MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, May 29, 2016
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Forecast: Sunny, 72 degrees
Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referees: TJ Zablocki, Jeremy Weed Fourth Official: Jason Perlewitz
- TICKETS: Thorns vs. Reign
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
Playing the second of back-to-back matches at Providence Park, Portland Thorns FC host Seattle Reign FC at 4pm PT Sunday in the second of four total meetings between the two clubs this season. The match is presented by West Hills Vision Care.
Thorns FC and Reign FC squared off for the first time this season at Memorial Stadium in Seattle on May 14 as the two teams played to a 1-1 draw. Forward Nadia Nadim scored less than a minute into the second half before Reign FC equalized in the 49th minute.
This is the second of four meetings this season between the two clubs, and the second meeting in a span of four days. Portland and Seattle will square off again at Providence Park on July 30, and for the fourth, and final time on Aug. 27 in Seattle.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Returning to Providence Park for their first home match in over a month, Thorns FC registered a 4-1 win against the Washington Spirit on May 21. With the win, Portland extended its unbeaten stretch to a club-record six games. Thorns FC tallied three first-half goals, including goals from midfielders Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath in addition to an own goal. Midfielder Meg Morris, who entered the match in the 56th minute, tallied Portland’s fourth goal in the 78th minute. Forward Christine Sinclair made her first start of the 2016 season in her home regular-season debut, logging 56 minutes in the match.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday’s match marks the sixth all-time meeting between Portland and Seattle at Providence Park. Historically, these matches have been tightly contested with the last three meetings all finishing with a 1-0 score line and six of the previous 10 meetings in the all-time series being decided by a single goal. Thorns FC holds
a slight edge in the all-time series with a record of 5-4-1 and a record of 3-2-0 at Providence Park. Forward Christine Sinclair is Thorns FC’s all-time leading goal scorer in the series with three goals, while forward Nadia Nadim has scored in every match she has played against Seattle, dating back to a pair of matches she played in for Sky Blue FC against Reign FC in 2015.
SCOUTING SEATTLE
Seattle enters Sunday’s match following a 2-1 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars at Memorial Stadium on May 22. After surrendering a pair of goals, midfielder Kim Little pulled a goal back late as she converted from the penalty spot in the 89th minute. Little currently leads the team with three goals and two assists through the first six games this season. Seattle will be without the services of goal- keeper Hope Solo, who is away with the U.S. Women’s National Team, as well as forwards Megan Rapionoe and Manon Melis because of injury. Midfielder Jessica Fishlock missed the last four matches, but looks to be available after playing 30 minutes in a friendly match against Arsenal Ladies on Thursday. Haley Kopmeyer will likely replace Solo in goal. Kopmeyer started 11 games for Seattle in 2015, registering four shutouts.
WEEKEND CALL-UPS
With six players called into U.S. Women’s National Team training camp ahead of upcoming inter- national friendlies, Thorns FC called in three players for the match this upcoming weekend against Seattle. Goalkeeper Emily Kruger, forward Shade Pratt and midfielder Maureen Fitzgerald. Kruger played collegiately at the University of California from 2010-13 and was available for selection during the 2015 campaign for several games. Following her collegiate career, Kruger played in Iceland with KR Reykjavik before coming into camp with Portland. Kruger gained experience in camp with both the U.S. U-23 and U-20 women’s national team. Pratt was the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NWSL Draft out of Maryland by Sky Blue FC, but did not appear in a NWSL match. Pratt played from 2011-14 for the Terrapins, starting and playing in 17 games, while scoring three goals as a defender in 2014. Fitzgerald is a local product out of Beaverton and Westview High School, who played collegiately at the University of Oregon for three seasons (2010-12). All three players are available for selection for Sunday’s match
