The saying goes that the only constant is change. OL Reign is a great example of it in action. In January of 2019, they moved from Seattle to Tacoma, a 30-minute drive south, becoming Reign FC. By the end of 2019, French soccer club Lyon ownership purchased Reign FC, renaming them OL Reign in the process.
Lyon’s history in European football is hard to beat. They’ve won the top tier of French women’s football every season since the 2006/07 campaign. In European competition, they have seven UEFA Champions League titles, five coming in the past five competitions. Change impacted the entire planet just two short months after Lyon took over, with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now in 2021, they have a full roster, including the return of US international star on and off the field in forward Megan Rapinoe, loanees from Europe, and key offseason trades. This year, OL Reign is in place to add another trophy to the Lyon trophy cabinet.
2020 Season
Challenge Cup: Third place, lost to the Chicago Red Stars in the quarter-finals
Fall Series: Seventh place – 4 points
During their five Challenge Cup matches, including the playoffs, OL Reign had few problems defensively. They allowed the second-fewest goals (2), only one more than the preliminary round winning NC Courage. Their only loss of the Preliminary round came in a 2-0 loss to the eventual championship-winning Houston Dash. Center back, and US International, Alana Cook led a backline that gave up no goals in three matches where she played.
The Tacoma side’s issue was on the offensive end of the pitch. They scored only one goal in five matches. US winger Rapinoe opted out of both the Challenge Cup and Fall Series, but the Reign still had a strong offensive pairing up front. English veteran striker Jodie Taylor and 2019 NWSL Rookie of the Year Bethany Balcer both appeared in all Challenge Cup matches. Balcer scored the side’s lone goal, as a substitute, in the 91st minute against the Utah Royals on a header to the back post. OL Reign held the Chicago Red Stars to a scoreless 90 minutes, but the penalty kicks that followed regulation went 4-3 in favor of Chicago.
A story that would repeat itself often during the 2020 season, and offseason, was movement between Lyon and OL Reign. Forward Taylor didn’t play in the Fall Series due to a short-term loan to Lyon. Even with her absence; the Fall Series saw a dramatic increase in offensive production. They scored six goals in four matches. All six came in the run of play, with Balcer leading the team with two and assisting one.
Cook, who played on loan from Paris St. Germain, in France, returned to Paris. Her absence in the Fall Series led to a much easier defense to break. OL Reign gave up the second-most goals, with eight. They lost two to their rivals, the Portland Thorns. The Reign sandwiched the two losses in-between a draw and a season-ending victory against the Utah Royals.
Offseason Moves
OL Reign was part of three big moves after the Fall Series. Just five days after the season, they traded goalkeeper, and US International, Casey Murphy to the NC Courage. This was part of the deal that got defender Crystal Dunn to the Portland Thorns. They received key pieces for the future in an international roster spot, Portland’s first-round pick in 2022, and $250,000 in allocation money.
The second saw the rights to forward Taylor, who extended her stay with Lyon past the Dec. short term loan end date, moved to the Courage. In return, the Reign got younger up front after acquiring the sixth pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft: Ally Watt. Watt tore her ACL in the first 13 minutes of the Courage’s Challenge Cup campaign and is still rehabilitating the injury.
In 2020, the NWSL didn’t award individual player awards like MVP or Rookie of the Year. If those awards did exist in 2020, Reign’s third big move included someone that’d have a strong argument for Rookie of the Year. On Jan. 4, Kansas City/Utah Royal forward Tziarra King joined OL Reign. Although Utah used King sparingly in the Challenge Cup; she scored a goal that secured Utah a draw against Houston in the first match. In the Fall Series, she started all four matches, played the full 90 minutes in two contests, and scored a goal.
For King, the Reign moved attacking midfielder Darian Jenkins and midfielder Meg Brandt to Kansas City NWSL. Jenkins played in all five Reign Challenge Cup matches, then OL loaned her to French team Bordeaux for the remainder of 2020. The Reign selected Brandt in the fourth round of the 2020 NWSL draft but didn’t register any NWSL minutes. Brandt played in Norway with first-tier club Kolbotn.
Two loan recalls made in Feb. provide OL Reign a boost. Wales international, and Reign regular since 2013, midfielder Jess Fishlock is set to return in April. This comes after time with Reading FC in the English Women’s Super League. On defense and in the midfield, Spanish international Celia rejoined the Reign from home club, Lyon. She is in Reign’s preseason camp, and acquired a green card, as to not take an international space on the roster.
Three new signings will make an impact too. Since their number one goalkeeper left for North Carolina, OL Reign made moves to fill the void. Cosette Morché, who was playing in Sweden after graduating from Texas A&M, signed with the Reign in Dec. It wasn’t their last addition in net. Manchester City loaned England international Karen Bardsley on Feb. 23. Bardsley is the former number one keeper for England and played in three World Cups.
The final key signing is Brazilian youth international Angelina. For one, the 21-year-old comes into the team after playing a full season in Brazil, with Palmiero, and has won every youth competition available for the Brazilian youth team, as their captain. Another important item is where she was born. Angelina was born in New Jersey and does not take an international spot.
Draft Pick
Round 3 – Jimena López – Defender – Texas A&M
Trades over past seasons found OL Reign with only one selection in the NWSL draft. In the third round, Reign selected defender Jimena López, the SEC co-defender of the year for 2020. The Mexican international had nine goals and 15 assists in her final season at Texas A&M.
Just 13 days after her selection, she signed with Spanish side SD Eibar of the LaLiga Women’s First division, instead of OL Reign.
2021 Preview
The bulk influx of new talent by Lyon to Tacoma is a sure-fire sign that the NWSL is not a pet project for the European juggernauts. They are part of a plan to be a world-class team, wherever they compete.
In goal, a veteran that is match-ready in Bardsley provides a boost. She is on loan until June, and head coach Farid Benstiti, in the team’s announcement of her loan, shared that another keeper is planning to arrive in Tacoma this summer.
The midfield, outside of adding Angelina, is relatively unchanged from 2020. One small move that doesn’t have immediate roster implications is OL Reign trading $100,000 to Washington Spirit for the rights of midfielder and US international Rose Lavelle.
Lavelle signed with Manchester City of the WSL on a one-year contract. Since her first appearance in Oct. of 2020, she started just four matches and has 15 total appearances. She’s averaged just under 31 minutes per match when appearing. Lavelle played 90 minutes twice. Part of that is due to an injury, that she suffered in Dec., but has been healthy enough to start two SheBelieves Cup matches for the United States. She won tournament MVP on a goal and assist in three appearances. Time will tell if she re-signs, but if minutes are what she’s after, a return to the NWSL after the Summer Olympics could be an option.
Up front, even with the loss of the veteran striker Taylor, Reign has improved. Balcer, King, Rapinoe, and Jasmyne Spencer are a dangerous attacking group. Even if Rapinoe leaves for Olympic duty, which seems likely with her recent inclusion in the US camp heading to Europe for April friendlies; there is enough on the offensive side of the ball to sustain the absence.
The concern is on defense. There was a sharp decline in defensive shot-stopping with Cook’s departure. Celia returns as a potential fullback, but the center-back partnership will need to strengthen to withstand sides like Houston and Portland.
They will have to withstand potential absences beyond Rapinoe. Midfielder Quinn is a Canada regular and while Angelina didn’t make the SheBelieves Cup roster, a strong Challenge Cup and early regular season could see a jump from the youth to senior squad.
Supporters will see how the first full year under Lyon ownership pans out starting April 16, when they welcome Houston to Tacoma. Beyond Women’s Sports will provide coverage on the Reign, and the league, throughout both NWSL competitions in 2021. Check back for more previews and season updates throughout the year.
Follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello. And check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
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