Thorns FC scored three second-half goals in an eight-minute span on their way to a 4-1 win over San Diego Wave FC in UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play at Providence Park on Friday evening.
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC scored three second-half goals in an eight-minute span on their way to a 4-1 win over San Diego Wave FC in UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play at Providence Park on Friday evening. Hannah Betfort notched her first career brace and added an assist, while Meghan Klingenberg provided a multi-assist game. Reyna Reyes and Morgan Weaver also tallied goals for Portland in the win.
Dreamweaver
Weaver notched her fifth career Challenge Cup goal in her 20th game of the tournament. The goal was also Weaver’s fourth game-winning goal in the tournament. With the goal, Weaver is tied for the most game-winning goals in Challenge Cup history with Rachel Daly. Weaver has six goals across all competitions this season for Portland and all of those goals have been scored at Providence Park.Â
Challenge Cup Update
With the win, the Thorns improve to 2-2-0 (6pts) in the Challenge Cup's West Division and are now in second place; OL Reign sits atop the division with 10 points. The first-place club from each group, along with the group runner-up with the most points across the league, advance to the competition's knockout rounds.
Home Sweet Home
Portland is 6-2-2 across all competitions at Providence Park this season. In 2023, Thorns FC have scored three or more goals in six of its home matches across all competitions at Providence Park. In Challenge Cup play at home all-time, Portland is 6-2-1, scoring multiple goals in six of those nine matches. Thorns FC have scored seven goals in two home matches against San Diego in the Challenge Cup.
Multi-Goals+Assists
Betfort tallied her first career brace as she became the second Thorns FC player to register a brace in the Challenge Cup. Hina Sugita notched a brace against San Diego in the 2022 Challenge Cup at Providence Park on April 17. She is the 15th different player to record a brace in the tournament. Klingenberg tallied two assists in the match. She is the sixth player to register a multi-assist game in the Challenge Cup.
Goal-Scoring Plays
POR – Hannah Betfort, 9th minute: Weaver received the ball on the left wing, and dribbled into the box and fired a shot from a tight angle forcing a save by Wave FC goalkeeper Shae Yañez. San Diego was unable to clear the ball near the goal line and Betfort came sprinting into the box for the finish from close range.
POR – Morgan Weaver (Hannah Betfort), 54th minute: Working the ball down the right side of the field, Olivia Moultrie received the ball from Michele Vasconcelos inside the box. Moultrie squared the ball to Betfort, who laid it off to Weaver and she fired a shot inside the right post from the edge of the six-yard box.
POR – Hannah Betfort (Meghan Klingenberg), 58th minute: Klingenberg received the ball inside the box on the left side and delivered a lofted cross in the center of the box. Betfort came flying in and deposited a header into the back of the net.
POR – Reyna Reyes (Meghan Klingenberg), 62nd minute: Betfort dribbled down the right side of the field and unleashed a cross into the box. The ball landed at the feet of Klingenberg, who played the ball to Reyes, and she delivered a curling strike inside the left post.
SD – Taylor Korneick (Jaedyn Shaw), 81st minute: Off a corner kick, Korneick connected with the ball at the back post and delivered a header just inside the post.
Notes:
- In Challenge Cup play at home all-time, Portland is 6-2-1, scoring multiple goals in six of those nine matches. Thorns FC have scored seven goals in two home matches against San Diego in the Challenge Cup.
- Portland is unbeaten this season when scoring multiple goals in a match with a record of 9-0-2 across all competitions.
- In four total Challenge Cup games against San Diego, Portland has scored at least one goal in the opening 10 minutes in three of the games. Portland is 3-0-0 in those matches.
- Thorns FC have scored 22 total Challenge Cup goals with five goals in the opening 15 minutes of the match.
- Betfort has scored four career goals across all competitions. Three of those goals have been scored at Providence Park.
- Betfort scored her first career brace in the match. She is the second Thorns FC player to score a brace in the Challenge Cup. Hina Sugita also scored a brace against San Diego in the Challenge Cup at Providence Park during the 2022 season.
- Betfort is the 15th player to register a brace in the Challenge Cup.
- Betfort has scored in each of Thorns FC last two matches across all competitions, tallying a goal in their last regular season match at NJ/NY Gotham FC on July 9.
- Betfort recorded her first career assist across all competitions for Thorns FC.
- Reyes scored her second career goals across all competitions. It was Reyes’ first Challenge Cup goal.
- Both of Reyes’ goals have come against San Diego.
- Betfort and Reyes became the 11th and 12th different players to score a Challenge Cup goal for Portland in the history of the tournament.
- Weaver appeared in her 20th career Challenge Cup game. She is tied for most Challenge Cup games by a player for the same team (Ashley Sanchez – Washington).
- Weaver scored her fifth career Challenge Cup goal. Her five goals are tied for fourth-most in the tournament’s history.
- The goal was also Weaver’s fourth game-winning goal in the tournament. With the goal, Weaver is tied for the most game-winning goals in Challenge Cup history with Rachel Daly.
- Weaver has two goals in two home Challenge Cup matches in 2023.
- Weaver has six total goals across all competitions in 2023 and all of those goals have been scored at Providence Park.
- With her appearance tonight, Weaver became the fifth player to make 20 Challenge Cup appearances.
- Klingenberg recorded a multi-assist game. She is the sixth player to record a multi-assist game in the Challenge Cup.
- Klingenberg has four career assists in the Challenge Cup – tied for second-most in tournament history.
- Alyssa Walker made her NWSL and Challenge Cup debut as a second-half substitute.
Next Game
Thorns FC continue UKG NWSL Challenge Cup play with a road match against Angel City FC on Saturday, July 29; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific) on Paramount+.
Portland Thorns FC (2-2-0, 6pts) vs. San Diego Wave FC (1-3-0, 3pts)
(NWSL Challenge Cup)
July 21, 2023 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary:
POR: Betfort, 9
POR: Weaver (Betfort), 54
POR: Betfort (Klingenberg), 58
POR: Reyes (Klingenberg), 61
SD: Korneick (Shaw), 81
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Porter (caution), 37
POR: Vasconcelos (caution), 56
Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Reyes, D Hubly, D Menges, D Klingenberg (McGrady, 77), M Porter (Provenzano, 87), M Coffey ©, M Moultrie, F D’Aquila (Vasconcelos, 46), F Betfort (Walker, 73), F Weaver (Beckman, 87)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hogan, GK Harris, D Morrison, M Dehakiz
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Betfort, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Betfort, 4); FOULS: 14 (Betfort, Porter, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4
SD: GK Yañez, D Cortez (Pogarch, 60), D Riehl, D Westphal (Barcenas, 67), D Hill, M Enge, M Korneick, M Colaprico (Dougherty-Howard, 60), M Shaw, F Turnbow (Doniak, 46), F Briede
Substitutes Not Used: GK Brzykcy, D DeMarco, D Shorts, F Connors
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Korneick, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Korneick, 4); FOULS: 5 (Riehl, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 6
Referee: Matt Thompson
Assistant Referees: Tiffini Turpin, Shannon Gingrich
Fourth Official: Corbyn May
VAR: Kevin Broadley
Weather: Sunny, 82 degrees
Attendance: 16,393
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
