Sophia Smith opened the scoring early and the Portland Thorns never looked back on a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Current to win the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League title.
League MVP Smith scored in the fourth minute and was involved in the game that led to Portland’s second goal from an own goal by The Current’s Addisyn Merrick just after halftime in the NWSL Championship game at Audi Field in Washington.
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The win makes it a record third NWSL title for the Thorns, who won the league’s first championship game in 2013 and lifted the trophy again in 2017.
The Current had a costly turnover before Smith went down the field, maneuvering around goalkeeper Adrianna Franch and deftly scoring in the fourth minute.
Smith almost scored another goal in the 27th minute, but her shot went just wide. She is only the second MVP recipient to score in a league game, joining Lynn Williams for North Carolina in 2016. At 22, she is also the youngest player to score in a league final.
Shortly after Merrick’s own goal, Morgan Weaver had a shot from long range but Franch was able to put his hands on it before he hit the bar and sped away.
The NWSL was rocked this month by the Yates report, which revealed systemic abuse and wrongdoing that spanned multiple teams, coaches and victims, with the Portland Thorns one of the franchises at the center of the investigation.
Audi Field was nearly sold out for the game – which was being broadcast in prime time on network television for the first time – and some fans held up a sign that read ‘Support The Players’.
Portland had a first-round bye in the playoffs and beat the San Diego Wave 2-1 in the semifinals to advance to championship play.
Smith, the 2020 NWSL draft pick and member of the US national team, scored 15 goals for the Thorns throughout the regular season and playoffs and was also named championship game MVP.
The Current began playing as an expansion team in 2021, with many of their players coming from the defunct Utah Royals. They finished last season in last place in the league.
The Washington Spirit won the NWSL Championship last year.
Associated Press information was used in this story.