Portland’s players persevered through circumstances only they can truly comprehend, and they’re once again NWSL royalty. avicreditor on ThornsFC’s latest title, a newly minted superstar and a complex season that ends with a trophy
as fan pressure reaches a breaking point, but he still actively owns the club despite an outcry for him to sell. He was not present at Audi Field for the final, with club brass instead represented by interim CEO Heather Davis, interim COO Sarah Keane and general manager Karina LeBlanc.
After scoring the opening goals in the fourth and fifth minutes in the previous two rounds, respectively, KC was dealt a dose of its own medicine Saturday night, with Smith the chief actor. All of the early pressure came from Portland, which won a free kick in the first minute and saw Smith have a great chance blocked three minutes in.
Smith nearly scored at the start of the second half as well, breaking through between two defenders only to hit her shot right at Franch. And while Smith didn’t get a touch on the ball that wound up going in for Portland’s insurance goal, she was heavily involved. Her early run to the near post for Yazmeen Ryan’s cross created havoc and urgency across the KC defense, with the ball going off Franch and Addisyn Merrick for the own goal that all but sealed the result in the 57th minute.