ORLANDO, Fla. – Playing their second game in five days, Portland Thorns FC rallied in the final 10 minutes with a pair of goals from midfielders Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Lindsey Horan to remain unbeaten through their first 11 games this season, earning a 2-1 win against the Orlando Pride in front of 7,143 fans Sunday evening at Camping World Stadium.
Taking to the road for the seventh time – the most of any team in the league this season through their first 11 games – Thorns FC (6-0-5, 23pts) kept their unbeaten streak intact, making it the second-longest unbeaten streak in NWSL history. In addition, Portland is now unbeaten in seven consecutive road games (3-0-4), setting a new club record for the longest road-unbeaten streak in Thorns FC history.
Portland registered its third straight win and handed Orlando (5-6-0, 15pts) its first loss of the season at home, battling back to score the equalizer after forward Jasmyne Spencer sent a powerful strike from distance into the top left corner of the goal in the 67th minute. Just nine minutes after entering the match as a substitute, Brynjarsdottir tallied her third goal of the season in the 80th minute to tie the game at 1-1.
Building from the back, defender Emily Sonnett delivered a pinpoint long-range pass to the head of forward Christine Sinclair, who flicked the ball on for Brynjarsdottir running towards the edge of the box. Brynjarsdottir was able to beat the Orlando defender to the ball and calmly chipped it past Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris inside the right post.
With both teams pushing for the game-winning goal late in the match, Sinclair quickly switched the point of attack, finding forward Hayley Raso racing down the left side of the field. Raso dribbled into the box and cut back towards the middle, sending a short pass to the feet of Horan, who placed her shot perfectly into the right side of the net in the 90th minute for her team-leading fourth goal of the season to put Thorns FC in front 2-1.
Defensively, Portland remains the only team in the NWSL this season that has not conceded multiple goals in a match. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos made three critical saves, including a double save in the 28th minute as she made a kick save on a point-blank range attempt from midfielder Dani Weatherholt and sprung back to her feet to make a diving stop on Spencer’s shot off the rebound.
Thorns FC return to the Rose City for back-to-back home matches, starting with a game against Sky Blue FC on Saturday, July 2, at Providence Park. Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) with a live web stream at www.thornsfc.com.
Notes:
- Portland’s 11-game unbeaten streak is the second-longest unbeaten streak in league history, while the club also set a new record for the longest-road unbeaten streak in Thorns FC history (7 games).
- Two of Lindsey Horan’s four goals this season have come against Orlando – both were game-winners that came after the 80th minute.
- Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Horan scored in both regular-season matches against Orlando this season.
- Portland has scored six goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season.
- Horan’s 90th-minute goal was the latest regular-season game-winner in Thorns FC history.
- Midfielder Hayley Raso recorded her first career NWSL assist and point in the match.
- Thorns FC have outscored their opponents 8-4 on the road this season.
- Portland improved to 5-0-0 all-time against expansions sides in their inaugural seasons. Posting a record of 2-0-0 against Orlando this season and a mark of 3-0-0 against the Houston Dash in their first season (2014).
- Defender Katherine Reynolds made her 70th career NWSL appearance in the match.
- Defender Emily Menges earned her 50th career start in the match, becoming only the third player in club history to reach this milestone along with Christine Sinclair and Allie Long.
- Forward Christine Sinclair has tallied a point in four consecutive matches (June 12-June 26)
Portland Thorns FC (6-0-5, 23pts) at Orlando Pride (5-6-0, 15pts)
June 26, 2016 – Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 0 2 2
Orlando Pride 0 1 1
Scoring Summary
ORL: Spencer, 67
POR: Brynjarsdottir (Sinclair), 80
POR: Horan (Raso), 90
Misconduct Summary
ORL: Alleway (Caution), 43
POR: Raso (Caution), 90+2
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Betos, D Reynolds, D Sonnett, D Menges, D Klingenberg, M Henry (Weber, 90+2), M Horan, M Long, M Heath (Raso, 62), F Nadim (Brynjarsdottir, 71), F Sinclair ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Franch, M Boureille
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Heath, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Heath, 2); FOULS: 8 (Heath, Henry, 2); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 3
ORL: GK Harris, D Bélanger, D Monica, D Alleway, D Catley, M Weatherholt (Witteman, 89), M Kyle (Edwards, 87), M Edmonds, F Spencer, F Morgan ©, F Burkenroad (Fields, 58)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dorsey, D Pressley, M Evans, F Hagen
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Morgan, Spencer, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Spencer, 2); FOULS: 9 (Kyle, Spencer, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 3
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Nick Uranga, Hayden Oscanoa
4th Official: Janessa Gunn
Attendance: 7,143
Weather: Partly cloudy, 93 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
