The Seattle Reign are back at Lumen Field this Sunday afternoon, and this isn’t just another game, folks. Our squad is holding onto the 8th and final playoff spot by a thread, with the Houston Dash breathing down our necks just two points behind in 10th place. Every single match matters now, with only ten left in the season, and the Dash want what’s ours.
The Battle for 8th Place Is Heating Up, 12s!
This is it. The Reign, sitting at 8-8-4 with 28 points, are looking to solidify that playoff position. The Dash aren’t far behind at 7-9-5 with 26 points, though they’ve played one more match. The good news for us? This is the first of three straight home matches for our Reign, and we know our team brings it at Lumen Field. They’re 4-3-2 at home this season, while Houston struggles on the road with a 2-6-2 record. You hear that, 12s? We need to pack the house!
Our last outing saw us claw out a 1-1 road draw against Kansas City, going up early, giving up a penalty, but holding on for a crucial point. Houston, on the other hand, fell 1-0 to Bay FC on the road, even after creating a bunch of good chances. So, they’ll be hungry. Remember our first meeting this season? It was a scoreless draw in water-logged Houston. Both sides had chances, but the goalkeepers were just too good. We put up 16 shots and 1.74 expected goals in that game, so we know we can break them down.
Historically, the Reign own this matchup against the Dash with an 18-6-6 record overall. Even better, at home, we’re 10-2-2. We’ve scored 50 goals against them, and they’ve only managed 22. That’s a serious advantage we need to leverage this Sunday!
Their Key Players Could Ruin Our Sunday
Alright, so who do we need to watch out for from Houston? First up, their veteran goalkeeper Jane Campbell. This woman is having a fantastic season, second in the league in total saves, and has prevented a league-high 11.8 expected goals. She made five saves against us in May, so our shots need to be precise, not just powerful, if we want to get past her. Seriously, the NWSL even tweeted about her “TWO massive saves in less than one minute.” She’s that good.
Then there’s rookie Kat Rader, who’s a contender for NWSL Rookie of the Year. She leads Houston with nine goals, but it’s not just her scoring. Rader also leads the Dash in expected assists and chances created, playing mostly as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. Our defense has to be glued to her, limiting her time on the ball is non-negotiable. And don’t forget right back Avery Patterson. She’s been one of Houston’s best players since joining the league in 2024. These three can absolutely make life tough for us.
This Sunday at 4 p.m. PT, the Reign kick off what could be a season-defining three-game homestand. Every point is gold. Let’s make Lumen Field a fortress and protect that playoff spot! You can catch all the action streaming live on the Roku Channel.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Sounder at Heart.
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