**PORTLAND, Ore.** – A five-goal thriller ended with Portland forward Morgan Weaver finding the back of the net in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to deliver the Thorns over Angel City, 3-2, at Providence Park on Wednesday night. Portland had initially taken a two-goal lead before two goals in five minutes in the second half from the visitors Angel City brought the score level again. That is, until Portland relied on more late drama to steal the show with Weaver beating Angel City goalkeeper Brittany Isenhour with one of the final kicks of the game to seal the result.
A flurry of chances early on for Portland saw Isenhour forced into action multiple times even in the opening 11 minutes. With one brief look on the other end for Angel City in the meantime, it took until the 23 ^rd minute for the hosts to convert one of their chances as forward Michele Vasconcelos put home a cross from teammate Izzy D’Aquila to go in front. D’Aquila was on the ball just barely into Angel City territory when she lifted a monstrous cross all the way over the defense and across the field. That cross then took one hop into the box where Vasconcelos put it all on the line and jumped in to head the ball past an onrushing Isenhour and into an open goal to go one-up.
Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson remained active for the visitors throughout the remainder of the first half and had another chance in the 38 ^th minute. Thompson attempted to create something out of nothing with a powerful drive from near the endline, but her shot was high of goal after a giveaway by Portland gave her a chance to get in behind the defense. Despite this, Portland took its one goal lead into the break and came out with an even more positive start to its second half.
The Thorns needed just 53 seconds to beat Angel City for a second time on the night as midfielder Olivia Moultrie’s cross into the box from a free kick position was met by D’Aquila, who turned from provider to scorer as she got just enough on Moultrie’s cross to claim the goal. Moultrie was on the left flank some 25 yards out from goal when she teased a delivery into the penalty area that beat the scramble of bodies and eventually connected with D’Aquila at the back post. From there, the forward had very little to do as she touched it over the line to double the hosts’ lead.
However, two goals right after the hour mark from Clarisse Le Bihan and Claire Emslie turned the tide of the match as Angel City found its way right back in. First, Le Bihan received a pass just inside the penalty area which allowed her to take a touch to her right foot in great position to shoot. Opting to do just that, Le Bihan then curled an effort around Portland goalkeeper Shelby Hogan to pull one back. Then, in the 66 ^th minute, forward Claire Emslie buried a chance from the penalty spot as she sent Hogan the wrong way to level the scoring.
The Thorns did not go quietly, though, as they continued to push for a winner in the game’s final 25-plus minutes of action. Isenhour was forced into action multiple times throughout the rest of the half, but she could not hold it down for good as what was truly a wild finish saw Morgan Weaver flick Christine Sinclair half cross-half shot into the back of the net from close range to lift her side ahead for the final time on the night.
The win was Portland’s first in this year’s Challenge Cup in their second try, while Angel City remained bottom of the West Division with a second loss in three matches in this year’s competition. The two sides have will have a bit of a break in the competition before returning to action at the end of June, with Portland facing OL Reign and Angel City meeting San Diego.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights