Boston Legacy fall just short of comeback in seven-goal thriller against Portland Thorns
Pawtucket, RI (August 9, 2026) - Despite a tremendous late-game push, the Legacy were unable to find their equalizer in a 4-3 loss to the Portland Thorns at home.
The Thorns got off to a quick start, netting three times in the opening 10 minutes. The first goal came on a set piece in the first minute of the match. Pietra Tordin took the kick for Portland at the corner of Boston’s 18 and sent the ball high left despite Casey Murphy getting a hand on it. Boston looked to play quickly following the goal, but the Thorns managed to get in behind the Legacy back line and slip a low ball past Murphy at 6’. Portland extended their lead in the 10’ when a through ball was left for Tordin at the edge of the box and she picked out the far post.
Down 3-0, the Legacy looked for options to combine down the field and exploit seams in Portland’s defense. A 30’ through ball to Amanda Allen sparked Boston’s momentum on the attack, and a subsequent play saw Sammy Smith thread the ball across the face of the goal for Bianca St-Georges to finish at the far post, putting the Legacy on the board in the 31’. At the other end of the field, Murphy made an impressive save at 33’, keeping the ball just short of the goal line.
Portland added to their lead in the 37’. A long ball over the top found Pietra Tordin, who lofted the ball over Murphy and high left to put the visitors up 4-1. Boston answered in the 42’, when Barbara Olivieri teed up Alba Caño up for a perfect strike from distance that went low left and cut the deficit to two.
To start the second half, Boston replaced Emerson Elgin and Sammy Smith with Nicki Hernandez and Amanda Gutierres. The Legacy came out with energy, following the lead of Nichelle Prince as she drove the team down the field and won a corner on the first play of the half. Caño found an opportunity for another shot from outside the box in the 55’, but the ball drifted just wide of its target. The following play saw a few more chances for Boston, including a set up for Amanda Gutierres that was ultimately blocked.
In the 59’, Boston made another substitution, swapping Amanda Allen with Aïssata Traoré, then a final substitution at 78’ as Aleigh Gambone came on for Barbara Olivieri. Gambone’s impact was felt almost immediately: in the 82’, she drove to the goal line and cut the ball back to Gutierres in the six-yard box, who buried it into the center of the net with her first touch. The goal marked Gutierres’ fifth and Boston’s fifth by a substitute this season. Despite a few promising opportunities in stoppage time and dominating the possession game in the second half, the Legacy were unable to find their equalizer, falling 4-3 to the Thorns in a tie for the league’s highest-scoring match of the season.
Starting XI: Casey Murphy, Emerson Elgin, Jorelyn Carabali, Bianca St-Georges, Lilly Reale, Annie Karich, Amanda Allen, Barbara Olivieri, Alba Caño, Nichelle Prince (C) , Sammy Smith
Substitutes: Hannah Stambaugh, Laurel Ivory, Laurel Ansbrow, Deja Davis, Nicki Hernandez, Aleigh Gambone, Aïssata Traoré, Amanda Gutierres, Josefine Hasbo
BY THE NUMBERS
Attendance: 10,223
Shots: Boston Legacy 12, Portland Thorns 14
Shots on goal: Boston Legacy 6, Portland Thorns 7
Corner Kicks: Boston Legacy 6, Portland Thorns 2
Fouls: Boston Legacy 11, Portland Thorns 12
Yellow Cards: Boston Legacy 1, Portland Thorns 5
Red Cards: Boston Legacy 0, Portland Thorns 1*
Saves: Boston Legacy 3, Portland Thorns 3
*Issued to coach
UP NEXT
The Legacy are at Racing Louisville on Saturday, August 15 at 6:30 ET.
About Boston Legacy Football Club
Boston Legacy FC is the 15th team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), currently playing its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium. Founded and led by women, the club is committed to creating a home for the greatest female athletes of our time, building upon the supercharged legacy of Boston’s historic sports teams, cultivating a community of fans with impact at its core, and forging new connections across our city through sport. For more information, please visit bostonlegacyfc.com or its social media platforms – LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (X), Tiktok, Bluesky, Facebook
