Portland Thorns FC snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Angel City FC on Sunday at BMO Stadium, scoring twice in the closing stages to turn a tense National Women’s Soccer League fixture in their favor.
For long stretches, Angel City looked the more assertive side on home soil in Los Angeles. The hosts finished with 55.3 percent possession, fired 19 shots, and put eight efforts on target, but they were left to rue the chances they could not convert. Portland, meanwhile, were more selective and ultimately more ruthless, producing two massive late moments from just 10 total shots.
The first half ended goalless, though it was not short on edge. Portland’s Pietra Tordin was shown a yellow card in the 39th minute, and the visitors continued to battle through a match that felt increasingly stretched without yielding a breakthrough before the interval.
Angel City kept pushing after the restart, forcing the pace and asking questions in the final third, but Portland stayed organized and waited for their opening. That moment arrived in the 76th minute when Pietra Tordin rose to head home, giving the Thorns a 1-0 lead and changing the complexion of the fixture.
With Angel City chasing an equalizer, the contest opened up even further. Portland then appeared to put the result beyond doubt in the 90+5th minute, when Sophia Wilson found the net to make it 2-0 and silence much of the crowd of 16,636.
There was still one final twist. Angel City pulled a goal back through Prisca Chilufya in the 90+8th minute, setting up a frantic finish, but the hosts had left themselves too much to do. Despite the late lifeline, Portland saw out the remaining moments and walked away with all three points.
It was a frustrating evening for Angel City, who produced the higher shot total, more shots on target, and more corners, yet came away empty-handed. For Portland, this was a reminder of their ability to stay alive in a tight match and strike decisively when the pressure peaks.
Goal scorers: Pietra Tordin 76′, Sophia Wilson 90+5′, Prisca Chilufya 90+8′.
Final score: Angel City FC 1-2 Portland Thorns FC.
