PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Thorns FC saw one shot rattle the post and another cleared off the line, but couldn't quite find the goals they needed to end a week of home games with a victory. Portland had its chances, outshooting Houston 17-15, but it was the visitors that capitalized on their opportunities and found the game's two goals, enough to steal all three points and hand the Thorns a 2-0 loss at Providence Park.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore
Match Moments
3' - CLEARANCE (POR) - With Houston bearing in on goal, Emily Menges cleared Nichelle Prince's dangerous low cross away to safety.
12' - CHANCE (POR) - The Thorns' had the afternoon's first truly dangerous chance when Rocky Rodriguez found Yazmeen Ryan in transition. Ryan received the ball in stride and fired a quick shot at Dash keeper Jane Campbell, who reacted quickly to smother up the ball and end the opportunity.
16' - CHANCE (POR) - Morgan Weaver nearly put herself on the scoresheet with a solid chance in front of goal. After bringing the ball down at the back post, she managed to fire a shot that Houston ultimately cleared off the line.
20' - SAVE (POR) - Bella Bixby made her first crucial intervention of the afternoon, getting her hands to Haley Hanson's powerful shot at the back post.
31' - SAVE (POR) - Called into action once again, Bixby leapt up to push Prince's driven shot from outside the box up and over the top post.
37' - CHANCE (POR) - Christine Sinclair played Weaver in on goal with a beautiful through ball, but Campbell did enough to save Weaver's shot and keep the score knotted at 0-0.
45'+ - CHANCE (POR) - Portland had another chance to open the scoring right before halftime as Ryan slotted a ball across to Weaver in the box, but the forward couldn't get enough power behind the shot and watched as it rolled into the hands of Campbell.
45+' - GOAL (HOU) - Seconds after the Thorns' opportunity on one end, Houston took the lead late in the first half courtesy of Rachel Daly. The England international received the ball in space on the left, ran at the byline and cut onto her right foot to evade Menges before she slotted the ball past Bixby.
58' - CHANCE (POR) - Ryan came inches away from helping Portland level the score early in the second half. After Sinclair received the ball in a congested box she found enough space to send a cross to an unmarked Ryan at the back post, but the midfielder's shot rattled off the top post and was ultimately cleared to safety.
60' - CHANCE (POR) - Janine Beckie found space at the top of the box and unleashed a curling shot with her left foot that flew just above the bar.
66' - GOAL (HOU) - The Dash found their second goal courtesy of Sophie Schmidt, who got past Sinclair at the near post before sending a strong shot into the roof of the net at close range.
73' - CHANCE (POR) - Running at Houston's backline down the right, Beckie tried her luck from a tight angle that just went wide of the far post.
75' - CHANCE (POR) - Sinclair had one of the Thorns better opportunity of the second half, taking a few dribbles inside the box before unleashing a shot, but an alert Campbell made the save to squander the opportunity.
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With the Thorns' three-game homestand complete, they now travel to Chicago for a Saturday night showdown against the Red Stars on May 28. (5pm PT, Twitch)
Portland Thorns FC (1-1-2, 5pts) vs. Houston Dash (2-1-1, 7pts)
May 21, 2022 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Daly (Prince), 45+3
HOU: S. Schmidt (Hanson), 66
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Porter (caution), 64
Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Menges (Sauerbrunn, 70), D Hubly, D Nally, M Pogarch (Kuikka, 45), M Coffey (Porter, 45), M Ryan (Sugita, 79), M Rodriguez (S. Smith, 65), F Beckie, F Sinclair ©, F Weaver
Substitutes Not Used: GK A. Smith, D Klingenberg, M Moultrie, F Betfort
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Ryan, Weaver, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Sinclair, Weaver, 2); FOULS: 5 (Five players tied, 1); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 5
HOU: GK Campbell, D Chapman, D Naughton, D Prisock, D Hanson, M S. Schmidt, M Hedge (Visalli, 90+5), M Groom, F Sanchez (Gareis, 67), F Prince (Abam, 82), F Daly ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dederick, D Ashley, M Anderson, M Eddy, M Jacobs, M Ogle
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Daly, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Daly, 2); FOULS: 8 (Groom, Sanchez, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4
Referee: Michael Radchuk
Assistant Referees: Salma Perez, Seth Martin
4th Official: Corbyn May
Weather: Sunny, 70 degrees
Attendance: 14,842
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
Notes:
- Thorns FC are 13-4-3 against the Dash in regular season play and 7-3-0 when playing at home.
- Today’s loss snapped Portland’s seven-game unbeaten streak in regular season play, dating
back to 2021.
- Thorns FC were the last NWSL team to drop a result in the 2022 campaign.
- Taylor Porter made her season debut as a halftime substitute.
- Madison Pogarch and Yazmeen Ryan each earned their first starts of the 2022 regular season.
- Janine Beckie led the team in touches (82) and crosses (9).
- Kelli Hubly won a team best five possessions.
- Hubly is the only field player that has played every minute (360) for Thorns FC this season.
