OL Reign star Jess Fishlock spoke out on Twitter about her team’s NWSL Challenge Cup scheduling woes.
As the top seed exiting the group stage of the Challenge Cup, OL Reign earned home-field advantage for the tournament’s semifinals. OL Rein’s Lumen Field, however, has a Seattle Sounders match scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, the same date as the semifinal.
Congratulations on being TOP seed and making it through to the semi final of the challenge cup. To celebrate … You now have an away game on the east coast Sunday .. followed by an away semi final that you are meant to host on Wednesday on the west coast. LUCKY YOU !!!— Jessica Fishlock MBE (@JessFishlock) April 24, 2022
Congratulations on being TOP seed and making it through to the semi final of the challenge cup. To celebrate … You now have an away game on the east coast Sunday .. followed by an away semi final that you are meant to host on Wednesday on the west coast. LUCKY YOU !!!
Per the club, OL Reign attempted to find an alternative venue to retain home-field advantage. Instead, the team’s matchup against the fourth-seeded Washington Spirt will be played at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va., one of the Spirit’s two home fields.
The teams also are scheduled to play this Sunday, May 1, in their season opener at Audi Field in Washington, the Spirit’s other home arena.
“Congratulations on being top seed and making it through to the semifinal of the challenge cup,” Fishlock tweeted. “To celebrate … You now have an away game on the east coast Sunday …followed by an away semifinal that you are meant to host on Wednesday on the west coast.”
Should OL Reign advance to the Challenge Cup final, it will be played at Lumen Field on May 7 at 10 a.m. local time, and the club’s regular-season game against Racing Louisville set for May 8 will be rescheduled.