BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Portland Thorns FC rallied from a first-half deficit, receiving a second-half goal from midfielder Lindsey Horan to earn a 1-1 draw on the road against the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park on Saturday evening. Horan leveled the match in the 48th minute, scoring her fifth goal of the season to help Portland claim at least one point for a fifth consecutive road match.
Road streak
Portland extended its unbeaten road streak to five matches (2-0-3) after earning a draw in the match. Thorns FC have earned at least one point in eight of their last nine road matches (4-1-4). Thorns FC improved to 1-0-1 on the road against the Red Stars this season as Horan registered her second goal in two road matches against Chicago.
Against Chicago
With the draw, Thorns FC are unbeaten in their last 13 matches (6-0-7) against Chicago. Portland is 4-0-5 all-time on the road against the Red Stars. Notably, Horan has tallied a goal or an assist (2g, 1a) in her last three road matches against Chicago.
In-form Horan
Horan tallied her fifth goal of the season in the match, marking the second time in three seasons she has scored five goals in a campaign. In three seasons with Portland, Horan has scored 14 total goals, with eight of those goals coming in road games. Her eight road goals is tied for the fifth-most road goals in the NWSL over the past three seasons.
Key plays
Defender Emily Menges made a key defensive play in the ninth minute. After Chicago forward Sam Kerr collected a loose ball in Portland’s half and made a surging run towards goal, Menges tracked back and was able to deflect Kerr’s shot from inside the box, which helped Thorns FC goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom make the save.
Portland generated its first chance in the 11th minute, creating a turnover in Chicago’s offensive half. Horan picked up the ball just outside the box and scooped the ball over the top of the Red Stars backline for forward Christine Sinclair, who had slipped into a pocket of space between a pair of Chicago defenders inside the box. Sinclair was able to get a touch towards goal, but Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was quick off her line to stop the attempt at the right post.
Thorns FC had two chances within a matter of seconds in the 15th minute. Horan held off a Chicago defender and slipped a pass to forward Ellie Carpenter making a late run down the right side of the box. Carpenter delivered a powerful strike from inside the box, but Naeher parried the attempt away. Forward Ana Crnogorcevic pounced on the ball pushed back into the box by Naeher, but put her shot over the crossbar from close range.
Kerr earned a penalty kick in the 43rd minute after she was fouled in the box. Red Stars forward Yuki Nagasato stepped to the spot and Eckerstrom made the initial save on Nagasato’s attempt, but Portland was unable to clear the rebound and Nagasato converted in front of goal to give the Red Stars a 1-0 lead.
Portland leveled in the match in the 48th minute on a set piece. Midfielder Andresssinha lofted a ball into the box from distance. Horan went up to challenge for the ball and it deflected off a Chicago player, but Horan stuck with the play and, falling to the ground, sent the ball into the back of the net for her fifth goal of the season.
Eckerstrom kept the match level at 1-1 in the 64th minute when Chicago midfielder Alyssa Mautz delivered a dipping, long-distance strike towards goal, forcing Eckerstrom to tip the ball over the crossbar and out for a Red Stars corner kick.
Thorns FC nearly claimed the lead in the 82nd minute. Horan found defender Meghan Klingenberg out wide on the left near the edge of the box. Klingenberg whipped in a low, hard ball across the face of goal with several Portland players running into the box. Forward Tyler Lussi was able to get a touch, but her shot went just wide of the right post.
In the 86th minute, Eckerstrom once again kept the match even with a save. Kerr slipped in behind the Thorns FC backline and dribbled down the left side of the box before firing a low, hard shot from a tight angle towards the right post. Eckerstrom dove to her left and pushed the ball just wide of the left post out for a corner kick.
Lussi came close to tallying the game-winner in the 90th minute when her cross from the left flank curled back towards the right post, forcing Naeher to bat the ball away off the line. Carpenter collected the loose ball just outside the box and weaved her way through traffic towards goal, but Naeher came off her line to quickly to stop the attack.
Notes:
- Thorns FC extended their road unbeaten streak to five matches (2-0-3).
- Portland has earned at least one point in eight of its last nine road matches (4-1-4).
- Thorns FC are unbeaten in 13 straight matches (6-0-7) against Chicago, including a mark of 4-0-5 in road games against the Red Stars.
- Horan has scored at least four goals in each of her first three NWSL season, including five goals in two of her three seasons in Portland.
- Horan has tallied a goal in back-to-back road matches against Chicago. She has tallied at least one point (2g,1a) in her last three road matches against the Red Stars.
- Forward Hayley Raso made her season debut, playing 14 minutes in a substitute role after returning from injury.
Next Game
Thorns FC remain on the road, traveling for a match against the Houston Dash on Friday, June 22, at BBVA Compass Stadium. The June 22nd match kicks off at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific) and features a live web stream available on www.go90.com and on the go90 app.
Portland Thorns FC (4-4-4, 16pts) vs. Chicago Red Stars (3-3-7, 16pts)
June 16, 2018 – Toyota Park (Bridgeview, Ill.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Chicago Red Stars 1 0 1
Portland Thorns FC 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
CHI: Nagasato, 43
POR: Horan, 48
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Hubly (caution), 42
POR: Horan (caution), 54
CHI: Stanton (caution), 62
POR: Lussi (caution), 71
Lineups:
POR: GK Eckerstrom, D Hubly (Luss, 46), D Reynolds, D Menges, D Klingenberg, M Andressinha (Boureille, 60), M Sinclair ©, M Horan, F Carpenter, F Crnogorcevic, F Weber (Raso, 76)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Geist, D Sonnett, M Salem, F Onumonu
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Horan, Lussi, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 9 (Three players tied, 2), OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 6
CHI: GK Naeher, D Gorden (Short, 65), D Naughton, D Gilliland, M Stanton, M Colaprico, M Ertz ©, M Vasconcelos (DiBernardo, 79), M Nagasato, F Mautz, F Kerr
Substitutes Not Used: GK Boyd, F Green
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Kerr, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Kerr, 3); FOULS: 13 (Nagasato, 4); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referees: Ian McKay, Gjovalin Bori
4th Official: Rebecca Pagan
Attendance: 4,093
Weather: Partly cloudy, 91 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
