In a rematch of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship, Portland Thorns FC defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at Red Bull Arena. Crystal Dunn scored the game-winning goal with her first goal as a member of Thorns FC.
Portland fired 22 shots at the Gotham net with eight of those being on target. On the other end of the field, goalkeeper Adrianna Franch made three saves for her second shutout in league play this season.
Meghan Klingenberg notched an assist and was a constant presence going forward, finishing with a game-high six chances created.
Match Moments
2' — SHOT (POR) — Sophia Smith forced a diving save from Kaelin Sheridan when the 20-year-old forward headed a Lindsey Horan cross on frame.
15' — SHOT (POR) — Horan turned a header towards goal from a Meghan Klingenberg shot but it was comfortably saved by Sheridan.
22' — SAVE (POR) — Adrianna Franch made her first save of the match when she made a diving denial of a long-range curling shot from Jennifer Cudjoe.
28' — POST (POR) — After Smith split a double-team near the corner, she fed a pass to Crystal Dunn just outside the box. Dunn's shot flew past the goalkeeper, only to be denied by the woodwork.
56' — GOAL (POR) — Dunn scored her first goal for the Thorns, when she fired home on a left-footed shot from the top of the box. Klingenberg earned an assist on the goal.
72' — CHANCE (POR) — A deflected Smith cross almost found the back of the net but Sheridan was able to get a hand on the ball to set up a corner kick.
Notes:
- Emily Menges earned her first start of the 2021 season, logging 61 minutes.
- Crystal Dunn scored her first goal for Portland in 2021. The goal was the 33rd of her NWSL career.
- Meghan Klingenberg tallied her first assist of the 2021 regular season.
- The assist was Klingenberg’s 13th in regular-season play with Thorns FC, which is tied for the third-most in club history.
- Adrianna Franch recorded her fourth shutout across all competitions in 2021.
- Tyler Lussi made her 50th appearance across all competitions for the club.
- Portland earned at least one point from five of its last six road matches in all competitions.
- Six players finished the match with at least two chances created: Klingenberg, Lindsey Horan, Dunn, Christine Sinclair, Rocky RodrÃguez and Morgan Weaver.
- Thorns FC have recorded 20 or more shots in all four regular-season matches in 2021.
- Dunn is the eighth different player to score a goal for Thorns FC across all competitions in 2021.
Portland Thorns FC (2-2-0, 6pts) vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-1-1, 4pts)
May 30, 2021 – Red Bull Arena (Harrison, N.J.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 0 1 1
NJ/NY Gotham FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
POR: Dunn (Klingenberg), 56
Misconduct Summary:
NJ/NY: Dydasco (caution), 19
POR: Klingenberg (caution), 69
POR: RodrÃguez (caution), 75
NJ/NY: Long (caution), 83
Lineups:
POR: GK Franch, D Westphal, D Menges (Hubly, 61), D Sauerbrunn, D Klingenberg, M Salem (RodrÃguez, 46), M Horan, M Dunn, M Sinclair © (Boureille, 67), F Smith (Lussi, 90+1), F Charley (Weaver, 61)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Bixby, D Kuikka, D Pogarch, F Everett
TOTAL SHOTS: 22 (Smith, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Smith, 3); FOULS: 6 (five players tied, 1); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3
NJ/NY: GK Sheridan, D Dydasco, D Freeman, D Johnson, D Purce, M Cudjoe, M Long, M Kawasumi (Lee, 72), F Monaghan, F Lloyd, F Onumonu (Viens, 76)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Haracic, D Flores, D Skroski, D Lewandowski, M Baxter, M Eddy, M Richardson
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (five players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (three players tied, 1); FOULS: 11 (three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 7
Referee: Karen Abt
Assistant Referees: Tom Felice, Rachel Smith
4th Official: Luis Arroyo
Weather: Rain, 52 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
Everything from Thorns FC's win at Gotham:
