Spanish international Esther Gonzalez scored in the second half and NJ/NY Gotham FC took down the host Portland Thorns 1-0 Sunday in a matchup of the past two NWSL champions and a rematch of one of last year’s playoff semifinals.
Despite Portland (0-2-0, 0 points) looking like the more dangerous team for the majority of the match, Gotham (1-0-0, 3 points) scored the only goal in the 72nd minute.
The chance started when Yazmeen Ryan found some room down the right wing. She fired a low cross into the center of the box, which Gonzalez coolly finished to put the defending champions ahead.
After netting a brace in the team’s season opener last week, Portland forward Sophia Smith had myriad missed chances throughout the match. Smith nearly scored the opener in the third minute after dribbling around Gotham goalkeeper Cassie Miller and tucking the ball into the net, but she was ultimately ruled offside.
The U.S. women’s national team forward found herself with another breakaway chance five minutes later, but Smith’s right-footed shot from 10 yards out was saved by Miller.
Smith thought she finally broke through in the 60th minute after winning the ball down the left side of the pitch and uncorking a right-footed shot into the top right corner, but it was ultimately taken off the board after the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled her offside once again.
Miller finished with six saves. Shelby Hogan made five saves for the Thorns.
–Field Level Media