**San Diego, California** – San Diego Wave FC and Portland Thorns FC clashed in an enthralling match that saw the hosts Wave come back from two goals down in the final ten minutes to rescue a point at Torero Stadium on Wednesday night.
San Diego was on the attack much of the first half with the first real opportunity for a goal came in the 16 ^th minute. A cross from forward Alex Morgan on the left side to the far post resulted in a volley on goal that ended up bouncing off attacker Sofia Jakobsson and safely into the palms of Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby.
Momentum took a swing in Portland’s favor a few minutes later, though, when Thorns playmaker Raquel Rodriguez drew a foul on San Diego defender Kristen McNabb in the box resulting in a penalty for the visitors. Stepping up to the spot, forward Sophia Smith slammed the ball to her left and into the side netting, beating Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan with the powerful effort from 12 yards out.
Now looking to battle back from a goal down, San Diego was mere inches away from an equalizer right on the half hour mark. In possession on the left side, Jakobssen had a shot saved by Bixby that ended up going over the goalkeeper’s head as a result of the contact. Bouncing toward goal, the ball clipped off the inside of the post and had to have been very close to crossing the line, though neither the referee nor linesperson confirmed the goal.
Then, three minutes later, defender Emily Van Egmond produced a fine strike from just outside the box that also racked the post and resulted in a corner for San Diego. Looking to hit the ball on the bounce, Van Egmond settled a pass with her chest and, with the ball rising after hitting the ground, swung her right foot through the effort and unleashed a driven shot toward the far side that smacked the post and hit Bixby on its way out of play for a corner that nothing came from.
At the half, though the lion’s share of attacking opportunities fell the way of San Diego, it was the Wave who trailed Portland by a single goal thanks to Sophia Smith’s penalty.
The beginning of the second half could not have started worse for the hosts or better for the visitors, too. Just 53 seconds into play, forward Christine Sinclair put her side two-up with a clinical finish off a pass from teammate Samantha Coffey. A lofted ball into the box was expertly handled by Sinclair, who then dinked her shot past Sheridan from close range for her side’s second of the night.
Down but not out, San Diego continued to press for a goal and ended up with exactly what they were looking for in the 81 ^st minute following a corner kick. Van Egmond took the corner and initially found midfielder Taylor Kornieck with the ball, though Kornieck’s initial shot on goal was blocked. With the ball bouncing around the six-yard box, it eventually fell back the way of Kornieck, and she lifted an effort into the roof of the net to pull one back with just under ten minutes of regulation to play.
Still with an opportunity draw the match level, San Diego then went and did exactly that in the 88 ^th minute to send the home crowd into a frenzy. Again it was a cross into the box, this time by defender Christen Westphal, where the Wave found success as Westphal’s delivery found Kornieck again and the midfielder powered a header home from a few yards out to equalize.
Neither side was able to produce a quality enough chance to find the back of the net in the final few minutes of regulation plus five minutes of stoppage time, but San Diego’s resiliency helped see them earn a point against a Portland side who will rue the missed chance at a road victory.
The draw is San Diego’s second straight, and second straight by the same scoreline, while Portland extends their unbeaten run to three games having also avoided defeat in their last two matches away from home.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights