Wilson's Late Penalty Secures Draw for Thorns Against Royals

Sophia Wilson netted a penalty in stoppage time, earning the Portland Thorns a 2-2 draw against the Utah Royals on Saturday, a clash between two of the top teams in the National Women’s Soccer League. In other league action, the Washington Spirit triumphed over the Seattle Reign with a score of 2-1, while the Kansas City Current edged out the Boston Legacy 1-0.

The Thorns (7-3-3) initially took control of the match in the 21st minute, when Olivia Moultrie scored to give them a 1-0 advantage. However, the Royals (7-2-3), who are currently unbeaten in their last ten games, equalized just before halftime through Kiana Palacios’ header in the 44th minute. This goal marked the first time Portland had conceded at home this season, ending an impressive 637-minute shutout streak.

In the second half, the Royals took a 2-1 lead when Mina Tanaka assisted Cloé Lacasse in the 50th minute. The turning point came when Alexa Spaanstra was called for a foul on Jayden Perry in the box, leading to Wilson's successful penalty kick, her fifth goal this season. The Thorns remain unbeaten at home over their last ten regular-season matches dating back to the previous season.

In a separate match, Hal Hershfelt scored her first goal of the season in the 81st minute to secure a victory for the Spirit (6-2-3) against the Reign at Audi Field. The Spirit's Leicy Santos had initially put her team ahead in the 18th minute, but the Reign (4-5-2) equalized just before halftime due to an own goal from defender Lucia Di Guglielmo.

The Current (7-5-0) maintained their unbeaten home record with a 1-0 win over the Legacy, highlighted by reigning league MVP Temwa Chawinga’s seventh goal of the season in the 69th minute. The Current’s goalkeeper, Lorena, recorded her third clean sheet of the season, as the team heads into the summer break boasting a remarkable 23-match unbeaten streak at home.