In their final home game of the 2018 regular season, Seattle Reign FC welcomed the North Carolina Courage back to Memorial Stadium looking to avenge their worst loss of the season back in June. With a number of injuries, including the late announcement that Megan Rapinoe would be unavailable due to a rib fracture, Seattle focused heavily on defensive shape, keeping their midfielders deep and relying instead on long passes and through balls to spring attacks instead of building slow possession from the back.
Reign FC head coach Vlatko Andonovski leaned heavily on his starters, many of whom were making their second start in four days; only one Seattle sub was used, and that wasn’t until second-half stoppage time.