Reign Allow 3 Goals in 16 Minutes, Blow 2-0 Lead to Gotham
No one knew just how to evaluate what happened to the Seattle Reign on Saturday afternoon.
Facing defending NWSL champion and first-place team Gotham FC after a two-and-a-half hour lightning delay in a 5,000-person capacity stadium on account of the nearby World Cup final, Seattle led 2-0 heading into the 80th minute. Two first half goals from Mia Fishel and Maddie Mercado, respectively, had landed them in an advantageous spot late. The former scored her first goal with the team, marking cause for celebration.
But with Gotham FC bringing world-class offensive talents in the newly signed Sam Kerr and Esther Gonzalez for the second half, Reign coach Laura Harvey dropped her team into a backline of five to nurse the lead and keep the pair at bay.
Gotham, even in the smoky conditions which required four hydration breaks by the game's end, put the pedal to the metal on Seattle for entire second half. They finished the game with over 70% possession as Gonzalez found the net in the 81st. Then in the fourth minute of a 10-minute second-half stoppage, Gonzalez scored again on a nifty pass from winger Jaedyn Shaw.
Then, former Seattle star Rose Lavelle put the finishing touches on the comeback with a transition banger of a strike, scoring past Reign reserve keeper Cassie Miller from just inside the box in the seventh minute of added time.
The stunning result was worsened by the fact that Maddie Dahlien, who had been so dynamic on the left wing for Seattle all afternoon, missed a penalty that would have made it 3-0 in the second half.
The result dropped Seattle to 5-7-2, good for 11th in the NWSL, while Gotham improved to 9-3-3 to take hold of first place in the league. The loss comes on the heels of a signature 2-0 win from the Reign over Portland.
"That game was on us," Fishel said postgame. "We did it to ourselves."
Reign Notebook: Offense Looking to Find Itself, Jess Fishlock Back to Training
As the men's FIFA World Cup rages on, the top women's soccer league is nearly back from its June hiatus. The NWSL returns this weekend, with the struggling Seattle Reign (4-5-2, 10th) set to take on the North Carolina Courage (5-3-3, 8th) in Raleigh on Saturday.
The Reign have been back to training since last week, but started prepping in full for North Carolina this week. The Reign worked in multiple small-sided sessions and a full scrimmage on Tuesday, as their offense took center stage at times.
That unit has been a pain point for Seattle in 2026, as the Reign are among just four NWSL sides to average less than a goal per game through 11 fixtures.
Second-year winger Maddie Dahlien says the timing of the NWSL break is helping fuel her and her teammates to push through the final 19 games.
"I felt like it came at a really good time,” Dahlien said. “We've had a lot of vulnerable conversations, and coming back, like we met as a team and really just regrouped.”
Analysis: Key Questions for Reign FC’s Offense Ahead of Season Restart vs. Courage
The Seattle Reign came into 2026 looking to build on a leap from 13th to 5th in 2025. Instead, they've taken a step backwards thus far, sitting at 4-5-2 during this international break and occupying 10th place midway through the 30-game season.
Maybe the June international break came at a good time for Seattle, as the team got a few weeks away to see something other than demoralizing results. But the time for recuperation is over, as the Reign are back to action at the 5-3-3 North Carolina Courage on July 4.
A road date may be better for the Reign to come back to, as they're currently 0-3-0 at their home Lumen Field and truly look more lethal away from Seattle this season.
That said, the Reign's offense has been among the worst in the league regardless of where they've played, as they are just one of four NWSL squads to average less than a goal per 90 minutes.
So when Seattle takes the pitch next, there will be a few questions to answer before fans can truly regain confidence in their team.
WATCH: How Can Reign Climb Back Into NWSL Contention?
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down the trends that are making teams successful in the NWSL right now and how the middling Seattle Reign (4-5-2, 10th in NWSL) can apply those ideas to get back in the fight. The Reign are back in action on July 4 against North Carolina as the current World Cup/CBA-mandated break continues.
WATCH: Recapping an Up-and-Down Start for Reign in 2026
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a rocky start to the Seattle Reign’s 2026 season. Seattle is 4-5-2 at the World Cup/CBA break with 19 games to play, leaving the Reign in 10th place in the NWSL and out of playoff positioning — down from a fifth-place finish in 2025. Seattle has managed a win in just one of its final seven games before the break.
Seattle’s offense is tied for the second-least productive group in the league, while the defense is tied for the fourth-fewest goals allowed as head coach Laura Harvey's young squad struggles to find consistency in the face of key injuries and growing pains. Still, with such a young squad, the Reign can’t be counted out yet.
Reign Fall to Spirit, Dip Under .500 Ahead of June Break
The Seattle Reign were dealt their third loss in five matches on Saturday afternoon, as they fell to the Washington Spirit 2-1 on a late goal from Hal Hershfelt.
Seattle (4-5-2) has notoriously struggled to score recently, putting a five-game scoreless streak behind it with a 2-1 win at Boston last week. Though the Reign got on the board on Saturday, it was an unforced error as Lucia Di Guglielmo chipped her own keeper, USWNT prospect Sandy MacIver, trying to keep the ball away from Maddie Mercado on a break-out play.
By the end of the match, Seattle had put just two shots on target for an underwhelming 0.5 expected goals while giving up 1.8 to a dynamic Spirit team on the other end. Washington and USWNT star Trinity Rodman burned Seattle's right side most of the day, creating multiple chances and assisting on Hershfelt's transition winner.
The loss dropped the Reign to 10th place in the NWSL, with Seattle losing three of its last five to enter the June CBA/World Cup break on a slide. The Reign will have until July 4 at North Carolina to process this result with 19 matches to go.
WATCH: Reign Break Scoreless Streak, Beat Expansion Boston 2-1
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 2-1 win for the Seattle Reign over the Boston Legacy (2-6-3) on Friday night. Seattle improved to 4-4-2 and broke a five-game scoreless streak thanks to goals from Sofia Huerta and Maddie Dahlien, conceding a late stoppage-time goal to spoil a clean-sheet performance.
Reign Devastated By Late Washington Goal in Loss, Continue Scoreless Streak
Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey was dejected in her postgame presser.
Sunday saw her team try to break a three-game scoreless streak against a hot Washington Spirit team led by USWNT star Trinity Rodman. Though the Reign hit the crossbar in the early going, their issues with quality in the final third continued to frustrate the team as the game wore on.
With six minutes of regular time to play, the Spirit, which hadn't generated many of their typical chances all night, drove a dagger into the Reign as substitute Claudia Martinez scored off a Seattle turnover.
Seattle dropped to 3-3-2, now winless in their last four with zero goals to show in each.
Seattle Reign Set to Bond in Coachella in Latest Step Towards 2026 Season
The Seattle Reign are in California to train with around half of the NWSL's 16 sides. The team flew out on Sunday after a few weeks of training in Tukwila, punctuated by a return of five USWNT call-ups for the final week.
In Coachella, coach Laura Harvey's squad will be focused on improving their chance generation, as Seattle finished among the league's least productive offenses in 2025 - the squad ended in fifth place and lost to Orlando in the first round. The Reign will have a friendly against Angel City FC on Feb. 21 at 1:30 p.m. (to be broadcasted on FOX 13), and team media staff confirmed two closed door scrimmages will take place during Seattle's time at the invitational.
With chances to compete against new competition forthcoming, Harvey and USWNT call-ups in forward Maddie Dahlien and defender Jordyn Bugg spoke to The Spectrum last Wednesday about how they plan to get their offense on track.
Maddie Mercado Among Young Reign Players Looking to Reignite Offense in 2026
The Seattle Reign returned to practice on Thursday with 22 players rostered from the 2025 campaign, looking to build on a strong season with several young players aiming to take a big step forward.
Reign Roundup: Harvey Inks Extension, Reign Send Five to USWNT, World Cup Sends Three Matches to Spokane
The Seattle Reign won't start NWSL play for another two months, but had a busy week as they extended longtime coach Laura Harvey, sent a quintet to the USWNT, and announced some World Cup-driven venue changes.
Young Reign Roster 24 Players After Personnel Decision Announcement
The Seattle Reign announced their post-2025 roster decisions on Tuesday morning as the franchise values youth moving forward.
Final Chance Woes Down Reign in First Round, 2025 Campaign Ends in Orlando
The No. 5 Seattle Reign generated plenty of chances but failed to get on the board in a 2-0 NWSL Quarterfinals loss to the No. 4 Orlando Pride on Friday night.
Reign Draw with Pride in Decision Day Thriller, Set Up First Round Rematch
The No. 5 Seattle Reign rode a late Jordyn Bugg equalizer to a 1-1 Decision Day draw with the No. 4 Orlando Pride on Sunday, meaning the two squads will play a first-round game in Orlando in a week's time.
Reign Send Out Barnes With Playoff-Clinching Win in Regular Season Home Finale
The Seattle Reign outlasted the Utah Royals 2-1 on Friday night to clinch a playoff spot as they honored league legend Lauren Barnes after her retirement announcement earlier this week.
Reign FC Notebook: Barnes Speaks on Retirement, Seattle Receives Seven Call-Ups
It was a busy news week for the Seattle Reign, who saw seven players receive senior national team call-ups and multiple players announce career transitions, including Lauren Barnes' retirement from the NWSL at the end of the season and Jess Fishlock stepping away from international soccer.
Reign Avert Complete Disaster, Draw With Lowly Bay FC
The No. 5 Seattle Reign played to a draw with No. 13 Bay FC thanks to a late goal from Jess Fishlock on Friday night.
Takeaways: Reign Steal a Scoreless Draw Against Gotham, Remain in Fourth Place
The Seattle Reign weathered plenty of opposing opportunities on the road to play to a 0-0 result against Gotham FC on Sunday afternoon.
Reign Face Gotham with Chance to Leap into Third Place
The No. 5 Seattle Reign will head to New Jersey on Sunday to face No. 3 Gotham FC with a chance to move up in the postseason race. How do they stack up with their late-season opponent?
Reign Leap to No. 4 Seed with Comeback Win Over North Carolina
The Seattle Reign (9-7-6, 33 points, fourth in NWSL) overcame a disallowed goal and a one-goal deficit to take down the North Carolina Courage in a crucial game for playoff seeding on Sunday night.
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