With the dust beginning to settle following the conclusion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France a number of our Roar Women are returning to action in the NWSL, with several more continuing to make their mark on home soil.
Hayley Raso marked her first start of the NWSL season with a goal as Portland Thorns secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Orlando Pride to remain level with North Carolina Courage at the top of the league table.
Celeste Boureille came on as a 73rd minute substitute for the Thorns while Carson Pickett and Chioma Ubogagu both played the full 90 minutes for Orlando who sit second from bottom on the NWSL ladder.
Speaking post-match, Raso who opened the scoring for the home side in the third minute, said she was delighted to play her part in Sunday’s win.
“It felt good, it was just good to get my confidence up again, to come out and have a good game at home, get a goal, it’s nice, I’m just so happy for all of us,” Raso said.
“I think we just have such a fighting attitude, all the fans come out, we want to do it for them, we want to do it for ourselves of course, but having them behind us is amazing.”
How about this in your first start of the season!@HayleyRaso back on the pitch & scoring again this morning as @ThornsFC overcame @OrlandoPride in a seven-goal thriller!
? @NWSL #RoarAsOne #NWSL pic.twitter.com/dRQ8bJBgnG
— Brisbane Roar (@brisbaneroar) July 15, 2019
Elsewhere in the NWSL Yuki Nagasato and Clare Polkinghorne went head-to-head, both playing a full match as Nagasato’s Red Stars triumphed 1-0.
Next weekend the Red Stars host league leaders North Carolina Courage, Houston Dash are on the road to Washington Spirit, while Portland Thorns visit Utah Royals and Orlando Pride take on Sky Blue FC.
Back at home & Allira Toby and Natalie Tathem’s Moreton Bay United shared the spoils with sixth-placed Souths United on Sunday while Abbey Lloyd’s Capalaba FC, who sit in third on the NPLW Queensland ladder, were unable to gain ground on United, suffering a 4-0 defeat at the hands of The Gap.
Capalaba has a bye next weekend while Moreton Bay are on the road against bottom-placed SWQ Thunder.
