A crowd of 4,356 watched as home team Seattle Reign FC beat the Boston Breakers at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
It was a performance fit to bolster the spirits of the Reign team and their fans. Nobody had a bigger smile on their face than Coach Laura Harvey after the final whistle blew, except perhaps Japanese international Nahomi Kawasumi, who tallied both of Reign FC’s goals in their 2-0 win.
Nahomi “Naho” “The Homi” Kawasumi was incredibly successful for Seattle Reign FC in their 2014 Shield Winning season, where she played on loan from INAC Kobe Leonessa, but after the season finished, she went back to Japan to prep with her national team for the World Cup. Many Reign fans had been holding out hope for Kawasumi’s return to the club, with no real sign that it would happen. However, the announcement that Kawasumi was leaving INAC Kobe Leonessa triggered rumors, and it didn’t take long before her Japanese club announced she was joining Reign FC, followed closely by Seattle’s announcement that she would be ready for the July 2 match against the Breakers.
Saturday’s match was abuzz with chatter about whether Reign’s beloved “Naho” would be the team’s savior or if she would underperform. Fans and detractors alike arguably got their answer. Missing defender Carson Pickett and striker Merritt Mathias after their suspensions in last week’s match versus FC Kansas City, Laura Harvey pitted a 4-3-3 lineup against the Breakers. Kawasumi, Bev Yanez, and Manon Melis, who just returned from injury, were up top, with Kim Little, Keelin Winters, and Jess Fishlock behind them.
From the first whistle, the Seattle Reign FC of 2014 seemed to be back on the pitch. The ball movement was calm, collected, smooth as you like. Reign dominated in possession and shots taken. The first fifteen minutes was Reign FC passing in the Breakers’ final third, patiently trying to find that perfect opening for a goal. The connection between Kawasumi and Little was back and it seems that Reign FC’s lack of creativity up top issue has been solved. Naho littered the Breakers’ box and keeper Jami Kranich with crosses from the outside, something Seattle’s been lacking after Stephanie Cox’s retirement and Megan Rapinoe’s ACL injury.
In the 14th minute, Kawasumi slid a beautiful pass out wide to Manon Melis. Melis ran onto it, crossed it low on the ground into the box. Breakers’ Julie King’s attempt to clear tapped the ball to Kawasumi and she finished it with a clinical, calm shot into the corner to put Reign up 1-0.
Boston Breakers won themselves a few really good chances, including a free kick a few yards outside of Reign’s box in the 9th minute. Boston’s German international Eunice Beckmann gave Reign a scare, but Reign keeper Haley Kopmeyer was up to the task, making a clever diving save.
Reign continued to pound on Boston’s door, Kawasumi making connections with Melis and Yanez, Kawasumi making connections with Kim Little.
But Boston’s Beckmann had a few good chances of her own. Especially in the first ten minutes of the second half, in which Boston took the game from Seattle a few times. Reign quickly regained control, however, and in the 62nd minute, a bit of holding magic from Kawasumi followed by a delicious chip over Jami Kranich’s head had Reign up 2-0.
After the Boston Breakers 7-1 loss to the Western New York Flash last week, head coach Matt Beard, his team, and their fans, had a lot to think about, and not much of it was good. And in spite of Seattle Reign FC’s dominating performance and commanding lead in possession and chances on goal, this was a much improved Breakers team from last week. This was a team that battled to the very last whistle, made convincing chances for themselves in both halves, and stuck with Seattle in spite of over 90 minutes of chasing Reign’s possession-heavy passing game.
The Breakers showed no signs of falling apart or giving up the way they did against WNY Flash last week. They played hard, and keeper Jami Kranich collided hard with Reign’s Manon Melis in the 68th minute, in a play that could have potentially put Reign up 3-0 had Kranich not come out fast enough. That was the tone of many of the Breakers’ challenges against the Reign’s midfield and front 3. And Kranich had a handful of game-saving moments, including plucking the ball right out from BBC’s Female Footballer of the Year award winner Kim Little’s feet.
Seattle Reign FC travels away to Rochester Saturday July 9 to take on Western New York Flash at 7pm ET/4pm PT. The Boston Breakers will head to Camping World Stadium in Orlando to play the Orlando Pride on Sunday at 5pm ET/2pm PT.
Honorable Mention: Boston keeper Jami Kranich, Seattle Reign defender Elli Reed, Boston forward Eunice Beckmann.
