MATCH DAY 1
Seattle Reign FC 2
Utah Royals FC 1
July 19, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup
The first NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup kicked off for Seattle and Utah on Friday night. The two clubs find themselves at or near the bottom of the table going into the Olympic break, the Summer Cup possibly providing an opportunity to take a crack at a trophy in 2024.
With internationals not available or just returning from duty, it is also an opportunity for many in each squad to grab some playing time.
Utah’s return to NWSL play has been a slow start, already resulting in a coaching change.
Reign FC have had a rough 2024, but are looking for a late season run in. In both 2022 and 2023 late season shifts in form led to a Shield and a championship appearance.
Both sides came out with pressure, pushing for an early goal or to create a mistake. As a result, the early stages was a pretty wide open field.
The hosts managed a set piece header just a few minutes in. The visitors forced Reign keeper Laurel Ivory into a tricky save in the 13th amidst a period of pressure.
Cup matches with squad rotation often provide a glimpse into possible futures of clubs. For Seattle, the mix of rotation regulars also included a look at Maddie Mercado, Sam Meza, and Julia Lester. Rookie Emeri Adames was provided an opportunity to start, a long with McKenzie Weinert on the front line.
The two sides had recently played to a 1-1 draw in Seattle just before the international break. The two starting elevens that took the field for the cup match looked nothing like those line ups.
The flow of play in the first half was fairly open and end to end, but not the sometimes near frantic like pace and pressure of league matches. Both found a few opportunities, but the defenses held as the first half progressed.
Olivia Athens would open the scoring in the 43rd minute, converting from the spot from a foul on Weinert. The goal would not carry into the interval. Utah forward Paige Monaghan nearly had leveled in stoppage time on a counter, but the Reign defense held, to hold the one nil scoreline.
Moments later however, the match would be leveled when Cameron Tucker was left open on the far post and blasted a volley past Ivory.
The open play and pressing continued into the second half. Both sides continued to create the odd chance, but neither keeper was especially tested.
in the 77th minute Sofia Huerta would get a head on a far post cross from Tziarra King, nabbing the second goal and putting the Reign back in the lead 2-1. Seattle has moved towards not merely overlapping with their outside backs, but in pushing them up into midfield wings on transition as 2024 has progressed. The eventual game winner was an example of how that approach pushes their forwards up higher, a move which bought King the time to set up the goal and Huerta the space to get to the far post.
The Royals would push for the late equalizer, creating a number of chances in the waining minutes.
The 2-1 margin gives Seattle the early advantage in the group phase of the Summer Cup.
Ainsley McCammon would debut in the 90th minute for the Reign, her signing having been announced earlier in the day with Jordyn Bugg.
BOX
Scoring Summary
SEA: Athens – 43’, Huerta – 76′
UTA: Tucker – 45+5’
Discipline
SEA: Stanton (Caution – 50′), Meza (Caution – 63′)
UTA: Betfort (Caution – 75′)
Lineups
SEA: GK Ivory, D Holmes, D Brown (Huerta 46’), D McClernon, D Lester, M Stanton, M Athens (McCammon 90’), M Mercado (Meza 57’), F Adames (King 65’), F Weinert (Balcer 65’), F Latsko Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, D Perez, D Bugg, D Cook
Total Shots: 9 (Balcer, Weinert – 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 8 (Weinert – 3)
Offsides: 0
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Ivory – 2)
UTA: GK Roque, D Del Fava (Merrick 46’), D Tejada, D Burns, D Pogarch (O’Brien 88’), D Riehl, M Foederer (Boren 86’), F Mozingo, F Monaghan (c) (Murison 86’), F Tucker, F BetfortUnused substitutes: GK Haught, D Smith-Griffitts, M Nyberg, F Vasconcelos
Total Shots: 11 (Monaghan, Pogarch – 3)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)
Fouls: 12 (Tejada – 4)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Roque – 2)
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referee 1: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referee 2: Eric Krueger
4th Official: Dion Coxe-Trieger
*****
MATCH DAY 2
Seattle Reign FC 2
Club Tijuana 3
July 28, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup
Club Tijuana visited Seattle on Sunday afternoon for a Summer Cup match with Seattle Reign FC. The group phase match was the second for both sides, with a chance for Seattle to take hold of the top of the table on the line.
Tijuana took it right at the hosts. A quick exchange and a nice touch by Aisha Solorzano with Reign keeper Laurel Ivory out of her box put the guests up one nil in the second minute.
The early goal immediately upped the pace of the match and gave the visitors a boost. They nearly doubled their lead a few minutes later but the post saved the Reign from a tough early deficit.
Seattle began to get their feet under them, creating some chances and getting McKenzie Weinert through on a number of occasions, but the goalpost also helped Tijuana in the 21st minute, preserving the early lead.
As the opening half progressed, the bulk of the play would move more into the Tijuana half. The Reign would begin to assert themselves, creating more and more chances, but not breaking through the level the match.
Solorzano would double the lead for Tijuana in the 40th minute, somehow getting clear of the Reign defense and drilling a low shot from top of the box past Ivory. The Guatemalan had only had a few chances and touches in the first half, but had made the most of it with two excellent touches for a first half brace.
Coming off a five goal loss to Portland, Tijuana found themselves up by two at the half in Seattle
Seattle came out of the break on their front foot, needing to grab the next goal.
Emeri Adames would in fact cut the lead in the 47th minute, finding her way through a number of defenders and launching a left footed blast just under the bar from the top of the box. Much as both of Tijuana’s goals had been moments of excellent touch, Adames’ goal was a moment of class.
Maddie Mercado would get her first professional goal in the 63rd minute, leveling the match at two. Mercado’s goal was a case of following up a play and making the most of a one touch opportunity.
With the match level, a number of Reign regulars came on with about 25 minutes to grab a winner.
Solorzano would complete her hat trick instead, grabbing the lead back for Tiuana in the 84th minute with a left footed near post blast.
Squad rotation for the Reign was in full effect. Jordyn Bugg made her debut. Sam Meza got her first start. Alana Cook is now with KC and no longer with the club. Laurel Ivory was captain.
Seattle would throw everything forward in the waining minutes and stoppage time. A number of late chances just did not convert into goals.
The 3-2 margin is a big win for Club Tijuana, especially after conceding the lead to grab the late winner.
Squad rotation for the Reign was in full effect. Jordyn Bugg made her debut. Sam Meza got her first start. Alana Cook is now with KC and no longer with the club. Laurel Ivory was captain.
BOX
Scoring Summary
SEA: Adames – 47’, Mercado – 62′
TIJ: Solórzano – 2’, 40’, 84’
Discipline
SEA: James-Turner (Caution – 69′)
TIJ: Pelayo (Caution – 89’)
Lineups
SEA: GK Ivory (C), D Bugg, D Woodham, D Lester, M Stanton (Huerta 46’), M Meza (Ji 67’), M Athens, M Mercado (Latsko 67’), M James-Turner, F Adames (King 87’), F Weinert (Balcer 67’)
Unused substitutes: GK Perez, D McClernon, D Holmes, M McCammon
Total Shots: 17 (Adames – 5)
Shots on Goal: 9 (Adames – 4)
Fouls: 7 (Seven tied with – 1)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 11
Saves: 1 (Ivory – 1)
TIJ: GK Gonzalez, D Diaz, D Martinez (Villalobos 77’), D Alvarado, D Fong, M Herrera (Fernandez 68’), M Pelayo, M Martinez (Cox 68’), M Hernandez (C) (Izaguirre 77’), F Marroquin (Espinosa 62’), F Solorzano
Unused substitutes: F Carrandi, F Munguia, D Mora, GK Gutierrez
Total Shots: 6 (Solorzano – 4)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Solorzano – 4)
Fouls: 13 (Pelayo – 5)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 0
Saves: 7 (Gonzalez – 7)
Referee: Jaclyn Metz
Assistant Referee 1: Sharon Gingrich
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Beck
4th Official: Kelsey Harms
Reign v Tijuana Photos by Lee Pate
