MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017
Kickoff: 5 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Children’s Mercy Victory Field (Kansas City, Mo.)
Forecast: 88 degrees, Thunderstorms
Referee: Marco Vega
Assistant Referees: Shane Kennard, Ben Pilgrim Fourth Official: Devin Blazek
Broadcast: nwslsoccer.com and go90.com
Broadcast talent: Dave Lamont (play-by-play), Chelsea Cabarcas (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
Wrapping up a two-game road swing, Portland Thorns FC square off against FC Kansas City in a midweek match on Wednesday, Aug. 16.
The match is the second of three in an eight-day span for Portland, which is in the midst of a stretch of five road games in seven matches. With their win on Saturday, Thorns FC are unbeaten in five, including a four-game winning streak.
Entering Wednesday, Portland (31pts) is second in the NWSL standings. Thorns FC are two points ahead of third-place Chicago (29pts) and five points behind the league-leading North Carolina Courage (36pts) with seven games to go.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Portland handed Chicago its first home loss of the season, earning a 3-2 win on the road against the Red Stars on Aug. 12. Tied at 2-2, defender Emily Sonnett scored for a second straight match, directing a header inside the right post off a pinpoint free kick played into the box by Meghan Klingenberg in the 55th minute. Portland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals in the opening 10 minutes from Hayley Raso and Christine Sinclair before Chicago leveled the match with a pair of goals in the first half.
SCOUTING FC KANSAS CITY
FC Kansas City snapped a nine-game losing streak, earning a 1-0 win on the road against the Houston Dash on Aug. 13 as forward Shea Groom scored the game-winner. Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart made six saves in the match, including five in the second half. Barnhart leads the league with 71 saves this season to go along with four shutouts. Offensively, ten different players have scored a goal for FC Kansas City this season. Forward Sydney Leroux and midfielder Maegan Kelly are tied for the team lead with three goals each.
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday’s match is the third and final between Portland and FC Kansas City this season and the 14th in regular-season play all-time. Thorns FC earned a 3-0 win in the previous meeting between the two sides at Providence Park on June 28, receiving a brace from Christine Sinclair and an additional goal from Hayley Raso. In the last match in Kansas City on May 13, the two sides played to a scoreless draw. Portland has earned at least a point in its last two road matches against FC Kansas City, earning a 1-1 draw on the road in 2016.
