**Fullerton, California** – OL Reign took away three points at the home of Angel City FC on Saturday night, defeating the hosts 3-1 in a complete performance at Titan Stadium.
Jumping out the gate, it was Angel City who looked the most likely to open the scoring inside the opening ten minutes. In the 4 ^th minute, forward Tyler Lussi produced a powerful effort on goal that OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce did well to save to her right. Then in the 7 ^th minute, midfielder Savannah McCaskill, who scored the club’s lone goal of its Challenge Cup opener against San Diego Wave FC, had another quality look that forced Tullis-Joyce into another good save.
However, exploiting Angel City in the midfield, it was instead OL Reign who opened the scoring after 12 minutes. Putting together a well worked move into the center of the park, midfielder Rose Lavelle pressed ahead toward the Angel City penalty area and played in forward Veronica Latsko on the left side. Taking a touch forward, Latsko beat the ball hard and low past Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic, who had little chance of producing a save.
After opening the scoring, the visitors then returned for more in the 17 ^th minute as they doubled their lead. Moving the ball down the right side of the field, Reign midfielder Angelina picked out defender Alana Cook near the right side of the six-yard box, and Cook’s header was unable to be saved by Haracic as they added a second on the night.
Fortunes went from bad to worse for Angel City just after the half-hour mark when McCaskill was sent off following a perceived reckless challenge on Latsko by the head referee, limiting her side’s ability to make a dent in the deficit.
At the break, the Reign held tight to their 2-0 lead.
Five minutes into the second half, what had to have been the decisive goal came for OL Reign as Angelina turned from provider to scorer. Again a great transitional passing move through the midfield created a three-on-three opportunity for the visitors. Lavelle, in similar position as her assist to Latsko earlier in the match, played the forward in on the left again but this time Latsko slid a ball across goal for Angelina to put home.
There was a glimmer of hope for the hosts in the 67 ^th minute, though. Doing well to continue to attack despite down a player and three goals, Angel City pulled one back through forward Tyler Lussi. A well worked move saw the ball played out wide to Spencer, who beat a Reign player before finding substitute Simone Charley. Charley then picked out Lussi in the center of the area and she buried her opportunity beating Tullis-Joyce for her side’s lone goal.
In the end, however, OL Reign were the better of the two sides and produced a 3-1 victory that sees them jump to the top of the West Division. The defeat leaves Angel City last in the same division on one point ahead of San Diego’s match against Portland later on Saturday night.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights