PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 24 2024: Thorns forward Sophia Smith takes a shot on goal during the NWSL Home Opener with the Portland Thorns falling 0-1 against New York’s Gotham FC at Providence Park, Portland, OR.
The Portland Thorns had their home opener at Providence Park against Gotham FC in front of a record attendance just short of 20,000. This was their first official game since the semifinals for NWSL Championship last year. It looked like a repeat of the game that saw the Thorns eliminated from the race to the NWSL Championship, and NJ/NY Gotham FC moved on to claim their first title.
It was also the first official home match under the new ownership from RAJ sports, which saw a number of personalities visit the pitch with the Bhathal family including Oregon Governor Tina Kotec. The new ownership team walked around the pitch greeting the fans minutes before the players entered the field to the cheer of the fans, fireworks, and the sounds of the national anthem.
The match saw two teams that know each other very well, and in every meeting, these matches look a lot more like a play-off game than a regular season. Gotham FC, led by Spanish coach Juan Carlos Amorós, seem to have Portland’s number, and interpreting an excellent defensive strategy, they were able to once again frustrate Portland’s creative play.
The Gotham defense got the best of the Thorns one more time, with a high line that proved very effective preventing the deep players like Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver and forced them to receive the ball far from their goal. That high line, playing close to the midfield, helped to close spaces, and assured that Gotham always had more numbers on the ball.
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 24 2024: Thorns midfielder Hina Sugita great diagonal movement inside the box got hear a great goal chance but her header went narrowly wide of the goal.
Gotham had also the potential to create a lot of trouble offensively, with world class forwards like Esther González and Midge Purce. Mixed luck for this two attackers, González was the author of the only goal of the match in minute 72 after a very clever play by ex-Thorns Yazmeen Ryan. Purce would have to be subbed off due to injury during stoppage time in the first half. Crystal Dunn, also ex-Thorns made her first visit to Providence Park to face her former team mates of just one season ago.
While Gotham’s defense was solid, disciplined, and working as a block, they weren’t completely impermeable, and the Thorns, led by Sophia Smith tried their hardest to get on the scoreboard. They generated multiple goal opportunities, combining with deep runs from Janine Becky, and Morgan Weaver, mid range shots from Smith and Moultrie and were unlucky not to produce at least a couple goals.
The head referee Ricardo Fierro, was very protested by the fans, he disallowed two goals by Sophia Smith that would have changed the face of the match. One in each half, and both ruled offsides while the result was still 0-0. The first one was in the second minute of the game, the second was in minute 61, upsetting the local fans who became very vocal in censuring his performance.
Once behind the score after Esther Gonzalez’s goal in minute 72, they brought the energy of Hina Sugita and the experience of Christine Sinclair, but they seemed to be always just a fraction late or an inch wide. Every turn there seemed to be a wall of Gotham players, when not directly blocking through passes and shots on goals, they were hampering Thorns efforts, preventing them of having that extra air place their passes and shots properly. When the ball actually found its way, goalkeeper Cassie Miller did her share of the job and sealed the fate of the match.
Once again, allow them to take away three very valuable points from Portland and Portland fans will have to wait to see them earn their first points of the season till at least till this Saturday March 30, when they will host Racing Louisville at Providence Park, at 4:30.
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 24 2024: Portland fans fly their tiff ahead of the NWSL Home Opener for the Portland Thorns against Gotham FC at Providence Park, Portland, OR
