Key Transactions
The Thorns signed midfielder Sam Coffey to a two-year contract this offseason. Coffey was the club’s 12th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft out of Penn State University. During the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular season, Coffey has started all eight games for the Thorns and is second on the team with 664 minutes played. She was recently named to her first U.S. WNT roster.
Recent Form
Portland enters the match on a four-game unbeaten streak and currently sit third in the NWSL standings with 13 points on the season. The club leads the league in goals scored with 15 and also has a league-best plus-eight goal differential. In the Thorns last game, they defeated the Houston Dash 4-0 at PNC Stadium after earning a 2-2 against the San Diego Wave at Torero Stadium in what was two road games in four days.
Who’s Hot
Thorns forward Sophia Smith has scored six goals during the regular season campaign, which is second-best in the NWSL. Smith has scored from the penalty spot in back-to-back games with the first coming in the 23rd minute against the Wave and the second coming in the team’s most recent victory over the Dash. Smith would add on another goal against the Dash giving her three goals to go along with an assist in her last two games.
Head-to-Head
This is the first match between the two sides during the 2022 season. Last season, the teams squared off three times with both teams going 1-1-1. In the first game, the Pride picked up a 2-1 victory at Exploria Stadium with goals coming from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux. The Thorns earned a win in the second matchup at Providence Park with the same scoreline, 2-1. In the third and final matchup of the season, the two sides returned to Exploria Stadium and played to a 1-1 draw. The Pride‘s last win at Providence Park came on May 12, 2018 when they earned a 2-1 victory, backed by goals from Morgan and Chrstine Nairn.
Rasmussen University Fun Fact
In Portland’s last game against the Houston Dash, midfielder Olivia Moultrie scored in the 74th minute. It was her first career regular season goal and with it, she became the youngest player in NWSL history to score at 16 years old.
