Reign rally past Wave to end five-match losing streak

Veronica Latsko scored in the 89th minute as the short-handed Seattle Reign rallied for a 2-1 victory against visiting San Diego Wave FC on Friday night.

Bethany Balcer also scored for Seattle (2-5-0, 6 points), which snapped a five-match losing streak. Goalkeeper Laurel Ivory was credited with five saves.

Kyra Carusa scored for San Diego (2-3-1, 7 points).

An NWSL-record 10 cards were issued in the match -- eight yellow and two red.

Seattle's Tziarra King got the first red in the ninth minute, leaving the Reign short-handed the rest of the way. San Diego's Kristen McNabb was sent off in the final seconds of second-half stoppage time.

The Reign scored the winner after Latsko was fouled near the end line on the left wing by San Diego's Maria Sanchez. So-Yun Ji's free kick found Latsko at the near post and she flicked a header into the far side netting.

Seattle went a player down after a collision near midfield in the ninth minute as King tried to get past Wave defender Hanna Lundkvist. A video review determined King struck Lundkvist in the face and she was assessed a red card.

Carusa scored on the ensuing free kick in the 11th minute. Kennedy Wesley put a long ball into the center of the penalty area, where it pinballed off players from both teams. Carusa eventually corralled it and took a shot from the top of the 6-yard box that went off the crossbar and bounced back to her for a side-winding, left-footed shot into the left side of the net.

The short-handed Reign tied the score in the 34th minute on a San Diego turnover deep in its own end. Balcer stole a pass from Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and put the ball into an open net from about 10 yards out.

Sheridan's lone save was a diving stop on a 25-yard free kick by Ji in the 78th minute.

--Field Level Media