Welcome to Round 10 of Fantasy NWSL! We will preview the Match of the Week selected based on which fixture features the teams with the highest combined fantasy points per game played (FP/GP).
OL Reign vs Portland Thorns:
With a combined FP/GP of 218, the match between OL Reign and Portland Thorns is the highest ranked Round 10 fixture when considering teams’ average earning performance.
| Fixture | Combined FP/GP |
| OL Reign vs Portland Thorns | 218.00 |
| Angel City FC vs San Diego Wave | 187.97 |
| Chicago Red Stars vs North Carolina Courage | 178.28 |
| Racing Louisville FC vs NJ/NY Gotham FC | 151.65 |
| Orlando Pride vs Houston Dash | 148.70 |
| Washington Spirit vs Kansas City Current | 140.01 |
Overview:
Reign vs Thorns is the most historic matchup in the NWSL. This installment of the Cascadia Rivalry promises to be an enticing clash, pitting the third place Thorns against the fourth place Reign. It will be the second regular-season meeting between the squads in 2022.
Reign enters the match with a solid 4-2-4 record. They have gradually climbed the league standings and find themselves on a two-game win streak. The strength of Reign has been their defense. They are allowing just 0.6 goals per game on average, a league-best statistic. On the offensive side of the ball, the squad is looking to improve their conversion rate as they have struggled to turn scoring opportunities into goals. Encouragingly, they are coming off a multi-goal effort against North Carolina.
Portland Thorns have been riding a wave of momentum, entering this fixture on a six-match unbeaten streak. The Thorns’ offense has fueled their success, as evidenced by their league- best 2.2 average goals scored per game. But Portland has also been able to lean on its defense, which has conceded just one goal in the last three games. The Thorns’ balanced play has earned the squad a +14 goal differential on the season, a league-best effort.
Players to Watch:
OL Reign
- Kim Little (MF): Little made her 2022 NWSL debut in Reign’s last match. The Arsenal star played just 45 minutes in that fixture, but she’s likely to play the majority of the match this time. She showed flashes of a strong connection with fellow midfielder Jess Fishlock, a combination that could prove lethal for a squad searching to enhance its goal-scoring abilities.
- Lauren Barnes (DF): Barnes has long been a defensive rock for Reign. This season, she has helped lift Reign to the best goals conceded statistic in the league. Her fantasy points reflect this strong play as she ranks fifth in the league amongst defenders in total fantasy points earned. She is likely to be a key figure if Reign wants to keep arguably the best offensive team in the NWSL from dominating the game.
Portland Thorns
- Kelli Hubly (DF): Hubly has been an iron-woman for the Thorns in 2022. The central defender has played every minute of the season. As a result, she is positioned third on the Thorn’s roster in total fantasy points earned. She has also accrued the third highest fantasy points among defenders league-wide.
- Samantha Coffey (MF): Coffey has been one of Portland’s most consistent performers, having started all ten of the squad’s games this year. She is sitting in fifth place on the Thorns’ roster in total fantasy points earned. The rookie has proven to be one of the best buys in the league considering her $75,000 purchase price and impressive fantasy point total.
Prediction:
OL Reign vs Portland is shaping up to be a battle of contrasting styles. Reign will look to keep the game low-scoring and control the tempo. Portland will attempt to implement an aggressive press and launch counter-attacks off turnovers.
Recent history suggests this will be a close game. The squads played to a scoreless draw in their previous regular season match. In the Challenge Cup, one match ended in a draw and the other in a 1-0 victory for Reign. With both teams in good form, it seems likely this match also ends in a tie. Don’t be surprised to see both teams pick up a point in a low-scoring draw.