Portland Thorns Look Lost in 2-1 Loss to Sky Blue FC

The Portland Thorns, on the back of a 6-1 road win just three days ago, were unable to recapture their offensive spark as the team lost 2-1 to Sky Blue FC. With the team's passing out of whack and two key lapses that were exploited by Sky Blue, the Thorns looked like a shadow of themselves in tonight's match.

The scoring opened in the 8' as Katy Freels stripped the ball off of Allie Long in the midfield. With only Thorns around her, Freels looked up and spotted Nadine Angerer off her line. Taking her only option, Freels hit an audacious chipped shot that dropped over the recently returned Angerer and dropped just below the crossbar, putting Sky Blue up 1-0.

It was a shocking goal that temporarily silenced the stadium and seemed to shake the Thorns for the next several minutes. As the game ground on, however the Thorns began pushing the action further and further down the pitch and into the Sky Blue half. Although the Thorns were not able to grab the equalizer before halftime, the pressure was certainly on Sky Blue for the remainder of the first 45'.

In the second half the Thorns would not be denied and in the 53' they managed to even up the score. With the ball out for a throw in deep on the left flank in Sky Blue territory, Sarah Huffman played the ball quickly down the sideline to Veronica Boquette. Vero, taking a quick touch, cut inside along the end line and zipped a low pass through the Sky Blue box. With the ball skipping through the six yard box, Christine Sinclair arrived just in time to get a foot to the ball, redirecting it perfectly around Brittany Cameron and into the back of the net to bring the Thorns back even at 1-1. Now on the board, it looked like it would be the Thorns who would be good for the game's winning goal.

However, after absorbing ever increasing pressure from the Thorns, Sky Blue struck back to retake the lead in the 65'. After a foul well outside the box, Sky Blue pumped a long ball into the Thorns' box. With numbers attacking the ball, the Sky Blue attackers managed to bamboozle their defenders and Lindsi Cutshall was the beneficiary. The ball dropped just outside the Thorns' six to the head of the undefended Cutshall, who redirected the ball around Angerer for the go ahead goal.

The Thorns, once again down a goal, threw everything forward at Sky Blue, but were rebuffed time and time again by their tough, organized defending. Even in the final minutes as the Thorns kept the ball almost exclusively in the Sky Blue box, few shots could get through the wall of defenders and those that did were parried away by Cameron. Finally, after a last burst of attacking activity from the Thorns, the whistle was blown and the game ended with Sky Blue coming out ahead 2-1.