**PORTLAND, Ore.** – Portland Thorns FC and Angel City FC produced a dramatic six-goal thriller that featured one of the rarest of all feats, a stoppage time goal via Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby to bring the match level at 3-3 in its final moments and earn a point for the hosts at Providence Park. The two sides traded goals the entire match with both teams making respective comebacks of sorts, only for the Thorns to get the final say late on with their equalizer.
The game’s scoring action kicked off in the 10 ^th minute as a spectacular solo run from Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson saw her streak down the left, cut inside to her right foot, and plant a powerful effort at the near post past Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby and in to give her side an early advantage. Remarkably, Thompson, who was the No.1 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, has now scored in almost every regular season game to date.
However, Portland was awarded a penalty kick in the 30 ^th minute as Thorns attacker Crystal Dunn was judged to have been wiped out by Angel City newcomer and midfielder Julie Ertz, resulting in the penalty. Stepping up to take was Thorns attacker Hina Sugita, and she picked out the bottom right corner with an impressive penalty that was just out of the reach of Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic.
After a lull in scoring that spanned about thirty minutes and into the second half, Portland then took their first lead of the evening when forward Morgan Weaver produced a fine finish after a ball in from midfielder Olivia Moultrie to gain the lead. Moultrie did well to sneak a pass around the Angel City back line for Weaver, whose touch had perfect weight on it to get past Haracic where she then slotted home from a tight angle.
However, in the 74 ^th minute, Angel City found their own equalizer as a Natalie Kuikka own goal allowed them a way back into the match. Forward Claire Emslie had won a free kick on the right wing with the ball delivered in high and toward the back post. As multiple bodies attempted to crash in on the deliver, the ball bounced lightly off the head of Kuikka and into the back of the net as the visitors cashed in via an own goal.
Then, just five minutes later, Angel City’s comeback was fully mounted as Ertz, who had given a penalty away earlier in the match, brought things full circle with a goal of her own in the 79 ^th minute. With Angel City’s Clarisse Le Bihan on a set piece situation on the left side for Angel City, she delivered a bullet of a ball toward the near post that Ertz did extremely well to connect on. Ertz’s header then carried the same momentum and soared past Bixby and in to give the visitors their lead again with just over 10 minutes to play.
However, as with many games this season across the league, no team is truly safe until the final whistle sounds and Portland proved just that with a goal in the seventh minute of added time to bring the score level at three each. Chaos following a corner kick saw the ball bounce around the box, and in the middle of the scramble was the goalkeeper Bixby, who produced an unbelievable flick with her right foot that somehow snuck through everyone and into the back of the net sending Providence Park into a frenzy.
The result means Portland’s unbeaten run (W3 D2) to begin the 2023 campaign continues, while another solid point earned for Angel City sees them sit in eighth place on five points (W1 L2 D2).

Match Highlights

Match Highlights