Portland Welcomes Back Gold Medal Winners in NWSL Regular Season Match 3-1 Loss with Bay FC

The Portland Thorns suffered its second consecutive loss in the post-Olympics restart of the NWSL Regular Season. The Rose City team seams to be struggling for form in the last two games after the Paris pause, reminding of moments from the start of the season. Inspired moments from the team’s top players, including a midfield clinic in possession by Hina Sugita, the permanent danger of gold medal winner Sophia Smith, while being wildly exposed in defense.

In front of the home side, Bay FC, showed a more uniform performance from the back line all the way up to the front where Olympians Racheal Kundananji (Zambia) and Assist Oshoala, complemented by Rachel Hill, gave the Portland defense an evening of nightmares. Especially Racheal Kundananji, who not only was unstoppable coming from the left wing, her high pressing was very effective at complicating the Thorns’ ability to get the play started from their own half.

Bay FC seemed to control the match and was ahead as a result with goals by Abby Dahlkemper in 7th minute, and Rachel Hill in the 18th minute. Still, it was far from an easy ride. Portland kept the pressure and constantly prowled on the goal defended by goalie Katelyn Rowland. They were lacking that last clear pass, that extra half a second to be able to set up a shot goal. Part was the good order and skill of Bay FC defenders, Abby Dahlkemper and former Thorn Emily Menges. The other side was a Thorns side with new players and a player coming back from USNWT duty that seemed relegated to preseason form.

Portland would cut back Bay FC’s advantage in minute 32 when Sophia Smith capitalized on a bad pass from goal keeper Katelyn Rowland. Then, they would see a goal disallowed in minute 41 when Sophia Smith would receive a a ball between the center defenders holding on Menges challenge and passing the ball past the goal keeper to Alexa Spaanstra, and to the net. Referee Shawn Tehini, after consulting with VAR would deem Sophia Smith to be offside by the tip of a knee. A decision that was vociferously  protested by fans and players, especially when the assistant referee’s flag never went up.

From the nullified goal, Bay FC increased the advantage with a goal by Joelle Anderson in the 70th minute, a psychological goal that sealed the match. By then, the Thorns’ carrousel of rotations seemed to weight on the ability of the team to play fluid football, Bay FC started to control the match comfortably. Some injuries and and the visitors game management, aka time wasting, extended stoppage time to nine minutes. Portland kept trying to the last of the stoppage time, but the fate had been sealed in that third goal, and Bay City left Portland with three golden points.