NWSL Portland Thorns FC

Thorns FC Top U.S. U-23 Women's Youth National Team 3-0 in Preseason Tournament

Published on March 9, 2022 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Portland Thorns FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Playing their second match of the Thorns Preseason Tournament, Portland Thorns FC came out on top against the U.S. U-23 Women's Youth National Team in a 3-0 win at Providence Park on Tuesday night. Sophia Smith registered a first-half hat trick and Christine Sinclair tallied a pair of assists.

Thorns FC Preseason Debuts and Minutes

Shelby Hogan and Taylor Porter both made their preseason debuts as starters tonight. Natalie Beckman, Meaghan Nally, Gabby Provenzano and Sophia Smith each recorded their first preseason starts for Thorns FC. Emily Menges, Natalia Kuikka, Rocky Rodríguez and Yazmeen Ryan all started a second consecutive match in the tournament for Portland. Christine Sinclair played her first minutes for Thorns FC this year, starting the match and wearing the captain's armband.

Preseason Tournament Notes

Smith scored her first goals for Portland in the preseason tournament. Notably, it is not Smith's first time scoring in the club's preseason tournament, as she recorded a goal against Portland in the preseason tournament when playing for the U.S. U-23s on March 29, 2017. Smith's hat trick was the club's second in the Thorns FC Preseason Tournament. Nadia Nadim scored three goals against Oregon State in a preseason match in the tournament on March 30, 2016. Sinclair tallied two assists this evening, the team's first of this preseason. Overall, she has four assists in 10 preseason tournament matches for Thorns FC - the most assists by a Thorns FC player across the tournament. It marks the team's fifth shutout in the preseason tournament, and second consecutive of the 2022 preseason.

Goal-Scoring Plays

POR - Sophia Smith (Christine Sinclair), 21st minute: Christine Sinclair played a square ball to Sophia Smith from the left wing. Smith dribbled into the box and drilled a left-footed shot into the upper right-hand corner of the goal.

POR - Sophia Smith, 23rd minute: Smith intercepted a pass made by the opposition, took one touch and slotted a low driven shot inside the right post from the top of the 18-yard box.

POR - Sophia Smith (Christine Sinclair), 37th minute: From distance, Sinclair curled a chipped pass into the box, finding Smith, who with a quick touch put the ball past the U.S. goalkeeper from just outside the six-yard box.

Next Game

Next up, Thorns FC will conclude the tournament against the Chicago Red Stars on Friday, March 11; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) at Providence Park.

Portland Thorns FC vs. U-23 USWNT (NWSL Preseason)

March 8, 2022 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Thorns FC 3 0 3

U-23 USWNT 0 0 0

Scoring Summary:

POR: Smith (Sinclair), 21

POR: Smith, 23

POR: Smith (Sinclair), 37

Misconduct Summary:

None

Lineups:

POR: GK Hogan, D Provenzano, D Menges (Hubly, 46), D Nally, D Porter, M Kuikka (Klingenberg, 78), M Beckman, M Rodríguez (Everett, 63), M Ryan (Coffey, 46), F Smith (Betfort, 46), F Sinclair © (Weaver, 46)

Attendance: 5,223

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Check out the Portland Thorns FC Statistics

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