**PORTLAND, Ore.** – Portland Thorns FC sent itself to the top of the table with a 1-0 win over Gotham FC courtesy of a Hina Sugita goal, one that also secured the Thorns a place in the NWSL Playoffs. Portland goes into 1 ^st place with the result with 35 points from 21 games played, while Gotham remains in 3 ^rd place with 30 points from 21 games played.
The hosts wasted little time threatening the Gotham goal as midfielder Hina Sugita produced an early shot in the 4 ^th minute that forced Gotham goalkeeper Mandy Haught to dive and cover her bottom corner. The Thorns broke ahead through forward Morgan Weaver down the left side, and Weaver played a one-two with teammate Olivia Moultrie before Weaver picked out Sugita with a pass near the top of the box. Sugita then took a rip from there, but her effort landed narrowly wide of the bottom right corner of goal in the end.
Gotham had a brief look near goal as defender Ali Krieger played a teasing ball in that Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby was able to correct, but Portland continued to press ahead and nearly found an opener twice more.
First, in the 34 ^th minute, Portland’s Moultrie smacked the outside of the post with a curling effort that nearly nestled into the side netting. Moultrie was on the ball on the edge of the box and was looking for a path forward when she spotted a glimpse of space in front of her and curled the ball toward the far post. As her left-footed shot curled toward goal, it kissed the outside of the post and went out for a corner.
Then, just before the halftime interval, Portland’s Crystal Dunn caused Haught to spring onto the ball again as she had a chance in the box. The ball had been worked around well by the Thorns attack before it eventually came to Dunn on the right side of the box about 10 yards from goal. Dunn then turned and fired a shot in, but it failed to get through a sea of Gotham and Thorns bodies and instead was collected by Haught to end the move.
At the break then, the two sides remained scoreless despite a strong opening half in attack by Portland.
Seven minutes into the second half, Weaver again tested the Gotham goal with a driven effort from out left. Weaver had received a pass on the flank and took a few steps ahead in possession before assessing her options. Spotting Haught’s position, Weaver attempted to line a shot toward the top of the goal, but Haught tipped it over the bar in the end.
However, in the 54 ^th minute, Portland’s persistence paid off as the subsequent corners earned from Weaver’s initial effort and Sugita’s follow up saw Sugita then able to nod home a recycled cross at the back post to open the scoring for the Thorns. Portland would not relent in its attempts to move the ball effectively, and midfielder Sam Coffey’s cross back in found Sugita with one marker on her and the Japanese standout was able to convert the chance and Portland held a one-goal advantage.
The visitors Gotham had a flurry of chances immediately following that with forward Midge Purce still looking for a way to get her team back level. In the 57 ^th minute, Purce had a shot on goal that landed high in the end, and two minutes later she found herself in the same position but with the same outcome as Gotham’s efforts were thwarted.
Gotham would eventually test the Thorns defense again, but it would not be until the third minute of added time despite the fact that it was likely the side’s best chance of the night. A cross from out left came in toward forward Lynn Williams in the middle of the box. As the ball bounced around, Williams caught it on the way up and sent a shot toward the top right corner that Bixby gave everything to be able to push it over the crossbar and out.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights