Match Report: Seattle Reign FC 2-1 North Carolina Courage | Reign Move to Second in NWSL Standings

Seattle Reign FC secured a crucial away victory against North Carolina Courage on Sunday, climbing to second place in the NWSL standings with a hard-fought 2-1 win at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The match began with both teams looking to establish control in the midfield. Seattle demonstrated their tactical discipline early, creating several promising opportunities through quick transitions. The Reign's backline, anchored by Jordyn Bugg and Phoebe McClernon, effectively neutralized the Courage's attacking threats while allowing Seattle's midfielders to push forward with confidence.

The visitors' patience paid off in the 35th minute when Jess Fishlock opened the scoring, finishing a well-crafted team move assisted by Maddie Mercado. Seattle maintained their advantage through halftime and doubled their lead in the 56th minute when defender Jordyn Bugg unleashed a spectacular long-range strike that will surely contend for goal of the season.

North Carolina refused to surrender and pushed hard to get back into the match. Their persistence paid off in the 59th minute when midfielder Aline Gomes, assisted by Denise O'Sullivan, capitalized on confusion in the Reign defense to pull one back for the Courage.

The momentum shifted dramatically following the goal, with the home side mounting increasing pressure as they searched for an equalizer. Seattle's cause wasn't helped when they lost Fishlock to injury, forcing a tactical adjustment with Samantha Meza coming on in the 70th minute.

Courage dominated the final 20 minutes with several shots on target, but Reign goalkeeper Casey Dickey produced an outstanding performance to preserve the visitors' advantage. Her crucial saves proved decisive as Seattle held on for all three points.

The victory maintains Seattle's unbeaten start to the season with one win and one draw, placing them four points behind league leaders KC Current. Meanwhile, North Carolina drops to 11th place with just one point from their opening two matches.

Seattle's efficient performance was reflected in the match statistics, with the Reign making the most of their opportunities despite having less possession (43% to North Carolina's 57%) and fewer shots (12 to 14). Although they have an inferior passing accuracy (74% compared to North Carolina's 80%) their disciplined defending proved crucial in securing this important road win.

The Reign will look to build on this positive result when they return to action next weekend, while North Carolina will be hoping to earn their first win of the campaign.

Match Details

Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina

Attendance: 8,158

Date: Sunday, March 22, 2025

Time: 4:09 PM (local time)

Competition: National Women's Soccer League (Regular Season)

Weather: Clear, 68°F

Officials:

• Referee: Elvis Osmanovic

• AR1: Katarzyna Wasiak

• AR2: Kendall McCardell

• Fourth Official: Tony Obas

• VAR: Kevin Broadley

Managers:

• North Carolina Courage: Sean Nahas

• Seattle Reign FC: Laura Harvey

Captains:

• North Carolina Courage: Denise O'Sullivan

• Seattle Reign FC: Jess Fishlock

Goals:

• Seattle Reign FC: Jess Fishlock (35', assisted by Maddie Mercado)

• Seattle Reign FC: Jordyn Bugg (56', unassisted)

• North Carolina Courage: Aline Gomes (59', assisted by Denise O'Sullivan)

Cards:

• Yellow Cards: None

• Red Cards: None

Key Substitutions:

• North Carolina Courage: Brianna Pinto for Maycee Bell (79'), Shinomi Koyama for Riley Jackson (79'), Hannah Betfort for Manaka Matsukubo (69'), Meredith Speck for Aline Gomes (69')

• Seattle Reign FC: Lauren Barnes for Maddie Mercado (86'), Olivia Van der Jagt for Ji So-yun (79'), Emeri Adames for Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (71'), Samantha Meza for Jess Fishlock (70')

Season Record:

• North Carolina Courage: 0-1-1

• Seattle Reign FC: 1-1-0

All-Time Series: Seattle 5W-3D-11L North Carolina