OL Reign vs. North Carolina Courage: Gamethread

As the regular season nears an end, OL Reign has an important match at home against the North Carolina Courage. The Lumen Field match kicks off at 5 PM PT and will air on FOX 13+ locally, in addition to streaming on Paramount+.

While the Reign have struggled to be consistent this year, they are still dominant at Lumen Field, with a 6-2-1 home record. North Carolina, meanwhile, has six losses on the road, tied for the most in the league.

Match Preview: OL Reign v. North Carolina Courage

Three big points are on the line as the Reign host the Courage on Sunday.

Sounder at HeartSusie Rantz

OL Reign enters the day in sixth place, with an 8-8-3 record. They are one point behind the Courage, who are in fifth with an 8-7-4 record. A win could put the Reign as high as third, while a loss would mean they are no longer in control of their own playoff destiny.

Just two matches remain after tonight's game.

What to Watch

• NC in possession: The Courage will dominate possession – that's pretty much a given. The Reign need to stay organized behind the ball, tracking North Carolina's quick movement.
• Score first: The Reign are extremely hard to beat – especially at home – when scoring first.
• Transition game: Look for the Reign to transition quickly when winning the ball. It's how the Orlando Pride dominated the Courage last match. Despite their recent losses, the Reign press has been effective lately. Can they turn it into goals?

Officials

Lineups

Highlights

21' - Bethany Balcer goal!!!!

42' And Kerolin equalizes for the Courage.

45' - Alana Cook takes down Kerolin to prevent a breakaway goal, getting a red card.

Injury / Availability Report

OL Reign

OUT: Sofia Huerta (leg), Rose Lavelle (leg)

NC Courage

OUT: Emily Gray (SEI – knee), Riley Jackson (D45 – foot), Estelle Johnson (excused absence), Rikako Kobayashi (knee), Clara Robbins (SEI – lower leg), Meredith Speck (SEI – knee), Olivia Wingate (mid-body), Malia Berkely (suspension)

How to Watch

Time/Date: Sunday, October 1, 5 PM PT

Location: Lumen Field, Seattle

TV: FOX 13+

Streaming: Paramount+ (US), TSN+ (Canada), NWSL Website (International)

Join the Discussion

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