The Thorns hosted the San Diego Wave on a very warm evening at Providence Park, and it was a late goal by Izzy D’Aquila that was the difference in a 1-0 win by the Thorns.
In the 10th minute, Sophia Smith played a nice pass into the run of Janine Beckie, but her shot was just wide right. In the 18th minute, Christine Sinclair would have good chance on a one-timer, but the shot was right at San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Minutes later, Savannah McCaskill had a great chance when she swiped the ball from a Thorn just outside the Portland box, but her long range attempt was just over the crossbar.
A few minutes later, Reyna Reyes had a good chance for the Thorns when she made a nice move to get an open look in the Wave box, but her shot was right at Sheridan and easily saved. In the 38th minute, San Diego had a few great chances, first with a free kick by María Sánchez that rattled around in front of the Thorns goal before being cleared, and then seconds later with a cross into the box that was headed on then finished into the goal by Alex Morgan, but the play was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed. The match would be scoreless at halftime.
Morgan had a great chance early in the 2nd half for the Wave when she fought off the Thorns defense to get a tight-angle shot, but the shot was stopped by Shelby Hogan. Mya Rilaine Charmaine Jones had a great chance for the visitors in the 61st minute off a cross from Sánchez, but her tight-angle shot near the far post was into the side netting.
Smith had a good look for the Thorns in the 68th minute after a turnover deep in the San Diego end, but her shot towards the lower left corner was stopped by Sheridan..
In the 72nd minute, the Thorns had their best chance to grab the lead when Sinclair played a nice touch to Beckie, who had an open shot against just Sheridan, but the Wave keeper did very well to just get a foot on the shot to deflect it wide. Eight minutes later, Reyes had another good look for the Thorns with a shot from near the top of the San Diego box, but it was saved by Sheridan.
In the 83rd minute young Wav player Melanie Barcenas had a nice trap and hard shot in the Thorns box, but her high shot was tipped over the bar by Hogan.
But in the 85th minute, the Thorns would finally break the scoreless draw when Beckie made a deep run and made a low cross that was one-timed into the net by Izzy D’Aquila, and the Thorns had a 1-0 lead. The Thorns would do well to kill off seven minutes of stoppage time for the win.
