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The Portland Thorns won the 2022 NWSL Championship on Saturday night as they defeated the Kansas City Current by a 2-0 scoreline. Sophia Smith opened the scoring in the fourth minute after a great feed from Yazmeen Ryan wasn’t fully dealt with by the KC backline. Smith pounced, scored, and produced an iconic shrug celebration in the aftermath.
Who else but Sophia Smith to score the opening goal ♀️#PORvKC | 1 - 0 pic.twitter.com/lzE3QKeABY
— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) October 30, 2022
MVP behavior #NWSLChampionshp pic.twitter.com/Z7xsqAX8mw
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 30, 2022
Sophia. Smith. pic.twitter.com/srNEqmNFet
— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) October 30, 2022
An own goal forced by Yazmeen Ryan in the second half iced affairs, as Portland smothered KC at virtually every area of the field. The Current could barely find a whiff of the goal, and the Thorns very well could have added multiple more goals.
Sophia Smith was named the Championship game MVP, adding another trophy to the league MVP trophy she earned earlier in the week. To add her to already extensive list of accolades, Smith became the first player to win both awards in a single season.
Sophia Smith doubled up on MVP awards in 2022
— The Athletic Soccer (@TheAthleticSCCR) October 30, 2022
◽️2022 NSWL MVP
◽️2022 NWSL Championship MVP
@AttackingThird | @sophsssmithpic.twitter.com/7nNGKCyslm
With the win, the Thorns became the first NWSL team to win three NWSL Championships. They now stand alone at the top with a league-best three titles to their name.
This trophy lift is EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/gNQp0fkBbD
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 30, 2022
Building a constellation ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/alkUDVtTdM
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
Head coach Rhian Wilkinson also became the first former NWSL player to become a coach and win an NWSL championship — all in her very first season at the helm.
You can read Wilder’s play by play recap of the victory here.
And now, please enjoy the best videos of the celebrations of the Thorns players that Twitter could provide (will be updated as more are discovered):
The moment we worked all season for.
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
WE. ARE. THE. CHAMPIONS. #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/oMaE3tQEOt
Celebrations with the @PDXRivetersSG:#NWSLChampionship #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/QkDbQQwkMR
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) October 30, 2022
WE DID IT! @bellageist x #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/6E9bg4WZrp
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
Celebrations with the @PDXRivetersSG:#NWSLChampionship #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/QkDbQQwkMR
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) October 30, 2022
⚠️ We're poppin' bottles ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/iSRfRPw4R5
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
ICONIC. @meghankling x #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/miXqawoPJL
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
Champions!!! @ThornsFC pic.twitter.com/nVFyThHZLA
— Christine Sinclair (@sincy12) October 30, 2022
This Bud’s for you, champs @budweiserusa x #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/PUTIBYWUMj
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022
HANDS UP if it’s a paaaarty @ThornsFC @Budweiser pic.twitter.com/nFs8vE3rQD
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 30, 2022
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