Portland Thorns FC drew with Houston Dash FC, 1-1, on Sunday at BBVA Stadium in the final match of division play of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. Christine Sinclair scored the game-tying goal to help the Thorns secure an undefeated record in the West Division at 3-0-1, 10pts.
The Thorns, who had already clinched a spot in the final prior to the match, finished with the match with seven shots on goal compared to one for Houston.
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Match Moments
1' — SHOT (POR) — Forty seconds into the match, Christine Sinclair fired a shot from the top of the box after a Houston defender tried to clear a Crystal Dunn cross. Sinclair's shot flew just over the Dash net.
17' — CHANCE (POR) — Meghan Klingenberg's corner kick flew over the leaping Houston defense in the box and found the chest of Tyler Lussi. After Lussi deflected the corner on frame, the ball was comfortably caught by goalkeeper Jane Campbell.
26' — SHOT (POR) — After receiving a short corner, Dunn dribbled around a defender before firing a 25-yard shot that forced Campbell into making a diving fingertip save.
37' — SHOT (POR) — Angela Salem broke pressure near midfield with a pass to Sinclair who then played in a running Sophia Smith. Smith's right-footed effort from an angle was denied by Houston's goalkeeper.
45+2 — GOAL (HOU) — Houston got on the board when Shea Groom left Adrianna Franch no chance with a left-footed shot.
52' — SHOT (POR) — Thorns FC used a high press to force a Houston turnover in the back but Sinclair's left-footed shot was caught by Campbell.
60' — SHOT (POR) — Simone Charley forced a diving save from close range when she headed down a Dunn cross.
77' — GOAL (POR) — Sinclair tied up the match when she finished off a pass from Charley with a one-timed left-footed shot. The goal was Sinclair's first of the season but her seventh goal in her last five matches for the Thorns.
Notes:
- Portland is unbeaten in its last eight matches (6-0-2), dating back to a 3-0 win over Utah Royals FC in the NWSL Fall Series on Sept. 20, 2020.
- Across those eight matches, Thorns FC have outscored its opponents 16-4.
- Thorns FC are unbeaten in 2021 (3-0-1), including a 1-0-1 record on the road this year.
- Christine Sinclair tallied her first goal of the 2021 campaign.
- Sinclair is the sixth different player to score a goal for Portland in the 2021 Challenge Cup, joining Rocky RodrÃguez, Tyler Lussi, Morgan Weaver, Lindsey Horan and Simone Charley.
- The goal marked Sinclair’s 59th goal across all competitions in NWSL play, which is tied with North Carolina’s Lynn Williams for the most amongst active players in the league.
- Meghan Klingenberg led all players in the match with four chances created.
- Becky Sauerbrunn led all players 67 passes and an 88.1% passing accuracy.
Portland Thorns FC vs. Houston Dash- 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup
May 2, 2021 – BBVA Stadium (Houston, TX)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 0 1 1
Houston Dash 1 0 1
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Groom, 45+2
POR: Sinclair, 77
Misconduct Summary:
HOU: Groom (caution), 57
HOU: Chapman (caution), 90+3
Lineups:
POR: GK Franch, D Kuikka (Westphal, 45), D Hubly, D Sauerbrunn, D Klingenberg (Pogarch, 80), M Salem (Rodriguez, 61), M Horan, M Dunn, F Sinclair ©, F Smith (Weaver, 61), F Lussi (Charley, 45)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Bixby, D Nally, M Boureille, F Everett
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Sinclair, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Sinclair, Lussi, 2); FOULS: 7 (Rodriguez, 2); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 1
HOU: GK Campbell, D Chapman, D Naughton, D Oyster, D Schmidt, M Hanson, M Groom, M Mewis (Seiler, 61), F Latsko (Visalli, 72), F Prince, F Daly©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Harris, D Prisock, D Fields, M Ogle, M Nairn, F Rosa, F Stengel
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (three players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Groom, Visalli, 1); FOULS: 12 (Groom, Schmidt, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 6
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
Assistant Referees: Alicia Messer, Kaitlyn Trowbridge
4th Official: Melvin Rivas
Weather: Partly cloudy, 79 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
