MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Friday, June 17, 2016
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Rhinos Stadium (Rochester, N.Y.)
Forecast: Mostly sunny, 78 degrees
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Amanda Ross, David Carpinella Fourth Official: Sandra Hunt
Webstream: www.thornsfc.com
MATCH DAY PREVIEW
Portland remains on the road, playing the second game of back-to-back road matches in a span of six days, traveling to square off against the Western New York Flash on Friday, June 17.
It marks the third time in the last four matches that Thorns FC have squared off against the team that sits atop the league table heading into the NWSL matches for that week.
Portland has captured at least a point from all five of its road matches this season (1-0-4), posting two shutouts, while extending its unbeaten streak to eight games - the second longest unbeaten streak in NWSL to start a season.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Following the international break, Thorns FC traveled to square off against the Chicago Red Stars on June 12, registering a 1-1 draw at Toyota Park. Forward Christine Sinclair put Portland ahead 1-0 in the 25th minute. Pressing Chicago’s back line, Sinclair was able to get in front of goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and block her attempt to clear the ball into the back of the net for her first goal of the season. Thorns FC did well to limit the Red Stars chances, allowing just one shot on goal, but forward Christen Press equalized in the 62nd minute, delivering a strike from the edge of the box that bounced off the crossbar and spun backwards into the goal.
SERIES HISTORY
Friday marks the ninth all-time meeting between Portland and Western New York during the regular season, and Thorns FC’s fifth trip to take on the Flash in Rochester. Portland holds a slight edge in the all-time series with a record of 3-2-3 and posted a record of 2-1-0 against Western New York during the 2015 season. Midfielder Allie Long has found success against the Flash as she has scored in the last three matches against Western New York and four of the last five games. The previous matches have been tightly contested with the two teams combining for three or more goals just twice in the nine previous meetings. Of the 20 goals scored in the all-time series, 18 have been scored in the first 60 minutes, including 14 in the first half.
SCOUTING THE FLASH
Western New York comes into Friday having won its last three games. The Flash registered a 1-0 win against the Orlando Pride on June 11 at Rhinos Stadium. Britt Eckerstrom was named NWSL Player of the Week as she kept a clean sheet in the match, making nine saves, while Makenzy Doniak tallied the game-winning goal in the fourth minute to give the Flash the win. Western New York has scored a league-best 13 goals, tallying 10 of those goals in the last three games after scoring just three goals in their first five matches. Western New York is led by midfielder Samantha Mewis and forward Lynn Williams, who are tied for the team lead with three goals each, while forward Jessica McDonald has two goal and an assist. Eckerstrom, the 26th overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft out of Penn State, has started each of the last two matches, recording a pair of clean sheets.
