Portland Thorns FC produced a ruthless away performance to defeat Orlando Pride 4-1 in Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League fixture at Inter&Co Stadium. Nina Nijstad struck inside three minutes, Sophia Wilson converted a penalty in the 28th minute, and second-half goals from Morgan Weaver and Renee Lyles put the result beyond doubt in front of 7,602 supporters.
The Thorns made the ideal start when Nijstad found the net in the 3rd minute, immediately putting Orlando on the back foot. The Pride responded well, however, and Ally Lemos brought the hosts level in the 30th minute after Wilson’s penalty had briefly doubled Portland’s advantage in the 28th.
That rapid sequence left Portland with a 2-1 lead at the interval, and the visitors showed greater cutting edge after the restart. Orlando had plenty of the ball, finishing with 53 percent possession and eight corners, but could not turn their territorial pressure into enough clear goalscoring returns.
Portland, meanwhile, were far more clinical. The Thorns registered 13 shots on target from 17 attempts, compared with Orlando’s six on target from 19 shots. Weaver extended the visitors’ lead in the 74th minute, supplying a decisive third goal as Orlando pushed for a route back into the match.
Lyles then added the final flourish in the 88th minute, completing an emphatic 4-1 victory and underlining Portland’s efficiency in both penalty areas.
Goals
- Portland Thorns FC: Nina Nijstad 3′, Sophia Wilson 28′ (pen), Morgan Weaver 74′, Renee Lyles 88′
- Orlando Pride: Ally Lemos 30′
The result moves Portland’s overall record to 12-6-7, while Orlando drop to 9-3-13. The Pride next host Bay FC on Sunday, September 27, while the Thorns return home to face Houston Dash on Saturday, September 26.
