Portland snaps three-game winless streak, records second 4-0 win of season.
After a two-match road trip, the defending NWSL Champions were back in action at Providence Park. Having suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend at Houston, they stepped onto the pitch on a three-game winless streak. They hosted bottom-of-the-table Chicago Red Stars, looking to shake off their bad run of results.
Any talk of the Thorns hitting a wall in their season was quickly thwarted in the first half. In completely dominant fashion, Portland took control of the match from the get-go.
Kelli Hubly scored her first goal of the season in the 8th minute to open the floodgates. A perfectly placed cross via Sam Coffey from a free kick found the Thorns centerback unmarked at the far post. A simple left-footed tap was all Hubly needed to beat Alyssa Naeher. It was the first glimpse of a red-smoke filled night at Providence Park.
The offensive onslaught would not slow down for Portland.
Just six minutes after the opener, Crystal Dunn secured her 5th goal of the season, bringing her back into a three-way tie for the NWSL golden boot lead. A play that began with Hina Sugita pushing on the right-side of the box, the Japanese international provided a cutting pass into the six-yard box in the path of an oncoming Crystal Dunn. Dunn quickly swung at the ball and buried it past Naeher to put the Thorns up 2-0.
Red-hot and rolling, two minutes later the Thorns made it 3-0 in under 20 minutes of play.
As if a goal was not enough, Crystal Dunn dished out an assist as well, finding Olivia Moultrie sneaking around in the Chicago box. The 17-year-old earned her third goal contribution in as many games (2g, 1a) after going unmarked through the Red Stars defense and pushing Dunn's cross past the line.
Three sessions of red smoke through the initial 45 minutes gave Portland a comfortable edge heading to the locker room.
The Thorns wasted no time adding to the lead once the whistle blew for the second-half commencement.
Three minutes into the restart, Portland rightback Natalia Kuikka added the fourth goal, and first on the night in front of the Rose City Riveters.
Sam Coffey served yet another pin-point assist in the match, sending a curling rainbow-cross from the right towards the far post. As the ball floated past everyone in the box, Kuikka stepped up and headed it home completely unmarked.
With the game locked down, Portland made a few more advances, however the score remained unchanged.
A 4-0 victory at home, it is the Thorns' second four goal/shutout match of the season, dating back to the season opening 4-0 win over the Orlando Pride. The victory places Portland in second-place of the NWSL standings with 15 points through eight matches played.
The Rose City celebrates Sunday night, then shifts focus to third-place San Diego for a round 9 matchup on Friday May 26 in Southern California.
BAONPDX.
