Emeri Adames’ header in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time led to an own goal that gave the Seattle Reign a 1-0 victory over the visiting North Carolina Courage on Sunday night.
Seattle’s Laura Harvey became the first NWSL coach to reach 100 career regular-season victories after the Reign retired Megan Rapinoe’s No. 15 jersey during a pregame ceremony.
The 18-year-old Adames took a cross from Veronica Latsko on the left wing and nodded the ball from about 10 yards out, putting it off the left goal post. The ball deflected off diving Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy and trickled over the goal line.
The Reign (3-9-5, 14 points) extended their unbeaten streak to five matches (1-0-4) and moved out of last place in the league standings.
Murphy made six saves for the Courage (8-8-1, 25 points), who saw a three-match winning streak come to an end. North Carolina dropped to 1-8-0 on the road this season.
Seattle goalie Claudia Dickey was credited with three saves.
The Reign outshot the visitors 17-4, holding a 6-3 edge in attempts on target.
Seattle’s Ji So-Yun put a back-heeled shot off the right post in the 23rd minute off a cross from Sofia Huerta.
In the 43rd minute, Murphy made a diving save on a 15-yard shot from Jess Fishlock.
North Carolina’s best chance to score came on a two-on-one breakaway in the 13th minute, but Cortnee Vine’s cross was knocked out of bounds.
Murphy made another diving stop on a 15-yard shot by So-Yun in the 52nd minute and smothered Tziarra King’s shot from just outside the top of the 6-yard box on a three-on-two rush in the 58th minute.
–Field Level Media
