A promising season for a young Portland Thorns team hit a frustrating low on Friday, as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the last-place Utah Royals in front of 16,066 fans at Providence Park.
Utah (2-11-5, 11 points) pulled a point ahead of Chicago to rise out of the league cellar. The Royals got a goal from Paige Monaghan in the 22nd minute and an insurance marker in the 85th minute from 16-year-old KK Ream, who became the youngest goal-scorer in NWSL history with the first of her career.
Recent acquisition Julie Dufour pulled one goal back in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time for Portland (7-6-5, 26 points), which has lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season. The Thorns have conceded multiple goals in four of five games since returning from the league’s six-week summer break.
A 2-0 loss to league-leading Kansas City on Aug. 23 ended a club-record 10-game home unbeaten streak. Dropping that game was understandable given the Current’s domination of the league. But losing to a team that had previously registered just one win all season — more than four months ago — is a hard outcome to swallow.
A stellar performance by Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn, some tough luck from the post and a breakdown against the run of play added up to a stunning result on a night the Thorns were looking to reclaim momentum. The home crowd also roared in disapproval of several decisions by referee Trevor Wiseman, loudly booing the officiating crew off the field after the final whistle.
McGlynn stymied the Thorns on several occasions and made a career-best 11 saves on the night. She also got some help from the post to her left, which kept out a prime scoring chance by Reilyn Turner in the 66th minute.
On the flipside, a direct through ball victimized the Portland back line, leading to a Royals goal that came from seemingly nowhere in the 22nd minute after Portland had dominated the game to that point.
From the first whistle, it looked like Portland might race to a blowout win. In the opening three minutes, the Thorns put three shots on goal and earned three corner kicks. McGlynn’s diving save to deny Deyna Castellanos on a hard low shot from distance was one of her best of the night.
The Royals weathered the early storm, though, and broke through on a long ball into the middle of the Portland defense by Claudia Zornoza that Monaghan was able to control and chip to herself over two Thorns defenders. Portland keeper Mackenzie Arnold had no chance as Monaghan slid a shot to her left and into the net. It was Utah’s first goal in four games.
The Thorns came out strong after halftime, with McGlynn having to make leaping saves on Turner and Olivia Moultrie in the opening minutes of the second half to preserve the Royals’ advantage.
With Portland pressing, the Royals doubled their lead on a counterattack in the waning minutes. Arnold made two saves but couldn’t deny Ream on a third opportunity and the visitors locked up the three points and their first road win since defeating the Thorns on Oct. 5, 2024, at Providence Park.
Moultrie exceeded 5,000 career minutes played during the match, becoming the youngest player in NWSL history to eclipse that mark. Moultrie, who turns 20 on Sept. 17, debuted in the league in 2021 at the age of 15.
Earlier in the week, the Thorns acquired 18-year-old English midfielder Laila Harbert on a loan for the rest of the season from Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. Harbert is in Portland but still awaiting documentation that will allow her to play.
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