OL Reign vs. Portland Thorns

Portland Thorns FC vs. OL Reign
Providence Park | Portland, Oregon – Saturday, October 02 at 10 PM ET

Match facts: Fans are in for a thriller as Providence Park hosts a top-table clash between the Portland Thorns and OL Reign.

The hosts are coming off a loss to the Chicago Red Stars meanwhile the visitors put on the performance of the week last matchday after their rout over Orlando Pride. The match could turn out to be a high-scoring affair as both sides are known to lunge towards goal and they lead the NWSL with the two highest goal tallies (Reign 27, Thorns 26). Playing at home is statistically a huge advantage for Portland. They have only lost three out of 33 home matches across all NWSL competitions since June 2018. However, one of clubs who have walked away with three points at Providence Park is the Reign – doing so twice. The hosts sit top of the table with a 12-5-2 record while the visitors are behind in second with a 11-7-2 record, respectively, separated by just three points.

**Players to watch: **

Despite both teams leading the scoring charts, this match will be won and lost in the midfield.**** Portland midfielder Raquel "Rocky" Rodríguez will be crucial for the hosts as they look to maintain top spot in the table. Influential in both attack and defence, Rodríguez leads her team in tackles attempted (48), interceptions (26) and is tied for most fouls won (21). If she starts, how she helps control the tempo of the game will be key. Despite not getting on the scoresheet in the Reign’s latest victory, Jess Fishlock was another standout player who had a large impact on the flow of the game. With 465 passes in the opposition half, three goals and four assists to her name, she’s a leader in the midfield and will be the conductor for the visitors.

**Ways to watch: **Fans in the United States can watch the match on Paramount+ while fans in Canada and abroad will be able to watch on Twitch.