Utah Royals FC played their second ever home game on Saturday, April 28, tying 1-1 against the NWSL defending cup champions, Portland Thorns FC.In front of 8,446 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium,URFCforward Amy Rodriguez scored her first goal for the club in the 53rd minute, juking GK Britt Eckerstrom before slotting the ball to the side-netting. A-Rod's presence sparked an increase in possession and scoring opportunities for the Utah side, but, ultimately wasn’t enough to keep the lead. A late second-half goal by Portland’s Tobin Heath kept URFC from securing their first win. Was a draw against last year's champs enough to move the team in the power rankings? Check out the latest NWSL rankings report and share your thoughts below.
Change: ▼ 1
Last week: 6
“Utah Royals FC made headway in Week 4 when they scored two goals against the league-leading Courage, and Week 5 saw similar growth. Utah Royals FC earned a point at home against the Thorns thanks to the 1-v-1 work and finesse from forward Amy Rodriguez. Utah Royals FC are still in search of their first franchise win and will get to play at home again this week when they welcome the Spirit to Rio Tinto.”
URFC will now play the second leg of a four-game home campaign on Saturday, May 5, against the Washington Spirit. Watch as head coach Laura Harvey continues the search for her first win in Utah Royals FC history, welcoming USWNT players like Mallory Pugh, and Ashley Hatch to the fortress of Rio Tinto Stadium. You can catch the action on KMYU, the KSL app, or listen to the 7:00 p.m. MT kick on ESPN700.
