In front of a crowd of 32,262 at Snapdragon Stadium , the visitor OL REIGN faced off against the top-seeded SAN DIEGO WAVE in the NWSL semifinal # 2 .
The Reign , led by veteran Megan Rapinoe , started the match with an offensive onslaught , registering multiple shots on goal in the opening 30 minutes . Despite their dominance , the first half ended without a breakthrough for either team .
The turning point came in the 47th minute when VERONICA LATSKO unleashed a cross from near the goal line . Intended as a pass , the ball took an unexpected trajectory and floated over Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan , finding the far corner of the net . Latsko herself was astounded by the goal , admitting that it was not intended to be a shot . Nevertheless , her strike gave OL Reign the crucial lead they needed to secure victory .
VERONICA LATSKO
The victory over the San Diego Wave marked an important milestone for OL Reign .
It was their first postseason win since 2015 and a much-needed breakthrough after a series of playoff semifinal defeats .
The NWSL Championship holds extra significance for OL Reign as it marks the final match of Megan Rapinoe ' s illustrious career . Rapinoe , one of the club ' s original players , announced her retirement at the end of the season . The championship trophy has remained elusive for Rapinoe and her fellow veterans , midfielder Jess Fishlock and defender Lu Barnes . They are determined to end their careers on a high note with a championship victory .
MEGAN RAPINOE — will be her 10th NWSL Playoff with RGN , and she started in all nine so far .
LAUREN BARNES — also will be her 10th appearance for RGN in the NWSL Playoff . She started all nine .
JESSICA FISHLOCK — It ’ ll be her 9th appearance for RGN in the NWSL Playoff .
The OL Reign vs . Gotham FC final promises to be a clash of titans . Both teams have overcome significant challenges to reach this stage , and their paths have finally converged in the pursuit of
NWSL glory . The Reign ' s defensive prowess and Gotham ' s recent form make for an intriguing matchup that could go down in NWSL history .
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