Thorn in their side: Reign fall to Thorns, 2-0, in doubleheader
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – In the second match of the 2023 Seattle vs Portland doubleheader at Lumen Field, the OL Reign were unable to succeed where the Sounders had failed just about an hour before them. The Reign fell to the Portland Thorns for the first time since 2021 and first at home since 2020, as Sophia Smith and Christine Sinclair scored the only goals of the entire doubleheader. While the Reign played well enough to win, they failed once again to convert the chances (four, to be exact) that they created. Portland found pockets of space to pounce on, and their offensive quality was just enough to steal three points and position themselves atop the NWSL table. It isn’t as concerning for the Reign as their loss to Gotham just three matches ago, but it’s a frustrating result for numerous reasons in addition to the fact that it’s against their arch rival.
“In regards to the game: goals change games. I think goals change games, we had chances, we had moments where we could have taken advantage of things and we didn’t, they did. That can be as tough, especially games like this where rivalry game, two top teams fighting it out, it can be the smallest of margins. I was disappointed with the first goal because it came off a throw in, which is a pet peeve of mine. I thought the second goal, they had gotten behind us, but I thought we could have dealt with it a little bit earlier and we didn’t.”
OL Reign defender Quinn walks away from their own goal after Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith had scored the first goal of the match (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Smith slips through
The match started out hot, as the Reign got four attempts going as they attempted to start the attack before the Thorns could get rolling. While the attempts were there for the Reign, Portland was able to strike first as the electrifying Sophia Smith found a pocket of space to fire away at the top of the box. Smith’s shot, far post, beat Reign keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and got the Thorns on the board in the 17th minute. It wasn’t the biggest patch of space that Smith had, and there were several Reign defenders around her, but it was just enough for one of the best in the NWSL to take advantage of and get her team on the board first.
Following the Smith goal, the Reign had seven attempts against Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby and the Portland defense, but nothing got past for an equalizer. Newly extended Reign forward Elyse Bennett was able to press heavily towards the end of the half and used her physical ability to try and find an equalizer, but the finishing failures for the club continued and they went into the half trailing Portland. It was the first time in these now two doubleheaders that the Reign have played in which the Thorns have had a lead. It was one that Portland made sure they’d keep, and as much as the Reign tried, their attack struggled to put anything in the back of the net.
“What we kind of set in our huddles at the end of the day: goals change games. We felt like we had a lot of momentum throughout, we had some good passionate passages of play, but we’re not putting it back of the net, it’s always gonna be hard to win. At the end of the day, we got to just get back to being; one hard to beat, two hard to have other teams score on us and just having the quality in the final third. Composure in the final third, puts teams away.”
OL Reign defenders didn’t play a poor game per say, but the Thorns were able to find two areas of space to score in the match (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Sinclair sinks comeback hopes
While the first half saw the Reign bring numerous chances on the attack, the next 45 minutes saw that dial back a bit as the Thorns fought to add a second goal. The Reign brought forward Jordyn Huitema in as a noticeable substitution, and Huitema was able to a few chances, but nothing was getting past Bixby in goal. The Thorns were happy to take advantage of the Reign failing to be more clinical, as they continued to push and pressure for that second score. It would be a veteran of this league and rivalry who drove in the final dagger, Christine Sinclair, who scored the second and final goal of the match to end the comeback hopes for the Reign and deal them the loss.
“I feel like we need to just do better, personally, myself included. I feel like we’re creating the opportunities. I feel like we had multiple opportunities to score goals. Like Alana said, it just changes games. We need to put them back in the net. And at the end of the day, Portland did. They came away with what they deserved.”
OL Reign forwards Bethany Balcer, Megan Rapinoe, Veronica Latsko, Elyse Bennett, and Jordyn Huitema were unable to score against the Portland Thorns in the loss (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Onto the month of June
The past three weeks for the Reign have been unique, given the tough losses to Gotham and Portland but the strong wins against Angel City and San Diego. While the losses to Gotham and the Thorns had varying degrees of worry after them, the Reign are looking for some consistency moving forward. They have plenty of talent on the club, obviously, both proven veterans and budding younger stars. While not having Rose Lavelle is big, getting Angelina and Phoebe McClernon back could be back, the way the roster is currently can win games. Plenty of attack and pressure was generated in this match, as the Reign had four big chances and obviously missed all of them. The defense is strong, and despite an odd question about if the Centre backs will be switched, there’s no need to make unnecessary overreaction. Remaining in their system and actually finishing will be the biggest change that the Reign can make.
“I just said to the players, then I think after the Gotham game, we had a very open and heartfelt conversation about things. I don’t think we need that after this, I think we need to look at some specific details of things that didn’t quite go the way we needed them to go. Rather than it be a big delving deep conversation, because I honestly think it’s the finer details of this game that we have to get right. Obviously, the players are disappointed, and I hope that they are but I think it’s a different feeling than the Gotham game for me. I think we were we had chances, we made it difficult for them at times, which we didn’t do against Gotham, and we made it very easy for them. I just feel like it’s a bit of a different mindset after this defeat.”
“She picked up an injury, we thought she would be okay. Then it was literally like a last minute that she wasn’t ready to go. ”
Despite the two goals against, OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce had a solid game in net (Photos by Liv Lyons)
What’s next?
Following the loss to the Thorns, the Reign will have some time off and for training before their next contest. When they return to action on Saturday, June 10th at Lumen Field, it’ll be a rematch of last year’s NWSL Semifinal match against the Kansas City Current. The Reign will battle against a Current team that has struggled this season, just a year after falling to Portland in the NWSL Championship game. Kickoff for the match on the 10th against Kansas City is at 7PM PST, as the Reign celebrate Pride Night presented by Starbucks.
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Pre and post match scenes from the OL Reign loss to the Portland Thorns in the 2023 Seattle vs Portland doubleheader (Photos by Liz Wolter)
