Match Recap: Angel City 0, Portland Thorns 3 | 11.1.24

Angel City fell 3–0 tonight in their final match of the 2024 season on the road against the Portland Thorns.

In the eighth minute, goalkeeper DiDi Haračić had a big save when forward Morgan Weaver sent a ball into the box for forward Sophia Smith. Smith fired off an angled shot, which Haračić dropped to a kneel to block, and defender Sarah Gorden cleared the ball.

The Thorns opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Smith made a long run up the left wing into the 18 and shot from a few yards outside the six-yard box. Haračić blocked the shot, but the rebound fell to Sinclair, who trapped the ball, cut to the left to beat her mark, and fired a left-footed shot into the back of the net.

Angel City had a chance in the 22nd minute when forward Christen Press played a ball into the box for forward Sydney Leroux. Leroux attempted a lateral pass which was blocked by a Thorns defender, and the ricocheted ball fell back into Press’s path. She made a cut to the left and fired off a shot, but the defense blocked it.

Portland doubled their lead in the 26th minute. Midfielder Sam Coffey forced a turnover in the center third and found a diagonal pass to Smith as she made a run up the left half-space. Smith sprinted into the box and sent a left-footed shot past Haračić and inside the far post to put the hosts up 2–0.

Sinclair had another look in the 32nd minute—a header off a missed clearance of a service by midfielder Hina Sugita—but her attempt went wide. 

Weaver notched Portland’s third goal in first-half stoppage time. Sugita received a sideways pass from Sinclair at the top of the 18 and lobbed the ball to the far post, where Weaver headed it into the back of the net.

Angel City had a few chances early in the second half, starting with another shot by Press in the 51st minute. Gorden played a looping ball into the box that Sinclair blocked with her head, and Press volleyed the rebound towards goal, but it was blocked out. In the 54th minute, Leroux got her foot on a cross into the six-yard box by defender Jasmyne Spencer, but Portland goalkeeper Shelby Hogan saved.

Press got one more look in the 58th minute, again off a cross by Spencer, but her curving shot went just over the bar.

In the 62nd minute, Sinclair found Sugita in the box on a transition play, but Spencer got in front of Sugita and blocked her shot from close range. 

Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie had a chance in the 82nd minute from inside the box that Haračić dove to save.