MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015
Kickoff: 5 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, Mo.)
Forecast: Sunny, 87 degrees
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Adrienne McDonald, Maggie Short Fourth Official: Jon Freemon
MATCH PREVIEW
Facing a quick turnaround, Portland Thorns FC play their third game in eight days, traveling to square off against FC Kansas City on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Swope Soccer Village; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific).
Wednesday’s match has important playoff implications as the winner would claim sole possession of fourth place in the NWSL standings. In addition, Portland enters Wednesday’s match just two points behind third-place Washington and five points off the pace of second-place Chicago.
Portland has won three consecutive matches and could equal a streak of four games unbeaten with at least a draw on Wednesday. Thorns FC opened the 2015 season with a record of 2-0-2, rattling off back-to-back wins before claiming a pair of draws. A win would equal the team’s longest winning streak in team history of four games set during the 2013 from April 21-May 12.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Thorns FC rallied from an early first-half deficit behind a brace from midfielder Allie Long to claim a 2-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars on Aug. 9 at Providence Park. Midfielder Alyssa Mautz put Chicago in front in the 29th minute, but Long equalized in the 38th when goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc and defender Abby Erceg collided attempting to clear a ball played into the box by midfielder Tobin Heath and Long collected the loose ball and finished. Long tallied the game-winning goal in the 69th minute, finishing from distance with a well-placed shot into the bottom, left corner of the goal after receiving a pass from midfielder Sinead Farrelly.
SCOUTING FC KANSAS CITY
FC Kansas City enters Wednesday’s match following a 4-0 win against the Western New York Flash on Aug. 8 at Swope Soccer Village. The two teams finished even on shots, nine, but FC Kansas City scored three second-half goals to claim the win. FC Kansas City ranks near the top of the league defensively having allowed the second fewest goals (18) of any team this season. Offensively at home in the last three games, FC Kansas City has outscored its opponents 8-1, recording a pair of shutouts. Four players have returned for FC Kansas City since the conclusion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup: defender Becky Sauerbrunn, midfielders Heather O’Reilly and Lauren Holiday and forward Amy Rodriguez, all of whom were unavailable when Portland and FC Kansas City met in June. Eleven different players have scored goals for FC Kansas City this season and no player has more than four goals.
SERIES HISTORY VS. FC KANSAS CITY
Wednesday’s meeting is the second, and final, regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2015. In the last meeting on June 19 at Providence Park, goalkeeper Michelle Betos made history with a stoppage time equalizer in the dying seconds of the match in a 1-1 draw. Portland is 3-3-2 all-time against FC Kansas City, but is in search of its first win on the road (0-2-1) during the regular season against FC Kansas City. Midfielder Allie Long has four career goals in the all-time series, which has produced a combined 31 goals in eight meetings between the two teams.
THREE IN A ROW
Thorns FC have found their form as of late winning their last three games, while outscoring their opponents 9-3. A total of eight different players have registered either a goal or an assist during that stretch and four different players have scored a goal in those three games. Forward Christine Sinclair has featured prominently, tallying a goal and two assists in Portland’s last three games.
LONG ON FIRE
Midfielder Allie Long continued her impressive goal scoring pace last week, and has now registered a goal in three consecutive matches. Long tallied three goals and an assist in two matches last week, including a brace in a 2-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars on Aug. 9. The brace was Long’s second of the 2015 season - and the third of her career - bringing her season total to nine goals and four assists. Long ranks tied for second in the NWSL in goals and tied for third in assists. She is one of just two players (Kim Little) in the league that ranks in the top five in the league in both goals and assists. Portland is 15-0-3 all-time when Long scores in a match and 6-0-1 in 2015.
STOUT DEFENSE
Portland continues to rank among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed, having conceded the third fewest goals (19) in the NWSL this season. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos made five saves in goal against Chicago and is tied for the NWSL lead with a 1.00 goals-against average. Defensively, Thorns FC have allowed multiple goals in match just five times this season, while surrendering the second fewest shots on goal (80) and rank tied for third in fewest shots allowed (182).
BRACES
Midfielder McCall Zerboni tallied the 10th brace in Thorns FC history in a 5-2 win against Boston on Aug. 5. Zerboni became the sixth different player to register a brace for Portland. On Sunday, midfielder Allie Long tallied her third career brace in a 2-1 win against Chicago and joins forward Christine Sinclair as the only other player with three multiple goal games in a Thorns FC jersey.
NOTABLE STATS
Portland is 21-2-5 all-time when scoring first in a match, including a record of 4-1-0 this season. Thorns FC are 14-0-5 all-time when leading at the half and 26-6-10 when leading or tied at half. Thorns FC are 19-9-10 all-time when outshooting their opponents in a match. Also, Portland is 12- 6-5 when limiting its opponent to single-digit shot attempts in a match. When scoring two or more goals in a match, Portland has a record of 21-1-4 all-time.
MILESTONES
Midfielder Allie Long surpassed 20 career goals for Portland, tallying a brace against Chicago on Aug. 9. Long now has 21 goals for her career, which is tied for second most in NWSL history and is just one behind all-time leading goal scorer. Seattle Reign FC’s Kim Little (22). In addition, Long is one of five NWSL players with 20 or more career goals in the NWSL (Carli Lloyd, Jessica McDonald, Lauren Holiday, Little).
Defender Kat Williamson could make her 60th career NWSL appearance on Wednesday. Defender Emily Menges would become the sixth player to reach 40 career appearances if she plays on Wednesday.
Midfielder Kaylyn Kyle made her 50th NWSL appearance against Chicago, while forward Christine Sinclair played in her 50th match for Portland becoming the third player (Long, Mana Shim) to appear in 50 games for Thorns FC.
Sinclair is tied for first place all-time with five game-winning goals with Alex Morgan, and is just one point away from 40 career points. Shim is also one goal away from reaching double-digits for her career.
