Boston Legacy FC suffered a 2-0 loss against the Seattle Reign at Lumen Field, officially eliminating the Swans from playoff contention. The Legacy (7-14-5) remains in 14th place with 26 points.
Head coach Filipa Patão started Casey Murphy in the net with Nicki Hernandez, Deja Davis, Jorelyn Carabali, and Bianca St-Georges on the defensive line. Barbara Olivieri, Annie Karich, Alba Caño, and Sarah Schupansky made up the midfield. Sammy Smith and Aïssata Traoré started at the top.
Here are three thoughts from the game:
Fishlock(ed In)
Patão said prior to the game that Seattle’s counterattacks and ability to get numbers in the box were among the obstacles the team would face.
“Normally [they] have a lot of success in the way that they have the fast attacks and the way that they explore crosses when they put numbers in the line,” the coach said Thursday.
The opponents didn’t need to get into the 18 to cause problems. Both of the Reign’s goals were the result of bad passes from Boston, and Seattle mainstay Jess Fishlock was more than happy to take part in the Legacy’s demise.
A Boston turnover and failed recovery in the 23rd minute left Fishlock with the ball and all the space ahead of her. Davis and St-Georges ran back to close in on her, but the league veteran, still yards from the box, whipped it between the two defenders and bounced it past Murphy.
Jess Fishlock from distance 🫨
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) September 25, 2026 at 9:08 PM
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The second goal occurred in similar fashion. Another Legacy turnover prompted a run up the field; an unmarked Fishlock eventually received the ball and shot from outside the box and into the top right corner of the net for the brace.
Fishlock's second goal of the night also broke Seattle Reign's goal-scoring record, which was previously held by Megan Rapinoe. The 39-year-old has amassed 52 goals over her 13-year tenure with the Reign.
Shut Out
For the first time since May 30 (1-0 L vs Kansas City Current), the Legacy was kept scoreless. Boston’s performance on Friday seemed like an extension of its previous loss to the Houston Dash: Hardly any trouble entering the final third, only this time Boston did not have the shots to show for it.
The tight turnaround between Friday’s game in Seattle and the previous Sunday game in Pawtucket led to limited training time, but the team was able to work on decision-making when creating chances.
“First it’s how can we increase 1% in your responsibility and the things that you do, and how can you be more sharp inside the box and inside that moment,” Patão said Thursday.
Despite keeping 59% possession throughout the game and having more final third entries (49) than Seattle (43) in both halves, the Swans could not find the back of the net.
The Legacy utilized its midfield more than usual, running through the central channel to get the ball up to the opponent’s final third, then using the flanks to cross the ball into the box. Still, the Swans found themselves without enough players in the box to have a good chance at converting any opportunities.
BLFC ended the game with eight shots (two on target), one in the first half and seven in the second. The Reign had five shots in the first half and 10 in the second.
PlayOffs
The 2-0 scoreline helped Seattle secure the last playoff spot (for now) and simultaneously extinguished BLFC’s very slim chances of prolonging its season. And while the Reign likely went into the game dreaming of the postseason, it has not been top of mind for the Swans.
“We never thought of playoffs since the beginning of the season,” Patão said last week. “We have this goal, of course, because we are ambitious, but we never played any game inside the season thinking [about] playoffs.”
BLFC has four games left to round out its season, including one home game at Gillette Stadium. Nine points separate 14th and 16th place, and at this point I’m sure the fans are hoping the team finds its groove for at least a game or two so the season doesn’t end the same way it began: with five consecutive losses.
Boston Legacy FC will continue its tour of the Pacific Northwest and face the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on Saturday, October 3.
