Match Preview: Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign FC

Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign FC

Yurcak Field; Piscataway, New Jersey

August 19, 2017

7:00 p.m. ET

Watch: go90 or NWSLsoccer.com

Sky Blue FC (7-9-2, 23 points) returns to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) action on Saturday as the New Jersey club hosts Seattle Reign FC (7-5-6, 27 points) at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, New Jersey. The match is set to kickoff at 7 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the match on go90.com, the go90 app or on NWSLsoccer.com.

With yesterday’s announcement that defender Christie Pearce will miss the remainder of the season due to accumulative injuries, Sky Blue FC appointed Sam Kerr and Kelley O’Hara to hold dual captainship for the New Jersey club for the rest of the year, beginning on Saturday night.

The match-up marks the third meeting of the season between Sky Blue FC and the Reign, and it’s the first time during the 2017 campaign that Seattle travels to New Jersey.

The two clubs opened up the season with a 1-1 tie during the NWSL Opening Weekend in April. In the most recent contest, Sky Blue FC and Seattle Reign RC battled in an epic seesaw match at Memorial Stadium on July 22. After Reign FC took a 4-0 lead early in the second half, a resilient Sky Blue FC side battled all the way back to level the score at four goals apiece as the game headed into the final minutes. Megan Rapinoe scored the game-winner in the 87th minute to lift Seattle to a 5-4 victory.

The fixture against Seattle marked the beginning of Sky Blue FC’s current three-game losing streak. The New Jersey side has allowed 14 goals in its past three games, and is looking to bounce back from a 5-0 defeat against the Orlando Pride on August 12.

Both Sky Blue FC and Seattle Reign FC will be missing key players on Saturday night. In addition to Pearce, SBFC forward Leah Galton and defender Erin Simon will also sit out the match. Seattle will be playing without Rapinoe on Saturday as she continues to rehabilitate a left knee meniscus tear.

Historically, Reign FC leads the series with a 4-3-5 overall record, including a 2-1-2 advantage in New Jersey.

Sky Blue FC has yet to announce the interim head coach after Christy Holly announced he was stepping down from the position on Wednesday. However, the club stated that Sky Blue FC “remains in great hands with Jill Loyden, Dave Hodgson, Paul Greig and Maria Dorris as we approach the remainder of the regular season with a full ambition of reaching the NWSL Playoffs.”

Injury Report:

SBFC

OUT: Leah Galton (back strain), Christie Pearce (SEI – accumulative injuries), Erin Simon (D45 – left foot fracture)

QUESTIONABLE: Tasha Kai (right calf strain); Kelley O’Hara (right adductor strain)

SRFC

OUT: Diana Matheson (SEI – left knee ACL tear), Megan Rapinoe (left knee meniscus tear)