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NWSL Portland Thorns FC

Thorns FC Open 2023 NWSL Season with 4-0 Victory over Orlando Pride at Providence Park

March 26, 2023 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Portland Thorns FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Thorns FC opened the 2023 NWSL regular season with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Orlando Pride on Sunday afternoon at Providence Park. Four different players scored a goal in the match (Morgan Weaver, Sophia Smith, Hina Sugita, Michele Vasconcelos) while two players tallied assists (Christine Sinclair, Smith). Notably, the victory marked Portland's 100th regular season win as Thorns FC became the first club to reach that milestone in league history. Head coach Mike Norris also earned his first win at the helm for Portland.

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Thorns FC earned their 100th NWSL regular season victory today - the first team in the league to reach that milestone. Portland has the most home wins (61) all-time and shutouts (69) while having scored a league-best 333 goals as the league enters its 10th regular season campaign. Notably, Smith has scored four goals in Thorns FC's last three home openers (2021, 2022, 2023), becoming the first NWSL player to score in three consecutive season openers.

Goal Scorers & Playmakers

Four different Thorns FC players scored in today's home and season opener (Weaver, Smith, Sugita, Vasconcelos). Weaver opened the scoring with a goal in the 16th minute, tallying her ninth goal for the club. Weaver has scored at least one goal in Portland's last two home openers (2022, 2023) and has tallied two goals and two assists in the last three home openers (2021, 2022, 2023). Smith recorded a goal and an assist. It was Smith's 22nd goal and fifth assist for Portland. Sugita tallied the third goal in the match, and her sixth with Thorns FC. Coming off the bench in the second half, Vasconcelos scored the final goal, recording her first with Portland. Christine Sinclair tallied her 16th career assist. She has recorded five points in the last three home openers (2g, 1a).

Thriving in Home Openers

Thorns FC are 10-0-0 in NWSL regular-season home openers, outscoring their opponents 30-5 in those matches. Portland has won each of its last four home openers by at least three goals, all of which were shutouts. Thorns FC and the Pride opened an NWSL season playing each other for the fourth time. It is the most common season opening pairing in NWSL history. In three season opening matches at home against Orlando, Portland is 3-0-0, outscoring the Pride 8-0 (2016, 2017, 2023). In his first match at the helm for Portland, head coach Mike Norris earned his first NWSL win. He became the fifth coach in team history to win the club's home opener, while also becoming the fourth Thorns FC coach to earn their first win in their first game.

Goal-Scoring Plays

POR - Morgan Weaver, 16th minute: Sinclair took a right-footed shot inside the 18-yard box, forcing a save on Orlando's goalkeeper. Weaver, standing inside the six-yard box finished the play slotting the ball into the middle of the net.

POR - Sophia Smith (Christine Sinclair), 22nd minute: While pressing Orlando's possession in their 18-yard box, Sinclair blocked an attempted clearance and got off a quick cross towards the penalty spot. Smith ran onto the ball, firing a one-time shot into the back of the net.

POR - Hina Sugita, 49th minute: Smith drove the ball into the left side of the 18-yard box, cutting through an Orlando defender and shooting a right-footed ball to force a save from the Pride goalkeeper, who was standing in the middle of the goal. Off the second ball, Sugita finished the play with a left-footed shot into the top of the middle of the net.

POR - Michele Vasconcelos (Sophia Smith), 76th minute: Smith dribbled down the right wing, beating two defenders and sliding a low ball into the middle of the six-yard box. Vasconcelos, standing between two Orlando defenders, slid for the ball and poked it into the back of the net.

Notes:

Today's match was Portland's 100th regular season win, becoming the first NWSL team to reach that milestone.

Thorns FC are 10-0-0 in home openers, outscoring opponents 30-5 in those matches.

Portland has won each of its last four home openers by at least three goals, all of which were shutouts.

Head coach Mike Norris earned his first win at the helm for Thorns FC.

Thorns FC have outscored the Pride 12-0 in their last three matches.

Weaver, Smith, Sugita and Vasconcelos scored a goal each in today's match.

Weaver scored her ninth goal for Thorns FC.

Weaver has tallied two goals and two assists in the last three home openers (2021, 2022, 2023).

Smith recorded her 22nd goal and fifth assist for Portland.

Smith has scored four goals in the last three home openers for Portland (2021, 2022, 2023), becoming the first NWSL player to score in three consecutive NWSL season openers.

Sugita slotted her sixth goal for Portland.

Vasconcelos scored her first goal for the club. Notably, the goal was her first since April 2019, when she scored against Thorns FC.

Sinclair tallied her 16th career assist today, recording five points in the last three home openers (2g, 1a).

When playing at Providence Park, Portland has suffered just four losses in its last 23 matches at Providence Park in NWSL regular season play.

Thorns FC have scored in each of their last eight matches in the league, scoring 20 goals in that run.

Portland tallied 16 shots on goal in the match.

Natalia Kuikka had a game-high 19 recoveries.

Rookie Izzy D'Aquila made her professional debut, entering the match as a second-half substitute.

Next Game

Thorns FC will travel to face the Kansas City Current on the road on Saturday, April 1 at Children's Mercy Park. The match will kick off at 9:50 a.m. (Pacific) and will feature a national broadcast on CBS.

Portland Thorns FC (1-0-0, 3pts) vs. Orlando Pride (0-1-0, 0pts)

March 26, 2022 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Thorns FC 2 2 4

Orlando Pride 0 0 0

Scoring Summary:

POR: Weaver, 16

POR: Smith (Sinclair), 22

POR: Sugita, 49

POR: Vasconcelos (Smith), 76

Misconduct Summary:

ORL: Cluff (caution), 10

ORL: Doyle (caution), 70

ORL: undefined (caution). 71

ORL: Cosme (caution), 72

Lineups:

POR: GKBixby, D Klingenberg, D Hubly (Nally, 77), D Sauerbrunn, D Kuikka, M Coffey, M Sinclair © (Rodríguez, 81), M Dunn (Moultrie, 63), F Weaver (Vasconcelos, 63), F Sugita, F Smith (D'Aquila, 77)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Hogan, D Menges, D McGrady, D Reyes, M Porter, F Betfort

TOTAL SHOTS: 27 (Smith, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 16 (Smith, Weaver, 3); FOULS: 10 (Coffey, Smith, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 1

ORL: GK Moorhouse, D Strom, D Cosme, D Madril, D McCutcheon, M Abello, M Adriana, M Bright (Bugeja, 67), F Marta © (Yates, 54), F Cluff ((Listro, 67), F Doyle

Substitutes Not Used: GK Nelson, D Jimenez, D Montefusco, M Tymrak, M Villacorta, F Watt

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Four players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Adriana, 1); FOULS: 8 (Doyle, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 12

Referee: Eric Tattersall

Assistant Referees: Melissa Beck, Katarzyna Wasiak

Fourth Official: Corbyn May

VAR: Kevin Scott

Weather: Cloudy, 46 degrees

Attendance: 15,204

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from March 26, 2023


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