TACOMA, Wash. – Portland Thorns FC conceded a goal in the second half and were unable to find an equalizer, falling 1-0 to Reign FC at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday night. Thorns FC return home to play host to the North Carolina Courage, opening up a stretch of three consecutive home games on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Key plays
Tobin Heath nearly gave Portland the lead in the 38th minute of the match. Heath created a counter-attack for Thorns FC, intercepting a pass by Reign FC’s Theresa Nielsen. Heath surged up field and delivered a curling strike from the edge of the box that went just wide of the right post.
In the 55th minute, Reign FC grabbed a 1-0 lead as Rosie White converted from close range. Ifeoma Onumonu dribbled down the left end line and played a cross into the center of the box for White, who finished off her knee near the right post.
Pushing for a goal, Emily Sonnett slotted a ball into the box for Hayley Raso making a run toward the goal. Raso dribbled all the way along the end line and fired a shot from a tight angle near the right post, but Reign FC goalkeeper Casey Murphy made the save with her shoulder in the 60th minute.
In the 80th minute, Heath combined with Meghan Klingenberg on the left side of the field. Klingenberg played a pinpoint cross to the center of the box for Christine Sinclair, who connected with a powerful header that went just wide of the right post.
In second-half stoppage time, Caitlin Foord received the ball inside the box on the right side, turned to the center of the box and slotted a pass to Lindsey Horan, who sent a curling strike just past the right post.
Continuing to search for the game-tying goal, Sonnett unleashed a long-range strike after the ball was initially cleared by Reign FC, but her shot went just over the crossbar in second-half stoppage time.
Next match
Opening up a three-match homestand, Thorns FC play host to the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Providence Park. Beginning at 12 noon (Pacific), the match features a national television broadcast on ESPNEWS.
Portland Thorns FC (7-3-6, 27pts) vs. Reign FC (7-3-5, 26pts)
Aug. 7, 2019 – Cheney Stadium (Tacoma, Wash.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 0 0 0
Reign FC 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
RFC: White, 55
Misconduct Summary:
RFC: Catley (caution), 31
RFC: Taylor (caution), 78
Lineups:
POR: GK Franch, D Ball (Reynolds, 75), D Sonnett, D Menges, D Klingenberg (Brynjarsdottir, 82), M Seiler, M Horan, M Sinclair ©, F Raso, F Purce (Foord, 68), F Heath
Substitutes Not Used: GK Eckerstrom, M Andressinha, F Crnogorcevic, F Lussi
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Sinclair, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Horan, Raso, 1); FOULS: 11 (Horan, 3), OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 3
RFC: GK Murphy, D Nielsen, D Oyster, D Barnes ©, D Catley, M Yanez, M Long, M White (Celia, 83), F Groom (Jenkins, 68), F Taylor, F Onumonu (Balcer, 72)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Prudhomme, D Quinn, M Andrews
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Groom, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 13 (Nielsen, White, 3), OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 2
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referees: Katarzyna Wasiak, Melissa Gonzalez
4th Official: Karen Callado
Attendance: 5,865
Weather: Sunny, 74 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
