Match Recap & Highlights: Portland Thorns at Utah Royals

The Utah Royals' five goal afternoon may have officially ousted the Portland Thorns as one of the top team's in the NWSL this season, as their defense continued its crumbling this afternoon.

After recording the quickest goal in the NWSL this season, not even Sophia Wilson's contribution in the first 34 seconds was enough to light the fire under Portland on the road today.

Holding Portland scoreless for the remaining 90+ minutes, it would be Utah who came out on top with a final score of 5-1, as the Thorns continue their search for what comes next for this team.

Lineups & Prematch

An abundance of changes have been made to this afternoon's starting XI for the Portland Thorns.

Taking over in the midfield it's Nina Nijstad for Cassandra Bogere, a battle for the starting no. 6 position that was expected to be fought between the two upon Nijstad's arrival to Portland. This would also mark Nijstad's first career NWSL start.

Renee Lyles, fresh off her first career NWSL start and goal, earned herself a spot back in the starting lineup for today's match against Utah.

And on the backline, Carolyn Calzada made the start in place of Jayden Perry who is serving her one-game suspension following last week's red card against Gotham.

Highlights

1' Sophia Wilson. Pietra Tordin. Yeah.

Pietra Tordin with the dish, and Sophia Wilson with the finish – 34 seconds into the game, and with the quickest goal in the NWSL this season, the Portland Thorns are on top 1-0.

The connection building between these two continues to shine, one that beheld a lot of missed opportunities last week finally has results come to fruition almost immediately this evening.

21' Lyles gets a shot

The first bit of action we've seen since the early moments, Renee Lyles gets a clean shot off, but it's nothing that Royals keeper Mandy McGlynn can't handle. The score remains 1-0, Portland.

35' Utah equalizes

Moments after the first half hydration break, Utah pinballs the ball around off of Mackenzie Arnold's goal kick until Cece Delzer finds the equalizer for the Royals and levels it at a goal a piece.

42' That was all Soph Wilson

On the hunt for the brace, and the go ahead goal, Sophia Wilson somehow creates space upfield and in the box. Wilson rips a shot that McGlynn must lay out to deflect, and stops a near two goal half for Wilson.

+3 minutes of stoppage time added

45' +1 Tordin tries

Pietra Tordin gets a clean look at the goal and takes her first shot of the night, before it is gobbled up by McGlynn.

Halftime: Thorns 1, Royals 1

47' Cece Delzer brace

Cece Delzer and Utah take their first lead of the night early in the second half, on a goal that sneaks past Portland's back line and keeper Mackenzie Arnold.

52' it was almost Moultrie's moment

Olivia Moultrie gets an opportunity to equalize for the Thorns, a player who hasn't scored since the Thorns last matched up with the Royals in May, but her shot goes just wide.

58' Substitution Portland

MA Vignola comes onto the pitch replacing Marie Müller in the 58th minute, as Portland continues to search for the equalizer.

60' Never before seen miss

A wide open shot, goal, and opportunity for Sophia Wilson to level the match, and she... misses.

Wilson clears McGlynn who makes an aggressive move to stop the attack, and Soph with a wide open goal misses the shot. One the Thorns, and Wilson, I'm sure will desperately want back down the stretch.

68' Thorns defense crumbles

Brecken Mozingo lengthens the lead for the Royals in the 68th minute, as the Utah offense tops Portland's defense once more.

69' triple sub Thorns

Portland brings on Morgan Weaver for Renee Lyles, Cassandra Bogere for Nina Nijstad, and Isa Obaze for Sam Hiatt.

It is worth mentioning that this is the first time we've seen Obaze take the field for the Thorns in quite some time, her omission being a decision whose reasoning is unbeknownst to many.

79' Kiana Palacios, nail in the coffin

One of the prettiest goals I've seen so far this season, on the back heel flick Kiana Palacios from Miyaba Moriya finds goal yet again for Utah, who has now jumped out to a 4-1 lead.

83' Portland's final sub

Maddie Padelski comes onto the pitch for Pietra Tordin.

89' Utah scores 5 goals on Portland

Off the corner kick, what else is there to say – Del Fava with the uncontested header makes it 5-1 Royals.

+4 minutes of stoppage time added

Final: Portland 1, Utah 5

Final Thoughts

Going into the match, the Portland Thorns desperately needed a win. A team who was once at the top at the NWSL standings, has quickly faltered as others rise.

And after the conclusion of this match I can confirm that this is not the team the Thorns want to be.

In Portland's last nine matches the goals scored by opponents have barely been earned, if not given, by the Thorns defense. For example, Cece Delzer's second goal – where was Portland's backline? Then again on Mozingo's goal in the 68th minute, and an outright surrender in the 79th and 89th minutes.

And still offensively, where has it been for the Thorns?

A silver lining from this match, Nina Nijstad won the start this afternoon. The young player surely met the high expectations that were set upon her arrival to Portland, and created opportunities we had not yet seen done by Bogere in the midfield. And her presence can hopefully light a spark for the Thorns as she continues to find her stride in this league.

Alas, if Portland doesn't pick up 3 points on the road next week in Boston, does doubt begin to creep in about the playoff potential for this team?