The U23 national team drew the Thorns 2-2 in Portland’s second preseason match at Merlo field.
Portland started a lineup mostly consisting of likely starters: with AD Franch in goal, Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Sonnett, and Katherine Reynolds started on defense, with Emily Menges resting in favor of Elizabeth Ball. Lindsey Horan, Christine Sinclair, and Celeste Boureille were in midfield, with Ifeoma Onumonu, Mallory Weber, and Midge Purce up front.
The first half was sloppy and surprisingly chippy, both sides struggling to put together meaningful stretches of possession and trading a series of increasingly rough fouls back and forth.