The Thorns handed the Red Stars their first-ever loss in a home opener this weekend, in a matchup between the two most-depleted sides in the NWSL. Portland was hurting for Emily Menges’s absence—not to mention the Australians, Andressinha, and Tobin Heath—while Chicago was shorthanded in all areas of the field, missing Casey Short, Julie Ertz, Sam Kerr, and Yuki Nagasato, among others.
The result—fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your stake in the game—was an exciting if nerve-wracking 90 minutes that saw moments of brilliance matched with cringeworthy mistakes. Here are a few of my takeaways from the game:
A rose to Sam Johnson and Alyssa Naeher.