Lindsey Horan's Goal Gives Portland The NWSL Championship

An emphatic Lindsey Horan finish off a long Emily Sonnett free kick proved to be the decisive blow in Saturday’s NWSL Championship Game, as the Portland Thorns defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0.

Horan’s goal was very much against the run of play—a breakthrough in an intensely physical game that saw Portland get outshot 16-4. However, the Thorns rode their defense and held on to their lead through the second half to take home the franchise’s second-ever championship, after winning the NWSL’s inaugural title in 2013.

Said Thorns coach Mark Parsons, the game was “maybe the most beautiful ugly game I’ve ever been a part of.”