**PORTLAND, Ore.** – The Portland Thorns continued their run of dominant attacking displays on Sunday night, this time defeating the Chicago Red Stars, 4-0, to make it the third time in their eight games played that they have scored at least two goals and kept a clean sheet in the end. Three goals scored in an eight-minute span between the 8 ^th and 16 ^th minutes tilted the match in one direction, and defender Natalia Kuikka’s 48 ^th -minute strike was the icing on the cake in another impressive outing by the hosts. The result propels the Thorns back to second place in the table, level on points with San Diego and Washington but holding a better goal differential, while Chicago remains at the bottom of the table with just one win in their eight games.
Portland came out swinging early on with defender Kelli Hubly getting on the end of a set piece opportunity and producing a calm finish at the far post in the 8 ^th minute to put her side in front. The Thorns were awarded a free kick just inside the Red Stars’ half, but a phenomenal deep cross to the far side was met by Hubly approaching the endline. Hubly then opened up her foot and lobbed an effort across goal again to the far post that nestled into the side netting and sent Providence Park into a frenzy.
The home crowd didn’t have to wait long for a second goal to celebrate either as forward Crystal Dunn scored again for Portland in the 14 ^th minute, putting home a pass from teammate Hina Sugita near the penalty spot. Sugita was in possession in the right side of the box when she cut up field and then dribbled back down toward the endline, losing her defender in the process. Picking her head up, she was able to spot and find Dunn’s run into the box, and a simple ball across the ground set Dunn up to smash home past Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to double the advantage.
Then, just two minutes later, Dunn turned from scorer to provider as she picked out teammate Olivia Moultrie with a cross in the box to make it 3-0. Dunn was on the ball just outside the box when she played in a curling, inviting ball to the middle of the penalty area. Ready to meet it was Moultrie, whose intelligent run allowed her to tap in the cross at the far post after calling for it moments earlier.
Portland’s attacking onslaught only continued in the first half as the defender Hubly produced a good save out of Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher in the 19 ^th minute, and subsequent efforts near the end of the first half from Sam Coffey in the 40 ^th minute and attacker Morgan Weaver in the 43 ^rd minute were off target and saved, respectively. Even still, Portland carried a strong three-goal lead into the halftime break.
Coming out into the second half, the Thorns were quick off the mark again as it took just three minutes for defender Natalia Kuikka to find the back of the net and put her side up a fourth goal. Coffey was on the ball out to the right when she lifted a cross over everyone in the box toward Kuikka at the back post. From a tight angle and close in, Kuikka did well to power her header past Naeher and the hosts remained in firm control to set the second half pace.
Portland then saw a shot from forward Sophia Smith saved in the 53 ^rd minute before Chicago’s best chance of the match to date fell their way in the 66 ^th minute. Chicago was moving forward when attacker Ella Stevens settled a cross with her chest and flicked the ball into the air. As she jockeyed for possession, the ball ended up back at her feet some 12 yards out and she was able to poke a pass through for defender Bianca St-Georges on the run. St-Georges then latched onto it and fired an effort from just a few feet away that rifled off the post and back into play with Portland eventually able to get the ball clear.
Portland would nearly find a fifth goal on three separate occasions in the just over final ten minutes plus stoppage time, though ultimately each chance fell short. First, substitute Izzy D’Aquila had a shot blocked from just inside the box in the 79 ^th minute after she was played in by Hina Sugita. Then, in the 81 ^st minute, Sophia Smith had another chance in front of goal repelled by Naeher, with Sugita then forcing Naeher to push an effort off the post and back out in the 82 ^nd minute as the Thorns continued to apply pressure.
Despite what was a relatively equal second half between the two sides, Portland’s four-goal victory is backed up by its 22-8 shot advantage, including a 12-0 shots on target advantage. Portland will now travel to San Diego (T-2 ^nd place – 15 pts, behind on goal differential) next week, while Chicago will host the Orlando Pride on Saturday night.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights