HOUSTON, TX – The Portland Thorns wrapped up Challenge Cup play Sunday, splitting the points with the Houston Dash with a 1-1 final scoreline. Entering the match, Portland had already clinched their spot in the Challenge Cup Final, having won their first three matches against West division opponents. Gotham FC secured their spot as the East division winner after playing Racing Louisville FC to a scoreless draw earlier in the day.
For the Thorns, it was a challenging afternoon battling humidity and a focused Houston team. The Thorns looked decent in keeping possession and creating some chances, but passes and set pieces were visibly inferior when compared to the type of performances we saw in their first three games.
It was exactly the kind of performance the Dash were ready to exploit. In the waning moments of first-half stoppage time, Shea Groom got herself in prime goal-poaching position to put a left-footed shot past goalkeeper AD Franch to put the Dash up 1-0 at the break.
Tired legs, perhaps, found Houston sitting deeper and deeper in their own half for the latter part of the second half. It was Christine Sinclair to the Thorns’ rescue, finding the equalizer in the 77th minute. Simone Charley provided the assist when she gave Houston’s defense the slip on a streaking run down the right flank to link up with Sinclair’s one-time left-footed finish. It was the first goal of the season for Portland’s Captain.
The Thorns will look to tidy up any miscues and mistakes from their draw to Houston to be ready to face Gotham FC in the Challenge Cup Final next Saturday at Providence Park.
There is some uncertainty as to whether or not the game can be played, as Oregon Governor Kate Brown recently moved Multnomah County into the “extreme risk” category due to a recent surge in Covid cases and hospitalizations in the Portland metro area. Under “extreme risk” restrictions fans are no longer permitted to attend sporting events, even when events are held outside.
NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird has requested an exception for the Challenge Cup Final to be played with the same 15% maximum capacity used previously for Thorns spectators this season.
“Reduced capacity attendance in outdoor stadiums with protocol is safe, which is why every state is allowing it. If the game were held today, we could play it with limited attendance neighboring Washington County with the same numbers of fans, but not in Multnomah County,” said Merritt Paulson, owner of both the Thorns and the Timbers. “We hope the state will look at our situation logically and allow the match to be hosted safely at home, where our players earned the right to play it.”
