Portland, Oregon (Friday, August 29, 2025) – Utah Royals FC (2-11-5, 11 points, 13th NWSL) recorded its second win of the 2025 NWSL season, beating the Portland Thorns (7-6-5, 26 points, 6th NWSL), 2-1 on the road.
URFC coach Jimmy Coenraets made two personnel changes from last Saturday's 0-0 draw in New York, starting Dana Foederer in place of NWSL rookie Aria Nagai. Also entering the starting XI was Danish defender Janni Thomsen, who replaced Imani Dorsey, sidelined this week with a concussion sustained against Gotham last weekend.
The Royals got off to a strong start, controlling the tempo early by maintaining possession and stringing together clean, purposeful passes. URFC’s composure was tested in the 11th minute when goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn came up with a crucial save, quickly recovering to clear the danger. Aisha Solorzano was able to get the ball off the clear in the midfield and played a sharp pass forward to Paige Monaghan, who managed to get a shot off on goal, forcing a save from the Thorns keeper.
The hard work paid off just 11 minutes later when Zornoza sent a pass up the middle of the field to Monaghan, who took a perfect first touch, flicking the ball over the Thorns defender and beating her to take a right-footed shot into the back of the net. The goal marked Monaghan’s first of the 2025 campaign and the second assist of the season for Zornoza.
With the first strike of the night URFC looked to capitalize off of Portland who had struggled to bounce back after conceding first, holding a 1-5-3 record in those matches. In contrast, the Royals have shown more resilience in similar situations, with a 1-1-3 record when allowing the opening goal. The Royals headed into the locker room up 1-0 after another standout first-half performance by McGlynn, who made multiple key saves to push the Royals to five straight games without a goal conceded in the first half.
McGlynn continued to be a brick wall in goal, setting the tone early in the second half with three massive saves in the opening 10 minutes. Her sharp reflexes and positioning kept Portland off the scoresheet, anchoring the Royals' defense under sustained pressure. Coenraets made his first substitution in the 60th minute, bringing Cloé Lacasse on for Brecken Mozingo. Lacasse, recently off of SEI, entered the match with fresh legs, bringing the energy and urgency needed as the Royals pushed for what would be its second win of the season.
Late substitutions Bianca St. Georges and KK Ream made an immediate impact in the closing minutes of the match. In the 85th minute, St. Georges broke free down the right side and fired a shot on goal, forcing a save from the keeper. The rebound fell into traffic, and after a second deflection, Ream pounced on the loose ball and slotted it home, securing the Royals' second goal of the night and marking her first-ever NWSL goal at just 16 years old making herself the youngest goal scorer in NWSL history.
The Royals fought hard to earn its second win of the 2025 season, after a late Portland goal snapped the shutout streak, the milestone victory that also marked its first road win. McGlynn was instrumental once again, recording 11 saves marking a new career high and anchoring a resilient defensive effort. It was a gritty, determined performance that reflected the team’s growth and resilience.
The Utah Royals will look to extend its three-game unbeaten run when it faces the North Carolina Courage in its last leg of a three-game road stretch on September 6th at First Horizon Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT and will stream on ION.
POR 1 : 2 UTA
UTA: Paige Monaghan (Claudia Zornoza) 22’: Utah midfielder Zornoza delivered a precise long ball forward to team captain Monaghan. With a brilliant flick, Monaghan herself up for a calm composed finish into the bottom right corner.
UTA: KK REAM (Unassisted) 85’: Initial shot by St-Georges denied by the keeper, second shot by Tanaka kicked off the line before the ball fell to KK Ream to the one time finish to double the lead for Utah.
POR: Julie Dufour (Unassisted) 90+7’: Ball ricocheted off the head of Tanaka into the path of Dufour fired a one touch volley past a diving McGlynn.
LINEUPS:
Utah Royals FC (4-2-3-1): Mandy McGlynn; Janni Thomsen, Kate Del Fava, Kaleigh Riehl, Nuria Rábano; Paige Monaghan © (KK Ream 81’), Claudia Zornoza (Ana Tejada 80’), Dana Foederer (Aria Nagai, 60’), Mina Tanaka, Brecken Mozingo (Cloé Lacasse 46’); Aisha Solórzano (Bianca St-Georges, 72’)
Subs not used: Mia Justus, Madison Pogarch, Mikayla Cluff, Abby Boyan,
Head Coach: Jimmy Coenraets
Portland Thorns (4-3-3): Mackenzie Arnold; Reyna Reyes, Jayden Perry (Julie Dufour 79’), Sam Hiatt, Isabella Obaze (Mallie McKenzie, 67’); Sam Coffey ©, Hina Sugita, Olivia Moultrie; Minii Alidou (Jessie Fleming, 57’), Deyna Castellanos, Reilyn Turner (Pietra Tordin, 67’)
Subs not used: Bella Bixby, Kaitlyn Torpey, Naomi Powell, Morgan Messner, Alexa Spaanstra
Head Coach: Rob Gale
Stats Summary: POR / UTA
Possession: 47 / 53
Shots: 22 / 11
Shots on Goal: 12 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 0
Fouls: 18 / 18
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
POR: Reilyn Turner (Yellow Card - 52’)
POR: Hina Sugita (Yellow Card - 68’)
UTA: Bianca St-Georges (Yellow Card - 75’)
UTA: Paige Monaghan (Yellow Card - 79’)
