PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC fell to the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in front of 15,013 fans at Providence Park on Wednesday night. Portland tallied a late goal, but was unable to overcome three second-half goals by the Courage. Appearing in her 100th career NWSL match, defender Katherine Reynolds recorded her first career NWSL goal, converting from inside the box in the 89th minute.
Thorns FC milestones
With Wednesday’s appearance, Reynolds played in her 100th career NWSL match becoming the 15th player in league history to reach this milestone. Forward Christine Sinclair started her 95th career match for Thorns FC to become the club’s all-time leader in career starts.
By the numbers
With her goal in the 89th minute, Reynolds extended Portland’s streak to 25 consecutive regular-season home matches with a goal. It was the first goal of Reynold’s NWSL career, making her the seventh different player to score a goal for Thorns FC this season.
Key plays
Portland generated an early chance off a set piece in the third minute. Midfielder Tobin Heath delivered a driven free kick into the box for forward Ana Crnogorcevic, who connected with the ball, sending a flicked header just wide of the left post from inside 10 yards.
In the 27th minute, Reynolds sent a lofted cross into the box from the far right wing. Forward Ifeoma Onumonu trapped the ball in the box and played a short pass off to Crnogorcevic making a late run into the box, but her shot was saved by Courage goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland.
Midfielder Midge Purce came up with a key defensive play just a few minutes later. Defender Abby Dahlkemper delivered a corner kick into the box for forward Jessica McDonald, who directed a pinpoint header on goal, but Purce stepped in front to block the attempt in the 29th minute. Less than a minute later, North Carolina was awarded a penalty kick and forward Lynn Williams converted from the penalty spot to give the Courage a 1-0 lead.
Onumonu had a chance in on goal in the 56th minute when Purce split a pair of defenders and slotted a ball into space for Onumonu running towards the edge of the goal box. Onumonu dribbled towards goal and fired a shot from just inside the box, forcing a save from Rowland.
North Carolina scored three goals in the second half in a span of six minutes to take a 4-0 lead. Midfielder Debinha delivered a snap header from close range into the back of the net in the 58th minute. Williams added the Courage’s third goal in the 62nd minute, finishing from close range, and midfielder Sam Mewis added North Carolina’s fourth goal less than two minutes later, heading a bouncing ball in the box into the back of the net near the right post.
Reynolds recorded Portland’s lone goal of the match in the 89th minute. Heath curled a free kick into the box from the left side that was cleared by Mewis, but Reynolds pounced on the loose ball, hitting a perfect strike into the left side netting.
Next Game
Following a bye week and a league-wide break for international matches, Portland Thorns FC return to action with a road match against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, June 16, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.
Portland Thorns FC (4-4-3, 15pts) vs. North Carolina Courage (9-0-2, 29pts)
May 30, 2018 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 0 1 1
NC Courage 1 3 4
Scoring Summary:
NCC: Williams (penalty kick), 31
NCC: Debinha (Dunn), 58
NCC: Wiliams (Mewis), 62
NCC: Mewis (Zerboni), 64
POR: Reynolds, 89
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Sinclair (caution), 38
POR: Klingenberg (caution), 70
NCC: Mathias (caution), 79
NCC: Hamilton (caution), 88
Lineups:
POR: GK Eckerstrom, D Reynolds, D Hubly, D Menges, D Klingenberg, M Purce (Lussi, 72), M Horan, M Sinclair ©, M Heath, M Crnogorcevic (Carpenter, 46), F Onumonu (Andressinha, 57)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Gay, M Boureille, F Weber, F Lussi, M Salem
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Three players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Five players tied, 1); FOULS: 13 (Heath, Onumonu, 3), OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 4
NCC: GK Rowland, D Mathias, D Erceg ©, D Dahlkemper, D Hinkle, M Mewis, M Zerboni, M Debinha (Speck, 82), F Williams (Hamilton, 66), F McDonald, F Dunn (Jenkins, 90)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dalton, D Kurtz, D Roccaro, M Eddy
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Williams, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Williams, 5); FOULS: 19 (Three players tied, 4); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 3
Referee: Joseph Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Maggie Short, Cephas Quartson
4th Official: Jason Perlewitz
Attendance: 15,018
Weather: Partly cloudy, 66 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
