FC Kansas City manage 1-1 draw vs Portland while playing with 10 for a half

FC Kansas City pulled out a draw after playing almost a half a player down so snag their first point of the season. A goal from Shea Groom in the first half was equalized by the Thorns Lindsey Horan.

The Blues Groom, an aggressive forward earned a penalty when was fouled in the Portland box but Thorns keeper Michelle Betos got enough on it to deflect it into the post to keep it level. Groom was not to be denied a few minutes later when she  got her head on to a cross from Heather O'Reilly and there was nothing Betos could do that time.

Groom picked up a yellow in the first half on what looked like a fairly routine tackle to round out a bust half for the young forward. Shortly after the second half started Groom challenged for a ball as she was being shielded off by a Thorns defender slid, making contact with Betos. The referee eventually issued a second yellow and the subsequent red to Groom.

With the Blues down to 10, coach Vlatko Andonovski subbed  on Tiffany McCarty to replace Erika Tymrak and shifted to a 4-4-1. Remarkably the Blues still managed to control large portion of the half and even create some decent opportunities.

Thorns equalized when Horan was able to get over a Blues defender for a well taken header which was the only ball to make it past Nicole Barnhart.