Has everyone recovered from Sunday's latest classic of the U.S.-Mexico rivalry? In the first-ever Concacaf Nations League final, The U.S. Men’s National Team came back from two deficits, scored a penalty late into the second half of extra time, stopped a penalty in the stoppage time of that same second half of extra time and walked off with a trophy to show for it. It was the first victory over Mexico in a big match of consequence since the 2013 Dos a Cero victory in World Cup qualifying.
It’s worth revisiting if you somehow missed it.
International Break
Which brings us to the international break. With the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics on the horizon, numerous Thorns FC players depart this week for national team duty.
Five Portland players—Crystal Dunn, Adrianna Franch, Lindsey Horan, Becky Sauerbrunn and Sophia Smith—left for U.S. Women’s National Team camp this week to take part in the 2021 WNT Summer Series. They’ll play two games in Houston this week: Portugal on June 10 (5:30pm PT, FS1) and then duel Jamaica on June 13 (7pm PT, FS1). Next week will see them slide across Texas to host Nigeria on June 16 at the new Q2 Stadium in Austin (6pm PT, ESPN2).
Erstwhile Canadian legend Christine Sinclair is with her national team in Spain as Canada plays the Czech Republic on June 11 (8am PT) and Brazil on June 14 (12pm PT). Finally, Natalia Kuikka is heading to Europe to represent Finland in a pair of friendlies against Poland on June 11 (10am PT) and Russia on June 14 (8am PT).
Meanwhile, on the Timbers side, defender Claudio Bravo is with the Argentina U23 squad for the CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament to face the Denmark U20s on June 8 (7am PT) and Saudi Arabia on June 11 (7am PT).
Salem The Goalscorer
Thorns midfielder Angela Salem did something this past weekend in the team’s 3-0 win over Racing Louisville FC that even she admits doesn’t happen very often: Score a goal.
Jumping on a loose ball in the eighth minute, Salem fired a shot from just outside the box that deflected into the net to open the scoring.
For the one-time star of Francis Marion University—a Division II program in Florence, S.C.—the goal was just Salem’s seventh in an 11-year career that has spanned the WPS, Finnish Naisten Liiga, WPSL, Australian W-League and the NWSL. The moment the ball skimmed into the back of the net, there was a clear extra level of excitement from her teammates.
Speaking to @ThornsFC Twitter after the match, a self-deprecating Salem called the moment "a rare occasion."
In the crowd that night was one-time Thorns defender Katherine Reynolds who was able to witness the "rare occasion." in person. Salem (and Reynolds) spoke about her long career in soccer with Richard Farley in 2019:
Another fun fact on Salem: During her Thorns career, she earned a master’s degree in education in clinical mental health from Springfield College.
Pride Month Continues
June also continues PTFC’s honoring of our local LGBTQ2SIA+ communities with a series of initiatives.
For every goal scored by the Timbers and Thorns in June, the club will make a $100 donation to the Q Center. The center, whose mission is “to provide safe spaces, community building and empowerment for the positive transformation of LGBTQ2SIA+ communities and allies,” is “the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Pacific Northwest.”
The club's partnership with the Q Center will include proceeds from its second TikTok For Good scarf. The series' latest features the organization's slogan, “A Place of Resilience,” with the Q Center set to receive proceeds from each scarf sold. The scarf design was revealed on June 1 and is available to pre-order now.
In addition, beginning June 11, a Stand Together T-shirt honoring Pride will be available through PTFC Authentics. Sales from the shirt will benefit New Avenues for Youth, “a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness” which operates a sexual and gender minority youth resource center (SMYRC). The SMYRC “provides a safe, supervised, harassment-free space for sexual and gender minority youth ages 13-23 …” The T-Shirt is currently available to pre-order
You are seen, you are heard, you are appreciated, and are an indispensable part of who we are. PTFC is proud to celebrate Pride with you.
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