The OL Reign and Washington Spirit played to a scoreless draw on Friday at Lumen Field, where a crowd of more than 34,000 broke the NWSL attendance record to celebrate Megan Rapinoe's final regular season home game.
Rapinoe started and played the full 90 minutes as the Reign started strong, first with a shot from distance from Veronica Latsko in the seventh minute. It was the Spirit who ultimately took control of the game, with Trinity Rodman's attempt following a freekick in the 31st minute serving as perhaps their best chance.
The Spirit picked up from where they left off following the halftime break, but it was difficult for both sides to break the deadlock. In the final moments of the game, each team had their chances courtesy of their stars. Rapinoe had a look during a hectic moment in the penalty area in the 83rd minute, while Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey was forced into a point-blank save in the fifth minute of stoppage time to stop a shot from Rodman.
It was not for a lack of trying, but neither side was able to score.
The result means both pick up a point in the midst of an ultra-competitive playoff race in which most NWSL teams are still alive. The Reign and the Spirit both sit in playoff positions as things stand -- sixth and fourth place, respectively -- but face a nervy Decision Day on Oct. 15. The Reign travel to the Chicago Red Stars, while the Spirit host the North Carolina Courage next.
Here are some takeaways from the match.
Misfiring attacks
This match did not lack shots, but both sides missed a little bit of quality going forward. The Spirit notched 17 total shots while the Reign amassed 13 of their own, but few actually were on target -- the visitors had just five on target, while the hosts had only three. It was reflected in the expected goals tally at the end of the night -- the Spirit hit 1.64, while the Reign mustered just 0.68.
It marks a worrying trend for the Reign as they chase a playoff spot. The team went scoreless in three of their last five games and scored just two goals during that stretch. A similar pattern is true for the Spirit, too -- they also failed to score in three of their last five, but have four goals in that period of time.
Rodman shines
Despite the lack of a finishing touch at Lumen Field on Friday, Rodman stood out as perhaps the most productive player going forward. She had eight shots, four of which were on target for an expected goals score of 0.83. Rodman was the leader of the Spirit's attack in every sense and allowed them to claw their way back into the game after the Reign started strong.
She will likely be key to ensuring the Spirit clinch a playoff spot and again should be the star of their show should they make a postseason appearance. Her standout performance on Friday means she arguably had an oversized impact on the team's prospects going forward, but recalibrating the attacking balance to ensure the Spirit get the best out of the likes of Ashley Hatch and Ashley Sanchez just might be the solution to recent attacking struggles.
Rapinoe adds to her legacy
It was not a storybook home ending for Rapinoe on the pitch, but just about every other moment of the match lived up to the billing. As if her stature in the American sports landscape was not notable enough, the star-studded cast who took part in a congratulatory video that aired before the match reveals it -- Billie Jean King, Abby Wambach, and Second Gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff were among those who sent messages.
Perhaps the most fitting way to pay tribute to Rapinoe, who helped move the needle in such a massive way for the NWSL, was by adding another marker of the league's progress to her stunning résumé. More than 34,000 filled Lumen Stadium on Friday, setting the league's attendance record in the process.
"It's really overwhelming," Rapinoe said following the match. "I do know my impact, but it's one thing to know it and another thing to really know it and see it and see some of the signs and see pink wigs and see what that means to people."
It was hard for Rapinoe not to speak to the evolution of the NWSL with Friday's attendance record, especially considering at her Reign home debut in June 2013, less than 3,000 people turned up.
"It's so much different than it was when we all started playing so that to me is really special. That's been the most special part of my career," she said. "Specifically in the NWSL, the players taking on so much and having to deal with so much and just the beautiful perseverance that we have to drag ourselves and this league to so much higher ground and such a beautiful place that we feel like now this league really has an opportunity to grow and to thrive and to reach its potential."
Reign head coach Laura Harvey noted that for the league, living up to that potential will be the best way to honor Rapinoe's legacy.
"It frustrates the hell out of me [that] it's taken Pinoe to retire for that to happen," she said. "But I think it just shows that people want to watch us play. They want to watch these players play and we have to capitalize on that …. That's something that Pinoe's lived by. She's wanted to make the place that she's a part of a better place but now for the future, and if we want this club to be where we want it to go and what we all believe it should be, we have to get these people to come back."
