The Portland Thorns opened their play in the NWSL vs. Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup Sunday afternoon at Providence Park, and despite missing six key players playing the Olympics, the Thorns had no trouble finding the net in a 5-0 victory over Club Tijuana. Christine Sinclair, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Izzy D’Aquila, Ana Dias, and Marissa Sheva all scored for the Thorns, while Emily Alvarado recorded the shutout in net.
In just the fourth minute, the Thorns took the lead when Megan Klingenberg made a run down the left side and though her shot was blocked by Club Tijuana goalkeeper Alejandra Gutiérrez, Christine Sinclair was able to get to the loose ball quickly and chipped in a follow-up shot, and the Thorns had a 1-0 lead.
In the 17th minute, the visitors had their first good chance when Marta Cox played a nice chip into the box that Mayra Pelayo-Bernal had a one-time chance on, but the shot was just wide right.
But just second later, the Thorns doubled their lead when Klingenberg played a nice pass into the run of Olivia Wade-Katoa, who nicely finished past the charging Tijuana goalkeeper, and the Thorns now had a 2-0 lead. The Thorns had several good chances at the half went on, especially by Mallie McKenzie and Izzy D’Aquila, but their numerous chances were wide or blocked by the Tijuana defense.
In the 36th minute, the visitors had their first shot on goal when Aisha Solórzano turned on the ball nicely, but her high shot was tipped over the crossbar by Emily Alvarado. At the half, the score was 2-0 Thorns.
In the 49th minute, Cox had a brilliant free kick effort for Tijuana that Alvarado will well to push it past the left post. In the 52nd minute, the Thorns somehow managed to not score when McKenzie made a run into the box and her shot was blocked, and D’Aquila had a follow-up chance into a seemingly open net, but defender Mónica Alvarado had perfect position on the line to stop the shot with her chest.
But seconds later, the Thorns did get that third goal when Hina Sugita made a still deep in the visitors side of the field, and played a pass to D’Aquila who took one touch at the top of the Tijuana box, then blasted a shot just inside the right post, and the score was now 3-0 Thorns.
In the 64th minute, the Thorns would have a golden opportunity to widen their lead when Sinclair played a perfect pass into the run of D’Aquila, who had a one-on-one chance against Gutiérrez, but she couldn’t get the ball off her foot when attempting to round the Tijuana keeper, and the chance was smothered. But just a minute or so later, the Thorns did find that fourth goal when D’Aquila’s header was off the right post, but Ana Dias grabbed the rebound and turned and finished into the upper left corner of the net, and the score was now 4-0 Thorns.
Then in the 72nd minute, the Thorns added yet another when Klingenberg made a deep run down the left side then made a nice pass into the run of Marissa Sheva, who blasted a low shot just inside the right post, and the score was now 5-0 Thorns. In the 87th minute, Dias had another great chance from close-in, but her shot was just wide left. Shortly afterwards, D’Aquila had a great chance at a poke from just a few yards out, but the shot was saved nicely by Gutiérrez. In second half stoppage time, D’Aquila somenow missed a tap-in into an open net, but the Thorns would emerge with the 5-0 victory.
