Portland Thorns FC (4th, 6-4-1, 19pts) are back in action on Saturday evening and in front of their own to take on North Carolina Courage (7th, 5-6-0, 15pts). Portland will look to bounce-back and reignite their winning streak following a two week international break.
Kickoff from Providence Park is set for 7pm PT. Tickets are on sale here, fans can stream the match live on ION.
The second and final regular-season meeting of the season between Portland and North Carolina will be going down at Providence Park this Saturday, and the Thorns will be looking for a little pay back following a 2-0 loss at North Carolina in mid-April. Since that matchup, the two clubs have had opposite trajectories leading up to this weekend. The Thorns began a six-game win streak while the Courage sunk into a funk that saw them lose five of seven games. Following the international break, both teams are refocused on getting back to winning ways.
Forward Tyler Lussi and midfielder Ashley Sanchez continue to be the Courage's offense, eaching having four goal involvements apiece. Centerback Kaleigh Kurtz has kept their backline competitive, leading the club in clearances and blocks per game with 5.8 and 1.1, respectively. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy has four clean sheets to her name and has saved 67.4% of her shots thus far, and have all played a role in making the Courage the fifth-best defense in the league in goals conceded per match at 1.3.
After 11 matches in the 2024 campaign, Portland has shown they have firepower. They are currently the third most effective club on offense in the league, averaging 2.2 goals per game – only behind the Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current.
Come kick off Saturday, it will have be 56 days since the Thorns' 2-0 loss in Cary, NC. Since then, the Courage have a 2-5-0 record and the Thorns are 6-1-0 over that span.
Portland's defense has also come through as the season progresses, and they find themselves in the league's top 3 of several defensive categories: interceptions per match (3rd, 12.7), possessions won in the final third (3rd, 7.6), and successful tackes per match (2nd, 14.5).
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
Portland Thorns FC (4th, 6-4-1, 19pts) are back in action on Saturday evening and in front of their own to take on North Carolina Courage (7th, 5-6-0, 15pts). Portland will look to bounce-back and reignite their winning streak following a two week international break.
Kickoff from Providence Park is set for 7pm PT. Tickets are on sale here, fans can stream the match live on ION.
The second and final regular-season meeting of the season between Portland and North Carolina will be going down at Providence Park this Saturday, and the Thorns will be looking for a little pay back following a 2-0 loss at North Carolina in mid-April. Since that matchup, the two clubs have had opposite trajectories leading up to this weekend. The Thorns began a six-game win streak while the Courage sunk into a funk that saw them lose five of seven games. Following the international break, both teams are refocused on getting back to winning ways.
Forward Tyler Lussi and midfielder Ashley Sanchez continue to be the Courage's offense, eaching having four goal involvements apiece. Centerback Kaleigh Kurtz has kept their backline competitive, leading the club in clearances and blocks per game with 5.8 and 1.1, respectively. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy has four clean sheets to her name and has saved 67.4% of her shots thus far, and have all played a role in making the Courage the fifth-best defense in the league in goals conceded per match at 1.3.
After 11 matches in the 2024 campaign, Portland has shown they have firepower. They are currently the third most effective club on offense in the league, averaging 2.2 goals per game – only behind the Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current.
Come kick off Saturday, it will have be 56 days since the Thorns' 2-0 loss in Cary, NC. Since then, the Courage have a 2-5-0 record and the Thorns are 6-1-0 over that span.
Portland's defense has also come through as the season progresses, and they find themselves in the league's top 3 of several defensive categories: interceptions per match (3rd, 12.7), possessions won in the final third (3rd, 7.6), and successful tackes per match (2nd, 14.5).
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