The Portland Thorns last home game of the regular season ended in a 1-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC Saturday night. With the win, the Thorns secured a spot in the NWSL playoffs. The Thorns are also guaranteed a top two seed, meaning that the Thorns will enter the playoffs with a first round bye.
The home field finale at Providence Park saw the Thorns getting the better scoring chances in the first half. One of the first A-grade opportunities came just 3:25 into the match. As the Thorns broke out of their defensive zone, it was a pass to Olivia Moultrie that would set up the Thorns’ first chance. Upon entering the box, Moultrie would pass out wide to Morgan Weaver. Weaver would then pass back the middle, which set up Hina Sugita for a left-footed shot. Unfortunately for Portland, Sugita’s strike would pull wide of the right post.
Speaking of posts, the Thorns would hit the post late in the first half. Weaver once again would receive a pass out wide on the rush. This time, Weaver’s centering pass would be lofted high across the box. Eventually, it would reach Moultrie at the top of the box on the far side. She would control the ball, take one step towards the penalty arch, and then send a shot towards the far side of the net. Moultrie’s left-footed shot would ring off the outside of the post, and deflect out of bounds for a goal kick at 33:55.
The game would remain scoreless entering halftime, and the second half started off similar to the first. Morgan Weaver nearly had a goal just six minutes into the second half. Her left-footed shot from an outside angle would arch towards the net. Luckily for Gotham FC, goalkeeper Mandy Haught would elevate and deflect the ball high over the net.
However, just inside three minutes later, the Thorns would strike gold. At 53:13, with everyone in the attacking third, the Thorns would chip the ball back to Sam Coffey. Coffey would then send the ball across, towards the far side of the box. Hina Sugita would gain a step on her defender, and connect with the ball on a header, just in front of the Goal Area Line. Sugita’s header beelined towards the inside of the post, out of reach of Haught, and would bounce into the back of the net to put the Thorns up 1-0.
After Portland’s goal, Gotham FC gained a new sense of urgency. Margaret Purce had two scoring chances in the next five minutes of play. The first was a shot from a distance that would barely soar over the crossbar. The second was a shot from in close at an angle, that would hit the outside of the near post and deflect out of bounds.
The key moment that helped the Thorns secure the victory came two and a half minutes into stoppage time. A service into the box would be settled off the chest of Esther González, and bounced over to Lynn Williams. With the ball still above ground, Williams would send a right-footed chip shot towards the net. Her shot was destined for the corner, had it not been for the glove of Bella Bixby. Bixby would leap and get her right hand on the ball, pushing the shot wide of the net. The Thorns would hold on for the remainder of stoppage time, and get the 1-0 win over Gotham FC.
Portland has one game left in the regular season. Their final game is on the road, on Oct. 15, at Angel City FC with kickoff set for 2 p.m. A win secures them the #1 overall seed in the NWSL. A draw or loss means they’ll have to wait for the results of the San Diego Wave vs Racing Louisville matchup.
Northwest Sports Desk 