A promising season for a young Portland Thorns team hit a frustrating low on Friday, as they dropped a 2-1 decision to the last-place Utah Royals in front of 16,066 fans at Providence Park.

Utah (2-11-5, 11 points) pulled a point ahead of Chicago to rise out of the league cellar. The Royals got a goal from Paige Monaghan in the 22nd minute and an insurance marker in the 85th minute from 16-year-old KK Ream, who became the youngest goal-scorer in NWSL history with the first of her career.

Recent acquisition Julie Dufour pulled one goal back in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time for Portland (7-6-5, 26 points), which has lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season. The Thorns have conceded multiple goals in four of five games since returning from the league’s six

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