The Portland Thorns would get an early goal by Sophia Smith, and a late goal by Christine Sinclair, and that would be all they’d need for a 2-0 victory over the OL Reign at Lumen Field.
The Thorns would get on the board first when in the 16th minute, Sophia Smith made a nice run to the top of the Reign box, and blasted a perfectly placed low shot into the bottom right corner past goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and the Thorns had a 1-0 lead.
In the 23rd minute, Megan Rapinoe would have a good chance for the Reign, but a nice block by Thorns defender Emily Menges ended the threat. Both teams had another good chance that came within a foot or two of adding a score, but neither team could score, and the Thorns held a 1-0 lead at the break.
Then in the 87th minute, the Thorns would get their second goal of the evening when Morgan Weaver did well to keep the ball from going over the endline, then waited patiently until she spotted Christine Sinclair in the box, and the low pass was perfectly one-timed by Sinclair, slipping just inside the left post, and the Thorns lead was now 2-0.
The Reign would have a great chance to pull back a goal in stoppage time,. but a nice point blank save by Bella Bixby on a shot by Tziarra King would preserve the shutout, with the Thorns winning by a 2-0 score.
Thorns triumphant in Cascadia battle, shutout OL Reign in Seattle | Thorns website
