Chicago, 12 Aug 2017 – Portland got off to a fast start, scoring two in the opening ten minutes. The Red Stars clawed their way back into the match, scoring in the 16th and 38th minutes to reset the match for halftime. Unfortunately, Chicago couldn’t complete the comeback and allowed the Thorns to score the game-winner in the 55th minute. The 3-2 win moves Portland up into second place and Chicago down to third.
Hayley Raso got the Thorns off to a quick start, getting in behind on a long ball over the top from Lindsey Horan. The scrambling Chicago defense couldn’t stop Raso as she slotted the ball past Alyssa Naeher in the third minute. Thorns’ captain Christine Sinclair added to their lead a scant six minutes later. Sinclair found herself unmarked in the penalty area as the ball was toe-poked back to her. The captain drove the ball into the net for Portland’s second goal.
Chicago retaliated quickly, pulling one back in the 16th minute. Alyssa Mautz rocketed a long distance shot toward the Portland goal. Adriana Franch just got her hand to it to tip it onto the crossbar, but the ensuing rebound fell to Christen Press who struck the ball home for Chicago. The Red Stars drew level in the 38th minute. This time, Julie Ertz did the hard work, fighting off three Portland defenders within the Thorns’ penalty area and finally getting a pass to Sofia Huerta. Huerta fired the ball into the near upper 90 from a difficult angle to knot the match at 2 apiece.
The Thorns didn’t wait long to assert themselves again in the second half. Ashleigh Sykes won a free kick for Portland on the left flank. Meghan Klingenberg stepped up and floated the free kick towards Chicago’s back post. Leaping above everyone else, Emily Sonnett got the slightest of touches with her head and glanced the ball into the Red Stars net to put Portland up 3-2.
In the 61st minute, the Red Stars took another hit, losing midfielder Danielle Colaprico. She was trying to escape recent Thorns’ substitute Tyler Lussi when Lussi grabbed Colaprico by the hair. The Chicago midfielder fell as Lussi awkwardly ran over her and stepped on her arm. Colaprico was substituted immediately, in obvious pain from being trampled. Lussi did not receive a card for her misconduct.
Try as they might, Chicago couldn’t find another equalizer, creating several chances throughout the rest of the half. Portland hung on for the win and leap-frogged over Chicago into second place in the league standings.
Next Matches:
Chicago (3rd, 8-4-5, 29 pts) host the Seattle Reign (5th, 6-5-6, 24 pts) on Wednesday, 16 August. Kickoff is at 7pm CDT.
The Thorns (2nd, 9-4-4, 31 pts) continue their road trip, heading to Kansas City (8th 4-8-5, 17 pts) on Wednesday, 16 August. Kickoff is at 7pm CDT.
Lineups
Chicago Red Stars
Naeher; Short, Johnson, Naughton, Gilliland; Colaprico, Ertz, Mautz, DiBernardo; Press (C), Huerta
Substitutes:
59’ Nagasato in for Mautz
66’ Hoy in for Colaprico (injury)
85’ Proffitt in for Johnson
Portland Thorns
Franch; Klingenberg, Menges, Sonnet, Reynolds; Henry, Sinclair, Horan; Brynjarsdóttir, Raso, Sykes
Substitutes:
61’ Lussi in for Brynjarsdottir
74’ Weber in for Sykes
90’ Boureille in for Raso
Misconduct:
54’ Yellow – Gilliland (CHI)
