No one was fooled by Club Tijuana’s crushing loss to Portland.
The 5-0 result earlier this month was ugly, but the game had dangerous moments that forced the Reign to keep an eye on Tijuana players like Aisha Solórzano.
They did, but it was as spectators that the Guatemalan forward scored a hat-trick as he handed the Reign a 3-2 defeat in their second group stage match of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
“We were in a strong position,” Reign coach Laura Harvey said of the team’s second-half comeback to tie the score at 2-all. “Then the third defensive goal just wasn’t enough for us, really.”
Group A is tied at four after Sunday’s result at Lumen Field. Seattle (1-1) will conclude its group stage against Portland (1-1) on Wednesday. The Thorns will host their team at Providence Park.
The tournament is divided into five groups. The top four teams in the Summer Cup standings will advance to the semi-finals, which will take place in August. The championship final is scheduled for October.
Solórzano’s third goal was the winner in the 84th minute.th minute. Tijuana midfielder Marta Cox provided the assist from deep, while Solórzano took on Reign goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to fire a right-footed shot into the net.
“I still practice that,” Solórzano said of his races.[The win] “It means a lot. I’m new so I’m starting to gain confidence in my teammates and I’m really happy to score and get the win with a team that works really hard.”
The Reign and Tijuana made a number of changes to their starting lineups after their first group stage games. Tijuana (1-1) kept Solórzano and caused problems for Seattle’s center backs.
The Perrísimas quickly turned a Reign turnover in midfield into the opening goal in the second minute. Natividad Martínez fed Solórzano, who used a delicate touch on the half-volley to direct the ball over Ivory and into the net.
Ivory was way off his line, just hoping to win the ball at the top of the box.
But nothing was simple on Sunday afternoon.
Ivory nearly conceded a second goal in the seventh minute. Solórzano shot from the right side of the penalty area, but the goalkeeper failed to deflect it cleanly. She was saved by the shot that bounced off the post.
No worries. Solórzano showed patience by making a run after teammate Ammanda Marroquin gained possession in midfield. She timed a through ball to Solórzano, who dusted off the Reign backline and faced Ivory one-on-one, slotting a right-footed shot into the net in the 40th minute.th minute.
“I was just like, ‘Don’t miss this,’” Solórzano told the broadcast crew at halftime.
The Reign settled in after that early upset. But Tijuana coach Juan Romo made a change in goal and goalie Itzayana González kept Seattle from scoring.
The most daring shot was a powerful shot from Emeri Adames on the 18th.th minute when González deflected the ball over the crossbar. She was able to intercept Adames’ other attempt built on a corner in the 19th minute.th minute.
“I told the players at half-time that they weren’t beating us, that we were beating ourselves,” Harvey said. “We lost the ball in two bad positions and I don’t know how many passes or touches there were between the time we gave them the ball and the time they scored, but it was less than three. When that happens, it’s easy to turn the game around because the opposition doesn’t do much. You give them the ball. And we had a great second half.”
Adames continued to apply pressure in the second half. She was given space outside the box on the left side and moved the ball to try for a left-footed goal. González could do nothing to stop the ball from crashing into the back of the net in the 47th minute.th minute.
Seattle equalized in the 62ndnd minute. González blocked midfielder Lily Woodham’s attempt, but midfielder Maddie Mercado was unmarked at the far post and collected the rebound.
It is the first professional goal for Mercado, who was selected 27th overall by Seattle in the NWSL draft last winter.
“It was great to contribute like that, to be able to tie the game,” Mercado said. “It was a team goal. From start to finish, the whole pitch was absolutely brilliant – Emeri had the little dummy and Lily curled the ball. I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Tijuana had just four shots on target in the game, including three goals. The Reign had seven in the second half alone, but converted two of them.
Finishing struggles have been a problem all season. Now the Reign will have to find a way to score against their biggest rival on the road on Wednesday or their first experience in the Summer Cup will be over.
“Ultimately we had enough chances to win this game,” Harvey said.
