In this edition of Oppo Research, Hudson River Blue spoke with Susie Rantz of Sounder at Heart to learn more about OL Reign, Gotham FC‘s opponent in the 2023 NWSL Championship Final this Saturday.
Silverware is on the line: Here is your Gotham FC vs OL Reign preview.
1. Everyone is putting in the grit
Hudson River Blue: OL Reign finished the season in 4th place with 32 points, just one point above what turned out to be the cutoff line. The Reign won their postseason knockout games by the score of 1-0, and are now in the NWSL Championship for the third time in club history. What’s the vibe in Seattle these days?
Susie Rantz: The Reign closed out the final few matches of the regular season with a renewed focus, which has translated into their strong postseason run. While there were some fans skeptical of the Reign a month ago, their defensive-first approach has really paid off. I’d say like Gotham, it’s a team package with the Reign — everyone is putting in the grit, sacrifice, and energy to get results. The fans are feeding off that.
