Reign get burned in Portland heat

Seattle Reign FC traveled down south to take on rival Portland Thorns on a blistering hot August afternoon. Things looked positive for the Reign from the opening whistle. Not yet three minutes into the match, Jess Fishlock teed up Emeri Adames on goal. Thorns goalkeeper MacKenzie Arnold came off her line, and Adames beat her with a single swing of her left foot.

The lead held until the 16th minute, thanks in part to a few Claudia Dickey saves, but a little unnecessary roughness from Jordyn Bugg drew a penalty, which Sam Coffey buried for Portland.

The Thorns pulled ahead in the 26th minute, when the Reign failed to clear a corner attempt and closed in too tightly on the rebound, allowing Jessie Fleming to chip the ball ahead for Reilyn Turner to finish.

Portland’s third goal came just after the half and was assisted by a fortunate bounce. Olivia Moultrie’s shot deflected off Madison Curry’s back and right to Reyna Reyes, who headed the ball in with ease.

Seattle bolstered their offense around the 60-minute mark, bringing on super subs in Lynn Biyendolo and Mia Fishel. The Reign attack showed signs of life, exploiting Portland’s weakness defending wide play. Madison Curry took a ball out wide right and crossed it in to meet a rushing Jess Fishlock, who scored a vintage Fishlock diving header.

The spark was short-lived, as the Reign allowed Portland’s dagger fourth goal off the kickoff following Fishlock’s goal. 

What Worked 

Claudia Dickey 

It’s not every day a team gives up four goals and you walk away thinking that was a solid goalkeeping performance. Amidst the onslaught from Portland, Dickey performed with the cool consistency we've seen from her all season. The Thorns took 23 shots, 11 of which were on target. Dickey made seven saves, and despite the team's all-around defensive woes, had a good game.

Instant Offense

Both of Seattle's goals came from polished, high-quality play, an encouraging change from last season and other frustrating losses. Curry, Fishlock, and Adames all did what they do very well, scoring efficiently and effectively in the kinds of quick moments that can turn games around. Though not on the score sheet, Jordyn Huitema was another impactful forward, playing a more defensive role than usual and with a tangible impact.

What didn’t work 

Set Pieces 

Conceding four goals is always rough; giving them up on set pieces and kickoffs is particularly brutal. They are completely in our control and our fault. This is just us in those moments switching off, losing focus," Jess Fishlock shared postgame. "We came into the game knowing that Portland are good on set pieces, and we weren't good enough in those moments today." Head coach Laura Harvey noted that the extreme heat didn't do her team any favors. "The first thing the heat impacts is your brain, and we play a style that you need to be able to use your brain." Both Fishlock and Harvey mentioned the kickoff concession as the most frustrating mental lapse. 'We just completely switched off and conceded arguably one of the worst goals ever," Fishlock lamented. "That's all mental," Harvey said.

The great Megan Rapinoe joined the broadcast and summarized the team's defensive struggles: "Lotta bodies out there, but no one's tracking."

What we learned

Trial by (bon)fire 

Seattle started a young lineup, with only two starters over the age of 25. Many were playing in their first away Cascadia match. Whether by coincidence or a combination of factors, several young stars had uncharacteristically rough performances in the (literal) heat of the moment.

Fishlock, the most experienced starter and today's captain, shared her veteran perspective on the match: "We have a young team, we're learning a lot, but now we're in a different situation. Two teams, fierce rivalry, you’re in a pressure cooker. This was a different type of game - you’ll learn the most from this game, and it will give you the most for your career in stepping forward."

Twenty-four-year-old Madison Curry shared her perspective on the rivalry and the disappointing outcome: "It is a learning moment, and now you know we're a part of the history and we can feel how much that sucks, and that's the biggest learning tool."

Fishlock is confident that the poor outcome won't shake the team's focus. "We have loads of games left. This doesn't need to derail our year, and I know this group won't let it do that."

Absence makes the heart grow Phonder 

This was the Reign's first match without defender Phoebe McClernon, who picked up an acute foot injury in training this week. The team struggled without her strong central defense and never quite recovered. McClernon, for several seasons, has been an asset to the Reign backline with her quiet consistency. Laura Harvey spoke highly of Phoebe's reliability: "Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's not there, and today I feel like Phoebe's presence and organization we lacked a little. It just highlighted how good she's been for us this year."

McClernon was listed as questionable on the availability report and wore a boot on the sideline, which Harvey confirmed is precautionary. She will likely return to play next week.

The Reign are now in 6th place, swapping ranks with Portland, and will host the 1-9-5 Chicago Stars on Monday, August 18, at 7 pm PT.