On what should have been a day to celebrate the return of the NWSL regular season, Sunday in Portland turned into an evening to forget for the Chicago Red Stars as they were blanked 5-0 by the Thorns at Providence Park.
Portland seized the lead less than four minutes in on a cross from Sophia Smith that deflected off Red Stars defender Tierna Davidson for an own-goal. There was hardly a time to take a breath before the Thorns won a penalty via a Mallory Pugh foul on Megan Klingenberg, which was calmly dispatched by Christine Sinclair for her 56th career NWSL goal.