After a red-hot start to the NWSL Fall Series, the Portland Thorns cooled down a bit Saturday night, settling for a hard-fought 1-1 draw to the Utah Royals at Rio Tinto Stadium with goals from Christine Sinclair and Amy Rodriguez in front of nearly 2,000 fans. It was the Thorns' first time playing in front of a crowd this year.
Both sides had plenty of chances, and the firing started early Saturday as Thorns goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom made an outstretched block in the seventh minute on Royals striker Rodriguez, who fired a powerful shot from inside the box. But one minute later, Rodriguez got another chance and beat Eckerstrom.
Lo’eau LaBonta fired a shot from the left side of the box that Eckerstrom did well to parry away, but an on-running Rodriguez followed up the rebound with a leaping one-time tap-in, putting the Royals up 1-0.
The Thorns thought they had equalized in the 34th minute when Lindsey Horan headed a cross toward the back post and Sinclair tapped it in. But the referee ruled that Utah goalkeeper Abby Smith scooped the ball out before it crossed the line. The NWSL does not have video replay or goal-line technology for referees.
Sinclair made up for it in the 59th minute, however. Horan fired a ball into the goal area that Smith pushed away, but the ball landed in front of Sinclair, who coolly tapped it home.
“You’re starting to see what we’ve been working on in the build-up to the season that obviously ended up not happening,” Sinclair said of the Thorns being unbeaten three games into the Fall Series. “We’ve got some world-class players on this team and it’s an exciting group that’s having fun. The focus is on these games but also building towards next year.”
Utah’s Tziarra King fired a shot off the crossbar in the 72nd minute. She did well to cut and separate from Thorns defender Madison Pogarch, and fired a rocket that just missed goal and bounced off the woodwork.
As the home team, the Royals were the aggressor of the evening, with Rodriguez getting chance after chance that she just couldn’t finish. The Royals out-shot the Thorns, 18-14, despite the Thorns holding the edge in possession and completing more of their passes.
“We showed a lot of grit,” Thorns defender Emily Menges said. “We showed a different side of our team today.”
Thorns coach Mark Parsons added: “Fair result. We could’ve scored more goals or they could’ve scored more goals. The first half is probably the reason we feel OK with a tie because we didn’t play so well.”
Despite the pandemic — plus rising cases and high positive testing rates in Utah — the Royals have allowed a limited number of fans to attend NWSL Fall Series games in person. Saturday’s announced attendance was 1,905, much less than a typical Royals game but enough to add some atmosphere from fans who banged on drums and cheered.
“It’s always awesome to be able to have fans as long as it’s safe for everybody,” Thorns defender Christen Westphal said. “It’s cool to have that environment. That’s what makes playing enjoyable — to be able to play in front of fans — so I think it’s a good step as long as it’s safe and healthy for everybody.”
Neither the Thorns nor the Timbers are allowing fans at games, but the Royals' decision to host fans isn’t surprising.
The Real Monarchs, the second-tier men’s team affiliated with the Royals, was the first American sports team to allow fans at a game during the pandemic in July. Club owner Dell Loy Hansen admitted they lost money opening the stadium to the small number of fans willing to attend, but he wanted to do it anyway.
On Friday, the U.S. recorded its highest single-day total of new COVID-19 infections since Aug. 14.
The NWSL Fall Series, the league’s follow-up to the successful Challenge Cup in June and July, is a series of regional exhibition games without any playoffs or championship.
Instead, the top finishers in each of three regional three-team pods will receive the one-time Verizon Community Shield and a grant for a local small business up to $25,000. The Thorns have chosen to play for Mimi’s Fresh Tees.
Many players have opted out of the Fall Series because the four-game series falls well short of a full competitive season, meaning players will likely have a six month-long break before they can play NWSL soccer again next season.
Tobin Heath, the Thorns' electric winger, left last month to play for Manchester United in England, where the COVID-19 pandemic has been better controlled than in the United States. Christen Press, the Royals' star striker, also joined Man United. The Royals' Kelley O’Hara, meanwhile, has opted out and will not play club soccer again until 2021.
The Royals have been in turmoil since they opened the Fall Series against the Thorns on Sept. 20, a match the Thorns won 3-0.
At that match in Portland, it was revealed for the first time that Royals head coach Craig Harrington and assistant coach Louis Lancaster were not with the team and had been placed on administrative leave. Assistant coach Amy LePeilbet, a former U.S. national team defender, has been serving as interim head coach. LePeilbet has added former Thorns player Nikki Washington as assistant coach.
The club has not explained why the coaches have been suspended, but it is only the latest controversy in a larger reckoning at Real Salt Lake, the Royals and the Monarchs, where employees say a toxic culture has festered.
Hansen, the club’s owner, made tone deaf comments about players protesting racial injustice in August, and allegations quickly surfaced that he has used racial slurs in front of club staff. Chief business officer Andy Carroll, meanwhile, has been accused of sexist behavior and inappropriate comments.
As a result, both the NWSL and MLS have launched investigations, and Hansen has said he will put the entire organization up sale, which includes the RSL, Royals and Monarchs teams, along with Rio Tinto Stadium, training facilities and a youth academy.
Up next, the Thorns finish their Fall Series next Saturday in Tacoma against OL Reign, formerly known as the Seattle Reign.
“We’re gonna be so focused on the present, we’ll be so focused on preparing to bring everything to Seattle, which means we probably won’t soak it in and enjoy it," Parsons said. "If we could get that balance, great, but the reality is, especially after this result, our mentality will be to train, prepare and give our best against Seattle.”
-- Caitlin Murray for The Oregonian/OregonLive
Twitter: @caitlinmurr
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Portland Thorns grind out draw vs. Utah Royals, play in front of fans for first time in 2020 - OregonLive
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