NWSL Week 5: Sky Blue looks to break streak against visiting Seattle

Sky Blue FC (1-2-1)  heads into tonight’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) against the Seattle Reign with two objectives in mind – halt the losing streak at two games and non-winning streak at three while also finding their offensive spark.

After a 1-0 win over defending champion FC Kansas City, the Sky Blue FC drew with Houston and dropped matches to Washington and Chicago.

In all, the Sky Blue have not scored more than 1 goal in a match during the whole season. Nadia Nadim, last year’s scoring leader, had a goal in the opening win but is finding it hard to get the ball to the Danish international forward.

Midfielder Katy Freels has shuttled between attacking midfielder and holding midfielder.  She has two goals on the season to lead Sky Blue FC.

Defensively, the Sky Blue defense -- reorganized with the departure of defenders Christie Rampone and Kelley O’Hara to national team camp – bent but only broke once in a 1-0 loss to Chicago.

Seattle comes in a 2-2, winning their season-opener and then dropping two straight matches before beating Washington last weekend. That marked the first losing streak for the Reign since 2013. The Reign are 0-2 on the road this year and are 1-4-1 away from home since July 12 of last year.

"We have faced some really tough challenges in all of our games so far this year and that has helped us grow as a team," said Jim Gabarra, Sky Blue FC’s head coach. "Seattle is the defending Supporters Shield winners and a  team that has been playing very well together for the better part of the year. They are minimally effected by the World Cup so we are looking forward to the challenge."

Goalkeeper Hope Solo and forward Megan Rapinoe are the big names missing from the Reign lineup as both  are training with the USWNT.