PORTLAND THORNS FC GAME NOTES PORTLAND THORNS FC AT CHICAGO RED STARS SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2015, 5:30 P.M. (PT) VP Communications: Chris Metz - (503) 553-5433, cmetz@timbers.com Manager, Media Relations: Mark Nelson - (503) 553-5529, mnelson@timbers.com Coordinator, Media Relations: Katie Simons - (503) 553-5539, ksimons@timbers.com Coordinator, Media Relations: Diego Basabe - (503) 553-5543, dbasabe@timbers.com
THORNS FC
2015 SCHEDULE
RED STARS
2015 NWSL RECORD: 2-0-0 (Home: 2-0-0; Away: 0-0-0)
VS.
2-0-0 (6pts)
1-0-0 (3pts)
MATCH INFORMATION Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015 Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (Pacific) Location: Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex (Lisle, Ill.) Forecast: Rain, 47 degrees Referee: Levi Rippy Assistant Referees: Veronica Perez, Benjamin Wooten Fourth Official: Greg Dopka Webstream available via www.portlandthornsfc.com
NWSL WEEK 3 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
DATE Sat., April 11 Sat., April 18 Sat., April 25 Sat., May 9 Sat., May 16 Sat., May 23 Sat, May 30 Sat., June 6 Fri., June 19 Fri., July 3 Sat., July 11 Wed., July 22 Sun., July 26 Wed., July 29 Wed., Aug. 5 Sun., Aug. 9 Wed., Aug. 12 Sat., Aug. 22 Sun., Aug. 30 Fri., Sept. 4
OPPONENT TIME/RESULT BROADCAST/ATT. BOSTON BREAKERS W 4-1 13,386 WESTERN NY FLASH W 1-0 13,148 @Chicago Red Stars 5:30 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com WASHINGTON SPIRIT 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Boston Breakers 1 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com HOUSTON DASH 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Washington Spirit 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Houston Dash 5:30 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com FC KANSAS CITY 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com SKY BLUE FC 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Sky Blue FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com SEATTLE REIGN FC 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Seattle Reign FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Western NY Flash 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com BOSTON BREAKERS 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com CHICAGO RED STARS 7 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @FC Kansas City 5 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Sky Blue FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com WASHINGTON SPIRIT 6 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Western NY Flash 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com
*dates and times subject to change
Thursday, April 23
FC Kansas City 1, Seattle Reign FC 0 Saturday, April 25
TIME (PT)
Portland Thorns FC at Chicago Red Stars
5:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 26
TIME (PT)
Houston Dash at Boston Breakers Washington Spirit at Sky Blue FC
2 p.m. 3 p.m.
THORNS FC IN APRIL The month of April has proved to be a successful one for Thorns FC through the team’s first three seasons in the NWSL. Portland is 6-0-2 all-time during the month of April, dating back to the 2013 season. In eight games, Thorns FC have outscored their opponents 15-5 during the month of April. Defensively, Portland has registered three shutouts and has never surrendered multiple goals in a match in April.
FAST START Midfielder Allie Long has gotten off to a fast start in 2015, tallying three goals in the first two matches. Long tallied her second career brace in a 4-1 win against the Boston Breakers to open the campaign on April 11, then tallied the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win against Western New York on April 18. It marks the second consecutive season Long has tallied goals in the first two matches of the season. April has been a good month for Long as well as she has scored six goals in eight matches, dating back to 2013.
MATCH DAY PREVIEW Portland Thorns FC travel to Lisle, Ill. for their first road match of the 2015 National Women’s Soccer League season against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, April 25, at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific). Thorns FC are 2-0-0 to start the season for the first time in the team’s three year history after registering a 1-0 win over the Western New York Flash on April 18 at Providence Park. Saturday’s match marks the eighth meeting all-time between Portland and Chicago. The two teams have played to four consecutive draws, including back-to-back, 1-1 ties last season at Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex just nine days apart: July 9 and July 17. Thorns FC are 2-1-4 all-time against the Red Stars with a record of 2-0-2 on the road.
AGAINST CHICAGO Thorns FC and the Red Stars played three times during the 2014 season, including a pair of contests at Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. Portland took early leads in the match on both July 9 and July 17 before Chicago tallied late equalizers. On July 9, midfielder Allie Long gave Portland a 1-0 lead through a penalty-kick goal, but Chicago converted a penalty kick in the 86th minute to secure the draw. In the last meeting between the two teams, Thorns FC registered the quickest goal in NWSL history just 33 seconds into the match, but Chicago managed to equalize through midfielder Lori Chalupny in the 76th minute. Portland has allowed just two goals on the road against Chicago in the four previous meetings while scoring six.