Morgan Weaver catapults Portland Thorns to win over Chicago Red Stars, top of NWSL Challenge Cup standings after rescinded red card
Updated 7:19 PM;
Today 6:34 PM
The Portland Thorns face Kansas City in the NWSL Challenge Cup opener at Providence Park on Friday, April 9, 2021. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
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Morgan Weaver almost didn’t even play in Thursday’s Challenge Cup match after a controversial red card last week. But after the NWSL overturned her suspension, she became the game-winner for the Portland Thorns in a 1-0 road win over the Chicago Red Stars.
After 66 minutes of tense deadlock in Chicago, Weaver was launched upfield from a long, direct Celeste Boureille ball. Weaver collected it and cut inside to get past defender Casey Krueger before slipping a shot inside the far post.
Portland Thorns beat Chicago 1-0 thanks to goal from Weaver
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Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Portland Thorns FC traveled to Chicago and defeated the Red Stars 1-0 after a gritty defensive performance. The Thorns stay at the top of the West group with six points.
In the Thorns’ second match of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, they were dealing with a depleted roster and didn’t have their head coach Mark Parsons on the sideline. Portland was still without their international stars and Simone Charley and Parsons were serving their suspension for being red-carded in the previous match.
Preview: Portland Thorns FC @ Chicago Red Stars stumptownfooty.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stumptownfooty.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Marissa Everett put in one of the best performances of the NWSL Challenge Cup opening weekend. They’ll need her to do it again when Portland plays Chicago on Thursday.
Thorns, fans celebrate return, victory April 09 2021
Portland holds off Kansas City in emotion-filled match as about 3,700 fans watch at Providence Park
Even with some melodramatic exits, Friday was a night of glorious returns at Providence Park.
A limited number of fans watched a soccer match at Providence Park on Friday for the first time since a Timbers game on March 8, 2019 as the Portland Thorns opened play in the National Women s Soccer League Challenge Cup. Those fans were entertained to the end as Portland opened 2021 with a fiery 2-1 win over Kansas City.
Rocky Rodriguez and Tyler Lussi scored with athletic headers for Portland and Amy Rodriguez produced a quality goal for the visitors. And, late, an already intense match turned wild as two Thorns players and coach Mark Parsons were ejected.