Coming into the game the Wave were 1-0 in Challenge Cup play. Fans were expecting to see a high-level match between the two best teams in their pool of the Challenge Cup but were disappointed to see that both clubs rested their star players for the game. This includes the matchup of the Team USA teammates Megan Rapinoe of the Reign and Alex Morgan of the Wave.

Lack of Effort

The Wave appeared disinterested making lazy passes leading to great opportunities going the other way. The game was very sloppy going both ways as there was a rare 7 yellow cards given out throughout the game. The stats might lead you to believe the game was even with both teams shooting 7 shots and time of possession being split 48-52 but it was quite the opposite. The quality of play for the Reign was far superior as they made sharper plays and outhustled the Wave. The Wave also struggled to get the ball out of the box, thanks to the terrific defense of the Reign which significantly hurt their chances of scoring.

Jordyn Huitema stars for Reign

Huitema made her presence felt on the pitch as she was one of the only stars to suit up for tonight’s match. She hit a powerful goal in the 60’ minute to put the game to bed. The Canadian National Team star did it all for her club as she seemed to always make the right play which allowed her to exit the game early as her club had a very comfortable lead. 

Opportunity

With a lot of the stars out of the lineup for both teams, it allowed for a lot of players to get chances they don’t normally get. For the Wave, it was Shae Yanez getting her first start in goal and Giovanna DeMarco making her club debut. Also, the 15-year-old phenom Melanie Barcenas got to make her second appearance in a match this season. For the Reign, Ryanne Brown scored her first professional goal.

The Wave will see the field again on Sunday, June 4 in a regular season contest against Gotham FC.