**Kansas City, Kansas** – The Kansas City Current and Portland Thorns FC played to a 1-1 draw in the lone match across the league on Sunday evening, with Thorns midfielder Rocky Rodriguez’s 87 ^th minute opener then canceled out by Current midfielder Hailie Mace’s incredible strike in the fourth minute of added time.
The visiting Thorns produced the first quality look on goal in the 18 ^th minute when midfielder Yazmeen Ryan received a pass in the final third and turned toward goal before ripping a shot that rattled the crossbar and came back into play. Ryan was linking up with defender Natalia Kuikka in the Current half when she took a pass just to the right of the center of the field and spun forward. Into space just outside the area, Ryan then launched a right-footed rocket that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and back to the feet of a Thorns player, though the Current would eventually clear the chance.
Then, in the 35 ^th minute, Portland had another opportunity on goal as attacker Morgan Weaver was able to dance her way into the penalty area and test Current netminder Adrianna Franch with an effort from close range. Moving down the left side of the field, Weaver then cut inside and twirled around a pair of Kansas City defenders before picking up her head and firing low on goal. Fortunately for the Current, Franch was in perfect position to make a save as she sprung into action and kept the score level.
Portland would then called Franch into action a couple more times as the half wore on, but the most significant chance came in the third minute of added for Thorns forward Sophia Smith just a few yards in front of goal. Portland had weaved the ball ahead as teammate Samantha Coffey played a defense-splitting box toward Smith in the box. Taking a touch ahead, Smith attempted to poke the ball through the onrushing Franch, but the goalkeeper did well to smother the chance and see her side into and through the half still level.
The second half began as a reflection of how the first half ended though, with Smith aiming to exact revenge on the earlier opportunity with a shot in the 49 ^th minute. A long ball over the top from attacking midfielder Hina Sugita sent Smith in behind the Current defense and into a foot race. As the ball bounced forward, Smith was able to chase it down but in firing a shot on goal, she was in a collision with a Kansas City defender that put her off balance and Franch was able to make the stop.
Kansas City was not without chances however, with forward Claire Lavogez and midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta testing Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby in the 51 ^st and 59 ^th minutes respectively. Lavogez’s shot from distance was slightly easier for Bixby to handle, but the netminder did well to deny LaBonta a few minutes later as she was slid in and fired from a similar position as Smith had just before the break.
Franch and Bixby would both make a couple of more saves apiece as the half grew, but the real excitement began in the 87 ^th minute when Portland’s Rocky Rodriguez put her side in the lead on the road with just a few minutes to spare. The Thorns had maintained possession just inside the Current half when a switch of play ultimately saw the ball cleared toward Kansas City midfielder Hailie Mace. Standing a few yards outside of the 18-yard box, Mace then played a back pass to her defender but watched painstakingly as Rodriguez stuck in a 50/50 challenge and stole the ball as she entered the penalty area. Firing low toward the far post, Rodriguez then beat Franch for the game’s first goal.
Refusing to quit, Kansas City saw a chance for Chardonnay Curran missed in the second minute of added time but held hope the following minute as the midfielder Mace won a free kick in the attacking half. Into the third minute of added time, Mace had the ball rolled forward on the free kick just 20 yards out from goal and unleashed a powerful drive that took a slight deflection off a Portland player and rippled the back of the net on its way in.
With little time for either side, Kansas City and Portland played to an exciting one-all draw at Children’s Mercy Park to only further intensify the Road to the Shield. For the Current, the result was a solid way to bounce back from the 4-0 loss against Chicago that halted their 13-game win streak. On Portland’s front, a draw keeps them one point behind Kansas City and two points behind first place San Diego, but the Thorns hold a game in-hand and face Louisville, Chicago and Gotham in their final three matches.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights