Thorns FC earn 2-0 road win against Orlando Pride

Yazmeen Ryan and Hina Sugita scored goals, and Crystal Dunn returned to the field.

Portland Thorns FC scored a goal in each half on their way to earning a 2-0 win on the road against the Orlando Pride at Exploria Stadium on Friday night. Yazmeen Ryan opened the scoring with her second goal of the campaign, while Hina Sugita notched her fifth goal of 2022 to help Thorns FC secure three points.

Playoff Picture

With the win, Thorns FC (8-3-7, 31pts) moved into a tie for first place in the NWSL standings with San Diego Wave FC, pending the results of the remaining matches this weekend. Following Friday’s result for Portland, a total of six points separates first place and sixth place in the standings with only two points between first and fourth place in the table. Thorns FC have four games remaining on their schedule with games on the road against the Kansas City Current (Sept. 18) and NJ/NY Gotham FC (Oct. 1) and home games against Racing Louisville FC (Sept. 21) and the Chicago Red Stars (Sept. 25).

Road Tested

Portland has suffered just one loss on the road in 2022 with a mark of 4-1-4 away from Providence Park, winning three of their last four road games. Thorns FC have scored 18 goals on the road this season, which is the most in the NWSL. Portland has scored in all nine of their road matches in 2022, tallying multiple goals in seven of those games. Notably, Sugita has four goals and one assist in nine road games this season.

Goals + Assists

Ryan scored her second goal of the season for Portland. She is the seventh player to score multiple goals for Thorns FC in 2022. Morgan Weaver added the assist on Ryan’s goal, tallying her third assist of the campaign. Sugita added her fifth goal of 2022, which is tied for second-most on the team. Portland is one of two teams in the NWSL that has three or more players with five or more goals this season along with Kansas City. Olivia Moultrie also added an assist in the match. The assist was Moultrie’s fourth of 2022, which is tied for second-most in the NWSL.

Goal-Scoring Plays

Yazmeen Ryan (Morgan Weaver), 31st minute: Portland worked the ball down the left side of the field as Meghan Klingenberg delivered a ball into space for Morgan Weaver, making a run into the box. Weaver fired a cross into the center of the box for Yazmeen Ryan, who connected with a side-footed finish at the near post.

Hina Sugita (Olivia Moultrie), 65th minute: Olivia Moultrie picked up a loose ball at the edge of the box and laid it off for Hina Sugita, who sent a precise shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Notes:

• Portland has scored 18 goals on the road in 2022 – the most of any team in the league.
• Thorns FC have scored in all nine of their road matches, recording multiple goals in seven of those games.
• With the win, Portland improved to 11-2-2 all-time against Orlando.
• Thorns FC are 5-1-2 all-time on the road against the Pride.
• Yazmeen Ryan tallied her second goal of the season.
• Both of Ryan’s goals have come in road matches.
• In her last two road matches, Ryan has a goal and an assist.
• Ryan is the seventh player to reach double-digit goals for Portland in 2022.
• Hina Sugita scored her fifth goal of the season, which is tied for second-most on the team.
• Four of Sugita’s five goals in the regular season have come in road matches.
• Portland is one of two teams with three players (Sophia Smith, Christine Sinclair, Hina Sugita) that have scored five or more goals this season along with the Kansas City Current.
• Morgan Weaver recorded her third assist of the season.
• Weaver’s three assists tie her career-high in a single season.
• Weaver has three goals and three assists in her last seven games for Thorns FC.
• Olivia Moultrie tallied her fourth assist of the season.
• Moultrie is tied for the second-most assists in the NWSL.
• Crystal Dunn made her 2022 debut in the match. She returned to the field just 3 months and 20 days after giving birth to her son Marcel on May 20, 2022.
• It was Dunn’s first appearance for Thorns FC since Oct. 17, 2021, on the road against the Houston Dash.
• Kelli Hubly and Sugita are the only two players to appear in every match this season.
• Hubly has played every minute of every match during the regular season.