- Lavelle could bey key to NWSL final win
- USWNT star recently returned from lengthy injury
- Manager Harvey describes her as 'world class'
WHAT HAPPENED? OL Reign boss Laura Harvey says having USWNT star Rose Lavelle back in her team for the playoffs changes everything. The crafty No.10, who scored in the final of the 2019 World Cup, picked up an injury in a national team friendly in April, and played just four regular-season games for Reign this season - but she’s been crucial in her team’s playoff run and looks set to play a big role in the final.
WHAT THEY SAID: “She's world class,” says Harvey of Lavelle. “She's a game changer. She's someone who’s really hard to play against, because she's so unpredictable. She can wriggle out of really tight spaces, and against a team like Gotham that's going to be huge.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lavelle entered Seattle’s quarterfinal match with Angel City FC at halftime, and the momentum instantly swung in their favor.
“When she came on against Angel City, she changed the game,” said Harvey, adding, “I thought she was excellent against San Diego.”
The 28-year-old will be key for her team when it comes to unlocking Gotham’s stingy defense, which conceded just 24 goals in the regular season and shut out the second and third-place teams in the league - Portland and North Carolina - in its first two playoff matchups.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR LAVELLE? The USWNT star and OL Reign take on Gotham FC in the 2023 NWSL final on Saturday.