The Portland Thorns secured a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Wave in a thrilling NWSL matchup on Friday night. The game, which took place at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, saw Izzy D’Aquila score the lone goal of the match in the 85th minute.
Both teams were playing in their final match before the NWSL’s Olympic break, and it was Portland who emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle. The Thorns, with a record of 8-5-3 and 27 points, dominated the game and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the night.
Despite their dominance, Portland had struggled to find the back of the net in recent matches, going winless in their past three games. However, they finally broke the deadlock in the closing minutes of the game when Janine Beckie set up D’Aquila for a tap-in goal, her second of the season.
Portland goalkeeper Shelby Hogan put in a solid performance, making two crucial saves to secure the clean sheet. On the other side, San Diego Wave’s goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made seven saves but couldn’t prevent her team from suffering their ninth consecutive winless match.
The Wave, with a record of 3-7-6 and 15 points, have struggled to find success on the road this season, with a record of 0-5-4 away from home. However, their defense has been a bright spot, as they have conceded just 17 goals in their first 16 matches, ranking fourth in the NWSL in terms of defensive record.
Unfortunately, the defeat for San Diego comes amidst off-field issues, as team president Jill Ellis has been accused of fostering an unhealthy work environment by multiple team employees. Ellis has denied these allegations, but it has undoubtedly been a challenging week for the Wave both on and off the field.
Overall, the victory for the Portland Thorns was a much-needed boost as they head into the NWSL’s Olympic break. With the win, they will look to build on their momentum and continue their push towards the top of the league standings.
