HERRIMAN, Utah – Portland Thorns FC earned their first point in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret as they settled for a 0-0 draw against the Chicago Red Stars Wednesday morning at Zions Bank Stadium. The Thorns played much of the game on the front foot, outshooting the Red Stars 16-5 in the match while the Portland defense did not allow a Chicago shot on goal for the match to keep the clean sheet.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
Match Moments
14' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland had a great opportunity in the first half as midfielder Celeste Boureille lofted a ball up over the defense for forward Morgan Weaver near the penalty spot but her volleyed shot was narrowly pushed over the bar by Chicago goalkeeper Emily Boyd.
18' - CHANCE (POR) - Four minutes later, Portland forward Simone Charley got free wide on the right side. Her cross to the back post found midfielder Lindsey Horan who headed the ball on frame but right at Boyd.
30' & 31' - CHANCE (POR) - On a set piece from the left side, Portland's Meghan Klingenberg whipped a ball into the area that Chicago failed to clear and forward Christine Sinclair fired a shot towards goal but it was deflected out for a corner. On the ensuing corner kick, Horan got free but hit her shot just over the bar.
53' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland pushed forward with Sinclair laying a ball off for Horan just atop the Chicago 18-yard box. Horan's low-driven shot was deflected up towards the top corner but Red Stars goalkeeper Carissa Miller – who came on at halftime for Boyd – made the save.
58' - CHANCE (POR) - Horan, shedding her defender in the attacking half, teed up a hard shot from 30-yards out that whistled past the right post.
73' - CHANCE (POR) - Midfielder Rocky Rodriguez – who had recently come on for Horan – founder herself with space near the Chicago arc and hit a left-footed shot that narrowly missed the goal, slicing wide of the right post.
90 - CHANCE (POR) - Thorns defender Christen Westphal, sprung down the right channel before angling inside towards goal, crossed a ball on the ground to teammate Emily Ogle who tapped her shot on frame but it was deflected away by a Chicago defender to roll just wide of the post.
90+3' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland defender Autumn Smithers, playing upfield to keep the Thorns on the front foot, blistered a 35-yard shot that hit a Red Stars defender before it smacked the crossbar and went over.
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Portland Thorns FC will next face the Washington Spirit in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup on Sunday, July 5 at 7pm PT on CBS All Access.
Notes:
- Bella Bixby earned her first shutout with Thorns FC.
- Autumn Smithers made her professional debut in the match, starting and logging 90 minutes.
- Christen Westphal made her first career start with Portland, playing all 90 minutes.
- Morgan Weaver earned her first professional start, logging 57 minutes against Chicago.
- Emily Ogle debuted in the Challenge Cup, earning her first start and playing all 90 minutes.
- Simone Charley and Madison Pogarch earned their first starts of the NWSL Challenge Cup.
- In total, 18 players have featured for Thorns FC in their first two matches.
- Bixby, Horan, Klingenberg and Sinclair have each started the first two games of the tournament for Thorns FC.
- Four Portland players finished the match with at least two chances created: Klingenberg, Pogarch, Weaver and Westphal.
- Horan finished the match with 93.1 percent passing accuracy. She has finished with 80 percent or better passing accuracy in each of her first two matches of the tournament.
Portland Thorns FC vs. Chicago Red Stars - 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup
July 1, 2020 – Zions Bank Stadium (Herriman, Utah)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Chicago Red Stars 0 0 0
Portland Thorns FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
None
Misconduct Summary:
CHI: Doniak (caution), 49
POR: Lussi (caution), 80
Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Pogarch, D Westphal, D Smithers, D Klingenberg (Menges, 46), M Ogle, M Boureille, M Horan (RodrÃguez, 69), F Sinclair © (Salem, 82), F Weaver (Lussi, 57), F Charley (Everett, 82)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Eckerstrom, D Nally, D Menges, D Hubly, M Seiler, F A. Rodriguez, F Everett
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Horan, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Three players tied, 1); FOULS: 10 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 0
CHI: GK Boyd (Miller, 45), D Bingham, D Sharples, D H. Davison, D Goralski, M Colaprico (Rohan, 46), M McCaskill ©, F Johnson (Redei, 78), F Luebbert (Vasconcelos, 70), F Doniak (Hill, 70)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Naeher, D T. Davidson, D Ertz, D Gorden, D Morse, D Short, D St. Georges, M DiBernardo, M Gautrat, F Nagasato, F Watt
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (McCaskill, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 0 (None); FOULS: 10 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 3
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referees: Tiffini Turpin, Walt Heatherly
4th Official: Michael Radchuk
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
