Thorns midfielder Amadine Henry rises above the rest to win the ball.
Portland, OR – Moments before the gates opened you could see a handful of Riveters setting out flags, drums and banners with the artistic flare of a gallery owner setting up for a show. Portland holds the record for total home attendance in a season, averaging 16, 945 fans per game. Sunday, they would play in front of a sell out crowd of over 21,ooo. Facing third ranked Western New York Flash the Thorns would come out ahead 3-2 in a hard fought win that earned them the right to host a playoff game for the first time in club history.
In a shaky start that had the team looking disorganized and confused, the Thorns still managed to go up by two before half. The first goal came in the form of a penalty kick when Nadia Nadim was taken down in the box by Jaelene Hinkle, who would earn a yellow card for her part. Nadim would step to the spot to give Portland the lead in the 27th but they wouldn’t have to wait long to score again. It would be Christine Sinclair in the 37th, taking advantage of a rare mistake by WNY’s Elizabeth Eddy, waiting to pounce at the top of the box on a ball cleared directly to her. Portland was winning, but never looked completely in control.
“We looked like we were half in, half out.” Mark Parsons commented in a post-game press conference. “We all had moments tonight when New York caught us on our back foot. They’re a very dangerous team. They play with passion, they play with speed and I think this was a really good game.”
Coming out in the second half the team looked even more determined. Within two minutes of coming onto the pitch Dagný Brynjarsdóttir would score what would end up being the game winner, putting it top right of the net and well out of keeper Sabrina D’Angelo’s reach. However, Western New York was not willing to give up.
The combination of WNY forwards Lydia Williams and Jess McDonald has forced most teams to fight till the final whistle, and the Thorns were no exception. It took the dynamic duo three minutes to come within one of tying. Jess McDonald would put a flying header past Michelle Betos in the 77th with an assist by Eddy. Next McDonald would make the assist to fellow forward Lydia Williams in the 80th. New York never looked defeated and the closer the end came the more dangerous they looked. Luckily for Portland, when the final whistle finally came they were still on top.
With a two week national team break ahead of them, the Thorns will play their last regular season game away, against Sky Blue on September 25th. However that match has been overshadowed by the news that Portland will get to host a playoff. For a team with tens of thousands of loyal supporters, a home playoff means a lot to players and fans alike. Post-game Nadim talked about what the playoff game and the city’s support means.
“Obviously it’s going to be special. You see the atmosphere, the way it was tonight, it was amazing. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be when it’s a playoff game. We want it for us, we want this for the city. The energy you get out of [the crowd]is crazy. You feel it. I hope we keep getting that.”
Tickets for the first ever NWSL playoff game hosted at Providence Park go on sale September 15th.
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir takes the ball down with Allie Long in support.
Portland Thorns FC
