• Final stats

In five previous matches with the Portland Thorns, the Orlando Pride had never won a match. They earned a draw and four losses, including a 4-1 defeat in last season’s semifinals, but, in their final game of a three-game road trip, Orlando finally broke the seal.

The Pride (3-2-3, 12 points) stunned a crowd of over 17,000, as they defeated the Thorns (2-3-3, 9 points) 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Providence Park.

All three goals were scored in the first 23 minutes of the match, as forward Alex Morgan opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

Midfielder Kristen Edmonds, who was making her first start in three games, sent in a cross from the left flank. The initial ball was short and bounced for a seemingly easy clearance for Portland’s back line, but midfielder Mallory Weber whiffed.

That set up Morgan for her first goal of the season and the first lead of the game, as she struck it to the far post past a dropping Britt Eckerstrom.

“We haven’t come into this stadium and done what we wanted to do, and today we dominated,” Morgan said after the win, per the Lifetime broadcast. “I feel like we deserved to win, and it just feels so good to get our first win in purple at Providence Park.”

No more than 10 minutes later did the Pride double their lead. Midfielder Christine Nairn, who leads the Pride in assists (two), chested down a misplaced, headed ball and delivered a high-arching shot from well outside Portland’s box for the second goal of the match.

That, too, was Nairn’s first goal of the season.

Portland quickly responded with a goal of its own in the 23rd minute. Leading National Women’s Soccer League goal-scorer Christine Sinclair literally rose to the occasion, as she directed a corner kick with her head from forward Tobin Heath for Portland’s first and only goal of the match.

The Thorns appeared to be on the front foot for most of the match, as they owned 54.3 percent of possession and out-shot Orlando 24-13 (6-7 on-goal). Portland also earned more corners (9-5) and delivered more open-play crosses (16-12).

Those chances nearly materialized into a win, but two Portland goals were waived off.

The first nullified goal came in the seventh minute, as the initial corner-kick delivery was headed off the crossbar. On the rebound, a Portland player drove the ball in the back of the net, but an offside call on Sinclair erased the would-be first goal of the match.

In the 48th minute, another Thorns goal was rescinded. Portland maintained its front-foot advantage early in the second half, as the Thorns scored what appeared to be an equalizer. However, an injurious foul on a sliding Ashlyn Harris negated Portland’s goal.

After trainers attended to Harris for several minutes, Portland tested the United States keeper immediately. In the 52nd minute, Heath took a shot from the left part of the box, and Harris made a diving save with one out-stretched arm.

That wasn’t the first time Harris and Heath clashed. In the 41st minute, Heath took a shot from the top-left part of the box, again. Her blast from distance would have sneaked under the crossbar, but Harris leaped and deflected the shot upward with two hands.

In total, Harris finished with five saves.

“You know, we said from the start that we were gonna have to weather the storm,” Harris said after the win, per the Lifetime broadcast. “This is a very, very difficult place to come and play. “The fans are phenomenal for this team, and, I mean, truthfully, Portland is a really, really tough team.

“We knew it was gonna be a physical battle, and we just had to match that today.”

Orlando had an opportunity in the 74th minute to add an insurance goal, courtesy of right back Ali Krieger. The second-year Pride vet worked her way down the right flank and passed it to second-half substitute Emily van Egmond, who then immediately returned the ball.

Krieger worked her way toward goal and delivered a far-post cross to a wide-open Rachel Hill. Hill, however, couldn’t find the appropriate touch and one-timed the ball high into the stands.

In the 80th minute, a corner kick for Portland nearly resulted in an own-goal. Pride defender Carson Pickett elevated to clear the ball with her head, but her deflection near the end line was nearly misdirected toward goal, as the ball bounced off the crossbar.

Brazilian forward Marta Vieira da Silva did not play against Portland but was available on the bench.

As for Morgan, she played all 90 minutes for the first time since suffering a hyper-extended left knee that kept her out of the Pride’s first-ever win over the Chicago Red Stars on May 2. She also played 37 minutes off the bench in the Pride’s subsequent 0-0 draw with Utah Royals FC on May 9.

Who’s Next?

The Pride will have almost 11 days before they return to the safety of Orlando City Stadium on May 23 for a match with the No. 1 North Carolina Courage. North Carolina has not yet lost a game, winning five games and drawing twice with 17 points to its name.

For more on the Pride, as they look to topple league’s No. 1 side, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.