Rookie Maddie Dahlien scored her first professional goal as the Seattle Reign defeated the visiting Portland Thorns 1-0 on Friday in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey made four saves while posting the shutout for the Reign (2-2-1, 7 points). Bella Bixby made four stops in net for Portland (1-2-2, 5 points).
It was the 42nd all-time meeting between the Cascadia Cup rivals, the most in league history. The Reign evened the series at 16-16-10.
Dahlien scored in the fourth minute. Lynn Biyendolo got the ball in the middle of the field about 35 yards from the Portland net and found Dahlien on the left wing. Dahlien dribbled into the penalty area and put a low shot from about 15 yards just inside the far post. Biyendolo recorded her 31st career assist, tying Sofia Huerta for the league record.
Gotham FC 4, Angel City FC 0
Esther Gonzalez scored a brace for a second consecutive match to lead Gotham to the victory in Los Angeles.
Geyse added her first goal for Gotham (2-1-2, 8 points), which also got an own goal midway through the second half and moved into a fourth-place tie with Angel City (2-1-2, 8 points) in the league standings.
Gonzalez opened the scoring in the 18th minute on a counterattack. Jessica Silva’s cross from the right wing found Gabi Portilho in the penalty area, and she made a one-touch pass to Gonzalez with her back to the net. Gonzalez spun and put a left-footed shot from about 8 yards off the left post and into the net.
After Angel City’s Miyabi Moriya scored an own goal in the 67th minute, Gonzalez made it 3-0 in the 75th on a header off Sarah Schupansky’s corner kick. Geyse scored on a volley from 8 yards out in the 85th off a cross from Midge Purce.
Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger wasn’t tested in posting the shutout.
Royals 1, Stars 0
Ally Sentnor scored on a penalty kick in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time in Sandy, Utah, and Utah earned its first victory of the season.
The Royals (1-3-1, 4 points) didn’t have a shot on goal until Sentnor blasted her low kick into the left side netting, beating Stars goalie Alyssa Naeher, who guessed the right way but had no chance of stopping the attempt.
The Royals were awarded the kick when Dana Foederer made a diagonal run into the penalty area and split two defenders to take a pass from Madison Pogarch. Foederer went down after Chicago defender Cari Roccaro stepped on her right foot. Referee John Matto didn’t originally make a call and play continued for a couple of minutes before a video review led to the penalty decision.
Chicago (1-4-0, 3 points) also put just one shot on net.
–Field Level Media
