clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Five things to know when OL Reign visit Racing Louisville

The road match kicks off 5 PM PT on Tuesday.

NWSL: Racing Louisville FC at OL Reign Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

After a thrilling come-from-behind win on Saturday, OL Reign conclude their three-game road trip against Racing Louisville. The match kicks off at 5 PM PT and will stream on Paramount+ for fans in the U.S. and Twitch for international viewers.

OL Reign enter the match with a 5-3-5 record and sit in 5th place. They have scored 14 goals and allowed 11. Racing Louisville are 2-6-5 and sit 11th in the standings. They have scored 14 goals and allowed 20.

The last time these two teams faced off in May, it was a 2-2 draw, with Tziarra King scoring both goals for the Reign.

OL Reign are back at home on Sunday, so they'll be managing minutes again for this road game.

Here are 5 things to know about OL Reign’s competition.

Recent struggles

Racing Louisville haven't won a game in eight matches. That doesn't mean they aren't a dangerous team, as a lot of those games have been close. With a frustrating streak like that, the home team will be even more motivated for a result on Tuesday.

Regardless of the setting they walk into, OL Reign remain focused on themselves.

"You can get caught up in what another team’s going through and then you take away the focus on you, and I think that we’re a team that when we focus on ourselves and we get what we want to be right, I believe we can beat anybody," said head coach Laura Harvey. "So, I think we have to take that mindset into tomorrow’s game, too.”

A possession battle

Unlike last year, when they played rather direct, Louisville so far in 2022 has looked to build play through possession. They are averaging 52% possession. Interestingly, while the Reign are averaging 50% possession, they are also averaging 313 passes a game compared to 285 passes per game for Louisville.

Two teams that like to cross

The Reign and Louisville lead the league in accurate crosses per match, with the Reign completing 6.5 compared to 5.1 for Racing Louisville. OL Reign defenders will need to stay tight in the box.

Dynamic rookie midfielders

Racing Louisville are currently led by rookie midfielder Savannah DeMelo. She leads the league — by a long distance — in chances created (37 compared to the next best 26). She can do it all, including hit an extremely dangerous free kick just outside the box. She currently has 3 goals and 1 assist.

Alongside DeMelo is rookie midfielder Jaelin Howell, a holding midfielder who is a ball winner and someone who holds onto the ball well. With those two running the midfield, Louisville can often power through teams to move the ball forward.

Lots of shots

Racing Louisville currently concedes the second most shots on target in the league, and goalkeeper Katie Lund has the most saves. After the Reign hit a season high for shots (25) in their 3-2 win over Angel City, which was their first road win of the year, they'll be looking to do the same against a shaky Louisville defense. And continue to finish their chances yet again — as OL Reign leads the league in big chances missed.

Injury / Availability Report

OL Reign

OUT: Bethany Balcer (Illness), Angelina (international duty)

Racing Louisville

OUT: None

How to Watch

OL Reign kick off against Racing Louisville at 5 PM PT. The road match will stream on Paramount+ for fans in the U.S. and Twitch for international viewers.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Sounder At Heart Weekly Roundup newsletter!

A twice weekly roundup of Seattle Sounders and OL Reign news from Sounder at Heart