After their midweek draw at Kansas City the Reign's record is no longer perfect, but they're still undefeated. Now they come home to Memorial to face Abby Wambach and the Western New York Flash for the first time this season.
The KC game was the least dominant showing for Seattle this year, though it says something that a draw on the road against a very good team with plenty of chances to take the win is a relatively poor outing. The Reign are currently hurting from a lack of dangerous wing play. With all of Nahomi Kawasumi, Megan Rapinoe, and Stephanie Cox out, Seattle is struggling for attacking width. And that's allowing teams to collapse centrally to deny space to Kim Little and Jess Fishlock. Fortunately, Cox should be available to start again at left back today after coming on as a sub midweek. Kawasumi's time with the Japanese national team is done after they won the Women's Asia Cup early this morning our time, but we'll be one more game without her. Rapinoe's foot injury still has her listed as out.
I'll be up-front about my biases. I think Western New York are the Earthquakes of NWSL. They have enough players throwing elbows (or fists) and diving that you might not be seeing a pretty game — especially with Samantha Kerr away with the Australian national team (who just lost in the final to Japan). But if the Reign can avoid conceding a penalty and Fishlock and Winters can outmuscle them in the midfield, Seattle should be able to hold off a fairly punchless offense and give themselves a good chance of continuing their perfect record at home.