Copyright The Oregonian
They had to work overtime, but the young Portland Thorns kept an unlikely run at the NWSL title on track with a 1-0 win over the San Diego Wave on Sunday in a league quarterfinal in front of 19,903 fans at Providence Park. After a scoreless draw through 90 minutes, Reilyn Turner broke through with the goal in the fourth minute of extra time with a free header from close range off a long looping cross by Olivia Moultrie. Turner, who nearly scored in regulation on a bicycle kick in the 63rd minute, netted her first goal since Aug. 10 when the third-seeded Thorns needed it most. Portland goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold put her body on the line twice in extra time in coming off her goal line to make daring saves on attackers running at her to preserve the lead and give the Thorns their first playoff victory since winning the 2022 NWSL championship. Portland will now travel to the nation’s capital to face the Washington Spirit in a semifinal match on Nov. 16. With top seed Kansas City — which finished 21 points ahead of second-place Washington in the league standings — eliminated earlier in the day by a shocking 2-1 loss to eighth-seeded Gotham FC, the title race is suddenly wide open. Gotham will take on No. 4 seed and defending champion Orlando in the other semifinal. San Diego held the majority of possession for most of regulation and put the Portland defense under pressure for large chunks of time, but the Thorns’ back line held firm and Portland became the offensive aggressors as the match wore on. Moultrie had the potential first goal of the game on her left foot in the 44th minute when she found herself with a free shot at the right edge of the six-yard box, but her attempt slid across the face of the goal and hit squarely off the far post and bounded away. Portland’s only other look at goal in the half came back in the fifth minute, when Moultrie pounded a shot from a steep angle on the left wing that San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan fought off. The Wave had a flurry of chances later in the second half that ended with Kennedy Wesley firing a ball from long distance off the crossbar after the Thorns defender Isabella Obaze had made two sliding stops on shot attempts. Sam Coffey tested Sheridan with a rocket from just inside the top of the penalty area in the 86th minute, but again the Wave keeper was up to the task. Pietra Tordin nearly gave Portland a two-goal lead twice in extra time, just missing a tap-in attempt off a pass by Turner and later splitting two defenders with a crafty individual move but being denied by Sheridan from close in. The teams drew twice in the regular season, with both games finishing 1-1 after the Thorns fell behind in each and scored late goals to earn a point.
