SAN DIEGO, California (Saturday, September 28, 2024) – Portland Thorns (8-10-5, 28 points, 7th place) suffered a 2-0 loss at San Diego Wave, but remain above the playoff line with four games left in the regular season.
Throughout much of the first half, San Diego pinned the Thorns inside their own half, pestering the goal with several opportunities, including a scrappy moment in the 25th minute which saw a scuffle inside the six-yard-box, thwarted by a clearance from defender Becky Sauerbrunn.
The Thorns had a difficult time creating any real threats in the first half, settling for chances outside the 18-yard-box. Unable to sting together a goal-scoring opportunity, Portland entered the halftime break tied 0-0 with the San Diego Wave.
The second half saw Portland begin to gain some momentum, with multiple opportunities in the first few minutes, but the Wave stalwart held strong, preserving the nil-nil scoreline. In the 69th minute, a free kick from San Diego broke through the stalemate, with Mya Jones heading in a poor clearance to give her side the 1-0 lead.
San Diego doubled the lead in the 74th minute thanks to a goal from Melanie Barcenas. The Thorns would be unable to pull anything back, suffering the 2-0 loss.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns return home for a two-game week, first hosting Santa Fe for game three of the Concacaf W Champions Cup on Tuesday, October 1, before welcoming Utah Royals to Providence Park on Saturday, October 5.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN:
SD: Mya Jones 69th minute: A poor clearance left the ball floating in the air, where Jones was able to head the ball down into the back of the net.
SD: Melanie Barcenas (Maria Sanchez) 74th minute: Sanchez crossed the ball in towards Barcenas who flicked her shot past the goalkeeper.
LINEUPS:
Portland Thorns (3-5-2): Mackenzie Arnold, Isabella Obaze, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelli Hubly (Nicole Payne 82’), Reyna Reyes, Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming (, Olivia Moultire, Marie Müller, Christine Sinclair (Izzy D’Aquila 82’), Morgan Weaver (Payton Linnehan 74’)
Subs not used: Shelby Hogan, Meghan Klingenberg, Sophie Hirst, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Marissa Sheva
San Diego Wave (4-3-3): Kailen Sheridan, María Sánchez, Perle Morroni (Jaedyn Shaw 75’), Naomi Girma, Kennedy Wesley (Kaitlyn Torpey 59’), Kristen McNabb, Emily van Egmond, Danielle Colaprico, Makenzy Doniak (Melanie Barcenas 59’), Delphine Cascarino, Amirah Ali (Mya Jones 59’)
Subs not used: Hillary Beal, Kimmi Ascanio, Christen Westphal, Elyse Bennett
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
SAN DIEGO, California (Saturday, September 28, 2024) – Portland Thorns (8-10-5, 28 points, 7th place) suffered a 2-0 loss at San Diego Wave, but remain above the playoff line with four games left in the regular season.
Throughout much of the first half, San Diego pinned the Thorns inside their own half, pestering the goal with several opportunities, including a scrappy moment in the 25th minute which saw a scuffle inside the six-yard-box, thwarted by a clearance from defender Becky Sauerbrunn.
The Thorns had a difficult time creating any real threats in the first half, settling for chances outside the 18-yard-box. Unable to sting together a goal-scoring opportunity, Portland entered the halftime break tied 0-0 with the San Diego Wave.
The second half saw Portland begin to gain some momentum, with multiple opportunities in the first few minutes, but the Wave stalwart held strong, preserving the nil-nil scoreline. In the 69th minute, a free kick from San Diego broke through the stalemate, with Mya Jones heading in a poor clearance to give her side the 1-0 lead.
San Diego doubled the lead in the 74th minute thanks to a goal from Melanie Barcenas. The Thorns would be unable to pull anything back, suffering the 2-0 loss.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns return home for a two-game week, first hosting Santa Fe for game three of the Concacaf W Champions Cup on Tuesday, October 1, before welcoming Utah Royals to Providence Park on Saturday, October 5.
GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN:
SD: Mya Jones 69th minute: A poor clearance left the ball floating in the air, where Jones was able to head the ball down into the back of the net.
SD: Melanie Barcenas (Maria Sanchez) 74th minute: Sanchez crossed the ball in towards Barcenas who flicked her shot past the goalkeeper.
LINEUPS:
Portland Thorns (3-5-2): Mackenzie Arnold, Isabella Obaze, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelli Hubly (Nicole Payne 82’), Reyna Reyes, Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming (, Olivia Moultire, Marie Müller, Christine Sinclair (Izzy D’Aquila 82’), Morgan Weaver (Payton Linnehan 74’)
Subs not used: Shelby Hogan, Meghan Klingenberg, Sophie Hirst, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Marissa Sheva
San Diego Wave (4-3-3): Kailen Sheridan, María Sánchez, Perle Morroni (Jaedyn Shaw 75’), Naomi Girma, Kennedy Wesley (Kaitlyn Torpey 59’), Kristen McNabb, Emily van Egmond, Danielle Colaprico, Makenzy Doniak (Melanie Barcenas 59’), Delphine Cascarino, Amirah Ali (Mya Jones 59’)
Subs not used: Hillary Beal, Kimmi Ascanio, Christen Westphal, Elyse Bennett
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