PORTLAND, Ore. – Behind a brace from midfielder Allie Long and goals from midfielders Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim, Portland Thorns FC recorded a convincing 4-1 victory in their 2015 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) home opener against the Boston Breakers in front of 13,386 fans on Saturday night at Providence Park.
The brace was Long’s second of her NWSL career and the eighth brace in Thorns FC history. Farrelly scored the opening goal of the match, her first goal for Thorns FC and the second of her NWSL career, while Shim registered a goal and became the fifth player in club history to register a multi-assist game.
Shim assisted each of Long’s second-half goals as she recorded a brace in a span of one minute, 14 seconds. In the 71st minute, Shim scooped the ball over the top of the Breakers defense and with a quick touch, Long dribbled around her defender, firing a shot into the top left corner. Connecting a series of passes from the back, Shim played a one-touch pass from midfield into space for Long, who beat her defender before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner to give Thorns FC a 4-1 lead in the 72nd minute.
Opening the regular season at home for the first time in club history, Portland (1-0-0, 3pts) took the lead in the 21st minute on a set piece. Midfielder Allie Long sent a corner kick into the center of the box that was flicked onto the back post by defender Kat Williamson. Farrelly settled the ball and volleyed it inside the right post to put Portland in front 1-0.
Shim doubled Thorns FC’s lead in the 38th minute. Midfielder Kendall Johnson split two defenders with a pass from the left side, finding Shim unmarked near the penalty spot. Shim slotted the ball inside the right post for her first goal of the season.
Portland goalkeeper Michelle Betos earned her second career start in goal for Thorns FC, recording six saves to earn the win. Betos made a pair of key stops on consecutive shots in the 23rd minute, tipping midfielder Kristie Mewis’ shot from distance over the crossbar and diving to her left to make the save on shot from outside the box by midfielder Katie Schoepfer.
Rookie forward Stephanie McCaffrey scored Boston’s (0-1-0, 0pts) only goal of the match in the 63rd minute with a well-placed shot inside the box into the top right corner.
Thorns FC play the second of consecutive home matches to start the 2015 season against the Western New York Flash on Saturday, April 18; kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be broadcast live via webstream at www.portlandthornsfc.com.
Portland Thorns FC (1-0-0, 3pts) vs. Boston Breakers (0-1-0, 0pts)
April 11, 2015 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Thorns FC 2 2 4
Boston Breakers 0 1 1
Scoring Summary
POR: Farrelly (Williamson), 21
POR: Shim (Johnson), 38
BOS: McCaffrey (Schoepfer), 63
POR: Long (Shim), 71
POR: Long (Shim), 72
Misconduct Summary
BOS: Pathman (Caution), 33
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Michelle Betos, D Rachel Van Hollebeke, D Kat Williamson, D Emily Menges, M Sinead Farrelly, M McCall Zerboni, M Mana Shim (Courtney Niemiec, 87), M Allie Long (Sarah Robbins, 88), M Tobin Heath, M Kendall Johnson, F Alex Morgan (Jodie Taylor, 75)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Nadine Angerer, D Kaylyn Kyle, F Hanna Terry, F Kelsey Haycook
- indicates amateur player
TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Long, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Long, 6); FOULS: 3 (Three players, 1); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 6
BOS: GK Alyssa Naeher, D Cat Whitehill, D Kassey Kallman ©, D Maddy Evans, D Mollie Pathman, M Rahfina, M Katie Schoepfer (Morgan Marlborough, 73), M Kristie Mewis, M Suzanne Pires (Amy Barczuk, 61), F Ketlen (Bia, 61), F Stephanie McCaffrey
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jami Kranich, F Nkem Ezurike, M Stephanie Verdoia
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Mewis, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Mewis, 5); FOULS: 11 (Rahfina, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 4
Referee: Margaret Domka
Assistant Referees: Veronica Perez, Desmond Miller
4th Official: Farhad Dadkho
Attendance: 13,386
Weather:52 degrees, Mostly Cloudy
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
