Washington looks for its second win in a row
Saturday, 4 p.m. ET | Memorial Stadium | Seattle
Francisca Ordega and the Washington Spirit head west to take on Jess Fishlock and the Seattle Reign fresh on the heels of Washington earning their first victory of the 2017 season.
Ordega scored two goals and added an assist to power the Spirit to a 4-3 home win over Sky Blue in Week 4 as she became the first African-born player to earn NWSL Player of the Week honors. The four-goal outburst was the best offensive return for Washington in the last 84 games, dating back to the 2013 season.
Forward Havana Solaun – who was acquired from the Reign in an offseason trade – also scored her first goal for her new team in the Spirit victory, while midfielder Line Sigvardsen Jensen notched an assist and goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé made six saves.
The victory snapped a five-game regular-season winless run for Washington dating back to last season and averted the worst four-match start to a season in club history.
The Spirit and Reign have traded wins and losses in each of their last five encounters against each other – with Seattle emerging as 2-0 victors behind goals from Beverly Yanez and the now-retired Keelin Winters in the most recent meeting in Sept. 2016.
Washington has allowed a goal in each of their last nine road games – tied for the second longest active streak in the league and will also be looking to snap a three-game winless run away from home.
The Reign bring an NWSL-record 19-game home scoring streak into the match – having not been shutout at Memorial Stadium since a scoreless game with the Chicago Red Stars on May 30 of the 2015 season. Coach Laura Harvey’s team is also unbeaten in their last five home games against the Spirit.
Seattle comes into the encounter after fighting the Portland Thorns to a 2-2 road draw in Week 4. The Reign had to settle for a share of the points despite twice taking the lead in the match – including on Fishlock’s goal after 59 seconds.
It was the fifth fastest goal in NWSL history and the quickest score to start a game since FC Kansas City midfielder Erika Tymrak set the league record with her goal after 25 seconds against the Boston Breakers on July 9, 2015.
Forward Merritt Mathias also added her first goal of the season for the Reign in the draw with Portland as Seattle have now dropped four points from winning positions already this season after spilling seven from such situations during the whole of the 2016 campaign.
The match Saturday is the first of two straight at home for the Reign, who will welcome the Orlando Pride to Memorial Stadium on May 21, before heading out on the road for three consecutive road games that will see them travel to face the Houston Dash, Chicago Red Stars and FC Kansas City.
Head-to-head stats:
| Wins | Wins | GF | GF | ||||
| Gms | SRFC | WAS | Draws | SRFC | WAS | DIFF | |
| All-time | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 16 | + 2 SRFC |
| At SRFC | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 8 | + 5 SRFC |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | + 1 SRFC |
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