Boston Breakers 2 - 2 Portland Thorns FC
After Boston seemed to be fully in charge of the game with their second goal, they allowed Portland to come back into the game and eventually tie things up. Special mention must go to Lindsey Horan who was the catalyst for Portland's revival and was at the heart of their comeback tonight.
Full time: That was the last action of the game and it ends at two all after a late push by the Thorns to tie the game up.
90'+2 Klingenberg finds Sinclair and Sinclair tries to flick the ball towards Weber but it's just too long.
90' Boston have a series of corners but nothing come sof them. Both teams are still pushing for the winner here.
88' White and Menges fight for the ball in the Portland box and the ball eventually comes out to Lavelle. She pushes towards the byline and sends her pass across goal but it's just out of reach of all of her teammates.
87' Horan, who has pushed the Thorns forward in this second half, takes from just outside the box but it goes wide of the goal.
86' Onumonu gets to the byline but her cross hits Klingenberg on the way through and makes it an easy catch for Franch.
Boston Breakers 2 - 2 Portland Thorns FC
Klingenberg, who has had a tough night, finds Nadim with a slipped ball at the top of the box and Nadim finishes well under pressure.
82' GOAL! Nadim gets her second and Portland are level!
?81' SUBSTITUTION: Ifioma Onumonu comes in for Purce.
80' Portland are pushing forward but so far, Boston are keeping them in check. Boston themselves are looking to counter quickly every time they can.
77' Portland win another corner and Horan manages to beat two Boston defenders in the air but no one is around her to capitalize on her header and Boston clear their lines.
75' SUBSTITUTION: Amanda Da Costa comes in for Leon as their first change of the night.
74' The ball comes back towards the Boston penalty area and Nadim nods the ball forward but King is well positioned and get to the ball before any danger occurs for the Breakers.
74' CHANCE! The corner is headed away but finds Horan unmarked at the far post. Horan thinks she's scored but Smith makes another great save and gets up quickly to catch the ball mid-air before anyone else can get to the rebound.
73' Raso finds some space after some good build up by the Thorns and her shot is deflected wide for a corner.
69' Lavelle uses her pace to get into the box and creates some space for herself before trying to find Dowie at the near post. Menges stays with the striker and makes a fantastic tackle to stop the shot. The rebound falls to Lavelle who cuts onto her left foot and rips the ball towards goal but it's straight at Franch who catches the ball and hangs on.
68' The Breakers play the free kick short and Cox redeems herself by winning the ball off of White.
68' YELLOW CARD: Cox is the next in the book as she takes out Lavelle who had stepped past her and looked ready to break quickly.
67' SUBSTITUTION: Meghan Cox comes in for Bourielle.
67' CHANCE! Leon really should not have missed there. She gets the ball past Sonnett after a great pass by Lavelle finds her on the break and the Canadian finds herself one-on-one with Franch. She loses her cool in front of goal and blasts her shot high over the crossbar.
66' White sends the free kick in but it doesn't find any of her teammates and goes straight to Franch.
65' YELLOW CARD: Weber brings down Purce who was getting forward quickly and earns the first card of the game.
62' Now Portland are on the march through Horan as her shot is deflected into the path of Weber who finds Sinclair making a late run into the box. The Thorns' captain sees her shot blocked and it falls to Henry but her long range effort does not trouble Smith.
62' Chapman swings the ball towards Dowie and Sonnett has to make a closure header to stop Dowie from getting to the ball. White then finds the ball at her feet and tries to play King in on the other side but the pass is just too long and the Thorns get a goal kick.
61' Boston are pushing forward again here but Henry recovers enough to stop Chapman's cross from getting into the box. The ball stays in Portland's half of the field though.
58' King gets forward again and tries to curl the ball into Lavelle's path but Franch comes oout quickly and steps in to get the ball before Lavelle can reach it.
Boston Breakers 2 - 1 Portland Thorns FC
Smith guesses the right way but Nadim's penalty has too much power and placement for the goalkeeper and puts Portland back into this game.
57' GOAL! Nadim has no problem beating Smith from the spot!
Horan skips by a few Boston players from the sideline and into the box and as she shoots towards goal, Oyster's hand blocks the flight of the ball and the referee has no choice but to call the penalty. Nadim steps up to try and pull Portland back within one.
56' PENALTY! Portland may have a way back into this game!
55' Boston almost get through on goal again after Dowie pressures Henry into playing the ball back towards Franch. Leon is there to make a nuisance of herself and almost wins the ball off Franch but her touch fails her and Portland gather quickly to clear the ball away.
54' Purce thinks she's through on goal but just as she's taking her shot, the referee blows his whistle for offside.
51' Boston push forward and White takes a shot outside of the box but it lacks power and Franch can scoop it up easily.
51' Weber tries to get past Chapman but both the full back and Leon do enough to earn a goal kick for their team.
Truth be told, Meghan Klingenberg is not having a good game for Thorns today. She has been at the heart for both of Boston's goals and is having a difficult time marking every Boston player who come sup against her.
Boston Breakers 2 - 0 Portland Thorns FC
Dowie gets the ball, cuts left and right to lose Klingenberg and fires a cross right to White who finds some space and finishes from close range.
48' GOAL! White makes it two for Boston!
47' Chapman takes the ball forward and lobs the ball over Bourielle. Weber tracks back well and stops the Breakers' left back before she can get the cross away to her teammates who had outnumbered the Thorns in the box.
46' The second half is under way as Portland get the kick-off. Leon gets called for a foul on Raso in midfield and the Thorns take it quickly to maintain possession.
Boston Breakers 1 - 0 Portland Thorns FC
Half-time: Both teams have had a few opportunities in front of goal but it's Boston, through Dowie, who have taken the lead.
45'+3 A long ball goes into the box towards Horan and Smith has to come up big in the air to punch the ball away. A foul is called on Horan and Smith can now kick the ball up field and push Boston up.
45'+2 CHANCE! Lavelle puts in a long throw from the right hand side and both Dowie and White have the opportunity to put the ball into the back of the net. Sonnett is on hand to put in a great block before White could fire away.
45'+1 Now Leon tries to get into the box but she's called offside as well.
45' The ball is played out wide to Klingenberg but she is called back for offside as she looked to get into the box.
43' The Thorns are pressing high here to try and get a turnover that might result in an equalizer but so far Boston have dealt with it well.
40' The Thorns look to respond immediately but the ball is just too long and Smith gathers up the ball easily.
Boston Breakers 1 - 0 Portland Thorns FC
Leon gets the ball from Lavelle after a quick throw-in by Chapman and she immediately pings the ball into the box. Dowie gets a march on her defender at the far post and buries it from close range.
38' GOAL! Dowie gives the Breakers the lead!
37' The resulting corner eventually comes to Horan but she pulls her long shot wide.
36' Portland keep some possession and Henry strides into the box but her cross is cut out by Salem.
34' CHANCE! King involved in the action action as she plays a great cross for Leon at the near post. The ball goes just wide of the goal and Portland breathe a sigh of relief.
33' CHANCE! Dowie takes a shot from long range that Franch blocks and King almost gets to the rebound.
31' And now Boston have a chance at goal as Purce has the beating of Klingenberg and sends the ball across to White. White brings the ball down and Emily Sonnett is on hand to quickly step in and kick the ball away before White can get her shot off. Corner upcoming for the Breakers now.
30' Oyster nearly gives the Thorns the lead as she plays an ill-advised pass back in midfield which Nadim nicks away. The Danish international pushes forward and Westphal holds her up well enough to eventually stop Portland from capitalizing on Oyster's mistake.
28' Salem wins the ball in midfield from Hayley Raso and plays the ball quickly to White. The New Zealand international ties to find Leon near the far post but the wind again carries the ball too far and it goes all the way out for a throw in to the Thorns.
25' CHANCE! Smith comes up big for the Breakers! Christine Sinclair finds Nadim with a great little pass into the box and Smith makes a diving save to keep the score at 0-0. Nadim takes the corner but it results in nothing for the Thorns.
23' Rosie White takes the corner but Franch is able to take the ball out of the air easily.
22' Bourielle stands firm again and concedes a corner as Lavelle tries to trick her way past the defender.
21' Purce and Allysha Chapman try to combine down the left but Celeste Bourielle keeps her eyes on the ball and clears it out for a throw in.
20' The Thorns earn a corner but the play is called dead after Horan is called for a foul in the box on Megan Oyster.
19' Angela Salem fouls Lindsey Horan in midfield and the Thorns have an opportunity to put the ball into the box. Nadim takes the free-kick but it's cleared easily by the Breakers.
18' Play has resumed but neither team has threatened the goalkeepers apart from that early Dowie chance.
14' Leon is up and heads off the field under her own power. She seems to have placed some cloth into her mouth to stem some bleeding from her lip but otherwise looks set to return momentarily.
13' Franch is up and seemingly okay but Leon is still down and talking to the trainers.
12' Play has stopped here as Leon and Franch crash into each other trying to get to a ball that Lavelle had placed through for Leon to run onto in the box. Both players had their eyes on the ball and are both getting some medical attention now.
10' Boston attack again as Rose Lavelle and King combine to find a ball into Adrianna Leon in the box. The Canadian tries to get past Meghan Klingenberg but she slips right at the byline and Portland get a goal kick.
9' CHANCE Dowie has the opportunity to open the scoring but she powers her shot over after aiming for the near post! Julie KIng had gotten forward from right back and finds Dowie with a good ball into the box but the English striker fails to make it count.
8' Now Boston play a long ball trying to use the pace of Margaret Purce but it carries in the wind and Adrianna Franch is able to come out and collect the ball with no pressure on her.
6' Portland are putting some crosses in but Boston have dealt well with them so far. The latest attempt to find a Portland player in the box by Amandine Henry falls safely into the gloves of Abby Smith.
2' Nadia Nadim challenges Christen Westphal in the air but the defender stands strong and regains possession for the Breakers.
1' Natasha Dowie starts us off! Boston start with a long ball down the field that ends with a throw-in to the home team.
We're not too far away from kick-off now as both teams huddle up and psych themselves up for the match.
If you some time for some light reading, check out our preview of tonight's game.
Margaret Purce gets the nod over Amanda Frisbie in an otherwise unchanged Breakers eleven from their last game whereas the Thorns have been forced to make a change due to Allie Long's injury. Mallory Weber will be starting in her place tonight.
Portland Thorns FC Starting XI: Franch; Boureille, Sonnett, Menges, Klingenberg; Henry, Sinclair, Horan; Weber, Nadim, Raso.
Boston Breakers Starting XI: Smith; King, Oyster, Westphal, Chapman; Purce, Salem, Lavelle, White, Leon; Dowie.
Hello again and welcome to a warm day out in Boston tonight. Starting line ups have been announced as well and we'll be posting them shortly.
Boston Breakers 2 - 1 Portland Thorns FC
Prediction: For all of Boston's inconsistencies, they have only lost one of their three home games so far, and that was a narrow loss to the current league leaders. Portland do not have the same firepower up front as the NC Courage so Boston's defense should have an easier time of it. If Long is also unable to play in this match, and with Tobin Heath still out through injury, I am not sure where Portland's offense will come from even with the likes of Christine Sinclair on the field. This feels like it will come down to a narrow win for the home side, all things considered.
Managing the two sides will be Matt Beard for the Breakers and Mark Parsons for the Thorns. The referee assignments are also out with Farhad Dadkho being the center official for this one and he will be assisted by Shane Kennard and Kali Langevin on the sidelines. The fourth official on the day will be Alexandria White.
Projected Lineup for Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3): Franch; Boureille, Sonnett, Menges, Klingenberg; Henry, Long, Horan; Nadim, Sinclair, Raso.
Projected Lineup for Boston Breakers (4-5-1): Smith; King, Oyster, Westphal, Chapman; Frisbie, Salem, Lavelle, White, Leon; Dowie.
The match will be played at Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium in Boston, MA on May 19th, 2017. The game will broadcast on go90, NWSLSoccer.com and the NWSL app at 7:00PM EST.
The Thorns midfield and backline have performed admirably so far this season and although goalkeeper Adrianna Franch continues to have question marks over her distribution, she has managed to make important saves when it matters for the Thorns. One concern for the Thorns heading into this match is Long's fitness as she has been listed as questionable due to injury. If Long is a no-go, the strength of Portland's midfield decreases and thus, puts more pressure on their backline to keep Boston out. Portland's defense has only been truly tested twice this season, against the North Carolina Courage and Seattle Reign FC, and in both cases, they have been found wanting. That cannot be the case against the Breakers who have seemingly found some fluidity in their offense this season.
The visitors to Boston this week are Portland Thorns FC who sit in one point above the Breakers in third place. Just like the Breakers, the Thorns have also had an inconsistent season after they won their first match. They followed that win up with two draws, one win and one loss but their performances have not been impressive especially their offense. The only striker with multiple goals for the Thorns so far has been Nadia Nadim, who along with Allie Long, has two so far this season. That is how anemic the front line for the Thorns has been and it showed during their previous 0-0 draw against FC Kansas City.
Overall, the Breakers have been one of the more difficult teams to break down but if a team has enough talent, they can capitalize on a few mental lapses that the Boston backline are susceptible to. Goalkeeper Abby Smith has been in fantastic form so far this year but as most young goalkeepers tend to do, she can be caught out of position now and again. If the opportunity arises for their opponents, Smith is more than likely to make the save but if her backline does not stand firm for the full 90, there is only so much Smith can do.
The Boston Breakers are currently one of the more unpredictable teams in the league. After a loss in their first game of the season, the Breakers picked up two wins on the bounce before losing their next game and coming away with a draw in their previous match. It leaves them in fourth place currently in the standings, somewhere that most people did not predict they would be at the start of this season. Led by young starlet Rose Lavelle, the Breakers are a team with the capability to upset any team and they will be looking for Lavelle and veteran striker Natasha Dowie to come up with the goods again tonight when they play one of the NWSL's premier teams.
It has been six weeks into the season and both teams are near the top of the table, where most people did not see the home side being when they made their pre season predictions. In a season as short as the NWSL regular season is, every game counts even at this early stage and both teams will want to try and get all three points if they can.
Hello again to another week of National Women's Soccer League action! This live update for VAVEL USA will be done by me, Kudzi Musarurwa, and I will be updating the match between the Boston Breakers and Portland Thorns FC.