Saturday’s OL Reign-Angel City FC game in Seattle was another NWSL game marked by physical play and player safety concerns.
There were 29 fouls, eight yellow cards and one red card. Surprisingly, the first aired in the regular season of 2022.
Megan Rapinoe she was sent off for the first time in her career when she received a red card for her second yellow card, issued by dissent, in Reign’s 1-0 victory.
OL Reign v Angel City FC: Twitch broadcast
Rapinoe, who will join the U.S. women’s national team for preparations before the CONCACAF W Championship, began her first game of the season with OL Reign and received her first yellow card in the 58th minute for invasion of a free kick. 72 minutes into the match, the referee signaled for a Karen Callado substitution.
The red card was the first in 176 games with six teams in four leagues in a career that began in 2009. It has never been sent off in 187 games in the USWNT.
His outburst came after the teammate Bethany Balcer he was injured in a strong collision by a loose ball with Angel City Paige Nielsenreceived a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.
With Balcer still on the ground, the smiling Rapinoe left the field but not before changing course to receive a handshake from Reign’s substitutes warming up behind the goal (photo).
Balcer got a fingertip on Balcer’s shot from the left 76 minutes in, and managed to keep the visitors from going up another goal.
After the match, Reign’s coach Laura Harvey he told the Seattle Times, “I felt it was a consistent topic throughout the game that both benches, both sets of players, were concerned about the safety of their teammates.” ———— —- ————–Friday, June 17Washington 2 Louisville Races 2. (Goals: Rodman 34, Elwell 43; Nadim 66, 88. Att .: 2,790.)Saturday, June 18 OL Reign 1 Angel City FC 0. (Goal: Balcer: 31. Att .: 6,367.)Kansas City 2 Chicago 2. (Goals: Hamilton 8, Kizer 68; Kowalski 53, Pugh 59 pen. Att .: 6,848.)—————————– • Classifications | Statistical leaders
Photo: Image via ZUMA Press / ISI Photos