PORTLAND, Ore. – Extending their regular-season home unbeaten streak to seven games, Portland Thorns FC battled back, receiving a second-half equalizer from midfielder Allie Long to earn a 2-2 draw against Seattle Reign FC in front of 16,160 fans on Saturday night at Providence Park.
With the draw, Portland (2-1-1, 7pts) has now earned at least a point in seven consecutive regular-season matches at Providence Park (6-0-1), outscoring opponents 17-5 during that stretch that dates back to the 2016 season. In addition, Thorns FC are unbeaten in their last three home matches (1-0-2) against Seattle.
Trailing 2-1 after a 37th-minute goal by midfielder Merritt Mathias, Thorns FC pushed for the game-tying goal in the second half, controlling 61.8 percent possession and outshooting Seattle 8-3. Long tallied the equalizer for Thorns FC in the 82nd minute. Following a spell of possession, defender Meghan Klingenberg served a pinpoint cross from the left wing into the box and Long held off a pair of defenders, jumping and placing a header off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.
Portland nearly grabbed the game-winner in the 90th minute when forward Christine Sinclair found space just outside the six-yard box, sending a shot towards the left corner that was cleared off the line by forward Lindsay Elston.
Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch finished the match with four saves, including a key stop in the 78th minute, diving to her right to parry away a shot from distance by Megan Rapinoe out for a corner kick.
Seattle (1-1-2, 5pts) received a goal just one minute into the match from Jessica Fishlock, but Portland leveled the score in the 37th minute. Midfielder Hayley Raso broke free with a surging run down the right side and delivered a low, hard cross towards the penalty spot that was redirected into the back of the Reign FC net by Fishlock.
Next up, Thorns FC begin a two-game road swing, visiting FC Kansas City for a match on Saturday, May 13, at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo.; kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (Pacific) with a live, high-definition web stream at www.go90.com.
Portland Thorns FC (2-1-1, 7pts) vs. Seattle Reign FC (1-1-2, 5pts)
May 6, 2017 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half
Seattle Reign FC 2 0 2
Portland Thorns FC 1 1 2
Scoring Summary
SEA: Fishlock (Utsugi), 1
POR: Fishlock (Own Goal), 37
SEA: Mathias (Stott), 39
POR: Long (Klingenberg), 82
Misconduct Summary
SEA: Rapinoe (Caution), 57
SEA: Fishlock (Caution), 66
POR: Henry (Caution), 73
POR: Horan (Caution), 90+1
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Franch, D Boureille, D Sonnett, D Menges, D Cox (Klingenberg, 46), M Henry, M Long, M Horan, F Nadim (Weber, 74) F Sinclair ©, F Raso
Substitutes Not Used: GK Eckerstrom, D Johnson, F Morris
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Long, Sinclair, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Long, Sinclair, 2); FOULS: 10 (Henry, 5); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3
SEA: GK Kopmeyer, D Stott, D Corsie, D Barnes, M Mathias (Johnson, 87), M Utsugi (McNabb, 84), M Fishlock ©, M Pickett, F Kawasumi, F Yanez (Yanez, 74), F Rapinoe
Substitutes Not Used: GK Schiffel, D Reed, M Hahn, F Dallstream
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Rapinoe, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Mathias, 3); FOULS: 12 (Three players tied, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 3
Referee: Christina Unkel
Assistant Referees: Deleana Quan, TJ Zablock
4th Official: Levi Rippy
Attendance: 16,160
Weather: Partly cloudy, 59 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
