The Portland Thorns opened their 2024 home campaign on Sunday afternoon against NY/NY Gotham FC, and though the Thorns would produce many chances (including two goals nullified by offside calls), they’d never find the net and would fall by a 1-0 score. Esther González would have the lone goal for the day.
A 3rd minute goal by Sophie Smith was ruled offside. Six minutes later Smith had a nice breakaway chance, but her shot was saved nicely by Cassie Miller. In the 27th minute, Gotham would have their first good look when Midge Purce made a nice cutback but her shot from near the corner of the box was saved by Shelby Hogan. The match would be scoreless at the break.
In the 61st minute, the Thorns thought they had taken the lead when Smith hit a beautiful shot from the top of the box just inside the right post, but a video review ruled (correctly) that she had been offside when she received the original pass.
In the 72nd minute, the Thorns inability to finish would finally hurt them, when on a Gotham counterattack, Yazmeen Ryan would play a pass after a deep run down the right side to a wide-open Esther González, who finished easily, and just like that the visitors had a 1-0 lead.
A few minutes later, Portland’s Morgan Weaver made a nice run down the left side, and crossed to Smith, who made a nice tap to get an open shot, but it was saved by Miller. In the 82nd minute, Hina Sugita would have a good chance on a header on a nice lob played into the box by Becky Sauerbrunn, but the shot would go wide left. A few minutes later, Gotham had a good chance on a counterattack, but González’s shot was saved nicely when Hogan tipped the shot over the bar.
In stoppage time, the Thorns had a great chance to level the score when a nice high cross found the head of Christine Sinclair, but her attempt was right at Miller. It would be the last chance and Gotham would leave with a 1-0 win.
