The 2024 NWSL season kicks-off this weekend in Missouri as Portland Thorns FC and Kansas City Current face-off at CPKC Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 10am PT, and can be watched on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.
At the conclusion of their participation in the 2023 NWSL Playoffs, the Thorns went straight to work on their offseason to-do list. Since then, General Manager Karina LeBlanc has orchestrated a series of contract extensions and signings that will once again bring Portland to the front of the championship contenders list.
Hina Sugita's extension was announced back in mid-December. In January, the contracts of midfielder Gabby Provenzano and veteran defender Becky Sauerbraunn were also extended to keep them in the Rose City through at least the upcoming season. The reigning U.S. Young Female Player of the Year is also here to stay, with Olivia Moultrie extending through 2026. Free agents and club legends Christine Sinclair and Meghan Klingenberg both inked new deals to stay another year.
Through the 2024 NWSL Draft, the Thorns have signed three of their picks to professional contracts thus far – Payton Linnehan, Olivia Wade-Katoa, and Kat Asman.
Portland has also imported talent, diving into the transfer pool during the offseason. Danish defender Isabella Obaze (from FC Rosengård in Sweden) was unveiled early in the year. Soon after, Canadian international Jessie Fleming (from Chelsea FC in FA Women's Super League), Austrian defender Marie Müller (from SC Freiburg in the Frauen-Bundesliga) and Nigerian international Nicole Payne (from Paris Saint-Germain in France) were announced.
66%
In nine total matches between the Portland and Kansas City (including playoffs and Challenge Cup), the Thorns have come out on top in six of them, collecting all three points in 66% of their battles thus far.
15 to 4
Not only have the Thorns been superior in the all-time series with KCC, but they've also netted a whopping 15 goals to KCC's 4 – good for a +11 goal differential.
Déjà vu?
No you didn't dream it, you actually have experienced this before – for the second season in a row, the Thorns play their first away game of the season at Kansas City. Last March, Portland came out victorious, in a 4-1 win at Children's Mercy Park (with THAT Soph hat-trick). This year the stage is different as the Current host Portland at brand new CPKC Stadium.
10y 11m 3d
Portland, Kansas City, and season openers are no strangers to one another. In fact, the two cities gave the league its debut 10 years, 11 months, and 3 days ago once the starting whistle is blown on Saturday. Back in 2013, the Thorns took on FC Kansas City (who would later become the Utah Royals) at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kan.
8-1-1
The Thorns are 8-1-1 all-time in season opening matches. Of those 10 games, three of them were on the road (2013, 2018, 2019), earning a respectable 1-1-1 record in those away openers.
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 2024 NWSL season kicks-off this weekend in Missouri as Portland Thorns FC and Kansas City Current face-off at CPKC Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 10am PT, and can be watched on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.
At the conclusion of their participation in the 2023 NWSL Playoffs, the Thorns went straight to work on their offseason to-do list. Since then, General Manager Karina LeBlanc has orchestrated a series of contract extensions and signings that will once again bring Portland to the front of the championship contenders list.
Hina Sugita's extension was announced back in mid-December. In January, the contracts of midfielder Gabby Provenzano and veteran defender Becky Sauerbraunn were also extended to keep them in the Rose City through at least the upcoming season. The reigning U.S. Young Female Player of the Year is also here to stay, with Olivia Moultrie extending through 2026. Free agents and club legends Christine Sinclair and Meghan Klingenberg both inked new deals to stay another year.
Through the 2024 NWSL Draft, the Thorns have signed three of their picks to professional contracts thus far – Payton Linnehan, Olivia Wade-Katoa, and Kat Asman.
Portland has also imported talent, diving into the transfer pool during the offseason. Danish defender Isabella Obaze (from FC Rosengård in Sweden) was unveiled early in the year. Soon after, Canadian international Jessie Fleming (from Chelsea FC in FA Women's Super League), Austrian defender Marie Müller (from SC Freiburg in the Frauen-Bundesliga) and Nigerian international Nicole Payne (from Paris Saint-Germain in France) were announced.
66%
In nine total matches between the Portland and Kansas City (including playoffs and Challenge Cup), the Thorns have come out on top in six of them, collecting all three points in 66% of their battles thus far.
15 to 4
Not only have the Thorns been superior in the all-time series with KCC, but they've also netted a whopping 15 goals to KCC's 4 – good for a +11 goal differential.
Déjà vu?
No you didn't dream it, you actually have experienced this before – for the second season in a row, the Thorns play their first away game of the season at Kansas City. Last March, Portland came out victorious, in a 4-1 win at Children's Mercy Park (with THAT Soph hat-trick). This year the stage is different as the Current host Portland at brand new CPKC Stadium.
10y 11m 3d
Portland, Kansas City, and season openers are no strangers to one another. In fact, the two cities gave the league its debut 10 years, 11 months, and 3 days ago once the starting whistle is blown on Saturday. Back in 2013, the Thorns took on FC Kansas City (who would later become the Utah Royals) at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kan.
8-1-1
The Thorns are 8-1-1 all-time in season opening matches. Of those 10 games, three of them were on the road (2013, 2018, 2019), earning a respectable 1-1-1 record in those away openers.
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