PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Thorns FC and OL Reign delivered another action-packed edition of the Cascadia derby. Thorns FC captain Christine Sinclair scored just four minutes into the contest, but unanswered goals by Reign's Megan Rapinoe and Shirley Cruz early in the first half guided the visitors to a 2-1 victory at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon.
All of the match's scoring came in the opening 15 minutes. Sinclair delivered beautifully chipped shot for her second goal of the regular season. Just five minutes later Rapinoe pulled OL Reign level on a free kick goal. On the 15-minute mark, Cruz found the eventual game-winner with a shot from the six yard box that deflected off the post. The contest wasn't without its chances, however, as the two clubs combined for 32 shots; Thorns with nine shots on goal.
With the loss, the Thorns' 10-game unbeaten stretch comes to an end. Sunday marked Portland's first loss since the Semifinal of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup in Utah. It was a streak that spanned three different competitions, including the winning the 2020 NWSL Fall Series title and the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
Match Moments
4' — GOAL (POR) — Sinclair scored her second goal of the regular season. She calmly, one-timed a chipped shot off a cleared out ball into the box just over Reign goalkeeper Karen Bardsley for the opening goal.
5' — SAVE (POR) — AD Franch made a diving save to her left to deny a shot by Rapinoe.
9' — GOAL (RGN) — Rapinoe skips a free kick from 28 yards under the reach of a diving Franch near the left post to level the score, 1-1.
15' — GOAL (RGN) — Cruz puts OL Reign up, 2-1. From the right side of the box, Dani Weatherholt centered a pass through traffic near the top of the six. Cruz put the ball on frame and it kissed off the left post and in.
39' — SHOT (POR) — Morgan Weaver was the recipient of a through ball into the OL Reign box and she cut the ball back to Sinclair on a trailing run at the left post. Sinclair's shot from short range was scooped up by Bardsley.
44' — SHOT (POR) — On a short corner played by the Thorns, the ball was worked around to Weaver on the right side of the penalty area. Her low driven shot was stopped by the outstretched hand of Bardsley on the post.
48' — SHOT (POR) — Smith unleashed a right-footed shot from the top of the penalty area, forcing the Reign's Bardsley into a diving save to deny a scoring chance.
58' — SHOT (POR) — Sinclair header off a Meghan Klingenberg corner kick flashes just wide of the right post.
76' — OFFSIDE (POR) — What appeared to be the equalizing goal by Lindsey Horan, was waived off. She was called offside.
80' — SAVE (POR) — Reign's Tziarra King had header from very close range saved by Franch in the top right corner.
85' — SHOT (POR) — Simone Charley made a slashing run to the left post to connect with a cross by Horan. Charley's header bounced just wide of the goal.
Notes:
- Christine Sinclair scored her second goal of the 2021 NWSL regular season.
- Sinclair has scored in four consecutive matches across all competitions.
- The goal was Sinclair’s ninth in her last 11 games across all competitions for Portland.
- Sinclair has scored six goals in her last six games across all competitions at Providence Park.
- In her last four matches across all competitions against OL Reign, Sinclair has scored six goals.
- Sunday’s loss snapped Portland’s 10-game unbeaten streak, which dated back to the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
- Portland has scored a goal in the first 10 minutes of its last three matches across all competitions.
Portland Thorns FC (1-1-0, 3pts) vs. OL Reign (1-0-1, 4pts)
May 23, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 1 0 1
OL Reign 2 0 2
Scoring Summary:
POR: Sinclair, 4
OLR: Rapinoe, 9
OLR: Cruz (Weatherholt), 15
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Dunn (cautionary), 9
OLR: Fishlock (cautionary), 35
OLR: Cruz (cautionary), 65
OLR: Cox (cautionary), 85
Lineups:
POR: GK Franch, D Westphal (Kuikka, 64), D Hubly, D Sauerbrunn, D Klingenberg (Pogarch, 77), M Dunn, M Rodríguez (Salem, 77), M Horan, F Smith (Lussi, 77), F Weaver (Charley, 62), F Sinclair ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Bixby, D Menges, M Boureille, F Everett
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Smith, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Smith, 4); FOULS: 12 (three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 2
OLR: GK Bardsley, D Barnes ©, D Hammond, D McNabb, D Cox (George, 90), M Cruz (Balcer 69), M Weatherholt, M Fishlock, F Huerta, F Pruitt (Brooks, 82), F Rapinoe (King, 69)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dederick, D Hiatt, M Angelina, F Momiki, F White
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (five players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Rapinoe, 2); FOULS: 10 (Fishlock, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 8
Referee: Karen Callado
Assistant Referees: Alicia Messer, Meghan Muller
4th Official: Corbyn May
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 68 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
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