This Saturday, May 27, at 12:30 p.m., Angel City travels to play OL Reign for the first time in the 2023 regular season. The game will stream live in the US on Paramount+ and internationally at NWSLSoccer.com. An English-language radio broadcast will be available from iHeart.
This will be Angel City's seventh all-time meeting with OL Reign, counting both Challenge Cup and NWSL matches across 2022 and 2023. The two teams have already played both Challenge Cup games for 2023; ACFC's all-time record against the Seattle side is 0–4–1 (W–L–D), including last year's two regular-season losses.
The Reign are currently sitting in fifth place with a 4–3-1 record. Their most recent result was a 4–1 loss at home to Gotham that saw the visitors up 4–0 by the 73rd minute, with Seattle's Jordyn Huitema scoring a consolation goal in the 77th minute.
Angel City are in ninth place with a 2–3–3 record. Their last game was a nil-nil draw on the road at North Carolina, which saw a gritty defensive performance keep the Courage off the board despite lopsided possession.
OL is at a difficult moment in their season, having lost their last two matches—the 4–1 home game against Gotham, and a 1–0 away loss to North Carolina the previous week. But the Reign, a perennially strong team with the most NWSL originals of any club in Megan Rapinoe, Jess Fishlock, and Lauren Barnes—all of whom have played for the Reign since 2013—shouldn't be underestimated.
“OL Reign has been a consistent team over the last few years,' said Head Coach Freya Coombe to the media this week, discussing the implications of having played the team in the Challenge Cup already. 'I don't think playing them twice this season changes that.'
Like many teams, the Reign rotated their lineup heavily in the two Challenge Cup matches they played against ACFC this year. 'I anticipate that they'll go back to more of a regular starting lineup on Saturday,' said Coombe. She also speculates that Reign coach Laura Harvey might make some changes after suffering two losses in a row. 'We're always anticipating changes, particularly after their game last week against NJ/NY Gotham FC. They may look to change things up a little bit.'
Three players, Fishlock, Huitema, and Bethany Balcer, are tied for top scorer for the Reign with three goals each, highlighting the range of scoring threats the team poses; this isn't a team whose attack will be easily stymied by shutting down one key player.
Saturday's matchup pits two teams with opposing strengths, record-wise, against each other: while Reign have only lost one game at home, winning three, Angel City have yet to lose away, with a win and two draws. ACFC's performances on the road have showcased the team's strong defense and gritty, determined mindset.
'We just have a grittier mentality when we're on the road,' said midfielder Dani Weatherholt to the media. 'It's helped us to pick up points on every road game so far... When we're on the road, we do the dirty work, the hard things, and have been able to grind out results. Nothing's changed, travel wise. It's more of a mentality piece.”
One of the strengths of Angel City's attack is its width—in particular, the playmaking punch provided by its wingers, in addition to its outside backs.
Not only does ACFC lead the league in crosses with 136 on the season—and have the second-most accurate crosses of any team, with 26—but wingers Jun Endo and Claire Emslie are both in the top five in the league for assists, with two each on the season. They also lead the team in chances created, with 16 each. Both players are strong crossers and are adept at setting up their teammates in other ways, whether that's by sending long passes up the wings or connecting shorter through balls.