Louisville, Kentucky
– Portland Thorns FC earned another road win on the year when they travelled to Lynn Family Stadium and defeated Racing Louisville FC, 2-1, in one of two games across the league on Friday night. Goals from Sophia Smith in the first half and Hina Sugita in the second lifted the visitors, whose tallies helped the Thorns to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games.
Louisville, Kentucky
– Portland Thorns FC earned another road win on the year when they travelled to Lynn Family Stadium and defeated Racing Louisville FC, 2-1, in one of two games across the league on Friday night. Goals from Sophia Smith in the first half and Hina Sugita in the second lifted the visitors, whose tallies helped the Thorns to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games. The Thorns were quick off the mark in the 7 th minute when forward Sophia Smith did what she does best and buried an effort at the far post to open the scoring. Taking a pass on the turn near midfielder, Smith spun around Racing defender Gemma Bonner and sprinted ahead toward goal. Weaving inside and then out again, Smith did ever so well to place a left-footed shot into the back of the net in the side netting to put the visitors up a goal early. However, in the 30 th minute, the hosts were able to pull level thanks to a moment of brilliance from midfielder Alex Chidiac. A switch of play to the far-left side of the field saw Chidiac pick up the ball just a few yards away from the corner flag and dance her way down toward the endline. Squeezing around a defender, Chidiac then slotted home from a few yards out despite a seemingly possible angle. The goal was her first in NWSL play. One of the best opportunities of the remainder of the first half fell Portland’s way when they came just inches wide of pulling ahead again in the 35 th minute. Hina Sugita played a pass to teammate Morgan Weaver out wide, and Weaver strove down the field toward goal where she was able to fire a pass into the middle of the penalty area. Stepping to it, Portland attacker Olivia Moultrie was unable to put her right-footed effort on target as the score remained level. At the break, Louisville and Portland remained all square. The hosts Louisville looked the more likely to score early on in the second half, with Jessica McDonald and Nadia Nadim both threatening the goal within the first 15 minutes of the return to play. First, it was a header by McDonald in the 52 nd minute that forced a diving save out of Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby to concede a corner. Then, five minutes later, a great ball in for Nadim in the center of the park saw the forward unable to direct the ball toward goal as she was sandwiched in between Thorns defenders. After absorbing Louisville’s pressure, Portland found the game’s go-ahead goal in the 74 th minute as attacker Hina Sugita buried a rebound chance from a few yards out to go ahead. Teammate Raquel Rodriguez received a pass from Smith outside the penalty area and drove ahead as she fired a strong shot toward Lund’s goal. Though Lund managed to keep the ball out at the first time of asking, Sugita was waiting unmarked around six yards out and she pushed an effort over the line to restore Portland’s lead. In the 83 rd minute, Louisville had a wonderful chance to equalize via the forward McDonald only for a great save by Bixby to send the shot away from goal. A long ball forward from Lund bounced the way of McDonald who then found herself in on goal. Closing in on the ball, McDonald attempted to fire hard around the onrushing Bixby though the goalkeeper was able to get big and deny the chance out for a corner kick. The ensuing corner would fall to the head of Jaelin Howell, who tested Bixby, but again the goalkeeper was equal as Portland clung to its lead. In the end, the Thorns bested Louisville to go to the top of the NWSL table, while Louisville extend its winless streak to eight straight.
