Portland dashes past Houston 0-2, courtesy of second half goals from Ana Dias and Olivia Moultrie.
HOUSTON, Texas (Friday, May 17, 2024) – Portland Thorns FC (6-3-1, 19 points) earned its sixth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win at the Houston Dash. Goals from Ana Dias and Olivia Moultrie, along with three saves from goalkeeper Shelby Hogan (recorded her third clean sheet of the season) were enough for the victory.
After a two-and-a-half hour weather delay due to lightning in the area, the two sides finally took the pitch, late on Friday evening. The Thorns looked to pressure the Dash early, with forward Sophia Smith testing goalkeeper Jane Campbell in the third minute, but a kick save from the shot-stopper kept the ball from finding its way into the back of the net.
In the 16th minute the Thorns nearly found the breakthrough with just the goalkeeper in between Janine Beckie and goal, but the forward’s shot smacked off the post and the Dash were able to clear the ball out of danger. Twenty-three minutes into the half the Thorns were awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Olivia Moultrie inside the 18-yard-box, but upon Video Assisted Review, the call was overturned. Neither side would find the opening goal within the first half, sending the two teams into the halftime break scoreless.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Dash nearly took the lead when Diana Ordóñez sent a shot towards goal, but the ball kissed off the far post. Just a minute later goalkeeper Shelby Hogan would make a point-blank save on a shot from Ramona Bachmann to preserve the scoreline.
Portland took the 1-0 lead in the 55th minute when midfielder Hina Sugita found Ana Dias inside the box. The forward one-touched her shot inside the far post, past the arms of the diving goalkeeper. The goal marked the first for Dias since joining the Thorns this past offseason.
The Thorns doubled the lead in the 68th minute when Olivia Moultire blasted a shot into the lower-left corner of goal, giving the midfielder her third goal of the season and second in as many matches.
Throughout the remainder of the match the Thorns would go on to hold off the Dash, earning the 2-0 victory, good for their sixth consecutive win, the most in club history. The team is now one win away from tying the National Women’s Soccer League record for most consecutive wins (7), set by Seattle Reign in 2014.
UP NEXT: Portland Thorns FC will remain on the road, taking on the Orlando Pride on Friday, May 24.
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
POR: Ana Dias (Hina Sugita) 56th minute: Driving towards the endline, Sugita crossed the ball up towards Dias who upon receiving the ball one-touched her shot towards the far post, underneath the arms of the diving goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
POR: Olivia Moultrie (Janine Beckie) 68th minute: From the right side of the pitch, Beckie found Moultrie streaking down the field with a short pass toward goal. The midfielder rocketed off a right-footed shot into the lower-left corner of the goal.
LINEUPS:
Portland Thorns (4-3-3): Shelby Hogan, Reyna Reyes, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelli Hubly, Marie Müller, Hina Sugita (Meghan Klingenberg 90+3’), Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie (Jessie Fleming 68’), Janine Beckie (Payton Linnehan 68’), Ana Dias (Christine Sinclair 60’), Sophia Smith (Marissa Sheva 90+3’)
Subs not used: Emily Alvarado, Meaghan Nally, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Nicole Payne
Houston Dash (3-4-3): Jane Campbell, Courtney Petersen, Natalie Jacobs, Paige Nielsen, Cece Kizer (Amanda West 63’), Sarah Puntigam, Sophie Schmidt (Sophia Hirst 76’), Avery Patterson, Ramona Bachmann (Andressa Alves 88’), Diana Ordóñez (Michelle Alozie 63’), Bárbara Olivieri (Belle Briede 88’)
Subs not used: Heather Hinz, Yuki Nagasato, Madison Ayson, Jyllissa Harris
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
HOU: Courtney Petersen (caution) 42’
