Bay FC vs. Portland Thorns FC is a match that many can’t stop thinking about.
The game took place on May 1st at PayPal Park stadium in San Jose, California. For many teams, every match on the road is another chance to show that they are consistent, can perform well under pressure, and send a message to their opposing teams. Because of this, the Portland Thorns FC were determined to set the tone for the game in the first five minutes.
The orchestrated offense
The Portland Thorn’s determination paid off, which resulted in them getting the lead for the game quickly. Payton Linnehan not only scored the first goal of the match, but it was her first professional goal in her professional debut. The opportunities created by both teams were constant, which created a thrilling game for the fans to watch.
Smith and Kundananji being game changers
Prominent players like Sophia Smith and Racheal Kundananji, were both key factors in such a thrilling game. Smith assisted the first goal and scored the two other goals for the Portland Thorns. Her first goal was during the sixth minute of the game. Linnehan paid back the favor, and slipped a through ball in behind for Smith to capitalize on. Kundananji, a forward for Bay FC, kept the Portland Thorns on their toes. She scored the first goal for Bay FC in the 40th minute and had an assist at just the beginning of the second half.
The final minutes
The game was now tied and both teams went on and made efforts to get a goal that would put them in the lead. Because of this, the game was never on one half of the field. It was an offensive and defensive game for both teams. Every player was locked in and determined to get the result they came for that day. Smith went on to score the game winning goal in the 77th minute. One of the sports commentators of the game states, “what Portland needs to do to keep the momentum and continue to find themselves in the game, is about finding Sophia Smith.”
Takeaway
Many fans believed that the brawl and determination between these two teams made the game. In a match thread of the game through reddit, a fan of Bay FC states, “a lot of people showed up for Wednesday night and it was nice to see. Even though results are not going our way, it is an entertaining brand of soccer.” There was hustle among all the female athletes during the match, which gained high praise from the viewers. The female athletes continue to put on a show and do an excellent job of doing so.
