PORTLAND, Ore. (March 26, 2025) – Portland Thorns FC announced today that it has signed Canadian international forward Marie-Yasmine “Mimi” Alidou via transfer from Portuguese giant S.L. Benfica for an undisclosed fee. The deal was made prior to the closing of the primary transfer window and will see Alidou signed on with the Thorns through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

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Alidou, 29, arrives in Portland after an impressive two-year stint abroad with Benfica. In her debut season with the club in 2023, she led the team in scoring across all competitions with 26 goals (and assisted 3) on the path to winning all four domestic competitions that season as well as cementing Benfica as the first Portuguese side to reach the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Combined between both seasons, Alidou tallied 33 goals and 7 assists in 72 matches and 4,617 minutes played.

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Her first season in Portugal with Famalicão (2022-23) saw her score 12 times and assist 4 across all competitions, helping the club lift its first Taça de Portugal Femenina trophy. Additional European clubs she fielded for include Sturm Graz (Austria; 2022), Klepp (Norway; 2020-21), Sporting Huelva (Spain; 2019-20) and Linköpings FC (2018). Alidou got her professional start in France with the historic Olympique de Marseille organization, debuting in 2017.   

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In addition to her club career, Alidou arrives in Portland with international experience as a member of the Canada Women’s National Team where she shared the field with current Thorn Jessie Fleming. In 8 caps, Alidou has started 5 matches and scored 5 goals. Her most notable moment with Canada came in the form of her first international hat-trick in a dominant 7-0 victory against Chinese Taipei in the 2025 Pinatar Cup this past February.

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The Thorns’ 2025 roster as it stands can be found below by position.

Players on the season-ending injury list or on maternity leave do not hold an active roster spot for the 2025 season.

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Goalkeepers (3): Mackenzie Arnold (INTL), Bella Bixby, Morgan Messner
Defenders (7): Daiane (INTL), Sam Hiatt, Moira Kelley, Isabella Obaze (INTL), Jayden Perry, Reyna Reyes, Kaitlyn Torpey (INTL); Marie Müller (SEI), Nicole Payne (SEI)
Midfielders (7): Carissa Boeckmann, Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming (INTL), Sophie Hirst, Mallie McKenzie, Olivia Moultrie, Hina Sugita (INTL); Olivia Wade-Katoa (SEI, ML)
Forwards (7): Mimi Alidou (INTL), Deyna Castellanos, Caiya Hanks, Payton Linnehan, Alexa Spaanstra, Pietra Tordin, Reilyn Turner; Sophia Wilson (ML) Morgan Weaver (SEI) 

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The Thorns are scheduled to host North Carolina Courage this Saturday, March 29 with kickoff at Providence Park scheduled for 7 pm PT on ION.

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Fans interested in purchasing Thorns FC Annual Memberships for the 2025 season, as well as individual match tickets, are encouraged to call the ticket office at 503.509.5555, email members@thorns.com or visit thorns.com/tickets for more information.

For Media Inquiries, please contact:
Alberto Huichapa
Communications Manager
ahuichapa@thorns.com

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PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, August 15, 2026) – The Portland Thorns continued their impressive home form with a 2-1 win over Orlando Pride on Saturday when forward Caiya Hanks — who was making her return to the pitch after missing action for over a year with an ACL injury — scored a stoppage time winner to secure three points for the home side.

Both sides battled back and forth as they tried to search for the opening goal, with Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold making three saves to ensure the match remained level going into the halftime break.
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The Thorns came out into the second half much more threatening in Orlando’s half and finally broke the deadlock in the 58^th minute when forward Pietra Tordin laid the ball off to forward Deyna Castellanos, who from the top right corner of Orlando’s box placed the ball perfectly into the top left corner of the goal over the hands of Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.

The lead was short lived however when Arnold’s diving save to punch out a crossed ball in the 63^rd minute ricocheted off the knees of Orlando forward Jacqueline Ovalle and rolled into the net to level things back up.

From there, Portland and Orlando continued in their fight to search for a second and despite several good looks at goal, the match remained level.

That would all change after Hanks — who subbed on in the 88^th minute — curled the ball into the goal from outside the box in the 96^th to send Providence Park into a frenzy as the Thorns secured three points and extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 matches, nine on the season.

UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns host Denver Summit FC for the first time at Providence Park on Saturday, August 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 pm PT on ION and 910 ESPN Portland. Purchase tickets for the match HERE.

TEAM NOTES

• Pietra Tordin extended her assist tally to nine, sitting alongside Croix Bethune (KC) for most in the league so far this season. Tordin is one assist away from equalizing the league record for assists which is 10 (Tobin Heath, POR 2016 and Croix Bethune, KC 2024).  
• Deyna Castellanos scored her first goal of the 2026 season.
• Caiya Hanks, who was removed off the Season-Ending Injury list, made her return to the pitch for the first time since June 15, 2025 and scored the game-winner.
• M.A. Vignola got her first assist of the season.
• The Thorns have gone 12 home regular season matches (dating back to September 2025) without losing (8W,4D), extending the current club record.
• The Thorns have not lost at home in 2026 (6W,3D).
• In seven matches since 2018, Portland has not lost at home against Orlando (7W-0L-0D).

GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half

N/A

Second Half

POR – Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin) 58’
ORL – Jacqueline Ovalle 63’
POR – Caiya Hanks (M.A. Vignola) 90+6’

LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold (GK), M.A. Vignola, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze (Sam Hiatt 78’), Carolyn Calzada, Jessie Fleming-C, Nina Nijstad (Cassandra Bogere 85’), Pietra Tordin (Caiya Hanks 88’), Deyna Castellanos (Renee Lyles 78’), Marie Müller (Morgan Weaver 67’), Sophia Wilson

Subs not used:  Morgan Messner (GK), Reyna Reyes, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie

Orlando Pride (4-4-2): Anna Moorhouse (GK), Hailie Mace (Gabi Nunes 90+8’), Rafaelle (Zoe Matthews 89’), Cori Dyke, Oihane Hernández (Zara Chavoshi 76’), Solai Washington, Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon-C, Julie Doyle (Summer Yates 65’), Jacqueline Ovalle, Barbra Banda (Angelina 65’)

Subs not used: Cara Martin (GK), Cossette Morche, Luana, Nicole Payne

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MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

POR: N/A
ORL: Jacqueline Ovalle (Yellow) 40’, Julie Doyle (Yellow) 52’, Rafaelle (Yellow) 85’

MATCH STATS

POR | ORL

Goals: 2|1
Assists: 2|0
Possession: 51|49
Shots: 10|12
Shots on Target: 4|6
Saves: 5|2
Tackles: 16|16
Tackles Won: 9|11
Interceptions: 14|26
Fouls: 7|6
Offsides: 0|1
Corner Kicks: 0|6

ATTENDANCE: 19,106

Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Katarzyna Wasiak
Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Gaddes
4th Official: Justin St. Pierre
VAR: Danielle Chesky
Assistant VAR: Seun Yinka-Kehinde

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