The OL Reign head to sunny California to take on the San Diego Wave in the NWSL semifinals tonight. The game kicks off at Snapdragon Stadium at 6:30 pm PT and will air on CBS Sports Network for US fans and the NWSL website for international viewers.
That means this game will not be available on Paramount+.
OL Reign and the Royal Guard Supporters Group hosted viewing parties for Rough & Tumble in Ballard, Doyle’s Pub in Tacoma, and Rookies in Columbia City.
It will be a tough game for the OL Reign, as the San Diego Wave won this year’s NWSL Shield after losing just once in their last eight games of the season. The games between the Reign and Wave over the past two years have been close: The Reign went 3-0-1 against San Diego in the regular season and did not win by more than one goal in a league game.
NWSL Semi-Finals Preview: OL Reign vs. San Diego Wave
Reign face the NWSL Shield winners with a chance to advance to the finals next week.
“We’re really excited,” captain Lauren Barnes said before the game. “There’s been a lot of buzz in the team right now as we’ve been in Seattle and this week we’re heading into the semi-finals.”
It will be another tough clash for the Coolers. Can the OL Reign come out on top and advance to their third NWSL final?
A Must Watch
- To keep the Wave ahead: San Diego leads the league in offside calls, which means they like to check the line. Can OL Reign’s backline stay in sync and prevent balls in the back? And can the midfielder stop dangerous balls?
- Rose Lavelle: After playing nearly 30 minutes in the quarterfinal game, Rose Lavelle should be ready for more minutes against San Diego. He has only made four starts for Dominions this year, not once against the Wave. Can he be a difference maker?
- Using range: As we highlighted in our preview, San Diego defends with numbers in the middle. Can Reigns use their range effectively to get around the Wave’s defensive structure?
Officers
Groups
Highlights
Be prepared to see brown spots and ball marks. San Diego State played at Snapdragon last night. I hope the field will rise OK.
SDSU Football had a game yesterday at Snapdragon Stadium, so there will be some left over marks and some small brown spots on the field tonight for the NWSL semifinal game between the SD Wave and OL Reign. pic.twitter.com/t05JoeAXBW
– Cesar Hernandez (@cesarhfutbol) November 6, 2023
BROADCAST OPTION: It looks like the Reign match will start on time while Meva and Gotham go into overtime. I was told the game will be broadcast on CBSSports.com until it goes to TV.
LAUNCH TIME UPDATED: Kickoff was delayed until 6:43 pm PT
Due to overtime in Portland Thorns vs. Gotham FC semi-final, semi-final match San Diego Wave vs. OL Reign is now live at 9:43 PM ET/6:43 PM PT.
– National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 6, 2023
16′ – Jordyn Huitema forces Kailen Sheridan to make a save.
47′ – Veronica LatsGOALLLLLLLL! Cross? Shot? We don’t care! 1-0 Domination.
Final: OL Reign won 1-0!!!! Off to the NWSL tournament!
Injury Report / Discovery
OL dominance
OUT: Nothing
The San Diego Wave
OUT: Nothing
How to watch
Time/Date: Sunday, November 5, 6:30 pm PT
Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: CBSSports.com (subscription required), NWSL Website (international)
Join the Conversation
This is your NWSL semi-final series. Join the discussion about the final battle in the comments or on our Discord for paid subscribers, and follow @RoValks on Twitter for live updates.
