**Portland, Oregon** – Portland Thorns FC outshined Gotham FC in an emphatic 5-0 win over the visitors to extend their unbeaten run to eight games and earn the club’s fifth win on the year. An even split of three goals in the first half and two in the second, Portland continues to set the pace in goals scored (29) and goal differential (+19) as the club climbs to second place in the standings.
One of the fastest starts possible came for the hosts Portland as they managed to score not one, not two, but three goals inside the game’s opening 11 minutes to send the crowd into a frenzy.
The first goal came after five minutes when a corner kick delivery landed in the box and was headed not out and away but further down inside the penalty area. With the ball loose and bouncing near goal, midfielder Taylor Porter, who found herself back in the starting lineup, lashed her right foot at the ball and sent it through a packed defense and into the back of the net to open the scoring.
Then, three minutes later, midfielder Olivia Moultrie produced a world-class finish from just outside the box as the 16-year-old once again demonstrated a flash of what she is capable of in space. Receiving a pass from fellow attacker Yazmeen Ryan, Moultrie did little more than take a small touch forward to settle the ball before she unleashed a vicious strike from the middle of goal to the right side that went over Gotham goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris and in.
Keeping momentum forward, Portland’s third goal then came via forward Marissa Everett, who tapped home a low cross to go three-up. After teammate Morgan Weaver danced around the defense on the left side of the field, she whipped in a low driven ball toward the center of the penalty area that went past a Thorns player as well as a couple of Gotham defenders toward the feet of Everett. Opening her body up, Everett did well to stick her foot in front of the pass and guide the ball into the goal for another.
Gotham was not without chances though as a great look on goal in the 34 ^th minute forced a solid save out of Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby. As the visitors slowly built play up and tested the Thorns defense, a powerful hit from Gotham’s Imani Dorsey from just outside the box was saved by Bixby. Though Bixby was unable to hold the ball as it came in, her defense in front of her saw the follow up ball away to help preserve the clean sheet.
At the half, Portland held tightly to its 3-0 lead though both sides could have increased that number even more through their respective first half opportunities.
Into the second half, Portland’s fourth on the night nearly came just six minutes into the return to play on a double chance that eventually resulted in the ball landing just wide of goal. First, Moultrie attempted to work some magic only to go down in the penalty area with an appeal for a spot kick waved off. Then, moments later, a cross into the box from out wide saw attacker Morgan Weaver get a touch on the ball, but she would not end up redirecting the effort on target.
Portland’s pursuit of a fourth goal took them to the 65 ^th minute, when they were able to score following a beautiful team move from one side of the field to the other and eventually in. As the ball was worked from the right to the left, Portland’s Madison Pogarch settled the ball near the left flank and curled in a cross toward the center of the box toward a pair of forward runs. The delivery landed closer toward the near post where substitute Hannah Betfort was running toward, and Betfort flicked on with her head to the back post and in.
Portland had already won two games by four or more goals on the year leading into this game, and in the 80 ^th minute, Morgan Weaver would add a fifth goal for her side marking just the second time the Thorns had scored five or more in a regular season game this season. In an attacking position, Weaver intercepted a telegraphed pass out of the back by Gotham and pushed a left-footed shot immediately back toward goal that rolled into the net to give her a goal in addition to her assist on the night.
In the end, Portland’s dominant night saw them produce another statement win as they defeated Gotham FC, 5-0, thanks to five different goalscorers across a 75-minute span. With the Chicago Red Stars falling earlier on Saturday night, Portland now holds the league’s longest active unbeaten streak (eight games). On the other side, Gotham has lost four out of their last five matches while facing a 13-2 differential in scoring in that stretch.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights