FARLEY | Thorns left assessing lessons after loss to Courage

It took 12 games across two competitions, but for the first time in 2021, the Portland Thorns were the second-best team over the course of 90 minutes. They weren’t far behind the North Carolina Courage, Saturday’s opponent, but there’s a reason the game ended in a 2-0 loss. After first half that finished with the teams on even footing, two Lynn Williams goals left Portland with their third loss of the National Women’s Soccer League season.

“It’s really hard to empty so much effort, energy, sweat into a game and come away with nothing,” Portland head coach Mark Parsons said. “I feel for the group. But they did empty. They did work hard.”

In Portland’s two other regular season losses, they…