NWSL MATCH RECAP | Racing Louisville FC 0, Thorns FC 2

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Midfielder Rocky Rodríguez scored a first half penalty kick, forward Simone Charley added a goal in the second half and Thorns FC defeated Racing Louisville FC 2-0 Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium.

Goalkeeper Bella Bixby, making her first regular-season start, was credited with four saves and picked up her first career shutout and the club's fifth clean sheet of the year.

• MATCHCENTER:Stats

Match Moments

1' - SAVE (POR) - After the Thorns collected a pass into the area, the ball deflected to Louisville's Ebony Salmon but her shot was saved by goalkeeper Bella Bixby.

23' - CHANCE (POR) - Thorns forward Morgan Weaver dribbled down the left sideline before cutting in and lacing a shot from the edge of the area. Louisville goalkeeper Michelle Betos made the save but spilled the ball towards forward Marissa Everett but the follow-up shot was wide.

24' - CHANCE (POR) - A minute later, Portland's Simone Charley sped down the right channel but her fired shot was parried away by Betos.

30' - GOAL (POR) - Portland took a 1-0 lead on a well-taken penalty kick by midfielder Rocky Rodríguez in the 30th minute. A moment earlier, on a Thorns corner kick, the ball bounced through the Racing area where Rodríguez made a play for it only to be tripped up by Louisville's Yuki Nagasato. Referee Karen Callado immediately pointed to the spot and Rodríguez's converted her attempt with a shot into the lower left of the goal.

46' - SAVE (POR) - Seconds into the second half, Bixby made a great save on a close-in shot from Racing's Nagasato.

52' - GOAL (POR) - The Thorns doubled their lead in the second half as defender Emily Menges, collecting the ball following a Portland corner kick, lofted a perfect pass to the far post that Charley jumped for and then looped her header underneath the crossbar for her third goal of the season.

77' - CHANCE (POR) - On a Thorns corner kick, midfielder Celeste Boureille flicked a header outside to Weaver who hit a left-footed shot on the half-volley forcing a reaction save from Betos.

90' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland defender Madison Pogarch sprung Weaver with a through ball down the left channel. Weaver hit a low spinning shot that skipped just wide of the far post.

90+2' - CHANCE (POR) - Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultre challenged for the ball near the edge of the Louisville area and got it out to Everett. The Portland forward hard shot was caught by Betos.

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The Thorns return home to host NJ/NY Gotham FC at Providence Park on July 11 (12pm PT, TICKETS, Paramount+). 

Portland Thorns FC (5-3-0, 15pts) vs. Racing Louisville FC (3-4-1, 10pts) 
July 3, 2021 – Lynn Family Stadium (Louisville, Ky.)

Goals by Half                1          2          F
Portland Thorns FC       1          1          2
Racing Louisville FC      0          0          0 

Scoring Summary:
POR: Rodriguez (penalty kick), 30
POR: Charley (Menges), 52

Misconduct Summary:
LOU: McCaskill (caution), 29
LOU: Riehl (caution), 34
LOU: Holly (caution), 76

Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Kuikka (Westphal, 71), D Menges ©, D Hubly, D Klingenberg (Pogarch, 84), M Salem (Moultrie, 83), M Rodríguez, M Boureille, M Everett (Ryan, 55), F Weaver, F Charley (Smith, 71)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Hogan, D Nally, F Okimoto-Strom

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Weaver, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Weaver, 3); FOULS: 5 (Hubly, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 4

LOU: GK Betos, D Simon (Merrick, 59), D Riehl (Ashley, 59), D Martin, D Fox, M Olofsson (Matthews, 74), M McCaskill, M Kizer, M Milliet (Ekic, 74), M Nagasato, F Salmon

Substitutes Not Used: GK Lund, D Hendrix, M Miramontez, F Baucom, F McClure

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Milliet, Salmon, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 6 (Olofsson, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 5

Referee: Karen Callado
Assistant Referees: Brooke Mayo, Chris Schurfranz
4th Official: Emma Richards
Weather: Sunny, 82 degrees

Notes:

• Portland recorded its fifth clean sheet of the 2021 campaign, which is the most in the league.
• Thorns FC have tallied a league-best 14 goals this season.
• Portland improved to 2-0-0 against Louisville, outscoring the expansion side 5-0 across two matches. 
• Bella Bixby made her 2021 debut and first NWSL regular-season appearance in the match.
• It was Bixby’s first appearance since the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup against OL Reign on July 13, 2020.
• Bixby has three clean sheets in five career appearances across all competitions for the club.
• Celeste Boureille and Marissa Everett earned their first NWSL regular-season starts in 2021.
• Rocky Rodríguez scored her second regular-season goal for Portland. She is one of four Thorns FC players with two goals this season.
• The goal was the 10th goal of the Rodríguez’s NWSL career.
• Rodriguez’s goal was her first from the penalty spot in her NWSL career.
• Rodriguez is the eighth different player to score a penalty-kick goal in club history.
• Emily Menges recorded her first career NWSL assist in the match in her 123rd regular-season match.
• Simone Charley scored her team-leading third goal of the season. Two of those goals have been headed goals.
• Olivia Moultrie made her NWSL debut in the match. She is the youngest player to feature in the NWSL at 15 years, 9 months and 16 days.

Check out everything Portland-Louisville on ThornsFC.com

• HIGHLIGHTS | Rodríguez, Charley score in Thorns win over Racing
• MEDIA | Parsons shares pride in win at Lou
• Q-AND-A | Bixby talks 2021 debut
• WATCH | Moultrie on history-making debut
• FARLEY | Bixby picked up where she left off
• FARLEY | With history made, Moultrie's future in focus
• PHOTOS | The best shots from Portland's first visit to Louisville
• TAKEAWAYS | Thorns slow Racing on night of firsts