The Seattle Reign FC are back at Lumen Field this Sunday, September 6, still clinging to that 8th place spot and the final playoff berth after a clutch 1-0 win against Houston last Sunday. Maddie Dahlien’s second-half finish was all the Emerald City needed to grab those points, but now things get real tough. San Diego Wave rolls into town as one of the league’s hottest teams, sitting comfy in 4th place, and they’re bringing a serious threat with them.
The Lumen Field Fortress vs. The League’s Hottest Talent
Our Reign squad is undefeated at Lumen Field since the summer break, rocking a sweet 3-0-1 record, and you know the fans are going to be absolutely buzzing for this one. Midfielder Sam Meza summed it up, “Last time we were away, we were playing in their stadium and that’s not always easy. It was a hot game. This time around, we’ll be home, which is naturally just an advantage for us. We enjoy being home. We enjoy playing with our fans being here and supporting us. We’re really excited.” That home advantage is huge, especially with a tough matchup coming off a 9-8-4 record. But we’re going to need that energy because we’re missing some serious firepower. Ainsley McCammon, who leads the team with four assists, is gone, along with Emeri Adames and Evan O’Steen. All three are representing the U.S. in the U-20 Women’s World Cup, which is awesome for them, but a real challenge for us.
San Diego’s Scorching Streak and a Familiar Foe
San Diego, sitting at 12-7-3, isn’t just hot; they’re on an absolute tear. Forward Trinity Byars was just named NWSL Player of the Week after a two-goal explosion in their 3-2 comeback win over Racing Louisville. This 23-year-old missed almost all of 2025 recovering from a torn ACL, but 2026 is her breakout year, and she’s showing out. Byars has racked up four goals and two assists in just her last two matches. She started the season coming off the bench but quickly became a starter, a testament to her instincts in the box, danger in transition, and ability to score from anywhere. Back in July, when we beat San Diego 2-0 on the road thanks to goals from Maddie Mercado and Jordyn Bugg (both assisted by our absent McCammon!), Byars was dangerous. She put up three shots totaling 0.66 expected goals, but Claudia Dickey and the Reign defense shut her down. Rookie right back Mimi Van Zanten has also become a critical piece in San Diego’s lineup. We can’t let Byars get that many chances again.
Our Reign has historically owned this series, with a 10-1-3 overall record against the Wave, and an even better 5-0-1 at home. We’ve poured in 20 goals against them while only letting in 7. But this San Diego team has scored 32 goals this season (we’ve got 26) and only given up 25 (we’ve also conceded 26). Their road record is impressive too, at 6-2-2 compared to our 5-3-2 at home. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2, so get ready to cheer on the Reign. This is a massive game to keep that playoff dream alive, especially defending our home turf against a red-hot opponent. Let’s make Lumen Field roar!
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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