Portland Thorns Overcome Santa Fe in CONCACAF Champions Cup

The Portland Thorns had a mixed review evening in their victory over the Panama Liga de Fútbol Femenino Santa Fe at Providence Park, in Portland Oregon for CONCACAF Champions Cup group B match. Thorns presented a heavily rotated squad that might as well have seen their first minutes playing together all season. While they out performed the Panama side, especially on the physical game, they didn’t offer the overpowering show fans had hopped to witness over a complete unknown rival.

In front of them Santa Fe, a very young club founded in Panamá City in 2023, and the 2024 Liga LFF Apertura champions. To be noted is that many countries still have the dual season tournaments, referred as Apertura (Opening Tournament) and Clausura (Closing Tournament), each of them with two separate groups (like conferences) and with its own play off system. The Apertura 2024 had Santa Fe dominate Panama City in the final, and they are currently dominating its conference in the run to the 2024 Clausura.

The Apertura and Clausura system is a tournament used in different forms in prestigious leagues like the Argentina LPF (dropped in favor of one year long “Superliga” just a few years back), and still in operation in the Mexico top flight. Mexico’s LIga MX is ranked as CONCACAF top league for men, and ranks second below USA’s NWSL in the women’s game. 

Panama’s Liga Profesional is something many people heard today for the first time, and not a small number of people in attendance today, they might never know that tonight they didn’t play a team from Mexico, queue James Brown, ”Living in America”… 

As per the game dynamics, we saw two very different takes in football, there was the Panama champions playing at times a very exquisite midfield game, with skilled players eluding what pressure they were presented on with fantastic footwork, and beautiful dribbling and passing game. 

Santa Fe, benefited also from the lack of cohesion of a Portland 11 that showcased in an official match for the very first time. Having trained together for months counts, but getting tested for the three points is something completely different. Santa Fe showed that cohesion, and further trained team dynamics. 

The Portland Thorns however, were superior in speed and strength, and while they were surprised by Santa Fe game management, it was them that had the sharper deeper game, and it is fair to point, showed their higher hierarchy of their development system. They were in fact the most dangerous side with the most goal chances. 

Santa Fe, could manage possession handsomely, but when it came to create real danger, they couldn’t bring real danger past a more solid Thorns defense. 

On attack, Portland showed again their wasteful side, and their lack of precision in the last third, and in the absence of key starters, especially the magic of Sophia Smith, The Thorns suffered to get on the score board even as the shot on goal stats were completely one sided on Portland’s favor. Notable was the great work of keeping Santa Fe in the game by goal keeper Yenith Bailey, and timely runs by right wing back Delany Jurado.

Portland’s forward Izzy D’Aquila showed menacing since the beginning, and after a couple warnings, specially early on, it was after a penalty call in minute 10, the she would score the game opener.  Payton Linnehan was able to double the advantage in the 64th minute, and Nuria Marquez, got Santa Fe on the scoreboard in minute 82. 

After week 3 of the group stage, Group B table has San Diego Wave (USA) on top, with pa 100% record at 9, followed by Club America (MEX), with 6 and +10 goal average over Portland Thorns, with also 6 points, and a goal average of +2, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite (CAN), sits fourth with 3 points. Santa Fe closes the group in last place with 0 points and -9 goal average.

The CONCACAF Champions Cup, seems to still be struggling to be considered as a worthy competition, the North American continental title doesn’t seem to attract the interest of a public that often gets fully behind Thorns in regular NWSL play. The evening showed another disappointing quarter of stadium capacity, being generous. CONCACAF International club football seems to struggle to gain traction.