The NWSL Playoffs are right around the corner. This Saturday, the Orlando Pride take on the Portland Thorns in a Semi-final match for a chance to play in the NWSL Championship game on Oct. 14 at Orlando City Stadium. The stakes are high, and the matchup between Orlando and Portland is a doozy.
Here is what you should know about the Pride’s Semi-final opponent:
Late-Season Form
Thorns FC closed out the regular season in winning fashion. Similar to Orlando, the Thorns improved as the season progressed and ended up winning five of their last six matches. In their final regular season match, the Thorns ousted the Chicago Red Stars, 3-1 after some costly mistakes saw the Red Stars go down early. Portland is a team known for fast starts, especially at home, so the Pride will need to match that intensity this weekend at Providence Park. Expect a high-octane first fifteen minutes on Saturday.
Offensive Threats
The strength of this Thorns FC side is in the midfield. Allie Long, Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath are quality players who move the ball well and get into dangerous attacking areas. Those three players combine well with the front line - led by Canadian superstar Christine Sinclair - to make up a dynamic offensive team. Nadia Nadim, a French international, is capable of playing either wing or down the middle. She is often in the thick of what Thorns FC tries to do going forward.
Simply put, Thorns FC has quality all over the field going forward. At this stage of the season, each team that remains has multiple scoring threats. Ashlyn Harris Pride were able to stifle the Thorns attack when the two side met in September, and Tom Sermanni will have his team geared up ready to do the same come Saturday.
Key Defensive Players
Thorns FC goalkeeper Adrianna Franch started and played all 24 regular season matches in 2017. Franch is consistent, a good shot-stopper and she rarely makes mistakes. This Semi-final will see top-quality individual battles all over the field, and the match-up between Franch and Pride striker Alex Morgan will be something to keep an eye out for. Morgan registered multiple shots on target last time she saw the Thorns keeper - this time around she will be even more motivated to find the back of Franch’s net.
Meghan Klingenberg brings experience and quality to the Thorns FC back line. The U.S. international plays on the left side of defense for Portland and she often forays up the flank to get involved in the Portland attack. This sometimes results in overloads down the left in favor of the Thorns. But Klingenberg’s willingness to get forward occasionally leaves a gap for the opposition to exploit. When the Pride win the ball of Portland before Klingenberg is able to retreat from one of her dashes forward, there could be space for players like Marta and Chioma Ubogagu to get in behind the Thorns back line.
