A highly anticipated meeting between league-leading San Diego Wave and perennial NWSL Championship contender OL Reign delivered on Sunday afternoon at Torero Stadium in SoCal.
The home crowd was on its feet in the eighth-minute as Alex Morgan got on the end of goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan's long ball forward before cooly collecting her ninth goal of the season in just nine appearances.
GOALKEEPER ASSIST @Kailen_Sheridan feeds @alexmorgan13, who just cannot stop scoring these days #WaveFC | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/58Nx9gzC58
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 12, 2022
The Reign have been creating chances without finishing this season, but those ails came to end in the 38th-minute with a wonderful team goal that came to life with a backheel from Jess Fishlock before the 35-year-old continued on a run into the box and finished on the half-volley from Rose Lavelle's chip.
@JessFishlock called it #BoldTogether | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/qp9jUiNS1w
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 12, 2022
The goal by Jess Fishlock (@JessFishlock) for OL Reign and make it 1-1 against San Diego had 22 passes in the buildup, the highest number of passes towards a goal scored in the current #NWSL season, surpassing the 12 by Midge Purce against Washington.
Data by StatsPerform. pic.twitter.com/wCFzyYrijQ— Tony ⚡ (@xGisfornerds) June 12, 2022
Minutes after halftime, Megan Rapinoe almost gave the Reign the lead with a 20-yard effort that came back off the crossbar, and then Lavelle curled one inches wide in the 66th.
The match would finish 1-1 so San Diego remains undefeated at home (2-0-2) and in first place with 15 points from nine games, while the Reign haven't won away (0-2-2) but now have 10 points in eight matches.
Elsewhere in NWSL play on Sunday, Mallory Pugh got her fifth of the season for Chicago.
@MalPugh ARE YOU SERIOUS #MKOT | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/B6cqkXzlkY
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 12, 2022
