The weather is wonderful and the fans ready filled with excitement as Seattle Reign take on the Boston Breakers this afternoon. Seattle Reign are looking to carry the momentum forward from their last win just a few days ago. This game looks to be a promising one.
Things looked pretty even early on with both teams playing it safe opting to move the ball around and keep possession rather then push it forward. A Boston Breakers player was fouled in midfield and the ensuing free kick provided the first real chance of the game. The ball was played long into the box, on the head of an attacker who headed it well but Hope Solo parries it neatly. In the twenty eight minutes Seattle Reign’s Megan Rapone threaded a beautiful trough ball to forward Jessica McDonald which the keeper got to first, providing the Seattle first highlight of the game. A minute later Boston went on the offensive with a shot right outside the box. Hope Sole did a good job tipping it over the top of the bar. The ensuing corner proved to be more difficult to deal with by the Seattle Reign’s defense then it should have been as they scrambled to clear the ball after much hesitation in the box.
Seattle Reign had their second chance with some good passing on the flanks and a subsequent cross. Jessica Fishlock made a good effort to get to it but was easily plucked out the air by the goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher. The Boston Breakers had another chance come their way in the 42nd minute off a corner. The ball was cleared hastily right back into the legs of the kicker who had another chance to swing a good ball in. Joanna Lohman latched on to the ball for a powerful header but goalkeeper Hope Solo did equally well to parry it. Boston had another chance denied by Hope Solo in the 45th minute off a kick inside the 6-yard box. The last piece of action from the half came from the Seattle Reign off a fast break. Jessica McDonald passed it to Fishlock in the middle. Fishlock threaded another beautiful ball splitting two defenders as McDonald continued her run forward, shooting it wide off the post.
At halftime the score tied 0-0.
The second half started on a high note. Seattle Reign made their winning intentions known with some individual dribbling and crosses into the box seemingly warning their opponent of what is to come. Seattle had a good chance in the 50th minute. Jessica Fishlock played a good pass to Megan Rapone who played an excellent trough ball down the middle back to a speedy Fshlock, narrowly shooting it wide. Finally the deadlock was broken in the 54th minute. Seattle Reign’s midfielder Christine Nairn crossed the ball into the box, which was misjudged by the defense and landed neatly to the oncoming Jessica McDonald. McDonald controlled the ball with her chest and slotted it home. 1-0 Seattle Reign.
Seattle continued to pile on the pressure and was awarded a free kick from center field as a result. Jessica McDonald received the ball, played it left to left onto a sprinting Fishlock who shot it wide as the crowd gasp in awe. In the 56th minute Boston Breaker’s Maddy Evans managed to find her self unchallenged by the top of the box and took a shot that was comfortably saved by Hope Solo. That was not to be the case in the 62nd minute however after some poor defending by Seattle in the middle of the box allowed Boston to play the ball wide. She played a low cross across the goal for an easy tap in goal. The score is tied 1-1.
Seattle had two good chances to seal the game. The first coming from Megan Rapone who took an excellent shot from a long ball that was played to her only to be saved by the heroics of the goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher. Naeher, proved her solid self once again when she was called into action in the 62nd minute, making a fine finger tip save from a shot by Jessica McDonald which looked certain to be heading for the back of the net.
Both teams continued to press in the later stages in the game but with no real chances created. The game ended tied 1-1.
