Portland Thorns 4-Orlando Pride 3
The Pride arrive at Providence Park. The Australians? Out. The fans? Out. The sun? Out. Orlando’s hopes and dreams are forcibly removed from the premises. The 18,909 people in attendance, and however many tuned in through ESPNews, were about to experience a wild ride which would include 7 goals, and four sets of red smoke.
Hayley Raso is incredibly fast and in this game, was fast to score. By pressuring Kopmeyer in the third minute, she managed to force her into a mistake. The ball bounced off Raso instead of soaring above her, and it was easy from there for her to tap it in.
They didn’t let up. Not content just score early and hold it to one they continued to attack.
There are clear and apparently communication issues between Orlando’s backline and their keeper. Whilst Pressley’s heading clearance likely stopped Raso from having a brace in the twelfth minute, the fact that she managed to get herself tangled with Kopmeyer not seconds before is less encouraging.
The Pride did not really get a word in edgewise until the 24th minute, when a foul from Ball enabled them to try from a free kick just outside the box. Kennedy’s ball was struck directly to Eckerstrom, who gathered it.
Not a minute later, Hayley Raso managed to get Kopmeyer all but alone again. Luckily for the keeper, who was out of position, the Australian skied it.
The first yellow of the match went to the Pride’s Hill, who, after realising she likely would not win the race against Raso, decided that taking her out was the best option. Not a minute later, Kopmeyer was forced to make a beautiful fingertip save.
In the 40th minute, the crossbar saved the Pride’s second shot- by this point, the Thorns had thirteen.
There was a handball in the Pride’s box in the 43rd minute, which was clear enough and should have been called; as the following Thorns foul outside the box should have.
It was Raso again, in the 52nd minute, from a clearance that didn’t quite make it out of the box. Whilst her shot rolled just to the left of the box, it was close enough for Kopmeyer to dive.
The Pride’s miscommunication struck again. This time, Midge Purce was the one to capitalise, heading the ball down and in after Kopmeyer and Zadorsky both went for the same ball. Purce got it.
Marta came through for Orlando with a top right corner shot that Eckerstrom had no way of saving in the 60th minute. It did not, however, encourage her teammates to play any better, as the backline managed to let the ball roll clear across the face of the goal.
Sinclair was the next legend to net a goal; she opted for a shot from the bottom left corner, and though Kopmeyer dove for it, she could not get it.
Not to be outdone, Marta got her second in the 68th minute. It was a wild fluke of a goal which is officially being credited as a Menges own goal.
Greening decided she couldn’t wait until the end of the match to switch jerseys with Raso, and earned herself a yellow for her troubles. Shortly after, Raso was subbed out for Lussi.
And just like that, it turned. Pride got their third in the 90th minute.
A needless foul in injury time gave Seiler a chance, but a combination and the bar and Kop’s fingertips resulted in a save. The corner which resulted, however, and a well placed header from Lussi, meant the thorns kept the three points in the dying moments.
The Thorns were the better team, but they were also lucky. They will have to do much better next week against the considerably more polished Utah Royals, who are less backline gaff prone. Laura Harvey knows her way around the NWSL, and understands how Parsons coaches.
Portland Thorns
Orlando Pride
