Match Recap: OL Reign Falls 2-0 to Portland
OL Reign (5-4-1, 16 points, 5th place) fell 2-0 to Portland Thorns FC (5-1-4, 19 points, 1st place). Though the Reign had chances of their own, the team couldn’t quite find the back of net, ultimately dropping points at the end of the night.
The match started with two shots from the Reign in the third and fifth minutes, but neither really tested Portland’s goalkeeper. As the match continued, the Thorns held more possession of the ball, but the Reign established a tight press.
In the 17th minute of the match, Portland found a breakthrough goal. Forward Sophia Smith received the ball and dribbled to the top of the box, where she took a low shot to find the back of the net. Chasing the game, the Reign fought to find an equalizer.
Around the half hour mark, the momentum was in OL Reign’s favor. Forward Elyse Bennett nearly had the Reign’s opening goal of the evening, but her shot went just wide of the goal. The Reign managed two more shots before halftime but went into the locker room still down a goal.
After halftime, OL Reign moved the ball around the field, still attempting to level the score. Forward Megan Rapinoe found a chance from just inside the box in the 56th minute, but Portland’s goalkeeper was there to save it. Just five minutes later, forward Jordyn Huitema also had a chance on goal as she did well to get on the end of a cross, but the ball went just wide, and the Reign continued to play down a goal.
As the game was winding down, Portland found a second goal. A waiting Christine Sinclair received the ball at top of the box, and one touched it into the back of the net in the 87th minute. Five minutes into stoppage time, the Reign pressed on and nearly pulled a goal back when Rapinoe looped a ball across the field to forward Tziarra King, but King’s shot was saved in the end. At the final whistle, the Reign fell 2-0 to the Thorns.
UP NEXT: OL Reign is back home at Lumen Field next weekend for the team’s annual Pride Match, presented by Starbucks. The team takes on the Kansas City Current at 7:00 p.m. PT on June 10. Get your tickets HERE.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 0 – 2 Portland Thorns FC
Date/Time: Saturday, June 3, 5:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 71, sunny
Scoring Summary
RGN: None
POR: Smith – 17’, Sinclair 87’
Discipline
RGN: Hiatt (Caution – 21’), Cook (Caution – 89’)
POR: None
Lineups
RGN: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Huerta, D Cook, D Hiatt, D Barnes ©, M Sonnett, M Quinn (Van der Jagt 58’), M Balcer (Stanton 78’), F Latsko (Huitema 57’), F Bennett (King 79’), F Rapinoe
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Athens, M Canales, D Brown, D Holmes
Total Shots: 15 (Rapinoe – 5)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 10 (Bennett, Rapinoe – 2)
Offsides: 0
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 3 (Tullis-Joyce – 3)
POR: GK Bixby, D Klingenberg, D Menges (Sauerbrunn 67’), D Hubly, D Kuikka (Reyes 70’), M Coffey, M Moultrie (Sinclair 67’), M Dunn, F Weaver, F Sugita (Vasconcelos 89’), F Smith
Unused substitutes: GK Hogan, F Leon, F D’Aquila, D Nally, M Porter
Total Shots: 19 (Smith – 6)
Shots on Goal: 5 (Sinclair – 2)
Fouls: 5 (Smith – 2)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 4 (Bixby – 4)
Player of the Match: Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner
Assistant Referee 2: Alicia Messer
4th Official: Patricia McCracken
VAR: Robi Hullner
AVAR: Joel McKell