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SANDY — Allowing zero goals in a draw against a top-five team after a 6-0 defeat a week ago will "definitely" be counted as a victory for the Utah Royals according to defender Zoe Burns.
"I think anytime that you're growing and it's visible to everyone — not just for the score, but I think how the game went — I think that you can tell how much of a difference a week has made," Burns said. "So I think going forward if we can improve like that every week that's gonna be pretty cool."
A real victory would have required goals, which the Royals had ample opportunities to find against the Portland Thorns in a 0-0 draw Saturday at America First Field.
The home team put up 25 total shots and 14 shots on goal in Utah's most aggressive offensive outing yet in 2024, but still walked away without a goal to show for it.
Rodriguez on the return of Ify Onumonu pic.twitter.com/0VpQJmaaTa
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) June 30, 2024
Forward Ify Onumonu returned to the pitch as a second-half sub after nearly three months away with an injury and had the best chance of the night on a breakaway that the Portland keeper was able to get to.
"I think we had a lot better chances this game," Onumonu said. "For me, it's looking forward and trying to bring more energy into the attack. I think we have good energy defensively and it's just bringing that energy to the attack and trying to get forward as fast as possible and try to make the most of our chances."
The Royals remain in last place in the NWSL with seven total goals on the season (the only team still in single digits) and just a single goal in the last six matches.
The stalemate was the second of the season for Utah, who now have two draws and two wins to go along with 11 losses.
The point from the draw puts Utah a point behind the Seattle Reign with a chance to get out of last place next week in Seattle on Sunday, July 7.
