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For the second season in a row, the Reign will host the Washington Spirit in the NWSL playoff semifinals after dominating the regular season and winning the Shield. If they advance to the final, for the second season in a row they will face Kansas City away from home. The only thing they want to change is the ending. The Spirit will try to flip the whole script and deliver the Reign their first ever loss at Memorial Stadium.
Read our detailed preview for all of the ins and outs of tonight's matchup. The brief summary is that stopping Crystal Dunn is the key to stopping the Spirit. No Spirit player other than the Golden Boot winner has more than 5 goals this season. She has 6 of the team's 8 game-winning goals and her 48 shots on goal is more than twice as many as second-place Christine Nairn's 20. If Seattle's defense can control her at home, as they did in their first matchup here in May, they will have done most of the work needed to make it to a second consecutive NWSL final.
US international Ali Krieger will be out for Washington with a wedding in the family. The only roster question for Seattle is whether Bev Yanez — who was the team's leading scorer for most of the year but suffered a hip injury last month — will be available. In the injury report she's listed as Probable, so at least a sub appearance might be possible.
Like all of the playoff matches, this one is broadcast by Fox and will be on TV on Fox Sports 1, or online on Fox Sports Go. It will not be on Youtube or Fox Soccer 2 Go. Of course, the best way to watch will be in person under the shadow of the Space Needle.