Red Stars kickoff Thorns Invitational against Portland

Sharples scores the lone goal for Chicago

CHICAGO – On Sunday Chicago began the Thorns Invitational against Portland, falling short to the hosts 2-1.

Thorns FC grabbed a goal early to take a 1-0 lead off a corner kick goal from Tyler Lussi, heading into halftime with the one-goal lead.

The Red Stars would answer back in the second half. Making their first-ever professional starts, forward Maria Sanchez whipped in a corner that found defender Kayla Sharples, who tucked it home to tie the game in the 54th minute.

Lindsey Horan scored the game-winner for Portland in the 76th minute.

U.S. WNT players Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz and Casey Short started the game alongside Aussie international Sam Kerr. Kerr would be replaced by Katie Johnson prior the start of the second half. Nikki Stanton, Sarah Gorden, and Zoey Gorlaski would enter the game as second-half substitutes as well.

Chicago will continue their play in the Thorns Invitational on Wednesday against Reign FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.

Goals by Half                         1       2       F

Portland Thorns FC             1       1       2         

Chicago Red Stars            0       1       1          

Scoring Summary:

POR: Lussi (Sonnett), 6

CHI: Sharples (Sanchez), 54

POR: Sinclair (Heath), 76

Misconduct Summary:

n/a

Lineups

POR: GK Eckerstrom, D Carpenter (Hubly, 46, Reynolds, 75), D Sonnett, D Seiler, D Klingenberg (Pogarch, 61), M Boureille, M Horan (Brynjarsdottir, 61), M Sinclair ©, F Lussi (Weber, 72), F Crnogorcevic (Onumonu, 90), F Heath

CHI: GK Naeher, D Short, D Naughton, D Davidson, D Sharples, M Ertz ©, M Colaprico (Stanton, 46), M Nagasato, F Vasconcelos (Goralski, 70), F Sanchez (Gorden, 70), F Kerr (Johnson, 46)

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.