Thorns FC fall 2-1 in road match against Racing Louisville

Morgan Weaver tallies sixth goal of the season. Thorns FC enter a bye-week and will host OL Reign on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Providence Park, kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) with a local television broadcast on FOX 12 PLUS and streaming available on Paramount+

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Portland Thorns FC grabbed an early first-half lead, but allowed a pair of second-half goals and were unable to find an equalizer, falling 2-1 on the road to Racing Louisville FC at Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday night. Morgan Weaver tallied the lone goal for Portland in the match, registering her sixth goal of the 2023 campaign.

Weaver At Work
With the goal, Weaver has registered a goal contribution (2G, 1A) in each of her last three matches, including goals in back-to-back games. Weaver has scored at least six goals in each of the last two seasons, tallying seven goals during the 2022 campaign. Notably, Weaver has been involved in 10 goals in her last 13 matches in all NWSL competitions (6 goals, 4 assists), two more than any other player since that run began in the beginning of June.

Home Stretch
After Saturday’s matches, Portland (8-5-5, 29pts) currently remains in first place in the NWSL standings, leading the North Carolina Courage by one point. San Diego Wave FC is the only team on Sunday that can go above Portland with a win as they are currently on 27 points. Thorns FC will play three of their final four games at Providence Park, including OL Reign (Sept. 16), San Diego Wave FC (Sept. 30) and NJ/NY Gotham FC (Oct. 7). Portland will conclude the regular season on the road against Angel City FC on Oct. 15.

Goal-Scoring Plays
POR – Morgan Weaver, 6th minute: Against the run of play, Morgan Weaver pressured Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund on a back pass. Weaver blocked Lund’s attempt to clear the ball and dribbled into the box, firing the ball into an open net.

LOU – Abby Erceg (Wang Shuang), 60th minute: Off a corner kick, Wang Shuang served a ball into the center of the box for Abby Erceg who headed the ball inside the left post.

LOU – Thembi Kgatlana (Rebecca Holloway), 64th minute: Portland was unable to clear the ball after a corner kick. The ball landed near the edge of the box for Thembi Kgatlana, who sent a curling strike inside the left post.

Notes:

• Morgan Weaver has a goal contribution in three consecutive matches (2G, 1A), tallying goals in each of her last two matches.
• Weaver tallied her sixth goal of the 2023 season.
• Weaver has been involved in 10 goals in her last 13 matches in all NWSL competitions (6 goals, 4 assists), two more than any other player since that run began in the beginning of June.
• Portland has scored in 22 consecutive regular season road matches. 
• On the road in 2023, Weaver is tied for fourth-most goal contributions (5) in the NWSL with two goals and three assists.
• Weaver and Olivia Moultrie finished with team-high three chances created each in the match. 
• Thorns FC have scored 20 first-half goals in 18 matches this season – more than any team in the NWSL.
• Portland has scored seven goals in the first 15 minutes of the first half, which is the most of any team in the league.
• Thorns FC have scored in 17 of their 18 regular season matches in 2023.
• Sam Coffey and Weaver are the only two players to start every game for Portland this season.
• Hina Sugita made her first start since departing for the World Cup. Sugita last started for Thorns FC on June 23 against the Washington Spirit.
• After serving a red card suspension, Kelli Hubly returned to the starting lineup.

Portland Thorns FC (8-5-5, 29pts) at Racing Louisville FC (5-4-9, 24pts)
Sept. 2, 2023 – Lynn Family Stadium (Louisville, Ky.)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Weaver, 6
LOU: Erceg (Wang Shuang), 60
LOU: Kgatlana (Holloway), 64

Misconduct Summary:
LOU: Lester (caution), 12
LOU: Kgatlana (caution), 38
POR: Moultrie (caution), 77

Lineups:
POR: GK Bixby, D Klingenberg (Reyes, 64), D Menges, D Hubly, D Kuikka, M Rodríguez (Porter, 61), M Coffey ©, M Sugita (Dunn, 61), M Moultrie, F Weaver (Sinclair, 74), F Betfort (D’Aquila, 90)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Hogan, D Sauerbrunn, D Provenzano, D Nally

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Three players tied, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Weaver, 3); FOULS: 6 (Coffey, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 8

LOU: GK Lund, D Milliet, D Lester, D Erceg ©, D Holloway, M Pikkujämsä, M Borges, M Wang Shuang (Fischer, 74), F Kgatlana (Goins, 90+2), F Davis (Kanu, 64), F Monaghan (Pokorny, 63)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Beall, GK Sekany, D Aylmer, D Wyne, F Ekic

TOTAL SHOTS: 26 (Kgatlana, 8); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Kgatlana, 3); FOULS: 4 (Fischer, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 4

Referee: Karen Callado
Assistant Referees: Nicholas Seymour, Melissa Beck
Fourth Official: Benjamin Wooten
VAR: David Quiros
Weather: Sunny, 86 degrees
Attendance: 5,778

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Next Game

Thorns FC will be idle due to the final rounds of the NWSL UKG Challenge Cup and will return to action when they play host to OL Reign on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Providence Park. The Sept. 16 match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) with a local television broadcast on FOX 12 PLUS and streaming available on Paramount+.