Adames scores twice in Reign’s 4-1 win over struggling Royals

Emeri Adames scored two goals in the second half and the Seattle Reign beat the Utah Royals 4-1 in the National Women’s Soccer League on Saturday.

It was the first multi-goal game of Adames’ career, and at 19 years and 79 days old, she became the second-youngest player to ever score two goals in an NWSL match.

Elsewhere in the NWSL on Saturday, Gotham FC beat Bay FC 2-1 at home, the North Carolina Courage won 2-1 at home against the Houston Dash, and the Portland Thorns edged the Chicago Stars 1-0 to stay undefeated at Providence Park.

At America First Field in Utah, the Reign (6-4-3) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

Ji So-Yun scored from 14 yards out after a headed pass from Maddie Dahlien in the sixth minute. Ji then returned the favor and played Dahlien through on goal for the Reign’s second goal in the 16th.

Bianca St-Georges scored for the Royals in the 31st as the Canadian forward tapped in from close range after Ally Sentnor’s strike rebounded off the post.

Ji got her second assist of the match when she slipped the ball to Adames in the 66th and the youngster found the corner with a swift left-footed shot from 12 yards to make it 3-1.

Adames converted a penalty kick in the 90th. She leads Seattle with four goals this season.

It was the first time the Reign scored four in a game since May 2023.

The Royals (1-10-2) extended their winless streak to eight and remain in last place in the NWSL standings as the league heads into a monthlong break.

Gonzalez scores league-leading 10th goal

of the season for Gotham

Esther Gonzalez scored her 10th goal of the season and Gotham came from behind to defeat Bay. The Spaniard is the top scorer in the NWSL and has already surpassed her total of nine from the 2024 season.

Gotham (5-5-3) won its second home match of the season.

Penelope Hocking put Bay up 1-0 in the 11th minute. Hocking latched onto a looping pass from Hannah Bebar and poked the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger in the Gotham goal.

Gonzalez got Gotham’s equalizer in the 29th when she pounced on a loose pass in the box by Alyssa Malonson.

Geyse netted the winning goal for Gotham in the 55th. Nealy Martin found the Brazilian with a bending 40-yard long pass out of the defense.

It was a second straight loss for Bay (4-6-3). The San Jose-based team has lost all three of its meetings with Gotham since joining the NWSL in 2024.

Befort completes comeback for Courage

Hannah Betfort scored the winning goal in North Carolina’s comeback victory.

The Courage (5-5-3) are on a two-game winning streak and are up to ninth in the NWSL standings, outside the playoff places on goal difference alone. It was the second consecutive game head coach Sean Nahas missed due to a medical issue, but he was spotted in the stands at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The Dash (3-8-2) are winless in their last five games.

Avery Patterson put Houston ahead 1-0 in the opening minute of the match. The deflected strike from inside the box came after just 52 seconds and was the fastest goal in Dash history.

Acting head coach Nathan Thackeray made a triple substitution in the 66th minute, putting Jaedyn Shaw, Ashley Sanchez and Betfort into the game.

Dash midfielder Sarah Puntigam was sent off for a second yellow card for a foul on Shaw in the 70th.

Shaw scored the equalizer with a simple finish from the center of the box in the 71st. The goal was Shaw’s first for the Courage since joining this past offseason.

Manaka Matsukubo spotted Betfort in the box and whipped the ball towards the forward, who got just enough of a touch to score the winning goal in the 81st.

Tordin scores and Portland stays unbeaten at home.

Pietra Tordin scored the only goal and the Thorns (6-3-4) remained undefeated at Providence Park this season. Portland hasn’t dropped a game at home in nine straight matches dating back to last year.

After a scoreless first half, Sam Coffey crossed the ball to the back post for Tordin to smash home her third goal of the season in the 59th minute.

Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby recorded a team record 27th NWSL clean sheet, making three saves.

The Stars (1-7-3) are winless in their last nine games.

Two-time World Cup winning U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher missed a third consecutive match for Chicago due to an upper extremity injury.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer