SAN DIEGO — Three minutes. That’s all it took to rip up the script for Saturday’s NWSL Championship match that was set to be a Hollywood-esque ride into the sunset for Megan Rapinoe in the last game of her illustrious career.
Following an immense amount of buildup to the United States soccer icon’s chance of winning a first-ever NWSL title with OL Reign in her final professional appearance, those hopes suddenly came crashing down as soon as she fell to the pitch in the early stages of a 2-1 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC.
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“It felt like just a huge pop,” said the two-time World Cup winner about her possible Achilles injury that forced an unexpected substitution by the sixth minute. “The worst possible outcome, I just thank God I have like a f—ing deep well of a sense of humor, but yeah, I mean, just obviously devastating to go out in the final so early.”
With the background of an immediate hush from the audience of 25,011 at Snapdragon Stadium — a record attendance for an NWSL final — Rapinoe’s teammates were also soon thrown off course by the injury. Throughout the first half after their marquee star was substituted, the Reign struggled to hold back a Gotham side that took control of the attacking momentum…
