**Cary, North Carolina** – The North Carolina Courage defeated Portland Thorns FC by a big 3-1 scoreline on Wednesday night as the hosts continued to earn impressive results, though the Thorns remain in first with a game still in hand. A first half goal by forward Diana Ordoñez was followed up by a second by Debinha, one pulled back by Portland’s Rocky Rodriguez and then a final nail in the proverbial coffin from the Courage’s Meredith Speck, all in the second half.
The hosts piled on the attacking play with their opening goal in the 24 ^th minute as Ordoñez headed home with power at the back post. Defender Carson Pickett was in possession just inside her own half but was released forward down the left side after a one-two connection with forward Kerolin. Sending in a threatening ball to the back post, Pickett picked out the forward Ordoñez who did well to head home past Portland goalkeeper Abby Smith.
With opportunities falling to both sides the remainder of the first half, neither could convert as North Carolina carried its one goal lead into the halftime interval.
Into the second half, the hosts then found their second goal of the night after just five minutes as playmaker Debinha provided an extra bit of security for her side. North Carolina worked a strategic passing move down the right flank this time, where a ball was played into the center of the box looking for any number of Courage players. The goalkeeper Smith looked like she had come out in an attempt to collect, but instead the ball snuck through the defense and toward the back post where Debinha was waiting. Lining up a right-footed effort, the Brazilian then fired home and gave the home crowd another thing to celebrate.
Working their way back into the match, Portland ended up pulling their lone goal of the night off thanks to a set-piece routine that saw attacker Yazmeen Ryan connect with midfielder Rocky Rodriguez. Ryan stood at the corner flag on the right side of the field and lined up a right-footed cross that slung straight into the penalty area where Rodriguez was waiting near the middle of goal. Rising above the rest of the defense, Rodriguez scored a well-placed header that flew past goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
However, those efforts were eventually stopped when North Carolina added their third and final goal of the night in the 83 ^rd minute to all but guarantee victory over the visiting Thorns. Also coming via a corner kick, a ball sent in toward the back post made contact with the head of midfielder Jaelene Daniels, who then headed the ball back toward the middle and toward goal. Leaping up to meet the pass, substitute Meredith Speck looped a headed effort toward the far side of goal that went just over the head of the netminder Smith and in to secure the win.
In the end, another huge three points for the Courage makes it a second straight win as the club has now outscored their most recent opposition 7-1 in 180 minutes of action. Of benefit to the now second place North Carolina side is also the fact that they have two games in hand. For the Thorns, the result sees them end an 11-game unbeaten run that stretched all the way back to a draw on May 28. Portland still maintains first place in the table on 28 points with a game in hand, though all of Portland, San Diego and Houston sit on 28 points each.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights