Reign fight back for 2-2 draw at Chicago

On the Bermuda grass at the venerable Soldier Field in south Chicago, Seattle Reign started things off on the front foot, putting together a number of decent looks in the opening 10 minutes. A Jordyn Bugg shot whistled just wide of the post, the Reign were playing confidently in possession, and it looked like just a matter of time before they found the right connection.

Unfortunately, the Chicago (Red) Stars had other plans: Ludmila scorched Bugg high up the pitch in the 11th minute and beat Phoebe McClernon on the run before delivering a lethal strike to Claudia Dickey's far post. And then she did it again two minutes later, outrunning the entire Reign back line to a long clearance and getting in alone to double the Chicago lead.

Add an early injury to Lauren Barnes forcing a first-half sub, and you had an all-around disaster of a half for the Reign.

The Reign regrouped, but the team looked shaken, the young midfield struggling to hold. They found some attacking success toward the end of the half, but lacked both that final bit of quality (natch) and that final bit of luck: Emeri Adames put a shross off the crossbar. Maddie Dahlien went down, and referee Shawn Tehini pointed to the spot, but after an extended review, VAR (correctly) overturned the penalty. Lynn Biyendolo tried to do it all herself and got a quality shot away, but Halle Mackiewicz read it to perfection and made a routine save. Nérilia Mondésir received the ball at the corner of the six, but couldn't turn before a hard, well-timed tackle killed the chance.

Laura Harvey made two halftime substitutions, introducing Sam Meza and Ji So-yun to the beleaguered midfield, and it instantly showed improvement, with both players combining and finding dangerous touches in the opening minutes of the second frame. The Reign hit the crossbar a second time in the 64th minute, as goalkeeper Mackiewicz barely got a finger to Biyendolo's looped shot to push it up onto the woodwork. An 83rd-minute scramble forced Mackiewicz way out of her net, but nobody could take advantage. The Reign finally found their breakthrough in the 87th minute after a protracted run of pressure – Biyendolo cleanly collected Cari Roccaro's desperate clearance, and before Chicago could recover, struck it from the top of the area to give the visiting side life.

And just seconds later, Bugg collected her own blocked cross, drove a few steps forward, and put in a ridiculous swerving ball that beat the keeper and drew the sides level: 2-2 entering stoppage time.

With six additional minutes to play, the Reign ratcheted up the pressure and had a number of half-chances to seize a lead after trailing for 70-plus minutes – Dahlien running rampant up the left side, Biyendolo getting into danger, late sub Maddie Mercado trying to clean up the bounces – but ultimately, Mackiewicz made the saves she needed to, the Reign couldn't find the magical touch a third time, and Shawn Tehini blew the whistle for full time.

What Worked: Half-time changes

While the Reign started the match on the front foot, it came undone with Ludmila's magical counter in the 11th minute, and the Reign's very young midfield pairing of Sally Menti and Ainsley McCammon looked out of sorts and overwhelmed. Chicago quickly racked up a two-goal lead and spent most of the next half hour running Seattle ragged. But the Reign held on, stemmed the bleeding, and made halftime adjustments.

The biggest of them: a rare halftime double sub by Laura Harvey, bringing on Sam Meza and Ji So-yun for McCammon and Mondésir.

The impact was instantaneous, and the added control and numbers allowed the Reign to flip the script, decisively win the midfield battle in the second half, and ultimately apply the pressure they needed to mount a late comeback.

What Didn't Work: Containing Ludmila

After a positive start, the Reign got absolutely scorched by the Stars on the counter, Ludmila shaking off Jordyn Bugg with a filthy turn-and-run and cutting Pheobe McClernon out of her boots before delivering a sizzling finish.

...and then she did it again barely two minutes later, beating the entire back line to a long clearance and running in alone.

Obviously, Ludmila took her chances well and earned her goals, but in the future, the Reign may wish to avoid allowing an opponent to counter so easily and in such quick succession.

What Worked: Never say die

After giving up two goals in 2:15 in the first half, the Reign fought back and largely controlled the second half. Despite the pressure and control they were able to assert, it looked increasingly like they'd walk away with nothing – until the 87th minute, when Biyendolo finally found the back of the net with a lovely strike.

...and then the Reign did it again barely two minutes (2:07) later, with Bugg recovering her own blocked cross and delivering a swerving knuckler of a ball that darted past the back line and found the far side netting.

While the Reign couldn't find the winner in stoppage time, they still did something unprecedented: they are now the first road team in NWSL history to record a multi-goal comeback after the 85th minute.

Fighting to the final whistle, they leave Chicago with a hard-won point despite one of the worst opening halves they've played all season.

"Get our heads out of our... butts"

Answering questions after the match, Lynn Biyendolo brought up the team's mentality and the necessary shifts to claw back a result:

"We definitely have a moment as players to say, get our heads out of our... butts. And second, Laura [Harvey] coming in and saying at the end of the day, it's our team, it's our points, it's our game on the line. She's out there to guide us and light a fire under us, but it starts with us."

She also commented on the team finding its offensive feet, highlighting the youth and the potential, as well as acknowledging some of the struggle.

"I think we just need to shoot the ball! I think that we're looking for the most perfect shot, and sometimes it comes off a deflection, it's scrappy, and I think that that comes with the young mentality. It's usually the attacking part that comes last, and I'm excited to see what this team is going to do, I think we have a lot of talent on this team."

The Reign finish their road trip on Saturday, June 21, at 2 PM PT at the Utah Royals, their final match before the July break and a chance to go into the window on the heels of a very strong road trip. The match will stream on NWSL+ and Paramount+, and air locally on Fox 13+.