PORTLAND, Ore. (Wednesday, July 23, 2025) – In the first of two exhibitions set to be played as a part of Raj Sports’ Epicenter Week, Portland Thorns beat Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds 3-2 in a penalty shootout after drawing 1-1 in regulation.
The Thorns would come out flying in the first half, dominating the field of play, and finding its breakthrough in the 16’ when forward Reilyn Turner chipped the keeper to give Portland a lead they would hold through the first half.
Returning from the break, it wouldn’t be long before Urawa’s Mei Shimada scored the equalizer to bring the Red Diamonds back into the match. With their second half changes, Urawa managed to threaten the Portland defense, but the Thorns were able to keep them at bay to force the match into a penalty kick shootout.
Portland forward Pietra Tordin – fresh off winning June’s NWSL Rookie of the Month – scored what would be the winning penalty for Portland and Urawa’s Reina Nagashima sent the final shot over the crossbar, ensuring victory for the Thorns.
TEAM NOTES
- Three Thorns Academy players featured in tonight’s match: defender Lilly Yakel (14), defender Juliet Twemlow (15) and midfielder Shaylie Haij (16). Yakel and Haij entered the match in the 35’, Twemlow entered in the 79’.
UP NEXT: The Thorns will host Seattle Reign FC for a Cascadia Rivalry exhibition on Saturday, July 26 at Providence Park with kickoff set for 7 pm PT. Tickets can be purchased online at thorns.com/tickets.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN
FIRST HALF
POR – Reilyn Turner (Payton Linnehan) 16’: Running in to receive a ball laid off by Linnehan, Turner chipped the goalkeeper in the box to open the scoring.
SECOND HALF
URA – Mei Shimada 49’: Shimada found the ball in the box off a deflected pass and struck it into back of the net.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
POR: Olivia Moultrie (scored), Jessie Fleming (missed), Mimi Alidou (scored), Pietra Tordin (scored)
URA: Hana Takahashi (missed), Madoka Sakurai (scored), Fuka Tsunoda (scored), Satoko Fujisaki (missed), Reina Nagashima (missed)
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3): Bella Bixby, Reyna Reyes (Lilly Yakel 35’, Kaitlyn Torpey 62’), Daiane (Sam Hiatt 45’, Juliet Twemlow 79’), Jayden Perry (Isabella Obaze 79’, Mallie McKenzie, Sam Coffey (Naomi Powell 35’, Jessie Fleming 62’), Hina Sugita-C (Shaylie Haij 35’, Olivia Moultrie 62’), Carissa Boeckmann (Mimi Alidou 62’), Alexa Spaanstra, Reilyn Turner (Pietra Tordin 79’), Payton Linnehan
Subs not used: Mackenzie Arnold
Urawa Red Diamonds (4-3-3): Maya Ino, Akimoto (Madoka Sakurai 45’), Wakaba Goto (Yuna Takahashi 63’), Raika Okamura, Ririka Tanno, Mizuki Matsuo (Miki Ito 79’), Chika Kato (Ena Takatsuka 63’), Yuki Mizutani (Fuka Tsunoda 57’), Hanae Shibata (Kotono Sakakibara 45’), Kozue Ando (Satoko Fujisaki 45’), Mei Shimada (Reina Nagashima 57’)
Subs not used: Saikiko Ikeda, Easther Mayi Kith, Yuika Sugasawa
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: Juliet Twemlow (Yellow) 81’, Pietra Tordin (Yellow) 90+3’
URA: N/A
MATCH STATS
POR | URA
Goals: 1|1
Assists: 1|0
Shots: 14|12
Saves: 6|5
Offsides: 2|0
Corner Kicks: 3|7
PORTLAND, Ore. (Wednesday, July 23, 2025) – In the first of two exhibitions set to be played as a part of Raj Sports’ Epicenter Week, Portland Thorns beat Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds 3-2 in a penalty shootout after drawing 1-1 in regulation.
The Thorns would come out flying in the first half, dominating the field of play, and finding its breakthrough in the 16’ when forward Reilyn Turner chipped the keeper to give Portland a lead they would hold through the first half.
Returning from the break, it wouldn’t be long before Urawa’s Mei Shimada scored the equalizer to bring the Red Diamonds back into the match. With their second half changes, Urawa managed to threaten the Portland defense, but the Thorns were able to keep them at bay to force the match into a penalty kick shootout.
Portland forward Pietra Tordin – fresh off winning June’s NWSL Rookie of the Month – scored what would be the winning penalty for Portland and Urawa’s Reina Nagashima sent the final shot over the crossbar, ensuring victory for the Thorns.
TEAM NOTES
- Three Thorns Academy players featured in tonight’s match: defender Lilly Yakel (14), defender Juliet Twemlow (15) and midfielder Shaylie Haij (16). Yakel and Haij entered the match in the 35’, Twemlow entered in the 79’.
UP NEXT: The Thorns will host Seattle Reign FC for a Cascadia Rivalry exhibition on Saturday, July 26 at Providence Park with kickoff set for 7 pm PT. Tickets can be purchased online at thorns.com/tickets.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN
FIRST HALF
POR – Reilyn Turner (Payton Linnehan) 16’: Running in to receive a ball laid off by Linnehan, Turner chipped the goalkeeper in the box to open the scoring.
SECOND HALF
URA – Mei Shimada 49’: Shimada found the ball in the box off a deflected pass and struck it into back of the net.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
POR: Olivia Moultrie (scored), Jessie Fleming (missed), Mimi Alidou (scored), Pietra Tordin (scored)
URA: Hana Takahashi (missed), Madoka Sakurai (scored), Fuka Tsunoda (scored), Satoko Fujisaki (missed), Reina Nagashima (missed)
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3): Bella Bixby, Reyna Reyes (Lilly Yakel 35’, Kaitlyn Torpey 62’), Daiane (Sam Hiatt 45’, Juliet Twemlow 79’), Jayden Perry (Isabella Obaze 79’, Mallie McKenzie, Sam Coffey (Naomi Powell 35’, Jessie Fleming 62’), Hina Sugita-C (Shaylie Haij 35’, Olivia Moultrie 62’), Carissa Boeckmann (Mimi Alidou 62’), Alexa Spaanstra, Reilyn Turner (Pietra Tordin 79’), Payton Linnehan
Subs not used: Mackenzie Arnold
Urawa Red Diamonds (4-3-3): Maya Ino, Akimoto (Madoka Sakurai 45’), Wakaba Goto (Yuna Takahashi 63’), Raika Okamura, Ririka Tanno, Mizuki Matsuo (Miki Ito 79’), Chika Kato (Ena Takatsuka 63’), Yuki Mizutani (Fuka Tsunoda 57’), Hanae Shibata (Kotono Sakakibara 45’), Kozue Ando (Satoko Fujisaki 45’), Mei Shimada (Reina Nagashima 57’)
Subs not used: Saikiko Ikeda, Easther Mayi Kith, Yuika Sugasawa
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: Juliet Twemlow (Yellow) 81’, Pietra Tordin (Yellow) 90+3’
URA: N/A
MATCH STATS
POR | URA
Goals: 1|1
Assists: 1|0
Shots: 14|12
Saves: 6|5
Offsides: 2|0
Corner Kicks: 3|7
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