The Portland Thorns have found their winning form, earning a 2-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on two goals by Sophia Smith.
In just the 4th minute, Chicago nearly took the lead when Mallory Swanson‘s shot from just a few yards out was off the crossbar and rebounded in front of the goal line before being cleared. In the seventh minute the Thorns had a great chance of their own when Reyna Reyes had her header cleared off the line by Red Stars defender (and former Thorn) Natalia Kuikka.
The Thorns would put a shot off the crossbar themselves in the eighth minute, with Jessie Fleming‘s effort also rebounding off the crossbar before being cleared. .
In the 10th minute, the Thorns would take the lead when Sophia Smith showed some nice footwork inside the Chicago box, then hit a nice shot just inside the far post past goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and the score was 1-0 Thorns.
After a few good Red Stars chances were kept out of the net by some fortunate rebounds in front of the Thorns net, the visitors would double their lead in the 26th minute when Christine Sinclair played a nice pass into the run of Smith, and Sophia finished a one-timer to the far side of the goal, behind Naeher’s reach and in off the left post, and the score was now 2-0 Thorns.
Six minutes into first half stoppage time, Chicago hit the woodwork again, when Julia Bianchi‘s header off a corner kick was off the left post. The Thorns would hold their 2-0 lead at the break.
In the 79th minute the Thorns thought they had a third goal when Janine Beckie intercepted a pass from the Chicago keeper, but her shot hit Smith’s hand on the way in and after a VAR review, it was waived off. In the 83rd minute Chicago nearly got a goal back, but a sloppy clearance by the Thorns off the goal line was enough.
Thorns goalkeeper Shelby Hogan had a few great saves in stoppage time, her best being in the 99th minute on a Chicago free kick. The Thorns would hold on for their second straight win 2-0 over the Red Stars.
