PORTLAND, Ore. – “Of course, we didn’t anticipate this happening,” Portland Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons confessed about the situation that evolved over the previous three days. Between the last time his team had taken the field – a 0-0, Friday night draw at Providence Park with Utah Royals FC – and the start of Monday’s training session, Parsons had seen five of the nine Thorns active at the 2019 World Cup eliminated in the tournament’s Round of 16.
Australia lost a penalty shootout to Norway on Saturday, ending the tournament for Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso.