The Seattle Reign officially clawed their way into 8th place, snagging that final playoff spot with a gritty 3-1 win over the last-place Chicago Stars, and only two matches left in the regular season. This wasn’t some pretty W in the Windy City, folks, but it was exactly what our Emerald City squad needed to leapfrog the North Carolina Courage, who dropped their match against the San Diego Wave. What a nail-biter, right?
Grinding It Out In Chicago
Let’s be real, games in Chicago are rarely a beauty contest, and this one was no different. The Stars parked the bus, sitting deep and compact, making it a frustrating first half for the Reign to find any rhythm or use their width. We didn’t even register a shot until the 33rd minute when Jess Fishlock put a header on target, which the keeper saved. But you know what? That seemed to wake the team up! Five minutes later, the breakthrough happened. Ainsley McCammon delivered one of her signature long switches to Jess Fishlock. Our 39-year-old midfielder, the absolute legend, faked out a pass to Sofia Huerta, then dropped a dime over the backline into the box. Who was there? Maddie Mercado. She brought it down with her chest and then, before it even hit the ground, volleyed a low shot right into the net! Pure class, pure clutch.
Mercado’s Magic And A Playoff Push
The second half was just as disjointed, but the Reign found a way to double the lead in the 80th minute. After a free kick got cleared to Sofia Huerta on the right, she whipped a cross right into the box where Nérilia Mondésir, who came off the bench, was waiting unmarked. One touch away from the goal, a turn of her hips, and a shot into the left corner. Boom! That’s how you get it done in a playoff race. Then, just four minutes later, Mercado put the cherry on top, completing her brace! Brittany Ratcliffe, another sub, stole the ball from Nadia Gomes, whose keeper’s pass was just a mess. Ratcliffe then crossed it in, and Mercado headed it home. Ten goals for Mercado now, making her the first Reign player to hit double digits since the great Megan Rapinoe did it back in 2017. Talk about stepping up! And get this, the Reign have now scored in 11 straight road matches. Yeah, you heard that right. Chicago did pull one back in the 90th minute with Simone Charley beating Jordyn Bugg to slot it in, their only shot on target all game, but it was way too little, too late.
With only two matches left, the Reign have to hold onto this 8th spot. Every pass, every tackle, every shot in these next two games is going to matter. This team just showed they can win even when it’s ugly, and that’s the kind of grit we’ll need to stay in the dance. Let’s keep that playoff dream alive!
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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