The Portland Thorns hosted Angel City FC in a UKG Challenge Cup match, and the Thorns could not hold onto their two goal lead and had Angel City tie the match with two quick goals, but the Thorns sent the crowd into a frenzy with a crazy goal at the end of stoppage time for the 3-2 win. Michele Vasconcelos, Olivia Moultrie, and Morgan Weaver scored for the home side, while Clarisse Le Bihan and Claire Emslie would score for the visitors.
In the 23rd minute, the Thorns would take the lead when Izzy D’Aquila played a 30 yard pass that bounced perfectly onto the head of Michele Vasconcelos, who just beat Angel City goalkeeper Brittany Isenhour to the ball, and headed in for the 1-0 Thorns lead, which they held at the end of what was often a sloppy first half.
In the first minute of the second half, the Thorns would double their lead when Olivia Moultrie played a free kick into the box that D’Aquila attempted to get her foot on the ball but missed, but the Angel City goalkeeper expected a redirection that never happened, and Moultrie’s original pass slipped perfectly inside the right post, and the Thorns had a 2-0 lead. D’Aquila had two good chances to widen the lead later in the half, with the first being snuffed by a charging Angel City goalkeeper, and the other chance hitting the crossbar.
Then in the 61st minute, Angel City pulled a goal back when Clarisse Le Bihan made a nice step to the side at the top of the Thorns box to get a better shot at net, then beat Shelby Ann Hogan with a shot just inside the right post, and the score was now 2-1 Thorns.
Then just a minute or so later, Angel City were awarded a penalty kick on a foul by Hogan. Claire Emslie would take the spot kick and converted it easily, and the match was now tied at 2-2.
The Thorns put a few of their regular starters into the match, and it didn’t look like it would pay off until the last minute of stoppage time, when after a late Thorns corner, Christine Sinclair chipped a pass into the center of the box that Morgan Weaver flicked on with a wild backheel, and it beat Isenhour and settled into the far side of the net, and the Thorns stole the 3-2 win with the late goal.
