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VANCOUVER, Canada (Tuesday, October 15, 2024) – Portland Thorns earned a spot in the Concacaf W Champions Cup Knockout Round with a 6-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Vancouver nearly found the opening goal of the match in the 18th minute, but a quick save from Shelby Hogan pushed the ball out of danger. Moments later Izzy D’Aquila found the back of the net, running onto the end of a cross from Payton Linnehan before putting the ball through the goalkeeper's legs to take the 1-0 lead.
D’Aquila doubled the lead, scoring her second of the night in the 38th minute when a poor save left the ball at her feet for her to easily put into the back of the net. The team headed into the halftime break with the 2-0 scoreline still intact.
Ten minutes into the second half, D’Aquila returned the favor for Linnehan, finding the rookie inside the 18-yard-box where she dribbled around the goalkeeper before slotting the ball into an unmarked goal for the 3-0 lead. Four minutes later D’Aquila got her second assist of the night, this time providing the help for Alexa Spaanstra, her first goal since joining the Thorns this summer.
Canadian Christine Sinclair netted the fifth goal of the match in the 85th minute, scoring in front of her home crowd with an assist from Marie Müller. In the final moment of the match Reyna Reyes’s head landed on the end of a cross from D’Aquila, her third assist of the night, to give the team a 6-0 victory and guarantee a spot in the knockout round.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns head to Racing Louisville for the final road match of the regular season on Saturday, October 19 at 4:30 p.m. PT. With a win, or a draw, the Thorns will clinch its 10th playoff berth in Club history.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN:
POR: Izzy D’Aquila (Payton Linnehan) 22nd minute: Linnehan burst out, creating open space for a streaking D’Aquila to find herself completely unmarked in front of goal. Linnehan crossed the ball to D’Aquila who put the ball between the legs of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
POR: Izzy D’Aquila 38th minute: After a shot from Christine Sinclair forced the goalkeeper to make a diving save, the ball bounced to the feet of D’Aquila who slammed the ball past the goalkeeper.
POR: Payton Linnehan (Izzy D’Aquila) 54th minute: D’Aquila found Linnehan, on the run, just inside the 18-yard-box, where she then dribbled around the goalkeeper to create an open shot on goal.
POR: Alexa Spaanstra (Izzy D’Aquila) 58th minute: D’Aquila drove towards the endline before cutting back and sending a cross to Spaanstra who hit a one-touch shot into the net.
POR: Christine Sinclair (Marie Müller) 85th minute: From a corner kick, Müller headed the ball into the path of Sinclair who slotted the ball into the back of the net.
POR: Reyna Reyes (Izzy D’Aquila) 90+5th minute: D’Aquila crossed the ball to the head of Reyes for an easy header.
VANCOUVER, Canada (Tuesday, October 15, 2024) – Portland Thorns earned a spot in the Concacaf W Champions Cup Knockout Round with a 6-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Vancouver nearly found the opening goal of the match in the 18th minute, but a quick save from Shelby Hogan pushed the ball out of danger. Moments later Izzy D’Aquila found the back of the net, running onto the end of a cross from Payton Linnehan before putting the ball through the goalkeeper's legs to take the 1-0 lead.
D’Aquila doubled the lead, scoring her second of the night in the 38th minute when a poor save left the ball at her feet for her to easily put into the back of the net. The team headed into the halftime break with the 2-0 scoreline still intact.
Ten minutes into the second half, D’Aquila returned the favor for Linnehan, finding the rookie inside the 18-yard-box where she dribbled around the goalkeeper before slotting the ball into an unmarked goal for the 3-0 lead. Four minutes later D’Aquila got her second assist of the night, this time providing the help for Alexa Spaanstra, her first goal since joining the Thorns this summer.
Canadian Christine Sinclair netted the fifth goal of the match in the 85th minute, scoring in front of her home crowd with an assist from Marie Müller. In the final moment of the match Reyna Reyes’s head landed on the end of a cross from D’Aquila, her third assist of the night, to give the team a 6-0 victory and guarantee a spot in the knockout round.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns head to Racing Louisville for the final road match of the regular season on Saturday, October 19 at 4:30 p.m. PT. With a win, or a draw, the Thorns will clinch its 10th playoff berth in Club history.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN:
POR: Izzy D’Aquila (Payton Linnehan) 22nd minute: Linnehan burst out, creating open space for a streaking D’Aquila to find herself completely unmarked in front of goal. Linnehan crossed the ball to D’Aquila who put the ball between the legs of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
POR: Izzy D’Aquila 38th minute: After a shot from Christine Sinclair forced the goalkeeper to make a diving save, the ball bounced to the feet of D’Aquila who slammed the ball past the goalkeeper.
POR: Payton Linnehan (Izzy D’Aquila) 54th minute: D’Aquila found Linnehan, on the run, just inside the 18-yard-box, where she then dribbled around the goalkeeper to create an open shot on goal.
POR: Alexa Spaanstra (Izzy D’Aquila) 58th minute: D’Aquila drove towards the endline before cutting back and sending a cross to Spaanstra who hit a one-touch shot into the net.
POR: Christine Sinclair (Marie Müller) 85th minute: From a corner kick, Müller headed the ball into the path of Sinclair who slotted the ball into the back of the net.
POR: Reyna Reyes (Izzy D’Aquila) 90+5th minute: D’Aquila crossed the ball to the head of Reyes for an easy header.
