FC Kansas City Tops Portland Thorns

FC Kansas City topped the Portland Thorns last night winning 2-1. The league leaders had been undefeated prior to last night's game.

The Blues started their fight early in the game with a shot by Frances Silva in the 5th minute that Thorns goalkeeper, Michelle Betos, stopped with a slight bumble. The Thorns returned the action in the 6th minute resulting in a save by Blues goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart. The beginning of the game was an onslaught of determined Blues players sending shots at the Portland goal. In the 23rd minute midfielder Erika Tymrak took a shot that went off the crossbar, the ball rebounded to the feet of forward Tiffany McCarty who crossed it to the head of forward Shea Groom. Groom sent the ball towards the ground and it slipped past Betos for the first goal of the night. There was a close call at the end of the first half that saw Barnhart out of her net, luckily Yael Averbuch was there to clear the ball.

The second half started with a early yellow card on rookie defender Brianne Reed in the 51st minute. Three minutes later the McCarty - Groom magic happened again, with Groom putting another header into the back of the net. Portland began to make their substitutions for the night bringing in Jennifer Skogerboe for Shade Pratt and Kat Williamson for McKenzie Berryhill. This was the first game that Williamson has played since her knee injury during the April 23rd match against FC Kansas City.  Fifteen minutes after she was subbed in, she scores the only goal of the game for the Thorns, slipping a ball past Barnhart.

The Blues fought hard the entirety of the game and they would go on to get the three points, despite giving a free kick right outside of the box in stoppage time. The final shot by Thorns forward Nadia Nadim would sail over the goal.

If nothing else, last night FC Kansas City proved that they do have what it takes to win. If they can keep with that fighting spirit they have a chance to make it to the playoffs this season. The next game for FCKC will be July 16th at Swope Soccer Village against the Washington Spirit.