SANDY, Utah (Friday, April 11, 2025) - Utah Royals FC (0-1-3, 1 pt, 13th in the NWSL) fall in a 1-0 defeat to the Portland Thorns (1-2-1, 5 pts, 5th in the NWSL) at America First Field. Friday night’s loss marks the first loss to Portland since the club's reinstitution in 2024, previously 2-0-1.
Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets made three personnel changes after the last match at Kansas City prior to the international break. Starting midfielder Mikayla Cluff and forwards Brecken Mozingo and Aisha Solórzano. Ally Sentnor shifted positions, playing as the attacking midfielder instead of striker this time around. This match marked the first start of the 2025 NWSL season for both Cluff and Mozingo.
Portland got on the board first in the 14th minute when Hina Sugita latched onto a through ball played into Utah’s 18-yard box. She dribbled toward the endline before sending a ball across the six-yard box, where Reilyn Turner tapped it in at the back post.
Portland went into the break with a 1-0 lead. Utah made two changes at halftime, bringing on KK Ream and Dana Foederer for Solorzano and Cluff, respectively. The substitutes made an immediate impact, with the Royals creating a chance right away in the 47th minute. Sentnor slipped a through ball behind the defense, and Bianca St-Georges played a first-time cross into the box, but substitute Ream couldn’t convert the opportunity.
Utah kept their foot on the gas, creating multiple chances in search of an equalizer. In the 66th minute, Mozingo sent a shot wide from the right side of the 18-yard box after receiving a through ball from St-Georges. Just two minutes later, Sentnor had a shot narrowly miss the target from the top of the box after Foederer split the defense to find her lingering in space.
Defender Ana MarÃa Guzmán made her NWSL debut in the 70th minute, coming on to replace St-Georges. She made an immediate impact, registering a shot on goal just two minutes later. After beating her defender on the left wing, Guzmán attempted a cross that nearly caught the Portland goalkeeper off guard, almost sneaking into the far upper corner.
The Royals kept pushing forward, with Sentnor taking two shots in the 83rd and 88th minutes that both sailed just over the crossbar. The first came from inside the 18-yard box, while the second was from well outside—reflecting a season-long trend for Utah. Coming into this match, 71.9% of the Royals’ shots had been taken from outside the box.
Utah Royals FC remains at home for a second consecutive match, facing the Chicago Stars on April 18. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT, with a drone show scheduled to follow the final whistle. Tickets for the match are now available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/.
UTA 0 : 1 POR
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
POR: Reilyn Turner (Hina Sugita) 13’: Sugita latched onto a through ball played into Utah’s 18-yard box. She dribbled toward the endline before sending a ball across the six-yard box, where Turner tapped it in at the back post.
LINEUPS:
Utah Royals FC (4-2-3-1): Mandy McGlynn, Madison Pogarch, Ana Tejada, Kate Del Fava ©, Janni Thomsen (Macey Fraser, 78’), Mikayla Cluff (Dana Foederer, 46’), Claudia Zornoza, Ally Sentnor, Bianca St. Georges (Ana Maria Guzman, 72’) Aisha Solorzano (KK Ream, 46’), Brecken Mozingo (Imani Dorsey, 66‘)
Subs not used: Mia Justus, Lauren Flynn, Aria Nagai, Nuria Rábano
Portland Thorns (4-3-3): Bella Bixby; Jayden Perry, Sam Haitt, Reyna Reyes, Kaitlyn Torpey (Mallie Mckenzie, 69’); Sam Coffey ©, Hina Sugita (Jessie Fleming, 69’), Olivia Moultrie, Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin, 84’); Caiya Hanks (Mimi Alidou, 59’), Rellyn Turner (Alexa Spaanstra, 84’)
Subs not used: Sophie Hirst, Payton Linnehan, Daiane Limeira Santos Silva, Morgan Messner
Stats Summary: UTA / POR
Possession: 52 / 48
Shots: 9 / 11
Shots on Goal: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 2 / 3
Fouls: 18 / 10
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
POR: Caiya Hanks (Yellow Card, 9’)
UTA: Dana Foederer (Yellow Card, 62’)
UTA: Kate Del Fava (Yellow Card, 62’)
UTA: Jimmy Coenraets (Yellow Card, 86’)
URFC Next Match: 4/18 @America First Field
The Chicago Stars come to America First to take on Utah Royals on April 18 at 7:30 p.m.
