The Portland Thorns clobbered the Utah Royals 2-0 on Friday night, giving Portland their second straight win and their first victory in Providence Park since April 15. AGGRESSIVE FAN KICKS â THE GALS IN RED ARE CRUSHING IT!
This was the second time Portland played Utah. The Thorns traveled to Utah in April and pulled a 1-1 draw on the road. This is Utahâs first year in the league, and while they've only had two wins since their season started, there are no guaranteed wins in the NWSL.
A FABULOUS FRIDAY NIGHT
The Thorns DOMINATED the first half with passing precision, fancy footwork, and super sassy snapbacks into defense. Five-star favorite, Christine Sinclair was the first to score, only 18 minutes into the game. She started the ball at midfield and passed it to Tobin Heath, who provided a few beats of footwork finesse which bought Sinclair enough time to get further up the field. Heath again found Christine Sinclair who blasted the ball with her left foot into the goal. TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAMWORK... AND SO DOES HAVING HEATH AND SINCLAIR WORKING IN HARMONY.
Sinclair leads the league in goals with a whopping SIX so far this season. SHEâS A GOAL SCORING MANIAC! And to all those Negative Nellies that LOVE to talk about how Sinclair is getting old and past her prime â ZIP IT... THE ADULTS ARE TALKING. 36 isnât the new 20â36 is the new kicking your ass.
It was terrific to see the Thorns score first. My glee was elevated to disproportionate levels in the 39th minute when another flawless cross from Meghan Klingenberg met the knee of Lindsey Horan for a second goal. GRAND JETES AND HORSEPLAYâTHESE WOMEN KNOW HOW TO GET IT DONE!
The second half was not as hashtag blessed with goals as the first, but it was just as exciting! This game had it all: two Thorns' goals! Some TREMENDOUS saves by Thorns goalie, Britt Eckerstrom! A handful of âalmost goalsâ from the Thorns, including a crossbar deflection AND a near goal FACE BLOCKED by a Utah playerâOUCHY MAMA! Some pushinâ and shovinâ on the field that was stopped when Christine Sinclair broke things upâSHE FINDS GOALS AND PEACE ON THE FIELD!
But my personal game climax arrived with the tremendous defensive show of force flexed by Meghan Klingenberg in the 43rd minute. This bottle rocket defender deflected a quick, close range, canât miss goal from one of Utahâs most threatening assets, Amy âA- Rodâ Rodriguez. Thornâs goalie, Britt Eckerstrom made an attempt to block but it was Kling who was ready with deflecting kick. ACCESS DENIED!
ARE YOU THERE GOD? ITâS ME, THE THORNS
There comes a time in every teamâs season when things start to change. The changes are subtle at first, but then things all start to come together and bloom. Something is changing with the Thorns. Things are really starting to click and plays are developing into full-blown goals. Newer players like Purce and Crnogorcevic are finding where they fit in this fantastic lineup. And the most experienced players seem to be learning how to best support these more recent additions. The Thorns are shuffling things up and looking all the more sharper with new formations and a stronger, more consistent midfield. I'm excited to see where we go from here.
WACKY WEDNESDAY
The Thorns have another home game on Wednesday when they face the undefeated North Carolina Courage. Yes, the same Courage that the Thorns defeated in the championship match in 2017. Currently, the Thorns are seated in the fourth spot in the standings just below Orlando. The Thorns are in a perfect spot to buck the Courage into their first loss of the season. DO NOT MISS IT. There are still tickets available! GET THEM HERE!
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