PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing the first of three straight home games in eight days, Portland Thorns FC received a hat-trick from forward Nadia Nadim and goals from forward Christine Sinclair and midfielder Allie Long to earn three points with a 5-1 win against the Boston Breakers in front of 17,152 fans Sunday at Providence Park.
With the win, Thorns FC (9-3-5, 32pts) currently sit in second place in the NWSL standings, four points behind the Washington Spirit (36pts), while holding a three-point lead over Chicago (29pts) and a four-point advantage over Western New York Flash (28pts).
Sinclair, playing her first game since a 2-1 win against the Orlando Pride on June 24, opened the scoring for Portland in the 14th minute from a set-piece play. After Nadim sent in a delivery from a corner kick into the six-yard box, Sinclair was first to the loose ball and placed her shot into the back of the net. In the 24th minute, defender Meghan Klingenberg picked out midfielder Lindsey Horan, who brought the ball down with her chest and quickly fired a shot that was kicked aside by Boston goalkeeper Libby Stout. Moments later, forward Hayley Raso’s follow-up shot from just inside the 18-yard box missed the target.
After a Boston defender was whistled for a handball inside the box just before halftime, Nadim stepped up to the penalty spot and tuck her right-footed finish into the lower right-hand corner of the net to double Portland’s lead in the 41st minute.
Holding a 10-6 shot advantage in the second half, Thorns FC created a number of goal-scoring opportunities. Portland scored their third goal of the game after Sinclair sent in a low-driven cross from the right wing into the area that picked out Long, who placed her curling effort past Stout in the 48th minute.
In the 79th minute, Thorns FC scored their second goal of the half when Long played a ball in behind the Boston defense that left Nadim in a one-on-one situation with the opposing goalkeeper. Nadim took a touch past a sprawling Stout and calmly placed her shot into the back of the net. After Boston (3-13-1, 10pts) scored its lone goal of the game in the 84th minute, Nadim completed her hat-trick in stoppage time. Following a passage of play when second-half substitute Tobin Heath fired a shot at Stout, who made a one-handed save, Nadim rose highest to the rebound and finished her header from inside the six-yard box.
Next up, Thorns FC will play host to the Houston Dash at Providence Park on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The match on Sept. 7 kicks off at 7 p.m. (Pacific) and will feature a live web stream at www.thornsfc.com.
Portland Thorns FC (9-3-5, 32pts) vs. Boston Breakers (3-13-1, 10pts)
Sept. 4, 2016– Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Boston Breakers 0 1 1
Portland Thorns FC 2 3 5
Scoring Summary
POR: Sinclair (Nadim), 14
POR: Nadim (Penalty Kick), 41
POR: Long (Sinclair), 48
POR: Nadim (Long), 79
BOS: King (Beckmann), 84
POR: Nadim, 90+2
Misconduct Summary
POR: Nadim (Caution), 90
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Betos, D Klingenberg, D Menges, D Sonnett, D Reynolds, M Henry (Shim, 64), M Long, M Horan, F Nadim, F Raso (Heath, 63), F Sinclair © (Boureille, 74)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Franch, D Williamson, D Skogerboe, F Weber
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Nadim, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Nadim, 3); FOULS: 19 (Henry, 4); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 4
BOS: GK Stout, D King, D Engen ©, D Kallman, D Strom, M Schoepfer (Karchouni, 75), M Mewis (Ratcliffe, 72), M Verdoia, M Schillgard, F Simon (Beckmann, 84), F Dowie
Substitutes Not Used: GK Kranich, D Elby, D Wood, F Krieghoff
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Dowie, King, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (King, 3); FOULS: 15 (Schillgard, 4); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4
Referee: Jon Freemon
Assistant Referees: Artyom Arustamyan, Joshua Haimes
4th Official: Kelsey Harms
Attendance:17,152
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 68 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
