Rookie Maddie Dahlien, who had a goal overturned earlier on a video review, scored in the 80th minute as the Seattle Reign rallied for a 2-1 victory against the visiting North Carolina Courage on Sunday night.
The Reign (9-7-6, 33 points) moved into fourth in the NWSL standings while the Courage (7-8-7, 28 points) remained ninth, one spot out of a playoff berth.
Trailing 1-0, the Reign scored twice in a nine-minute span for the victory.
They tied the score in the 71st minute as substitute Emeri Adames’ cross from the right end line deflected off North Carolina defender Ryan Williams and into the net for an own goal.
Dahlien took a pass down the left wing, cut back at the top of the penalty area and put a low shot past diving North Carolina goalkeeper Marisa Jordan and into the right side of the net for the winner. That play was almost identical to Dahlien’s strike in the 49th minute that was ruled offside.
The Courage took the lead in the 57th minute as Williams’ cross from outside the top right of the penalty area found Hannah Betfort for a header from 8 yards out that finished in the far side netting.
The only shot on goal in a scoreless first half came in the 5th minute. Williams drove to the end line on the right wing and sent a cross to Manaka Matsukubo at the top far corner of the 6-yard box. Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey got a hand on Matsukubo’s diving header and deflected the ball off the crossbar.
The Reign’s Jess Fishlock, who joined teammate Lauren Barnes as only the second outfield player with 200 career NWSL appearances, spotted Jordan well off her line in the 38th minute and attempted a shot from midfield that curled wide left of the net.
–Field Level Media
