FC Kansas City and the Portland Thorns drew 1-1 in front of 3,022 fans at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City on Saturday night.
Kansas City, looking to bounce back from a 1-0 loss to Western New York in their season opener last weekend, were awarded a penalty kick in the 19th minute after Shea Groom was taken down in the penalty area. However, for the second week in a row, FCKC could not convert their PK attempt, as Thorns keeper Michelle Betos dove to her right to tip Groom’s shot off the post and out of the net.
20′ PKs have not been kind to #FCKC so far this year. HAO dings a post last week and Groom’s shot saved by Betos this week #FCKCvPTFC
— jeffhusted (@jeffhusted) April 24, 2016
But Groom would not be denied in the 30th minute, when her diving header off of a cross from Heather O’Reilly beat Betos to hand FC Kansas City the lead.
The game got turned on its head when the goal scorer Groom received a second yellow card in the 47th minute — the first yellow coming just minutes before half-time — forcing her to leave the game, and Kansas City to play the remainder of the second half down a player.
Portland was able to equalize in the 78th minute, when Lindsey Horan headed in a corner kick from Tobin Heath for her second goal in a Thorns uniform this season. Heath has provided the assist on each of the Thorns’ three goals so far this season.
Despite a late free kick awarded to Portland in a dangerous position outside of Kansas City’s 18-yard-box, FCKC keeper Nicole Barnhart was able to collect the free kick attempt and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Next up for Kansas City is a trip to Memorial Stadium to play the Seattle Reign next Sunday, May 1st, while Portland will visit the Boston Breakers the same day.
