Reign’s playoff hopes take big hit with road loss to slumping Dash

There are still numbers to crunch, but Yuki Nagasato’s first goal of the season likely will prove to be the one that punctured the Reign’s playoff bubble.

Nagasato’s volley from the top of the box in the 50^th minute was enough for Houston to hand the visiting Reign a 1-0 loss at Shell Energy Stadium. It’s Houston’s first win since May, ending a six-match losing streak.

The Reign have suffered back-to-back losses, including Monday’s 2-0 result against NJ/NY Gotham FC at Lumen Field.

“The harsh reality is that you win your next four games, you still probably make it,” Reign coach Laura Harvey said of the team playing Bay FC, Angel City FC, Utah and Houston — all who are below the playoff line.

Seattle’s season finale is against undefeated Orlando.

“We’ve known this whole time that we’ve given ourselves a chance to get in the playoffs,” Harvey continued. “Unfortunately, the last two results have made that more difficult. But the harsh reality has always been the Bay game, Angel City game, Utah and Houston at home are massive.”

The Dash (4-12-5) didn’t dominate possession in the opening half but had the most dangerous attempt. Houston forward Michelle Alozie had a look recycled from a corner kick skim over the crossbar in the 33^rd minute.

Reign forward Jordyn Huitema returned to the starting lineup after missing Monday’s loss with an illness. She put a header on frame in the 42^nd minute. The soft attempt was an easy save for keeper Jane Campbell, sending the teams into the break goalless.

“Houston has always been an unpredictable team, which is hard to play against,” Reign defender Lu Barnes said. “They battled hard and kept themselves in the game. Same story, just those small little moments in the chaos, if we could calm down and put one away early, that game is different.”

Houston, which moved up a notch to 13^th in NWSL standings, played with the fire of a playoff hopeful in the second half. After Nagasato’s goal, Harvey subbed on forwards Veronica Latsko (Hanna Glas) and Nérilia Mondésir (Tziarra King) in the 59^th minute to get fresh legs in the attack and guard against Glas being shown a yellow card in first-half stoppage time.

The added energy helped Huitema get in better scoring positions but a close-range header in the 59^th minute was saved and a left-footed attempt in the box sailed high of goal in the 62^nd minute. Other attempts late in the match also melted into the muggy night.

“They showed one ounce of quality and that was a game changer,” Barnes said of Houston’s goal.

Seattle (5-11-5) entered Saturday’s match full of possibility in terms of playoff standings. Bay, which had the eighth and final postseason berth, lost 1-0 at home to Orlando on Friday.

Racing Louisville FC usurped the expansion side with a 2-1 win against North Carolina on Saturday. Forward Bethany Balcer, who the Reign traded to Louisville last month, nailed the game-winning penalty in second-half stoppage time.

The Reign remain 11^th in league standings. Their 20 points are five back of Louisville and Bay. The latter will travel to play the Reign at Lumen Field on Sept. 29.

Harvey is hopeful the team will have club original Jess Fishlock available for the match. The midfielder missed the past two games with a leg injury.

But no matter the lineup or opponent, the focus for the Reign is on results.

“We can’t keep doling on these past couple games,” Barnes said. “It’s literally do or die now.”

Note

Reign forward Emeri Adames and defender Jordyn Bugg helped the U.S. youth national team win bronze in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The 18-year-olds started Saturday’s third-place match against Netherlands in Colombia, the U.S. winning 2-1.

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