Reign FC Heads to BMO Stadium for Midweek Playoff Showdown with Angel City

Seattle Reign FC heads south to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, September 16, for a 7:00 p.m. PT kickoff against Angel City FC, and there is real weight behind this one. Both clubs sit a spot apart in the NWSL standings, both need points down the stretch, and the Reign arrive having won three straight matches without allowing a goal.

Seattle entered the match at 11-8-4 for 37 points and eighth place. Angel City sat just behind at 9-8-6 for 33 points and ninth. Only four points separated the two teams, and the Reign have played one fewer match than most of the clubs ahead of them, which makes the schedule ahead all the more important.

The three consecutive wins and shutouts capped a three-match homestand that produced nine points, and it marked the first time since the 2022 season that Seattle strung together three straight victories and clean sheets in a row. That kind of form is rare for this club, and it comes at a moment when every result matters in a crowded playoff picture.

A Wednesday Trip with a Familiar Foe

Seattle and Angel City have met 14 times across all NWSL competitions, and the Reign have the clear edge at 9-3-2, with a 25-14 scoring advantage in the series. Seattle is also 4-2-0 in Los Angeles against this opponent, a history that should give the visitors some confidence walking into a building known for its close, loud stands.

The two sides last played on August 9 at Lumen Field, a match that ended 2-2. Seattle trailed at halftime before Sally Menti and Mia Fishel traded quick goals to put the Reign ahead in the 52nd minute, only for Angel City substitutes Evelyn Shores and Prisca Chilufya to combine for a 72nd-minute equalizer that salvaged a point for the visitors that day.

Angel City comes into Wednesday unbeaten in three matches and riding a stretch in which it scored 10 goals, the most productive three-game run in club history. That surge included a wild 3-3 draw with expansion side Denver Summit FC, a match Angel City trailed 3-1 in the second half before Chilufya and a converted penalty kick from Ally Sentnor pulled the visitors even.

Reign head coach Laura Harvey pointed to the return of Angel City forwards Maiara Niehues and Sveindís Jónsdóttir from injury as a factor that has changed how the opponent plays. "Tactically, they're trying to utilize their strengths, they're a bit more direct than they were [in August]," Harvey said. "They try to turn opponents a lot more, make you play with your back to goal a little bit more. Obviously pushing Gisele Thompson higher too, where it frees up Evelyn Shores a little bit more to go forward. That combination on the left, with [Ally] Sentnor and Shores, is challenging to deal with."

Harvey also flagged the challenge of playing on the road in Southern California. "It can be intimidating for sure," she said. "We've had some success down here, we've had some tough games down here as well. LA, Portland for us specifically, are really challenging, Washington is another challenging place to go to. The atmosphere that the crowds create are amazing, but when you're the away team, they can feel quite daunting if you've never been in them before, and a lot of our players had never felt that before when we came here last year. I think tomorrow is a good indicator of how far this group has matured and grown."

On the defensive side, Harvey credited the previous week's win over Bay FC as a sign the team is heading in the right direction without the ball. "I think on reflection we controlled the game more than I gave us credit for emotionally," she said. "I think second half especially we controlled the game more without the ball, and I think what Bay tried to do to us in the second half, and the first half, will look similar tomorrow, which naturally means it's been good preparation. We'd be really happy with the three points, happy to keep another clean sheet. We know it's going to be a real challenge tomorrow, but if we can continue with this hard-to-beat, bend-don't-break mentality, it sets us up for some success."

Maddie Mercado leads Seattle with eight goals this season and has been generating chances even in matches where she has not scored herself. Angel City's Maiara Niehues matches her with eight goals of her own and has found the net in seven of her last nine league appearances. Angel City defender Sarah Gorden has three assists in 22 appearances and led her team in tackles and clearances in the draw with Denver, while 21-year-old left back Evelyn Shores has been a driving force in the attack with three goals and five assists on the year.

Set pieces could decide plenty. Angel City has scored a league-leading nine goals off dead balls this season, while the Reign have conceded seven, a matchup worth watching given how often Angel City generates corner kicks.

This is the opener of a three-game week and a back-to-back road trip for Seattle, which is scheduled to play again on Saturday, September 19, against Denver Summit FC. Managing minutes while chasing points in a compressed schedule is exactly the kind of test that separates teams built for a playoff run from teams that fade in September, and Seattle has put itself in position to find out which one it is.

Injury and Availability Report

• Seattle Reign: OUT, Lynn Biyendolo (maternity leave); International Duty, Emeri Adames, Ainsley McCammon and Evan O'Steen (U-20 USWNT)
• Angel City FC: OUT, Jun Endo (knee, season-ending), Sydney Leroux (thigh), Hina Sugita (knee, season-ending)

How to Watch and Listen

• Streaming: NWSL+, with Michael Wottreng and Kika Toulouse calling the English broadcast
• Local TV: FOX 13+, with Steve Schlanger, Laura Schott and Kelyn Rowe
• Radio: 950 KJR AM, with Jackson Felts, Stephanie Verdoia and Kwame Appiah
• International: TV Azteca (Mexico) and Sky K (South Korea)

Ahead of kickoff, Seattle Reign FC hosted a fan watch party at Madrona Arms in Seattle, part of the club's Reign Together program, starting at 6:30 p.m. PT with Reign-themed games and a chance to win autographed team items for those who could not make the trip to Los Angeles.

More Info

• Match Forecast: Seattle Reign FC travels to California to take on Angel City FC in a midweek match up | Seattle Reign FC
• Match preview: Seattle Reign at Angel City | Sounder at Heart