Sophia Smith opened the scoring aboriginal and the Portland Thorns ne'er looked backmost successful a 2-0 triumph implicit the Kansas City Current to triumph the 2022 National Women's Soccer League title.
League MVP Smith struck successful 4th infinitesimal and was successful connected the play that led to Portland's 2nd courtesy of an ain extremity by the Current's Addisyn Merrick soon aft half-time successful the NWSL Championship lucifer astatine Audi Field successful Washington, D.C.
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The triumph makes it a NWSL grounds 3rd rubric for the Thorns, who won the league's inaugural title crippled successful 2013 and lifted the trophy again successful 2017.
The Current had a costly turnover earlier Smith went down the field, maneuvered astir goalkeeper Adrianna Franch and deftly scored successful the 4th minute.
Smith astir had different extremity successful the 27th minute, but her changeable went conscionable wide and is conscionable the 2nd MVP recipient to people successful the title game, joining Lynn Williams for North Carolina successful 2016. At 22, she's besides the youngest subordinate to people successful a league final.
Moments aft the Merrick ain goal, Morgan Weaver had a changeable from region but Franch got a manus connected it earlier it deed the crossbar and caromed away.
The NWSL was rocked this period by the Yates study that showed systemic maltreatment and misconduct, spanning aggregate teams, coaches and victims, with the Portland Thorns 1 of the teams astatine the halfway of the investigation.
Audi Field was astir sold retired for the crippled -- which was broadcast successful primetime connected web tv for the archetypal clip -- with immoderate fans holding up a motion that read: "Support The Players."
Portland had a first-round bye successful the playoffs and bushed the San Diego Wave 2-1 successful the semifinals to beforehand to the title game.
Smith, the No. 1 prime successful the 2020 NWSL draught and a subordinate of the United States nationalist team, scored 15 goals for the Thorns implicit the people of the regular play and playoffs and was besides named MVP of the Championship game.
The Current began play successful 2021 arsenic an enlargement team, with galore of its players coming implicit from the defunct Utah Royals. Last play they finished successful past spot successful the league.
The Washington Spirit won past year's NWSL championship.
Information from the Associated Press was utilized successful this story.
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