July 10, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Portland Thorns FC News Release
SEATTLE, Wash. – Portland Thorns FC earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw on the road against Cascadia rival OL Reign, extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches as they claimed a point at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon. Portland grabbed a second-half lead through Hina Sugita’s third goal of the season, but OL Reign rallied in the final 10 minutes to even the match.
Thorns Form
Thorns FC extended their unbeaten run to seven matches, posting a record of 3-0-4 since May 28, 2022. In that stretch of games, Portland has outscored its opponent 20-7, and has registered three shutout wins. Nine different players have scored for Portland in its last seven matches (Sophia Smith, Christine Sinclair, Sugita, Kelli Hubly, Olivia Moultrie, Becky Sauerbrunn, Natalia Kuikka, Taylor Porter, Yazmeen Ryan), while seven of them recorded their first NWSL regular season goal with Portland (Sugita, Hubly, Moultrie, Sauerbrunn, Kuikka, Porter, Ryan).
Road Warriors
Dating back to the end of the 2021 season, Thorns FC are unbeaten in their last seven regular-season road matches with a record of 2-0-5. Portland is the only team in the NWSL that has not suffered a road loss in 2022, collecting seven points (1-0-4) in five road matches. Notably, Thorns FC have scored multiple goals in four of their five road matches this campaign.
Goal-Scoring Plays
POR – Own goal (Phoebe McClernon), 12th minute: Madison Pogarch drove up the left wing with the ball and sent a cross into a mix of players near the six-yard box. After a failed clearance attempt, Phoebe McClernon knocked the ball into her own goal.
OLR – Olivia Athens, 13th minute: Olivia Athens forced a turnover in Portland’s defensive third, took a touch into the box and slotted a shot inside of the near post.
POR – Hina Sugita (Meghan Klingenberg), 60th minute: From just outside of the 18-yard box, Meghan Klingenberg served a cross toward the back post. Hina Sugita jumped on the end of it, slipping it just past OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
OLR – Bethany Balcer (Veronica Latsko), 81st minute: Veronica Latsko dribbled down the left side of the field and played a cross into the center for the box for Bethany Balcer, who fired a header into the back of the net from the edge of the six-yard box.
Notes:
Portland is unbeaten in its last seven matches overall with a record of 3-0-4.
Thorns FC remain unbeaten on the road in 2022 with a record of…