Coming off of their first win of the season, the Thorns head to the Windy City. Can they make it back to back wins? Come find out and chat through it with your pals!
Not including the Coachella Valley game, but does include the 2023 Challenge Cup games. 5 league losses and 1 league draw. 1 CC win and 1 CC draw.
Are we back, maybe. Road wins are big in this league. I would say we should know where we are come out next international break at the beginning of June. We will be 11 games in and have faced Spirit and Orlando in this next month of May.
They have played rather poorly against us in the regular season, I think we only have a better record against Orlando in the regular season. They make up for it with playoffs wins.
Theo looyd Hughes: Amy Rodriguez gets a red card for ‘persistent foul and abusive language’ per match sheet, right at the end of tonight’s 0-0 draw between Utah Royals and Houston Dash.
Unfortunately it was the correct call. The ball did graze Smith's forearm, and you can see its rotation change from one of the camera angles they showed. Per current rules a goal can't be scored from an offensive handball of any sort - it doesn't matter if the arm was against the body, the shot was close range, whatever. The goal just doesn't count if an offensive players hand/arm touched it.
Agree. The rule, I guess, is that it's basically automatic on an offensive handball involved in a goal. But there was nothing clear and obvious about it, as you say.
At first I was panicking because she rolled over and immediately grabbed her knee and looked really in pain. I was like OH BECKY NOOOO. Visions of a Hubly/Obaze duo had me spiraling for like 30 seconds lol.
I only had to be up at 8:30AM to watch this one...which I would have been anyway. Yay! The NWSL+ coverage was pretty decent, too.
So Beleza actually played like I've expected them to all season (but haven't: they've been giving away points all damned season - especially frustrating draws - to teams they dominate in the run of play). Laid a 7-0 whuppin' on mid-table Ardija Ventus. My girl Aoba Fujino's had finishing yips all season, but not yesterday: hat trick! Beleza won't catch Urawa or Kobe no matter how well they finish the season: they dug too deep a hole early. But hopefully they finish strong.
She provided me with my favorite PP memory ever, the header winner in stoppage time against Orlando in 2019. I'll root for her forever because of that.
I remember thinking Tyler's was as fiery of a player goal celebration as Thorn's fans were ever likely to see. Then they drafted Morgan Weaver 18 months later.
But Obaze isn't a hold-your-breath adventure out there. She's only going to get better, and she's already so much better on the ball than Hubly ever was.
Last two Thorns road wins:
3-2 win in Chicago June 18th 2023
2-0 win in Chicago April 27th 2024.
It has been a long 10 months.
Not including the Coachella Valley game, but does include the 2023 Challenge Cup games. 5 league losses and 1 league draw. 1 CC win and 1 CC draw.
Are we back, maybe. Road wins are big in this league. I would say we should know where we are come out next international break at the beginning of June. We will be 11 games in and have faced Spirit and Orlando in this next month of May.
Broadcast crew said Chicago have only beaten Portland twice all-time in regular season play. How can that be?
Yup, we're 15-2-10 (W-L-D) against Chicago. We were better some of those years and lucky other ones.
They have played rather poorly against us in the regular season, I think we only have a better record against Orlando in the regular season. They make up for it with playoffs wins.
Last year the Spirit and Orlando games were easy 3 pointers. Now they're benchmarks to determine your mettle. My how the worm has turned.
Is Reign the worst team in the league right now? Asking for a friend
Worst team? There's stiff competition between Reign, Dash, and Royals.
dead stiff?
Can't answer, watching a player named Princess.
Beautiful game becomes royal. How long before she faces King and Prince?
So long as she doesn't have to play for Utah Royals.
SD-SJ very feisty.
Bayley Feisty?
Anybody see why Utah received a red at the end of the match? NWSL site says it wasn't given to anyone, rather to the team.
Theo looyd Hughes: Amy Rodriguez gets a red card for ‘persistent foul and abusive language’ per match sheet, right at the end of tonight’s 0-0 draw between Utah Royals and Houston Dash.
I'd not want to be on the receiving end of A-Rod's tirade.
Suspended for next match, at the least, I assume.
On brand anyway.
I think it was to arod?
So does that mean they're all suspended for the next game?
Proud of this team. Really neutralized Chicago's bread and butter outside the first 5 minutes.
I’ll ask again though, if and when does Alvarado start?
Okay! Both lucky to have a shutout and unlucky not to have scored a few more. I call that a win.
Beckie's goal should have stood.
Unfortunately it was the correct call. The ball did graze Smith's forearm, and you can see its rotation change from one of the camera angles they showed. Per current rules a goal can't be scored from an offensive handball of any sort - it doesn't matter if the arm was against the body, the shot was close range, whatever. The goal just doesn't count if an offensive players hand/arm touched it.
Agree. No replay I saw had the rotation or direction changing.
Needs to be conclusive to overturn. But this guy was seeing ghosts.
Agree. The rule, I guess, is that it's basically automatic on an offensive handball involved in a goal. But there was nothing clear and obvious about it, as you say.
I mean, her hands weren't even outstretched and were protecting her body. And that's even if they hit the ball at all.
That was a really nice moment w/ Soph and Lorne at the end. As if she wasn't endearing enough.
A solid (lucky) win away from home.
I wouldn't call that lucky. They were much better than Chicago. Probably their most complete performance since last summer lol
i agree we were better, but we had luck too: the ball did hit our woodwork at least three times.
And a Seattle loss!
Ex
hale.
Wednesday? Oh, CBSSN. Sunday then.
How many millions of times will an NWSL fan think "Oh, CBSSN" this season?
That was a BS yellow on Obaze.
That yellow should've been on Sam lol. She pushed her into Obaze....
Yep.
I agree with that.
This ref leaves a LOT to be desired. Two yellow cards and a handball that he seemingly saw in a dream.
Star's bailout.
She was on her way down before the contact.
And there was no way not to make contact with her.
Shelby working to keep the clean sheet in stoppage
Hogan saves her spot for another week
Clutch save there.
That's two.
She had a brilliant final few minutes.
We need a Dias goal
That's defensive forward Janine Beckie with the goal line save😆😆
Her defensive quality is so underrated! That was great to see.
Hogan needs to punch that
Hogan needs a lot of coaching.
Bring on Alvarado
I hope Alvarado pushes her and gets a chance. Shelby's improved but not to the point where I think she has a lock on starter
B.S. F.U. VAR.
Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh
Good time waster anyway
BS on Reyes.
This ref is sure something else. The yellow he gave to Soph for being 9 yards away from a dead ball was ridiculous.
Wow. I thought Reyes' handball was worse than that. I just think this ref has an issue with Soph.
Hey, shit goals are goals. Beckie's got 4!
That was a Naeherror
…Or a handball
Beckie is having a year!
Hayull yeah.
One more to tie Soph.
We’ve been saved from our sloppy ball handling all night by Chicago returning the favor.
Sauerbrunn chased that down? Hot damn
Let's see if Linnehan's first game was a fluke. I'm excited.
Autolite checking in.
😥😅
Checking minicus
Nooooooooo
That's a nasty hit on Sauerbrunn. I hope she's going to be OK.
At first I was panicking because she rolled over and immediately grabbed her knee and looked really in pain. I was like OH BECKY NOOOO. Visions of a Hubly/Obaze duo had me spiraling for like 30 seconds lol.
Good god she's tough.
Tougher than me, that's for sure. My joints ache just watching that.
Hard to believe it wasn't a card, but the refs must not have seen it. It was awfully late.
Obaze did really well to hold up Swanson there. I thought it was a sure goal for Chicago.
Y’all can thank me for taking the Curse of Thorndom away to Alaska to enable this hot streak. But I’m back on Monday, so enjoy it now…
Well if we lose against this Bay team midweek then we have more problems than you returning from Alaska lol.
I only had to be up at 8:30AM to watch this one...which I would have been anyway. Yay! The NWSL+ coverage was pretty decent, too.
So Beleza actually played like I've expected them to all season (but haven't: they've been giving away points all damned season - especially frustrating draws - to teams they dominate in the run of play). Laid a 7-0 whuppin' on mid-table Ardija Ventus. My girl Aoba Fujino's had finishing yips all season, but not yesterday: hat trick! Beleza won't catch Urawa or Kobe no matter how well they finish the season: they dug too deep a hole early. But hopefully they finish strong.
You give and give. Bless.
It's weird to lead.
I kinda hate that I’m missing these, but at least I’m doing my bit for the cause.
I think we're putting putting too much stock into putting birds on things.
V good comment lol
Speed injection.
TBF Sinc put in a good shift.
Tyler Frickin Lussi with the gorgeous one-timer.
Seattle sucks.
Hate it's at NCC but happy for Tyler she's found her groove there. Clutch.
She provided me with my favorite PP memory ever, the header winner in stoppage time against Orlando in 2019. I'll root for her forever because of that.
I remember thinking Tyler's was as fiery of a player goal celebration as Thorn's fans were ever likely to see. Then they drafted Morgan Weaver 18 months later.
1st Half Recap: We don't look good, but Chicago looks not good.
I'll take middle of the pack at this point.
Girl. Please do not keep fouling Smith. I mean, seriously.
Like why would an announcer even advocate for that. Lol
Sinc plays 60 or full 90?
45
Last.week she did 60 and then Janine came in. I think 45-60 is about right for her.
120. No, wait. Until the heavens fall and the seas turn to flame.
My hope is 45. Most likely 60.
7 minutes of stoppage? For what?
Hogan and VAR
Hydration break
Ah.
Bailed out by the post. MVP of the defense.
Post is our best keeper
I'm getting a keeper jersey with POST on the back. And a field jersey with OWNGOAL.
Hina intercepts point blank pass off of Swanson. How?
BTW, Natu with Save of the Week.
Good recovery by Reyes
Since the first goal last week Thorns have not trailed.
Before that....
Why won't they show var replay?
Offense looking so much more coherent.
But Defense still looks shaky
But Obaze isn't a hold-your-breath adventure out there. She's only going to get better, and she's already so much better on the ball than Hubly ever was.