Portland Thorns FC and Gotham FC split the points in a lively National Women’s Soccer League fixture on Friday, July 24, 2026, battling to a 2-2 draw at Providence Park in front of 21,743 fans.

The match burst into life almost immediately. Gotham struck in the 2nd minute through Midge Purce, who silenced the home crowd early and gave the visitors the ideal start. Portland, though, settled into the contest and found a response in the 21st minute when Renee Lyles pulled the Thorns level, restoring balance to a first half that finished 1-1.

Gotham enjoyed more of the ball across the night, finishing with 62.9 percent possession and winning eight corners, but Portland remained dangerous whenever they broke forward. The Thorns ended with 16 total shots and six efforts on target, and that attacking intent showed again shortly after the interval.

In the 53rd minute, Jessie Fleming put Portland in front, turning the match on its head and giving the hosts a 2-1 lead. For a spell, the Thorns looked in control, but Gotham answered with resilience. Sam Kerr equalized in the 62nd minute for the visitors, making it 2-2 and setting up a tense final half-hour.

The closing stages brought even more drama. Gotham defender Jayden Perry was sent off in the 73rd minute, forcing the visitors to see out the final stretch with 10 players. Mackenzie Arnold was then shown a yellow card in the 74th minute as Portland pressed for a winner, but Gotham held firm under pressure to secure a hard-earned point on the road.

The draw was a fair reflection of a match that swung back and forth. Gotham controlled possession and struck first, while Portland created the greater volume of chances and looked the more direct side in attack. In the end, neither side could find the decisive third goal.

For Portland, the result moves them to 8-4-5 on the season, while Gotham leave Oregon at 9-4-3 after earning a valuable away draw against one of the league’s toughest home sides. It was not a fixture short on incident, and both managers will likely feel there was enough here to win it, but also enough danger from the opposition to accept a point.

Goal scorers: Midge Purce 2′ (Gotham FC), Renee Lyles 21′ (Portland Thorns FC), Jessie Fleming 53′ (Portland Thorns FC), Sam Kerr 62′ (Gotham FC).