PORTLAND, Ore. – Despite a 21-5 advantage in shots, Portland Thorns FC lost 2-0 to the Chicago Red Stars in the semifinals of the 2021 NWSL Playoffs at Providence Park Sunday afternoon.
Match Moments
2' - CHANCE (POR) - Forward Morgan Weaver received the ball near the edge of the area, made a quick turn and then fired a right-footed shot that was wide of the near post.
28' - CHANCE (POR) - On a Portland corner kick, the ball bounced around near the six-yard box before falling to forward Sophia Smith. Her shot was saved in the lower left cover before Chicago cleared the ball away.
31' - CHANCE (POR) - Three minutes later, Smith broke free down the left channel, cut towards goal and hit a low diagonal shot that skipped wide of the far post.
37' - GOAL (CRS) - Coming completely against the run of play, Red Stars forward Katie Johnson hit a shot towards the near post that snuck inside to put the Thorns down 1-0 in the 37th minute.
44' - CHANCES (POR) - The Thorns let fly a flurry of shots searching for an equalizer. Two were blocked before Smith's attempt to the lower far corner was stopped by Chicago goalkeeper Cassie Miller.
59' - GOAL (CRS) - Chicago went up 2-0 on a long-distance shot from Sarah Woldmoe.
66' - CHANCE (POR) - Midfielder Angela Salem sent an out-swinging corner into the mixer that forward Simone Charley headed down towards goal but right at Miller.
76' - CHANCE (POR) - Defender Becky Sauerbrunn made a great tackle in the Chicago half with the ball rolling towards midfielder Rocky Rodríguez. Rodríguez sprinted ahead with the ball and fired a shot that forced a diving save from Miller.
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Portland Thorns FC vs. Chicago Red Stars – 2021 NWSL Semifinal
Nov. 14, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary:
CHI: Johnson (DiBernardo), 37
CHI: Woldmoe (Gautrat), 59
Misconduct Summary:
None
Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Kuikka, D Menges, D Sauerbrunn, D Klingenberg, M Salem, M Rodríguez, M Ryan, M Sinclair ©, F S. Smith, F Weaver (Charley, 59)
Substitutes Not Used: GK A. Smith, D Nally, D Hubly, Pogarch, M Boureille, M Everett, M Moultrie, F Lussi
TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Smith, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Rodríguez, Smith, 2); FOULS: 7 (Klingenberg, Kuikka, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 0
CHI: GK Miller, D Milazzo, D Gorden, D Davidson, D Wright, M Gautrat, M Woldmoe, M Colaprico, M DiBernardo ©, F Hill, F Watt (Johnson, 29)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Boyd, D Goralski, D Morse, D St. Georges, M Stevens, M Stanton, M Mautz, F Doniak
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (DiBernardo, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Johnson, Woldmoe, 1); FOULS: 9 (Gautrat, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 6
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Deleana Quan, Meghan Mullen
4th Official: Samantha Martinez
Attendance: 15,832
Weather: Cloudy, 63 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
Notes:
- Portland closed out the regular season in first place with a record of 13-6-5 (44 pts).
- Thorns FC set a new NWSL single-season record for shutouts (13).
- Thorns FC finished the season with their second-most wins in club history (13), behind the 14 they recorded in 2017.
- Portland conceded the fewest goals in NWSL this season (17).
- Portland’s 17 goals allowed in the regular season is the fewest in club history, and tied the NWSL record for fewest goals allowed in a season (North Carolina, 2018).
- Thorns FC registered the second-most goals in the regular season (33).
- Angela Salem was named the Supporters Player of the Year.
- Salem is the only player to appear in all 24 matches this year.
- Bella Bixby had the second-most shutouts in the NWSL this season (9).
- Sophia Smith led the team in chances created today with four.
- Christine Sinclair registered a team-high 11 possessions gained.
- Sinclair has played in every Thorns FC playoff game in club history (10). She is one of three players in league history to appear in 10 or more postseason matches.
- Bella Bixby, Simone Charley, Natalia Kuikka, Rocky Rodríguez, Yazmeen Ryan, Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver all appeared in their first NWSL playoff game.
