USWNT legend Megan Rapinoe’s career extended as OL Reign beat Angel City FC in NWSL quarterfinals

Megan Rapinoe gave home fans a curtain call in Seattle as OL Reign defeated Angel City FC 1-0 in the NWSL quarterfinals on Friday. The USWNT superstar announced her retirement ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup earlier this year, saying she’d step away at the conclusion of her club season. That will wait another week after Veronica Latsko delivered the game-winning goal late in the match. 

Rapinoe has already said her farewell to the national team but is having the long goodbye to a club career she’s earned. The organization, head coach Laura Harvey, and team veterans Jess Fishlock, Lauren Barnes, and Rapinoe are three-time NWSL Shield winners but have been chasing the long-elusive NWSL Championship. The club has seven postseason appearances, but the quarterfinal win against Angel City is their first playoff victory since 2015. 

The club recently held a celebration match for Rapinoe in a final regular season home game, but Havery was hopeful the team could make it back to Lumen Field in Seattle for one final scene setter.

Though she didn’t score a goal Rapinoe was the lead character in her near-final act. She led the team in total touches (72) and total shots (three) in the narrow win. The game was tense at times and both sides played a close, physical match. There were few opportunities on goal by the visitors, zero shots on goal, and Latsko’s late-game heroics were the difference maker. 

What’s next

Rapinoe and the Reign advance to the NWSL semifinals set to begin on Nov. 5. They will face No. 1 seeded San Diego Wave FC. The Wave are current NWSL Shield winners and are another familiar foe for the Reign. Like Angel City, the teams have played each other multiple times this year between the regular season and Challenge Cup. Fans can watch all the semifinal action on CBS Sports Network.