The Portland Thorns go cross-country for a showdown with North Carolina Courage on Saturday, at WakeMed Soccer Park; kickoff is 4pm PT. A live broadcast of Saturday's match is available on NWSL+, the league's streaming platform.
Portland (13th, 0-2-1, 1pt) and North Carolina (3rd, 2-1-0, 6pts) will go to battle for the first time this season, the first of two meetings this year. After a week off for the international break, the Thorns will look to summon the second-half energy they showed in their dramatic come-from-behind draw against Louisville just a couple weeks ago – down 0-2 in the first half, Morgan Weaver and Sam Coffey put their capes on for the heroic 2-2 draw.
Currently third in the NWSL table, the Courage welcome Portland to Raleigh in incredible home form. The Courage have two wins from two matches at WakeMed Soccer Park this season. With a +5 goal differential at home - thanks to a 5-1, season-opening win over Houston and the 1-0 victory over Gotham - proves once again that facing North Carolina will be a challenge when they're the hosts.
Led on the attack by their scoring leader Bianca St. Georges and new dynamic playmaker Ashley Sanchez, North Carolina has the talent to defend their home turf. In fact, St. Georges currently ranks first in the league in goals per 90 minutes at 1.55, meaning she makes the most of her time on the field, whether she goes full-90 or not. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy has held it down between the sticks as she enters her fourth season with the Courage, having only allowed three goals through 270 minutes of action – good for fourth-best in the league. Head coach Sean Nahas has deployed a classic 4-3-3 formation in each of their matches this season.
Saturday's match marks the 25th all-time meeting between Portland and North Carolina. Portland currently trails in the head-to-head series with a record of 9-11-4.
In their last five encounters, the series has been very evenly matched, with some high-scoring affairs. A total of 19 goals have been scored in those matches. The two sides have split the last five matches, with a record of 1-1-3.
Fresh off an MVP-performance at the 2024 SheBelieves Cup final, forward Sophia Smith is back to club duties. Smith has contributed a goal or an assist in four of the last six matches against the Courage. Smith has been one of North Carolina's nemesis, in part due to her four goals and one assist in six career matches against the Courage.
Sam Coffey has powered-through for the Thorns during the 2024 season. She currently leads the club in accurate passes (52.6) and leads both club and league in accurate long balls (6.7) per 90 minutes.
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.
The Thorns came out into the second half much more threatening in Orlando’s half and finally broke the deadlock in the 58th 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 63rd 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 88th minute — curled the ball into the goal from outside the box in the 96th 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
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
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
The Portland Thorns go cross-country for a showdown with North Carolina Courage on Saturday, at WakeMed Soccer Park; kickoff is 4pm PT. A live broadcast of Saturday's match is available on NWSL+, the league's streaming platform.
Portland (13th, 0-2-1, 1pt) and North Carolina (3rd, 2-1-0, 6pts) will go to battle for the first time this season, the first of two meetings this year. After a week off for the international break, the Thorns will look to summon the second-half energy they showed in their dramatic come-from-behind draw against Louisville just a couple weeks ago – down 0-2 in the first half, Morgan Weaver and Sam Coffey put their capes on for the heroic 2-2 draw.
Currently third in the NWSL table, the Courage welcome Portland to Raleigh in incredible home form. The Courage have two wins from two matches at WakeMed Soccer Park this season. With a +5 goal differential at home - thanks to a 5-1, season-opening win over Houston and the 1-0 victory over Gotham - proves once again that facing North Carolina will be a challenge when they're the hosts.
Led on the attack by their scoring leader Bianca St. Georges and new dynamic playmaker Ashley Sanchez, North Carolina has the talent to defend their home turf. In fact, St. Georges currently ranks first in the league in goals per 90 minutes at 1.55, meaning she makes the most of her time on the field, whether she goes full-90 or not. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy has held it down between the sticks as she enters her fourth season with the Courage, having only allowed three goals through 270 minutes of action – good for fourth-best in the league. Head coach Sean Nahas has deployed a classic 4-3-3 formation in each of their matches this season.
Saturday's match marks the 25th all-time meeting between Portland and North Carolina. Portland currently trails in the head-to-head series with a record of 9-11-4.
In their last five encounters, the series has been very evenly matched, with some high-scoring affairs. A total of 19 goals have been scored in those matches. The two sides have split the last five matches, with a record of 1-1-3.
Fresh off an MVP-performance at the 2024 SheBelieves Cup final, forward Sophia Smith is back to club duties. Smith has contributed a goal or an assist in four of the last six matches against the Courage. Smith has been one of North Carolina's nemesis, in part due to her four goals and one assist in six career matches against the Courage.
Sam Coffey has powered-through for the Thorns during the 2024 season. She currently leads the club in accurate passes (52.6) and leads both club and league in accurate long balls (6.7) per 90 minutes.
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