PORTLAND THORNS FC GAME NOTES PORTLAND THORNS FC VS. SKY BLUE FC SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2015, 4 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
SKY BLUE
2015 NWSL RECORD: 3-3-4 (Home: 3-1-2; Away: 0-2-2)
VS.
3-3-4 (13pts)
1-6-4 (7pts)
MATCH INFORMATION Date: Saturday, July 11, 2015 Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific) Location: Yurcak Field (Piscataway, N.J.) Forecast: Partly cloudy, 89 degrees Referee: Randall Kelley Assistant Referees: Hagan Barnett, Logan Brown Fourth Official: Artur Sibiga Webstream available via www.portlandthornsfc.com
NWSL WEEK 13 SCHEDULE
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 D 2-2 2,136 WASHINGTON SPIRIT D 2-2 14,236 @Boston Breakers L 0-1 2,669 HOUSTON DASH L 0-1 14,409 @Washington Spirit L 1-2 3,519 @Houston Dash D 0-0 4,864 FC KANSAS CITY D 1-1 15,214 SKY BLUE FC W 2-1 12,223 @Sky Blue FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com SEATTLE REIGN FC 7 p.m. FOXSportsGO.com @Seattle Reign FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Western NY Flash 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com BOSTON BREAKERS 7 p.m. FOXSportsGO.com CHICAGO RED STARS 6:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1 @FC Kansas City 5 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Sky Blue FC 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com WASHINGTON SPIRIT 6:30 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com @Western NY Flash 4 p.m. portlandthornsfc.com
*dates and times subject to change
Thursday, July 9
FC Kansas City 3, Boston Breakers 2 Saturday, July 11
TIME (PT)
Portland Thorns FC at Sky Blue FC Western NY Flash at Seattle Reign FC
4 p.m. 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 12
TIME (PT)
Chicago Red Stars at Houston Dash
5:30 p.m.
FARRELLY NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK Thorns FC midfielder Sinead Farrelly, the only player for Portland to start and play every minute this season, is the second Thorns FC player this season to earn NWSL Player of the Week honors. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos received the honor for Week 10. Farrelly tallied the game-winning goal, her second of the season, converting a perfectly placed cross from Alyssa Kleiner with a well-struck header in the 79th minute to give Portland a 2-1 win over Sky Blue FC.
HOT IN JULY Thorns FC have posted a record of 5-2-6 all-time during the month of July. On July 3, Long provided her 17th career goal in Portland’s win, moving into sole possession of first place on the club’s all-time scoring list, as five of those 17 goals have come during the month of July. Historically as a team, Thorns FC have scored an average of 2.2 goals per in July, registering record-breaking scoring outputs, including seven goals in a match on July 13, 2014 against FC Kansas City and six goals against the Boston Breakers on July 20, 2014.
MATCH DAY PREVIEW Meeting for the second time in a nine-day span, Portland Thorns FC travel to Piscataway, N.J. to square off against Sky Blue FC on Saturday, July 11, at Yurcak Field; kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (Pacific). Saturday marks the third time in team history Portland has faced the same opponent in consecutive matches doing so against the Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars during the 2014 season. Thorns FC are unbeaten when playing teams in consecutive matches (2-0-2). Portland and Sky Blue FC play their second game of three this season, and the first of two at Yurcak Field on Saturday. Saturday’s match will be just the third between the two teams at Yurcak Field and both of the previous meetings finished in a draw (1-1 on April 19, 2014 and 0-0 on June 22, 2013).
LAST MATCH RECAP Thorns FC rallied from a halftime deficit, scoring two goals in the final 20 minutes to secure a 2-1 win against Sky Blue FC when the two teams met on July 3 at Providence Park. Midfielder Allie Long registered her team-leading fifth goal of the season, tying the match at 1-1 with a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Less than 10 minutes later, midfielder Sinead Farrelly connected with a header on a pinpoint cross from midfielder Alyssa Kleiner, tallying her second goal of the season. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos once again came up with a massive play late, making a save on a potential game-tying goal as midfielder Katy Freels hit a well-placed free kick that Betos pushed over the crossbar in second-half stoppage time.