With goals from Sinclair, Smith, Moultrie, and Beckie, Portland secure all three points at home.
PORTLAND, Oregon (Saturday, April 20, 2024) – Portland Thorns FC (1-2-1, 4 points) earned an emphatic 4-1 victory over the visiting Houston Dash, capped off by goals from Christine Sinclair, Sophia Smith, Olivia Moultrie and Janine Beckie.
The Thorns got off to a fast start, opening scoring in the sixth minute with a volleyed goal from Christine Sinclair, her first of the season and 63rd all time, to take the early 1-0 lead. Sinclair’s 63 goals are the third most by any player in the National Women’s Soccer League and the most by any player at a single club. Additionally, Sinclair became the only player in the history of the NWSL to record a goal in all 11 seasons of the league’s existence.
After setting up the previous goal, Smith found one of her own, outpacing the Dash’s back line to slip her shot underneath the diving arms of goalkeeper Jane Campbell in the 27th minute. The goal marked her third of the season and her 35th as a member of the Thorns. Additionally, her goal marked the 40th, across all competitions, and when combined with her ten assists she became the youngest player in league history to record 50 goal contributions (all competitions), doing so at the age of 23 years and 254 days old.
In the 42nd minute Houston looked to cut the deficit in half, with Elin Rubensson lobbing a ball over the head of Shelby Hogan, but the goalkeeper was able to reach back, punching the ball out for a corner kick. The Thorns would go on to retain the 2-0 lead heading into the halftime break, the team’s first lead at the half thus far in the 2024 season.
The Dash were quick to find the back of the net coming out of the halftime break, with Diana Ordóñez scoring in the 49th minute. With just the one-goal lead Portland continued to press Houston’s backline, but the Dash’s stalwarts were able to withstand the Thorns’ waves of pressure.
Second-half substitute Janine Beckie nearly had Portland’s third of the night, but her headed attempt fell just wide of the far post. Portland would eventually find its third in the 87th minute when Smith threaded a short pass to Olivia Moultrie for the 18-year-old to launch in the back of the net, the sixth goal of her career.
In the final minute of stoppage time Beckie put the cherry on top with the fourth goal of the night, picking the ball off a defender at the midfield line before dribbling up the field for a one-on-one shot against Campbell, effectively finishing off the game with a 4-1 victory for the Thorns. The goal marked Beckie’s third of the season and first of her career at Providence Park.
UP NEXT: Portland Thorns FC are set to embark on a two-game road trip where the team will face Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, April 27 at 4:30 p.m. PT, before heading to California for the first-ever matchup against expansion side Bay FC on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. PT.
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
POR: Christine Sinclair 6th minute: Forward Sophia Smith rocketed off a shot towards goal which goalkeeper Jane Campbell was able to punch away, but the clearance fell to an oncoming Sinclair who volleyed the ball into the back of the net.
POR: Sophia Smith 27th minute: Picking the ball off a Houston defender, Smith broke out towards goal before hitting a low shot underneath the diving arms of the goalkeeper.
HOU: Diana Ordóñez (Amanda West) 49th minute: West headed a cross from Michelle Alozie back across the face of goal, the ball falling kindly for Ordóñez to flick into the opposite direction of the moving ‘keeper.
POR: Olivia Moultrie (Sophia Smith) 87th minute: Off a throw-in from Payton Linnehan, Smith collected the ball, threading a short pass towards the oncoming feet of Moultrie. Taking a touch, Moultire spun before rocketing off a shot into the back of the net.
POR: Janine Beckie (Meghan Klingenberg) 90+6th minute: Beckie gathered the ball at the midfield line and broke out towards goal with an empty field in front of her before finally putting a shot around the goalkeeper.
LINEUPS:
Portland Thorns (4-3-3): Shelby Hogan, Reyna Reyes, Becky Sauerbrunn, Isabella Obaze Marie Müller (Meghan Klingenberg 90+5’); Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming (Olivia Moultrie 71’), Hina Sugita; Sofia Smith (Ana Dias 90+6’), Christine Sinclair (Janine Beckie 61’), Morgan Weaver (Payton Linnehan 70’)
Subs not used: Lauren Kozal, Meaghan Nally, Kelli Hubly, Olivia Wade-Katoa
Houston Dash (4-3-3): Jane Campbell; Sarah Puntigam, Sophie Schmidt, Courtney Petersen; Bárbara Olivieri (Yuki Nagasato 67’), Sophie Hirst (Belle Briede 84’), Elin Rubensson, Avery Patterson, Diana Ordóñez; Amanda West (Cece Kizer 67’), Michelle Alozie (Andressa Alves 84’)
Subs not used: Heather Hinz, Havana Solaun, Croix Soto, Jyllissa Harris
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
POR: Christine Sinclair (caution) 20’
HOU: Elin Rubensson (caution) 69’
HOU: Diana Ordóñez (caution) 76’
