Pressley (Camila 59’); Kristen Edmonds (Carson Pickett 80’), Alanna Kennedy, Dani Weatherholt, Chioma Ubogagu (Emily van Egmond 67’); Sydney Leroux, Marta
Substitutes Not Used: Libby Stout; Poliana; Christine Nairn; Danica Evans
Seattle Reign FC: Lydia Williams; Theresa Nielsen, Megan Oyster, Lauren Barnes, Stephanie Catley; Rumi Utsugi (Kristen McNabb 26’), Beverly Yanez (Morgan Andrews 25’), Jessica Fishlock ©; Nahomi Kawasumi (Adriana Leon 79’), Jodie Taylor, Jasmyne Spencer
Substitutes Not Used: Michelle Betos; Christen Westphal, Alyssa Kleiner; Jaycie Johnson
Stats Summary: ORL / SEA
Possession: 47.4% / 52.6%
Shots: 12 / 18
Shots on Goal: 4 / 8
Saves: 6 / 3
Corner Kicks: 4 / 6
Fouls: 17 / 4
Offsides: 2 / 7
Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Lauren Barnes (Yellow Card) 90+1’
