By Amelia Hirtle
A top of the table clash ended in a convincing win for the San Diego Wave in Providence Park. It was a win that could play a big role in the NWSL Shield race as the regular season winds down.
On Saturday, August 27th, the second place Wave traveled to Portland to meet the Thorns in a match that would put one team at the top of the table heading into the international break.
Portland was playing their second game in four days and while they looked complete at times, they struggled to test the Wave goalkeeper for much of the night.
The visiting team opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Kristen McNabb scored on a deflected shot. Wave forward Alex Morgan scored her 13th goal of the season just before halftime, giving the Wave a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, it was all about the defense for both teams. Portland was searching for a goal, but they were unable to get on the scoresheet. It is a disappointing loss off the home team, but they have some time to regroup before their next one.
The U.S. The Women’s National team recently announced the upcoming roster for the September friendlies. Included from the Portland Thorns are Sophia Smith, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Sam Coffey. Crystal Dunn will also join the team in training, but she will not participate in any matches.
The Thorns are currently in third place in the NWSL. Their next match will take place in Orlando on September 9th.