Seattle Reign Clinches a Spot in the NWSL Playoffs
The Seattle Reign secured their place in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs after defeating the Utah Royals 2-1. The match, played on Friday night, saw Sofia Huerta convert a crucial penalty in the 67th minute, sealing the victory for the home team.
The triumph propelled Reign (10-7-8) to third place in the standings, extending their unbeaten streak at Lumen Field to seven games.
Ainsley McCammon opened the scoring for Seattle with a header in stoppage time of the first half, following a cross from Maddie Dahlien. This was the 18-year-old’s first goal.
The Royals (5-13-7) managed to tie the match in the 61st minute thanks to a goal by Paige Monaghan, whose left-footed shot beat goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
Minutes later, Utah’s Bianca St-Georges committed a foul in the area, allowing Huerta to convert the penalty and restore the lead for the Reign.
Reign captain Lauren Barnes, who announced her retirement at the end of the season, started the match. Last week, Barnes became the first player to reach 250 regular season appearances. Barnes has played her entire career with the Reign, since the league’s inception in 2013, and has participated in 251 of the club’s 277 matches.
Manaka Matsukubo Shines with a Hat-Trick for the North Carolina Courage
Manaka Matsukubo scored three goals, leading North Carolina Courage to a 4-1 victory against Bay FC. This triumph keeps the team in the fight for a playoff spot.
Matsukubo scored his first goal in the third minute, followed by a second in the eighth minute. Penelope Hocking scored for Bay FC in the added time of the first half.
Shinomi Koyama extended the lead for Courage (8-8-9) in the 74th minute, before Matsukubo completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute.
The North Carolina was just outside the playoff zone in the league standings, one point behind Racing Louisville, who occupied the eighth and final spot, with one game remaining in the regular season. The victory ended a three-game winless streak for the Courage.
Bay FC (4-13-8) was already eliminated from the playoffs.
