Stumptown Footy - Coverage Hub: Portland Thorns at Reign FCYou are my sunshine, my only sunshine.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/31537/stumptown-fave.jpg2019-08-08T09:41:33-07:00http://www.stumptownfooty.com/rss/stream/205279272019-08-08T09:41:33-07:002019-08-08T09:41:33-07:00Thorns fall 1-0 to Reign FC in first match at Cheney Stadium
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<figcaption>Nikita Taparia</figcaption>
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<p>Was this game real? We’re not convinced.</p> <p id="KhBbcb">Their first ever trip to Cheney Stadium saw the Portland Thorns fall 1-0 to <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/teams/reign-fc">Reign FC</a>. A converted baseball pitch, Cheney has a wildly different atmosphere from the majority of other soccer venues; most of cheering came from one corner of the pitch, where both the Rose City Riveters and Reign FC’s Royal Guard were located, and the uneven dirt lines surrounding the field created added a somewhat disconnected and surreal mood to the observers of the match.</p>
<p id="rUpte6">Thorns coach Mark Parsons, however, was complimentary of the environment at Cheney Stadium, praising the “nice feel, nice atmosphere, the Riveters were unbelievable ... their support was great.” He pointed out that “it is absolutely freaking fantastic not to be going to Memorial Stadium [the Reign’s former home field]. It is the worst place that I’ve stood in, sat in, walked ... I didn’t want to touch a wall in case I caught something. It was bad. It was really bad.”</p>
<p id="9TN8f0">The Thorns lined up about as was expected with a close to full-strength squad — the notable exception being Elizabeth Ball over Katherine Reynolds at right back. Although Ball has grown tremendously this season, building her confidence, distribution, and one-on-one defending, she has yet to showcase the consistency and stable defensive presence of Reynolds. However, that didn’t stop Ball from putting forth a solid first half, tracking back and winning the ball off Ifeoma Onumonu a number of times and trying to play forward. “Ball with Iffy [Onumonu] is a good match up,” explained coach Mark Parsons. “We like that match up and we felt comfortable that we could keep Iffy quiet.” </p>
<p id="wZFWI0">It wasn’t just Ball who showed well defensively — the centerback pairing of Emily Menges and Emily Sonnett were able to minimize Reign FC’s attacking chances with some fantastic interceptions and a bit of last-ditch defending. Despite a couple good looks from Tacoma, both sides looked disjointed in the first half.</p>
<p id="avFgAP">Portland had their first look on goal in the fifth minute, when <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/293432/tobin-heath">Tobin Heath</a> drew a foul from Theresa Nielsen in the Thorns attacking third. Linsdey Horan curved the free kick right into the hands of Casey Murphy, an easy ball to collect. The Reign tried their own luck in the ninth minute, when Onumonu dribbled centrally and tried her luck from the top of the box. Adrianna Franch had the ball covered.</p>
<p id="9SnQ2f">The remainder of the half was similarly back and forth, with both sides finding relatively nonthreatening looks but neither Portland nor Tacoma able to take control of the match. Of note, Heath was shoved in the box by Nielsen in the 16th minute, prompting calls for a penalty that wasn’t awarded. In the 31st minute, it was Steph Catley who was given the first yellow card of the night after she took out <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/293437/hayley-raso">Hayley Raso</a>. </p>
<p id="xOe0VK">“I think it was a typical Reign-Portland game,” said Reign head coach Vlatko Andonovski in his press conference after the match, “at times physical, at times beautiful, at times opportunities, and at times it was just a battle.”</p>
<p id="IOXGlR">Although both the Thorns and Reign went into half scoreless, it didn’t take long for Tacoma to break through at the top of the second half. In the 55th minute, Onumonu got around Ball and sent a cross into the box, finding the head of Shea Groom. Rosie White managed to find the ball centrally just behind Menges and hit the ball past Franch. </p>
<p id="14ww6x">The Reign found another good look in the 59th minute, yet again due to the skill of Onumonu. Picking off a poor backward touch from <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/293434/lindsey-horan">Lindsey Horan</a>, Onumonu played the ball to White, who pinged her shot off the crossbar. </p>
<p id="AROvXB">A handful of substitutions, a couple more attacking looks for Portland — including a stoppage time attempt from Sonnett that went just over — and a Jodie Taylor yellow card comprised the final half hour of the match, but the game ended in a 1-0 draw, the Thorns’ second loss to Reign FC this season. </p>
<p id="k3pJe8">“These players put in the work that they did; they worked so hard for this and did so many right things,” coach Mark Parsons said of his team. He pointed to Portland missing that “one percent — putting the ball in the right area in the final third, to put the ball in the back of the net, get that contact, or to make sure we don’t give up that contact on the other end,” something the Thorns have lacked at times this season and what ultimately ended up deciding the match.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/8/7/20763883/thorns-fall-1-0-to-reign-fc-in-their-first-match-at-cheney-stadiumLeo Baudhuin2019-08-07T16:00:00-07:002019-08-07T16:00:00-07:00Portland Thorns at Reign FC: Previews, How to Watch, Match Thread [7:00]
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<figcaption>Matthew Wolfe</figcaption>
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<p>The Thorns drive up to Tacoma on short rest, where they’ll face off against rival Reign FC for the second time this season.</p> <p id="dEdw6A">The Portland Thorns (7-2-6) are entering their third-to-last road game of the season as they make the drive up to Tacoma to take on <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/teams/reign-fc">Reign FC</a> (6-3-5). The Reign are one of only two teams that the Thorns have lost to this season, with the other defeat coming in an away match with the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/teams/washington-spirit">Washington Spirit</a>. However, series history favors neither side; Portland and Tacoma have an even all-time record of 9-9-3.</p>
<p id="ziafOU">Both the Thorns and Reign are in an unfortunate position: they finally have their USWNT players back for good, but both sides are missing noteworthy players to injury. The absence of Ellie Carpenter — and likely <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/255543/meghan-klingenberg">Meghan Klingenberg</a>, as well — presents yet another challenge to Portland’s back line. The Thorns have conceded seven goals in their last five games, a worrying statistic for a team that pride themselves on their stingy defense. </p>
<h2 id="8xsolc">Previews</h2>
<h3 id="MB6flg">
<strong>Storylines</strong>:</h3>
<blockquote><p id="Pz0BiE">“Last time the two teams met, about a month ago, the Reign snuck away from Providence Park with a 1-0 victory thanks to Celia Jimenez Delgado’s first NWSL goal from outside the box, which kicked off a trend the way the Thorns have conceded goals. Including that strike, four of the last seven goals the Thorns have conceded have been strikes from distance either outside the box or just inside. It seems like a somewhat unlikely record and probably an outlier, but it likely has to do with midfield defense. Up against <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/293436/allie-long">Allie Long</a> in the Reign midfield, minds are likely to be focused — and Lindsay Horan back in the team alongside Gabby Seiler has proven to be one of the most effective midfield duos the team has seen.”</p></blockquote>
<h2 id="6YWgRC">How to Watch</h2>
<p id="JKzS4o"><strong>How to watch:</strong> <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/video/nwsl-thorns-fc-reign-fc-172448121.html"><strong>Yahoo Sports</strong></a><strong>;</strong> <a href="http://nwslsoccer.com/"><strong>NWSLSoccer.com</strong></a> for international viewers</p>
<p id="zkOYCx"><strong>Where: </strong>Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, Washington</p>
<p id="2HIz6R"><strong>When:</strong> Wednesday, August 7, 7:00 p.m. (Pacific)</p>
<p id="hZhPbo"><strong>Portland Thorns:</strong> 7-2-6, 2nd place in the NWSL, drew 1-1 vs <strong>Sky Blue FC</strong></p>
<p id="FODoAE"><strong>Reign FC:</strong> 6-3-5, 4th place in the NWSL, won 1-0 at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/teams/houston-dash"><strong>Houston Dash</strong></a></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/8/7/20757096/portland-thorns-at-reign-fc-previews-how-to-watch-match-thread-7-00Leo Baudhuin2019-08-07T10:25:42-07:002019-08-07T10:25:42-07:00Soccer Made in Portland: US Open Cup semifinal edition
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<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="CNNdJv">Jamie and Caitlin discuss the Timbers’ controversial 1-0 loss to <a href="https://www.epluribusloonum.com/">Minnesota United</a>, look ahead to the Timbers’ <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/us-open-golf">U.S. Open</a> Cup semifinal game against Minnesota Wednesday and MLS game against Vancouver Saturday, talk about the refereeing in the NWSL, evaluate the Thorns’ 1-1 draw with <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/sky-blue-fc">Sky Blue FC</a> and preview the Thorns’ upcoming games against Reign FC and the North Carolina Courage. </p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/soccer-made-in-portland/2019/8/7/20758886/soccer-made-in-portland-us-open-cup-semifinal-editionZach Kay2019-08-06T09:20:00-07:002019-08-06T09:20:00-07:00Storylines: Portland Thorns at Reign FC
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<figcaption>Matthew Wolfe</figcaption>
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<p id="of6zSY">The Portland Thorns (7-2-6) — after dropping two points at home to Sky Blue FC last weekend — have the chance to immediately turn things around on a quick midweek trip up to Tacoma to play <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/teams/reign-fc">Reign FC</a> (6-3-5) in their new digs for the first time. It’s a top four NWSL rivalry clash with huge implications for the remainder of the season: The Reign want to secure their hold on the top spots in the NWSL table, and the Thorns want to climb back up into pole position for the NWSL Shield race.</p>
<h3 id="bKhKWE">Projected XI</h3>
<p id="UvYtp7">The USWNT players are back after their trip down to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/rose-bowl">Rose Bowl</a> for the first stop of the victory tour last weekend and should be back in the team. Fullback depth, however, has been significantly impacted after a few unfortunate breaks. Ellie Carpenter is still out with the injury she left the field with away at Utah, though she is listed as questionable. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/255543/meghan-klingenberg">Meghan Klingenberg</a> is also listed as questionable with an illness, and her most likely replacement, Madison Pogarch, has been ruled out with a left ankle injury picked up in training. </p>
<p id="987bbC">In light of this, Elizabeth Ball seems likely to continue at fullback, though she might be playing on the left, and Katherine Reynolds might end up back in her old right back position. On the plus side, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic has been cleared from the injury report and could also see time at outside back in a pinch.</p>
<h3 id="XEzDy9">Game Plan</h3>
<p id="U53v8J">The Reign have put together an improbably good season this year despite an all-time injury-prone season. They have a full six players on their season-ending injury list, including franchise icon Jess Fishlock, while Megan Rapinoe, after playing an essential role for the USWNT at the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/fifa-womens-world-cup">World Cup</a>, came back a little banged up and isn’t expected to play.</p>
<p id="1zKEFA">Despite all this, the Reign are inside the playoff spots with a game in hand over the teams above them. It’s a credit to the way the Reign FC head coach Vlatko Andonovski has been capable of not only setting up a system that gets the best out of his players but also the way he has been continuously reinventing his team. Recently, the team added Rebecca Quinn and Rosie White (among a crop of five new players); White is already contributing in the box score and Quinn adds important midfield depth.</p>
<p id="1a4BjG">Last time the two teams met, about a month ago, the Reign snuck away from Providence Park with a 1-0 victory thanks to Celia Jimenez Delgado’s first NWSL goal from outside the box, which kicked off a trend the way the Thorns have conceded goals. Including that strike, four of the last seven goals the Thorns have conceded have been strikes from distance either outside the box or just inside. It seems like a somewhat unlikely record and probably an outlier, but it likely has to do with midfield defense. Up against <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/NWSL/players/293436/allie-long">Allie Long</a> in the Reign midfield, minds are likely to be focused — and Lindsey Horan back in the team alongside Gabby Seiler has proven to be one of the most effective midfield duos the team has seen.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/8/6/20756467/storylines-portland-thorns-at-reign-fcTyler Nguyen2019-08-05T19:00:00-07:002019-08-05T19:00:00-07:00The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves
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<p>Hoping for better times to come</p> <p id="HJ3IOL">The Thorns played down to the worst team in the league and, with a major assist from the referee, once again embarrassed themselves at home versus Sky Blue. The 1-1 result felt like a loss. The Thorns dropped back below North Carolina in the table and are now in a position of needing to win nine of their last ten matches to guarantee the Shield.</p>
<p id="PxGqaH">Our winner this week was Danxp2017 who called a Sinclair penalty kick for three points. For the first time in the history of our little game we had a red card correctly called, by Constant Weeder. Johnmclarke3 had the most rec’d wild prediction of Coach Marx avoiding the long gaze of USSF.</p>
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<p id="wFMh55">On Wednesday evening, we’re off to Cheney Field in Tacoma for the first time. The Thorns historically struggled at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. Perhaps with that curse gone we can begin a new, better, tradition.</p>
<p id="DYOEmK">ROSTER REPORT: As of August 2, Ellie Carpenter was out for the Thorns while the Reign were without Utsugi and Cox. The USWNT players should be back although Rapinoe has yet to appear in Tacoma since leaving for the World Cup in May.</p>
<p id="Zi1Rdg"><strong>How this works:</strong></p>
<p id="dJTgTl">Add a comment to this post. In the comment title put your predicted result, for example <strong>3-1 Thorns.</strong></p>
<p id="u5Rvzn">In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:</p>
<p id="dpkih1"><strong>Lussi (Klingenberg)</strong></p>
<p id="YQ45Ry"><strong>AMC (Free kick)</strong></p>
<p id="29OKUT"><strong>Purce (Unassisted)</strong></p>
<p id="iiZ6nc"><strong>Rapinoe (PK)</strong></p>
<p id="vBQA25">Next, name the first yellow card recipient: <strong>First yellow to Dagny.</strong></p>
<p id="QqkKTw">Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) <strong>Allie Long</strong><strong>.</strong></p>
<p id="psIWGv">Make your fun prediction: <strong>After her PK, Rapinoe dons a bad combover wig and mimes typing on a phone. The crowd starts chanting “Megan for President!”</strong></p>
<p id="2shr6F">Lastly, please <strong>recommend</strong> one of the other players’ fun prediction.</p>
<p id="YI7K08"><strong>Scoring:</strong></p>
<p id="VUJjil">· Correct score: 5 points</p>
<p id="pFdbkk">· Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points</p>
<p id="wkuwA7">· Each clean sheet: 2 points</p>
<p id="1MPyV9">· Each goal-scorer: 1 point</p>
<p id="i2T8Ni">· Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point</p>
<p id="dactkF">· Goal/assist bonus: 1 point</p>
<p id="RoujLy">· Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point</p>
<p id="2ZB4tR">· Each player with a red card: 1 point (Cannot earn points for predicting 0 red cards)</p>
<p id="ndGR5D">· Most recommended/most outrageously accurate prediction: 2 points</p>
<p id="lKReKB"><strong>Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print):</strong></p>
<p id="ksr9Vy"><em>Comments must be posted before kickoff</em>, but you can edit or amend an earlier prediction right up to the starting whistle.</p>
<p id="TL2S5J"><em>Keep your scoreline predictions realistic.</em> No crazy scores just to pad out your odds of getting goals and assists.</p>
<p id="0z2iav"><em>The goal/assist bonus</em> is an additional point if you predict the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal, for example, you say Reynolds scores from a Boureille assist and that is exactly what happens. P.S. if you say exactly that, and it happens, I will hunt you down and buy you a beer!</p>
<p id="39T8TC"><em>Be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK.</em> Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = not in run of play. For the purposes of this thread, Penalty Kick and Free Kick are the same thing. No entry means unassisted.</p>
<p id="4ezbUh">Have fun, tell your friends, let me know if you have any questions or if I screw up your score.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/8/5/20753859/the-thorns-prediction-game-reading-the-ptfc-leaves-baonpdxRichard Hamje