Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Angel City

After a month-long break in NWSL play, Seattle Reign are finally back at Lumen Field on Friday night. They will start the second half of the regular season with a match against Angel City on August 1. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will air on FOX 13+ and stream on NWSL+, Paramount+, and the Fox Local app. For the first time this season, the game will also air on KJR sports radio (950 AM).

The Reign's annual Pride match will feature pre-match and halftime drag performances by TUSH. The first 5,000 in the stadium will receive Pride-themed hand fans, and there will be tutu-making and crown-making stations.

"[This year], we really, really focused on being better away from home, and we have been, but now we've got to match that by being as good as we've been away at home," Reign head coach Laura Harvey said in a pre-match press conference. "And there's no better way than on Pride Night in front of our own fans on a beautiful summer's day in Seattle to put on a really good performance. So that's what we're hoping for."

The match marks the first time Reign newcomer Mia Fishel will be available for NWSL action. She got meaningful minutes in the Reign's two recent friendlies and should be ready to contribute – either from the bench or as a starter. She's likely still on a minutes restriction, and Harvey has mentioned wanting to ensure her transition is successful and not rushed. Sofia Huerta is also back from loan and looks ready to slot in as a wingback for the Reign.

Head-to-head

• The Reign are 8-3-1 all-time against Angel City.
• The Reign are 4-1-1 at home against the LA-based club.
• In 12 games, the Reign have scored 21 goals against Angel City while conceding 12.

2025 results

• Angel City sits 11th on the NWSL table with a 4-6-3 record (15 points). They have scored 20 goals and conceded 24, and are 2-3-1 on the road.
• The Reign sit in 6th place with a 6-4-3 record (21 points). They have scored 17 goals and conceded 13, and are 2-3-1 at home.

Recent results

• Before the month-long NWSL break, Angel City lost 1-0 on the road to first-place Kansas City. They are 0-4-1 in their last five matches.
• The Reign are coming off a 4-1 road win against the Utah Royals. They are 3-1-1 in their last five games.

Roster moves

• Angel City made some key moves this offseason and during the summer transfer window.
• Key offseason departures included Madison Curry, who signed with the Reign as a free agent, midfielder Rocky Rodriguez, who joined Kansas City, and forward Messiah Bright, who went to the Houston Dash.
• The team brought in Australian midfielder/defender Alanna Kennedy and defender Savy King, who slotted in immediately on the backline before collapsing on the field a few months ago due to an underlying congenital heart abnormality. King has since had heart surgery and is recovering.
• The team also signed rookie Riley Tiernan, who is currently the frontrunner for rookie of the year; rookie Macey Hodge, who is a tenacious midfielder; Japanese defender Miyabi Moriya; and French forward Julie Dufour.
• Iceland forward Sveindis Jonsdottir, German defender Sara Doorsoun, and U.S. youth national team midfielder Evelyn Shores have all joined the club during the summer window.
• Japanese forward/midfielder Jun Endo is also off the season-ending injury report after tearing her ACL last year. She's a crafty, technical player and will be looking to remind everyone what she can do.

Players to watch

Alyssa Thompson: Alyssa Thompson has been having an MVP-level season so far for Angel City. The winger is probably the fastest player in the league and has added several new layers to her game this year. She can score in several ways and is finding her teammates more frequently for assists — notching five goals and two assists in her first 12 NWSL matches this year.

As her FB Chart shows, Thompson also uses her speed on the defensive end. She's one of the best defensive pressing forwards and will likely put a lot of pressure on the right side of the Reign's defense.

Thompson has been performing great for the U.S. Women's National Team as well, and this goal scored during her latest USWNT stint perfectly summarizes the many skills she has: dangerous on the dribble, speed, and a lethal shot in transition.

Riley Tiernan: The rookie forward who was a trialist this preseason with Angel City has had a breakout first professional season. She already has seven goals, putting her in contention for the NWSL Golden Boot race. Tiernan is a poacher in the box but can also strike from distance. She's also a physical hold-up player and someone who likes to be direct and go 1v1 against opponents. Check out this video from Busy Watching Women's Sports on Tiernan's path to the NWSL and why she's finding success.

What to watch

Who wins the possession game: Angel City is averaging nearly 52% possession this season, while the Reign average just 46% possession. The Reign, historically a team that dominated possession, switched to a five-back formation for most of this season, which has allowed them to be more comfortable letting other teams have the ball. This has worked out well for the Reign because they've been organized defensively, and they have the threats to punish teams in transition. While the Reign will likely want to keep possession to limit this dynamic Angel City attack, expect them to maintain their same focus on being ruthless in transition.

As Sam Meza said in a pre-match press conference, the Reign have used their extended training sessions to focus on "being defensively dominant, and on the other side in the attack, being clinical and dynamic in the way that we attack."

Limiting Angel City's transitional threats: Angel City is fourth in the league in shots. Last time the Reign played Angel City, they let Alyssa Thompson get far too many touches in the box. Angel City finished with 48 touches in the Reign's box, more than double the average total the Reign allows this season. As Harvey always says, prevention is better than a cure. Expect the Reign to work hard to prevent Thompson and Angel City's attackers from having that much time with the ball higher up the field. Part of that prevention also means the Reign will want to be smart in possession and not give the ball away to Angel City in dangerous spots.

"From our perspective, Angel City was one of our most disappointing performances of the season so far. So we are very motivated to get our performance better than it was the last time we played them," Harvey noted.

Defending crosses: The Reign have been a strong team defensively this year, conceding just 13 goals in 13 matches. A lot of those goals have come from crosses and set pieces into the box, including Tiernan's goal against the Reign back in March. This will certainly be an area of focus for the Reign, as Angel City average the fourth-most crosses in the league.

The Reign have been using this NWSL break to solidify their defensive structure. That likely means they spent time discussing how they can ensure they not only cut off crossing opportunities on the wings but also defend these crosses in the box. Will they be able to put it all together on Friday?

On the flip side, the Reign have Sofia Huerta back, who is arguably the best crosser in the league. Angel City concedes the second most shots in the league. Can the Reign get a goal from their crossing threats? With targets like Lynn Biyendolo, Jordyn Huitema, and Fishel, it's certainly possible.

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lauren Barnes (leg), Ryanne Brown (SEI – knee), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Cassie Miller (D45 – leg)

Angel City

OUT: Elizabeth Eddy (D45 – lower leg), Claire Emslie (maternity leave), Savy King (medical leave), Sophia Mattice (lower leg), Hannah Stambaugh (upper arm), Gisele Thompson (upper leg)

How to watch

The Reign kick off against Angel City on Friday, August 1, at 7:30 p.m. PT. Fans can watch on FOX 13+ locally or NWSL+, Paramount+, and the Fox Local app. The match will also be broadcast on KJR sports radio (950 AM).