MATCH RECAP | Portland Thorns Earn Hard Fought Point in 2-2 Draw Against Gotham FC
PORTLAND, Ore. (Friday, July 24, 2026) – The Portland Thorns drew 2-2 against Gotham FC in a tough battle Friday night at Providence Park, a night that saw the long-awaited return of forward Morgan Weaver and a new club record of 11-straight league matches unbeaten home.
The Thorns faced an early uphill battle when Gotham’s Midge Purce scored two minutes into the match off a volley in the box. However, Portland fought their way back into the match when rookie midfielder Renee Lyles — making her first NWSL start — dribbled around her defender to make space for herself near the far-left side of the box and chipped the ball into the far-right corner to equalize. Forward Pietra Tordin got the assist on the goal, her league-leading seventh of the year.
Both teams remained gridlocked in a back-and-forth fight as they tried to search for a second but that would have to wait until the after the break.
It would not take long after the start of the second half when Lyles would once again help the Thorns get on the scoreboard to regain the lead for the first time in the match, passing the ball to midfielder Jessie Fleming whose shot outside the box deflected into the net in the 53rd minute.
Gotham though would not go down easy and managed to equalize in the 62nd minute off a corner. Forward Sam Kerr’s initial header bounced off Portland defender Marie Müller, with Kerr right there to grab the rebound and strike the ball into the goal.
The match would get chippy as the teams looked to get a third, with the Thorns going down to 10 players after defender Jayden Perry was given a red card in the 73rd minute. Despite that, Portland continued to press forward in search of a winner rather than sitting back against Gotham’s offense.
Although the third never came, Portland walked away with a hard-earned point and remain unbeaten at home in 2026. In fact, their draw tonight set a new club record for unbeaten league homes matches (11 straight since September 2025), beating a record they set in 2025.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns hit the road to face Utah Royals FC on Sunday, August 2 at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT on Victory+ and 910 ESPN Portland.
TEAM NOTES
GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half
GFC – Midge Purce (Guro Reiten) 2’
POR – Renee Lyles (Pietra Tordin) 21’
Second Half
POR – Jessie Fleming (Renee Lyles) 53’
GFC – Sam Kerr 62’
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold, Marie Müller, Jayden Perry, Sam Hiatt-C, Reyna Reyes (M.A. Vignola 82’), Jessie Fleming, Cassandra Bogere (Nina Nijstad 69’), Pietra Tordin (Morgan Weaver 76’), Olivia Moultrie, Renee Lyles (Carolyn Calzada 76’), Sophia Wilson
Subs not used: Morgan Messner, Deyna Castellanos, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie, Valerin Loboa
Gotham FC (4-3-3): Ann-Katrin Berger, Guro Reiten, Tierna Davidson-C, Emily Sonnett (Mandy Freeman 11’, Jordynn Dudley 45’), Jess Carter, Savannah McCaskill (Denise O'Sullivan 60’), Rose Lavelle, Jaelin Howell (Sarah Schupansky 78’), Jaedyn Shaw, Sam Kerr (Bruninha 78’), Midge Purce
Subs not used: Shelby Hogan, Talia Sommer, Sofia Cook, Andrea Kitahata
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: Muller (Yellow) 56’, Perry (Red) 73’, Arnold (Yellow) 74’
GFC: Carter (Yellow) 40’, Dudley (Yellow) 57’, Howell (Yellow) 69’
MATCH STATS
POR | GFC
Goals: 2|2
Assists: 2|1
Possession: 36.9|63.1
Shots: 16|11
Shots on Target: 6|3
Saves: 1|4
Tackles: 21|22
Tackles Won: 14|13
Interceptions: 11|6
Fouls: 15|8
Offsides: 2|0
Corner Kicks: 3|8
ATTENDANCE: 21,743
Referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant Referee 1: Eric Krueger
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Rizo
4th Official: Iryna Petrunok
VAR: Alyssa Pennington
Assistant VAR: Chris Canales
MATCH RECAP | Portland Thorns Earn Hard Fought Point in 2-2 Draw Against Gotham FC
PORTLAND, Ore. (Friday, July 24, 2026) – The Portland Thorns drew 2-2 against Gotham FC in a tough battle Friday night at Providence Park, a night that saw the long-awaited return of forward Morgan Weaver and a new club record of 11-straight league matches unbeaten home.
The Thorns faced an early uphill battle when Gotham’s Midge Purce scored two minutes into the match off a volley in the box. However, Portland fought their way back into the match when rookie midfielder Renee Lyles — making her first NWSL start — dribbled around her defender to make space for herself near the far-left side of the box and chipped the ball into the far-right corner to equalize. Forward Pietra Tordin got the assist on the goal, her league-leading seventh of the year.
Both teams remained gridlocked in a back-and-forth fight as they tried to search for a second but that would have to wait until the after the break.
It would not take long after the start of the second half when Lyles would once again help the Thorns get on the scoreboard to regain the lead for the first time in the match, passing the ball to midfielder Jessie Fleming whose shot outside the box deflected into the net in the 53rd minute.
Gotham though would not go down easy and managed to equalize in the 62nd minute off a corner. Forward Sam Kerr’s initial header bounced off Portland defender Marie Müller, with Kerr right there to grab the rebound and strike the ball into the goal.
The match would get chippy as the teams looked to get a third, with the Thorns going down to 10 players after defender Jayden Perry was given a red card in the 73rd minute. Despite that, Portland continued to press forward in search of a winner rather than sitting back against Gotham’s offense.
Although the third never came, Portland walked away with a hard-earned point and remain unbeaten at home in 2026. In fact, their draw tonight set a new club record for unbeaten league homes matches (11 straight since September 2025), beating a record they set in 2025.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns hit the road to face Utah Royals FC on Sunday, August 2 at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT on Victory+ and 910 ESPN Portland.
TEAM NOTES
GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half
GFC – Midge Purce (Guro Reiten) 2’
POR – Renee Lyles (Pietra Tordin) 21’
Second Half
POR – Jessie Fleming (Renee Lyles) 53’
GFC – Sam Kerr 62’
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold, Marie Müller, Jayden Perry, Sam Hiatt-C, Reyna Reyes (M.A. Vignola 82’), Jessie Fleming, Cassandra Bogere (Nina Nijstad 69’), Pietra Tordin (Morgan Weaver 76’), Olivia Moultrie, Renee Lyles (Carolyn Calzada 76’), Sophia Wilson
Subs not used: Morgan Messner, Deyna Castellanos, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie, Valerin Loboa
Gotham FC (4-3-3): Ann-Katrin Berger, Guro Reiten, Tierna Davidson-C, Emily Sonnett (Mandy Freeman 11’, Jordynn Dudley 45’), Jess Carter, Savannah McCaskill (Denise O'Sullivan 60’), Rose Lavelle, Jaelin Howell (Sarah Schupansky 78’), Jaedyn Shaw, Sam Kerr (Bruninha 78’), Midge Purce
Subs not used: Shelby Hogan, Talia Sommer, Sofia Cook, Andrea Kitahata
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: Muller (Yellow) 56’, Perry (Red) 73’, Arnold (Yellow) 74’
GFC: Carter (Yellow) 40’, Dudley (Yellow) 57’, Howell (Yellow) 69’
MATCH STATS
POR | GFC
Goals: 2|2
Assists: 2|1
Possession: 36.9|63.1
Shots: 16|11
Shots on Target: 6|3
Saves: 1|4
Tackles: 21|22
Tackles Won: 14|13
Interceptions: 11|6
Fouls: 15|8
Offsides: 2|0
Corner Kicks: 3|8
ATTENDANCE: 21,743
Referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant Referee 1: Eric Krueger
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Rizo
4th Official: Iryna Petrunok
VAR: Alyssa Pennington
Assistant VAR: Chris Canales
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