PORTLAND, OR – In a tale of two halves and in a nail-biter of a finish, the Portland Thorns defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC at Providence Park Saturday afternoon to win the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. The game was ultimately decided by a penalty-kick shootout when neither team was able to break the 1-1 deadlock after ninety minutes.
In the seventh round of penalty kicks, Portland goalkeeper AD Franch made the tournament-clinching save on Naho Kawasumi’s attempt. Franch was named the NWSL Challenge Cup Championship MVP for her efforts between the sticks.
The Thorns got off to a hot start, scoring first in the 8th minute. Christine Sinclair claimed her 60th career NWSL goal, most among active players, when she teed up from the top of the 18-yard box to find the back of the net.
The Thorns continued to create excellent goal-scoring opportunities in the first half, perhaps none greater than Lindsey Horan’s free kick attempt in the 39th minute. Her attempt looked poised to be a repeat of the free kick scored a couple of weeks earlier against OL Reign, but it ricocheted off the post.
The Thorns would later regret not capitalizing on their first-half opportunities. It was a half where they dominated possession and shot attempts but left the door open for a determined Gotham side in the second half.
Coach Mark Parsons said of his teams’ first half performance:
“We could have scored three, four or five goals in the last 5-10 minute. It’s positive we’re creating those. Yeah, we got work to do and I’m excited to work with everyone to be able to make sure that we push on, we take a dominant controlling performance into more goals and more comfortable victories, hopefully.”
Carli Lloyd found the equalizer in the 61st minute for NJ/NY. Teammate Imani Dorsey’s cross was played perfectly into the box for Lloyd’s header, and from there it was Gotham’s quick counter-attacking play that seemed more likely to score between the two teams in the second half.
Both keepers played a key role in keeping the score level in regulation play, but it was Gotham’s DiDi Haracic’s massive save late in the second half that turned heads. Christine Sinclair’s shot from the box was on target, but Haracic’s well-timed leap put her in a position to push it away.
“Best save of the Challenge Cup. I had the best view in the house. I wish I didn’t because it made it more agonizing.” Parsons said of Haracic’s late game heroics.
Despite a fantastic Challenge Cup performance from the Thorns, don’t expect this team to dwell too long on their recent success, says AD Franch.
“It’s been a progression, every single game. We’re going to celebrate for a little bit, and then turn around and go right back to work because we have an entire season that we need to continue to prepare for.”
The Thorns will next take aim at the NWSL regular season beginning Sunday, May 16th against the Chicago Red Stars at Providence Park.
Portland Thorns
