On Sunday afternoon, the Reign head to Audi Field to take on the Washington Spirit. The match kicks off at 1:00 PM Pacific and will air on NWSL+ and Fox 13+. Facing one of the league's best teams, the match should be a stiff test of the Reign's growth this year, and with the Reign just four points above the playoff line, the stakes are huge.
The Spirit started the season on a hot streak despite several players returning from injury or playing on restricted minutes, and they have adapted to a number of new challenges throughout the season, including a coaching change and a season-ending injury to star forward Ashley Hatch. They sit in 2nd place and have scored the second-most goals in the league this season, behind only the runaway Shield-leading Current. Though undefeated in their last six matches, the Spirit also have just two wins in their last seven, dropping results in a number of matches following their 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns on June 15.
The Reign come into the match struggling for points and winless in four, with their struggles also starting at a difficult away loss to Portland. Since that loss, they've posted three draws, including a devastating 3-3 draw to the Chicago Stars, where they led 3-0 midway through the second half.
Both teams could badly use a win to help secure their playoff positioning in an incredibly tightly contested table.
Speaking on the challenge presented by Washington's multifaceted attack, Phoebe McClernon struck an optimistic tone. "I think we're pretty excited. I think, more than them being threatening, we have a lot left to prove this season, and it's another opportunity for us to get out there and do that. I think that we compete with the best of the teams in the league, and it's another opportunity for us to show that."
There may be some unexpected rotation from the Reign, as head coach Laura Harvey told reporters that the team is dealing with an illness this week and has had to train with several different starting lineups.
Head-to-Head
- The Reign are 14-11-8 all-time against the Spirit, including a 4-6-3 away record.
- The Reign have scored 48 all-time goals against the Spirit while conceding 38.
- In their last match, on May 23, the Spirit defeated the Reign 2-1 at Lumen Field, scoring via Ashley Hatch and Croix Bethune. Shae Holmes scored the Reign's lone goal, her first in the NWSL.
Recent results
- With a 9-4-5 record, the Spirit sit in 2nd place in the NWSL. They have scored 29 goals while conceding 25.
- The Reign have a 7-5-6 record on the season, and come into the match in 6th place. They have scored 25 goals while conceding 21.
- The Spirit are undefeated in their last six games, but have also won just twice in that span. They're coming off a tightly contested 1-1 draw against the Chicago Stars, which saw Ludmila score a second-half equalizer to steal a point.
- The Reign are winless in four, turning in three consecutive draws after their rough 4-2 defeat away at Portland. Their last match was a cagey, tactically inconclusive scoreless draw against the San Diego Wave.
2024 results
- The Spirit ended 2024 in 2nd place with an 18-6-2 record, scoring 51 goals and conceding 28.
- They beat Bay FC and Gotham FC en route to the finals, where they lost 1-0 to the reigning champion Orlando Pride.
- The Reign ended in 13th place with a 6-15-5 record.
Recent moves and transfers
- Washington kept much of their finals-run core intact for the 2025 season, though injuries hampered them significantly in the early going.
- Mexican international Rebeca Bernal, defensive midfielder Narumi Miura, Nigerian forward Gift Monday, and backup goalkeeper Sandy MacIver rounded out their most consequential offseason moves.
- In the summer window, the Spirit added Italian forward Sofia Cantore, who has contributed 2 goals in just over 250 minutes of NWSL play.
- Since the Reign last played the Spirit, veteran forward Ashley Hatch was moved to the season-ending absence list (due to pregnancy), and Trinity Rodman returned to the field after an absence to treat her long-term back injury.
Spirit players to watch
Rosemonde Kouassi: Though she started the season injured, Rosemonde Kouassi went on an absolute scorcher as soon as she got back on the pitch, racking up three of the best assists you'll ever see in a three-match run against Angel City, Chicago, and Utah. A creative winger with speed to spare and a brilliant touch on the dribble, Kouassi uses the width to its fullest and can put in a cross like few others. She recently notched her fourth assist of the season in a 2-1 win against the Portland Thorns and scored her second goal in a 2-2 draw against Louisville.
The numbers all bear out the eye test: she's basically peerless in the league both as a crosser and a dribbler, and she carries the ball with the absolute best. She missed last week's match with a knee injury. If she features on Sunday, the Reign will have to be sharp and limit her time and space on the ball to keep Washington's multi-pronged attack quiet.
Gift Monday: Since joining the Spirit in the offseason, Gift Monday has contributed significantly to their attack, helping to cover first for the absence of Trinity Rodman, and now for the absence of Ashley Hatch. She has 5 goals and 2 assists in NWSL play, including an assist against the Reign in the Spirit's 2-1 win in May. Recently, her pace has slowed, with just one goal and one assist in her past five matches, including two shorter substitute appearances against Bay FC and the Chicago Stars, but she remains an incredibly dynamic attacker with multiple tools in her kit, and the Reign have already seen how she can cut a game open when given the chance.
Trinity Rodman: Transcendently talented and historically one of Washington's best and most important attackers, Trinity Rodman scored in her return from injury, a substitute appearance in a 2-1 win against the Portland Thorns. She hasn't found the net again in her four NWSL matches since, though against both Bay FC and Chicago, she looked more like her old self, finding good shots and good chances despite the lack of tangible on-field rewards.
What to watch
Lower Octane, Still Dangerous: By most any metric, the Spirit's offense has slowed after starting off on a real heater: after scoring 21 goals in their opening 11 matches, they've put up just 8 goals in their last seven. The chances they've created have also been of generally lower quality, and while they've lost just once in that stretch, they've struggled to reach the level of swagger and eye-popping offense they were laying down before the international break. Injuries and other absences have taken their toll – Ashley Hatch's absence in particular has coincided with their goalscoring struggles – but they remain a dangerous side with a number of capable players to call on, including Monday, Rodman, Croix Bethune, and Leicy Santos.
Even a depleted Washington fields a team with multiple weapons, and they can find an edge from almost anywhere on the pitch. They create a lot from open play, the chances they create are significantly better than average, and they're good at both taking on defenders on the dribble and creating danger from distance, from the touchlines, and from the endline.
"I think just recognizing what they're trying to do – I think one thing they've been since the break is really adaptable and fluid in how they play." Laura Harvey, effusive in her praise, offered some insights into keeping the Spirit quelled. "They play in multiple formations, the players play in multiple different roles – Trinity plays down the left, Trinity plays down the right, Trinity plays up the middle. All of these things mean you've got to adapt in the moment."
"We've done a good job of late, outside of the Portland game, of really reducing the opponent to limited opportunities. [...] Hopefully, tomorrow, we can keep that up."
Opportunities in transition: In adjusting to their diminished attacking corps, the Spirit have frequently attempted to overload one side in recent matches, getting their highly technical attackers in closer proximity to combine and break down defenses. This has had mixed results, both providing for some high-leverage chances and exposing them to more counterattacking opportunities than they were giving up early in the season. If the Reign can win the ball back and find their moments, there should be opportunities to break with a switching ball to a player like Maddie Dahlien or Sofia Huerta: three weeks ago, Racing Louisville demonstrated this repeatedly in a 2-2 draw, finding one transitional opportunity after another while holding just 41% of the possession.
While unbeaten in six, the Spirit look beatable. They're more frequently stretched, more frequently challenged, more frequently exposed, and dropping points they likely would have banked in their storming early campaign.
Injury / Availability Report
Seattle Reign
OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (knee), Ryanne Brown (SEI – knee), Hanna Glas (illness), Shae Holmes (ankle), Angharad James-Turner (illness), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Cassie Miller (D45 - leg)
Washington Spirit
OUT: Rebeca Bernal (foot), Ashley Hatch (maternity leave), Lyza Jessee - SEI wrist), Casey Krueger (knee), Ouleye Sarr (SEI – back), Andi Sullivan (maternity leave)
How to watch
The Reign will face the Washington Spirit at 1:00 PM Pacific at Audi Field on Sunday, September 7. The match will air on NWSL+ and Paramount+, as well as on Fox 13+ in the Seattle area.
