The Portland Thorns finally found their form again in a 4-1 NWSL UKG Challenge Cup victory over the San Diego Wave. Hannah Betfort would score twice, while Morgan Weaver and Reyna Reyes also scored for the Thorns, while Taylor Kornieck had the lone goal for the Wave.
The Thorns were first on the board in the 9th minute, when Morgan Weaver made a nice run down the left side, and though her attempted cross was deflected by San Diego goalkeeper Jessica Shae Yáñez Couey, but fell where Hannah Betfort had an easy chance from close in that she converted, and the Thorns had a 1-0 lead.
The Wave came close to leveling the score in the 32nd minute when a header by Kelsey Turnbow off a corner kick was nicely saved by a reaction save by Bella Bixby to maintain the one goal lead.
There were great chances just before the end of the half, the first a San Diego header by Rachel Hill that was off the right post, then at the other end seconds later, a breakaway by Weaver that was blocked nicely by the SD keeper, and a follow up was just over the bar. The Thorns would hold the 1-0 lead at the break.
In the 54th minute it would be Betfort finding Weaver at the doorstep, and Weaver redirected the shot in from short range, and the Thorns lead was 2-0.
Just a few minutes later, in the 58th minute, the Thorns widened the lead when Meghan Klingenberg‘s cross from the left side found the head of Betfort, just five yards out from goal, and her header would widen the lead to 3-0.
And then just a few minutes later, the Thorns added yet another goal when Klingerberg played a low cross across the box (or an attempted shot?) that found Reyna Reyes at the far post and she’d finish to make the Thorns lead 4-0.
In the 81st minute, the Wave would pull back a goal on a Taylor Kornieck header off a corner to make it 4-1 Thorns, which would be the final score.
