The Portland Thorns literally fell apart after taking an early lead in Orlando on Sunday, and end up at the short end of a 3-1 final. Sophie Smith would score for the Thorns, while Adriana would score twice for Orlando, and Messiah Bright would also score for the Pride.
The Thorns would be the first to break through in the 20th minute when Morgan Weaver made a run down the left side, holding the ball long enough to find Sophie Smith left unmarked in the box, and slipped her a low pass that she finished easily, and the Thorns had a 1-0 lead.
Six minutes later, Orlando would tie it up, when Adriana would take a free kick from the corner of the Thorns box, and curled it nicely just inside the left post, and Bella Bixby would not be able to keep the ball out, and the score was now 1-1.
For the rest of the first half, the Thorns were totally rattled and had trouble stringing two passes together, but Orlando was not able to take advantage of the momentum, and the score was 1-1 at the break.
But less than two minute into the second half, the Pride would turn that momentum into a lead when Adriana got in behind the Thorns defense and put the ball on her right foot for an easy finish past Bixby, and the Pride led 2-1.
In the 69th minute, the Thorns would have more self-inflicted damage, when Izzy D’Aquila attempted to play a ball back to Bixby, but did so poorly, and it was intercepted by Orlando’s Messiah Bright, who rounded Bixby and finished easily, and the Pride now led 3-1.
Mercifully that’s all the damage the Pride would do, and the final was 3-1 Orlando.
