Thorns 2 – Racing 2: An Equalizer That Felt Like a Win

Portland Thorns found themselves once again, trailing in a football match in their third match of this 2024 season, and second at their home of Providence Park. This time, against Racing Louisville on the evening of March 31.

The two halves of the match could live independently as two entire different matches. In both halves, the Portland Thorns showed two entire different faces, and was forced two celebrate as a win the heroics of Sam Coffey’s equalizer in stoppage time for the final of 2-2.

The last time this teams met was in September last year, with Louisville coming up on top with a 2-1 win at Lynn Family Stadium in Kentucky, their first win over the Portland team. History clearly favors the Portland Thorns with victories in five out seven matches, with just one tie, last Saturday. This was the first out of two regular season encounters, with the next match to be played in Louisville in October.

Providence Park again saw a big crowd of over sixteen thousand, 100% committed to supporting their team. Even as the result kept slipping, the chants and the noise didn’t. They only increased in volume and enthusiasm as Portland’s reaction was underway. Providence Park, in both men and women, is still one of the stadiums with most mystique in the football circuit.

The first goal didn’t take long from the initial whistle from referee Gerard Flores, Uchenna Kanu took advantage of a bad touch back by Janine Beckie, controlled the ball left on the penalty area pressured by Kelli Hubly, turned outside, and her hard low shot to the far post didn’t meet a response by Thorns keeper Shelby Hogan. Portland was down 1-0 within the first three minutes.

Three minutes later, Kanu again would strike. This time finishing winger Reilyn Turner’s perfect cross from the right wing with a clinical header between Thorns defenders Kelli Hubly and Reyna Reyes, bringing Louisville “two goals beyond” in just 6 minutes of play.

Uchenna Kanu was brilliant, not only was the most dangerous player in the field with her scoring two of three chances she had, she constantly helped her team in the high pressure, trying to neutralize Thorns left defender Marie Müller’s runs in a fantastic duel.

Portland offered one of it’s worst performance in quite some time, looking dull, disjointed, and playing a very predictable game. It looked that the brilliant play that the fans have been enjoying, had been completely figured out. After three games, it seemed like NWSL could have moved on pass the happy flashy Thorns attacking style. Except for some individual actions by Sophia Smith, Morgan Weaver, and the runs from Marie Müller, Thorns were unable to connect.

Louisville was doing the work in defense and was controlling the game but not without difficulties, as some of Portland’s offensive caliber was able to bring danger to their half, but when the defense good order couldn’t manage to solve it, the work of goalie Katie Lund did. Specially notable the action in minute 22 after a 40 yard chip from the left of Lund’s goal that went just a little high.

Louisville didn’t just sit back and held their lead, they challenged for the control of the game, and even pushed forward creating more opportunities. Portland was lucky to go to the break only two goals down.

The second half however, was a completely different story.

Two changes to the Thorns squad and a mentality adjustment you’d spect to see after a week worth of training, not just a fifteen minute break. Megan Klingenberg came in for a quiet Reyna Reyes, and Hina Sugita did the same for Olivia Moultrie. Klingenberg’s push and experience, has been something the team has been missing, while Hina, brought the dynamism that the Thorns have only shown at flashes in this new season.

Thorns started to press higher and claimed ownership of the ball. The Japanese international, Hina Sugita, took the reigns of the match as she moved between lines, horizontally, vertically, in diagonals, on and off the ball, with her in the pitch the Thorns looked like a completely different team. They pushed forward and started attacking in numbers.

Sugita plays great football. That’s a known fact. She also seems to make everybody play better around her. The Thorns weren’t the static team of the first half any more, and forced Louisville’s defense deeper in their half. One of total football’s modern innovators, coach Marcelo Bielsa said once “the #8 (mixed position attacking, defending midfielder) is the hardest player to find”, Portland seems to have one of the world’s top in that position in Sugita, and her performance is screaming for a spot in the starting 11.

Louisville on the other hand, is a team that has had trouble in the past managing an advantageous score and ceding to the pressure. That was put in evidence again when in minute 51, Thorns winger Morgan Weaver was finally able to score. Weaver connected a low shot from the left of Louisville goalie to the far post assisted by Sophia Smith, after picking a deflected ball from near the penalty spot. The stadium exploded, and with the wind of the full support of the park behind their wings, Thorns kept pushing.

Full of pride, and energy, Portland tried and tried, but was failing to break Louisville’s wall. Racing’s entire team was defending behind the ball, but when there is no spaces in the area, outside midfielders are the ones who are supposed to make the difference, and Sam Coffey came through, big time.

Coffey received a ball from Kelli Hubly in the three quarters line. With thorns strikers marked closely, and the Louisville midfield line sitting close to the defense in the penalty area, with no clear through ball options, Sam’s found space to advance to the right of penalty arch just past the penalty area. Facing the goal pacing forward, she breezed past Jaelin Howell’s late run up to challenge her, and shot hard to the top right post out of Lund’s reach. The goal was cheered with a roar worth like the winner of tournament’s final.

It wasn’t a win, but may be the turning point that this team needed to get their feet on the ground, and start doing what they truly do very well, play great attacking football and scoring goals.

The Portland Thorns defense, has never been at pair with some other NWSL sound defenses such as Gotham FC or Seattle Reign, they are always a team who makes the difference by being the league’s top scoring team. When pressed on, Thorns defense tend to look a bit shaky, and while the team’s goal average tends to be one of the highest, Portland, is a team that concedes quite a bit of goals. That has made the difference when facing tough defensive sides. Great example was last week’s 0-1 loss with Gotham FC.

I always love quoting the Dutch legend Johan Cruyff during his managerial days in Barcelona FC, when he used to be accused of having weak in defense, he’d say, “my defense is great, I am always two goals up than the other team!”. That was Portland many times last season, but hasn’t been case in the past couple games, and by way of the referee offside calls or by her own, Sophia Smith and the Thorns attack in general has been suffering a bit of a goal drought, making the Thorns’ defensive issues much louder.

The split of points sends both managers Mike Norris (Thorns) and Beverly Yáñez (Racing) with plenty of homework ahead of week 4. Both squads have had enough modifications that probably are going to require a bit of getting into form during the tournament. This has just only begun, there is time to correct the questions in both teams, but the initial tournament’s cushion time window is rapidly closing.   

The Portland Thorns are now sitting in the bottom of the table, with just one point and -2 goal difference, only better than Angel City, same points, but -3 on the goal average. Portland will be heading to Cary, North Carolina next weekend, to square up against NC Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park in April 13. Meanwhile Racing Louisville, having won a great point in this very difficult stadium, are sitting 9th with 3 points and will be hosting San Diego Wave also on April 13.