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Long scores twice, Thorns beat Chicago

By Paul Danzer, Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: August 9, 2015, 5:00pm

PORTLAND — The Portland Thorns lineup has been in a state of flux — and for stretches frustration — through this National Women’s Soccer League season.

On Sunday the Thorns introduced another weapon — England midfielder Lianne Sanderson played 30 minutes off the bench.

But it was players who have been in Portland all season who were the difference-makers in a significant win. Allie Long scored twice and goalkeeper Michelle Betos made a pair of big stops late in the match for a 2-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars in front of 15,858 at Providence Park.

The Thorns (6-6-4, 22 points) moved into a tie with FC Kansas City for fourth place in the NWSL. Portland plays three of its remaining four matches on the road, starting with a visit to Kansas City on Wednesday.

Sunday marked only the second loss of the season for second-place Chicago (7-2-6, 27 points).

“This was crucial. I think this was the biggest game of the season so far,” Long said. “We needed these points against a great side.”

The winning goal came in the 69th minute when Long took a short pass from Sinead Farrelly and drove a low 22-yard shot inside the left post. Long said she has been putting in work on shooting from distance and was happy to see one find the target when it counted.

“I think the whole back line was thinking (Farrelly) was going to play an entry ball into (Christine Sinclair) or Tobin (Heath), so I was screaming at her for me and she found me and I had time to tee it up,” Long said.

Chicago pushed players forward in search of a tying goal and had several solid chances at an equalizer, but a couple of them were off target and Betos was on the spot twice. In the 87th minute she stopped a 15-yard shot from Taryn Hemmings, and in stoppage time got a hand to a bullet from Christen Press.

Betos made her third consecutive start instead of Nadine Angerer. Thorns coach Paul Riley said that she and the defenders have a good chemistry going.

The Thorns were fortunate to be in a 1-1 tie at halftime.

Long’s first-half goal was scored after a collision between Chicago defender Abby Erceg and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc left Long with a tap-in opportunity. Heath juggled the ball and made a nice cutback before sending in the ball that Erceg miss-hit before colliding with LeBlanc.

The Red Stars took a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. Alyssa Mautz floated a shot from deep to the right of the penalty area that caught Betos flat-footed and landed in the right-side netting. The Red Stars narrowly missed two more goals as Press hit the post with a counter-attack chance and Melissa Tancredi shot high after a Emily Menges giveaway.

Press, one of the U.S. national team standouts for Chicago, said playing in front of almost 16,000 fans in Portland was a learning experience for some of her younger teammates.

“It’s a special experience for us,” Press said of visits to Portland. “It also has an effect on the game. Girls aren’t used to playing in this kind of environment, and it takes some getting used to before you can shake off the cobwebs and play to your full potential.”

This third consecutive win is evidence that the Thorns are finally approaching their potential.

“It’s finally coming together,” Long said. “And we’re the type of team that when we need points we pull them out.”

Injury update

Riley said Alex Morgan has returned to training, though not full contact. The coach is hopeful both Morgan and Steph Catley will be back for the Aug. 22 match at Sky Blue.

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Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter