**NUMBERS TO KNOW**
14 – the number of goals scored by forward Sophia Smith, Portland’s leading goalscorer. Smith accomplished the double-digit tally in 18 games, 16 of which were starts. Those 14 goals were good enough to finish second in the league, and the forward Smith also registered an 18% conversion rate. Smith’s 76 shots also lead the league and her 49 shots on goal equaled the third-place player’s tally for total shots on the year.
14 – doubly significant, the number also represents the amount of goalscorers the Thorns can boast this season ranging from Smith’s 14 to the single-goal scorers. Only four Portland players who have played in 10+ games this season have not scored, but three of those four have tallied an assist and contributed to a goal.
49 – the number of goals the Thorns scored as a team in the 22-game regular season, by far their highest amount in league play. Last year, though Portland finished top, the club scored 33 goals in 24 games. The two seasons tied for second highest were back-to-back in 2018 and 2019 when the side scored 40 goals in 24 games. This year, outside of North Carolina’s 46 goals in second place, the Thorns were 13+ goals clear of every other team in the league.
**TELL OF THE TALE**
An astounding regular season for Portland Thorns FC saw the club put together 39 points in 22 regular season games to finish second place in the Shield standings. Portland finished with a W10 D9 L6 record, producing their lowest amount of wins as a team since 2015 when they finished with six total. However, Portland lit up the scoresheet in doing so. The Thorns ended the season with a positive goal differential of 25 after leading the league in attack, and impressively, they finished with the third-lowest amount of goals conceded.
Portland won its first game of the season, 3-0, against Kansas City as attackers Morgan Weaver, Christine Sinclair, and Sophia Smith all got on the scoresheet that night. A four-game winless run followed that would serve as its longest of the season, and the club took off from there. The Thorns only suffered three losses all season – a 2-0 loss to Houston in May and back-to-back losses against San Diego and North Carolina at the end of August by a combined 5-1 scoreline. Bouncing between first and second place heading into the home stretch, Portland won three of its next four games following those losses and held first place going into the final day. However, a 3-3 draw against Gotham FC on the road that saw the Thorns let go of a two-goal lead to allow the hosts a way back in meant that OL Reign’s win later that night captured them the title instead.
One of the literal thorns in Portland’s side was the amount of draws. Its nine ties were second highest in the league behind Washington’s 10, and no other side in the top half of the table had more than seven. That said, Portland also boasted the joint-second highest win rate and showcased what it is capable of in attack. Seven of its ten wins saw the club score at least three goals and keep a clean sheet.
The season earned the Thorns a 2-seed and allowed them to experience a first-round bye. Now, San Diego Wave FC comes to Providence Park on Sunday, October 23 for the first of two semifinal matchups that evening.
**QUOTED**
Portland Thorns FC Head Coach Rhian Wilkinson
*On her impressions of the season as a whole* …
“I think it was amazing. The team probably doesn’t get the credit they deserve in that there was a lot of change after last season. A lot of coaching staff changes, and I asked a lot of them. I changed the style of play, I played with the style of play in terms of what we were going to do—three-back, four-back—and their ability to adapt and be willing to jump into the adventure with me is just something that I’m in awe of and am very grateful for. The winner of the league is truly a testament to the most consistent team and to get that close is obviously painful, but it’s also something that inspires us as well. Congratulations to the Reign because it is a true testament to the most consistent team through the season. We talked about it as a group and it wasn’t the last game that cost us the title, it was the nine ties. Nine ties in which six of them we were leading. That’s exciting, it’s upsetting, but also that’s how close we are and how fine the margins are in this league and that’s exactly what we want.”
*On her side’s balance of attack and defense* …
“I definitely thought we could have been better defensively, and I think that would be the thing that this team takes away. In offense, the confidence of our players to try things and take half chances is a testament to the great work from my staff here, especially Mike Norris my assistant who’s focused in on that with the players, giving them lots of training and a realistic training opportunity and I think to be a player like Sophia Smith and to know that not everything is on her shoulders is helpful. She can play with more freedom knowing that she’s got teammates that can also step up and can help support and get the goals. But definitely frustration, we know we could have been better defensively and even though we’re in the top three it’s an area where there were a few goals that we look back on and are disappointed with ourselves.”
*On one character attribute she would use to describe her side this season* …
“I’m going to go with brave. It’s kind of a lame word just because it’s got a lot under it but, whether it’s trying new structures or tactics, whether it’s buying into a new coach, whether it’s the bravery to let me rotate players… that all takes bravery. It’s bravery on the ball and watching players come into their own with high pressure against them and being willing to try things and knowing that their teammates have their back. It’s been a testament to this team’s willingness to go towards challenges and it’s been fun to watch.”
Portland Thorns FC defender Kelli Hubly
*On her outlook following the regular season* …
“We had a great year. Obviously coming in second is a great accomplishment and I think we’re still a little bitter that we couldn’t finish in first. But we’re looking to find ways to learn from it and grow so that we can finish the rest of the year as strong as possible.”
*On the team’s appreciation for supporters at Providence Park* …
“It’s amazing. They are actually so loud that when you’re on the field you can’t really hear the person next to you. But just hearing their energy fueling us is just amazing, and it’s hard to put into words because the energy is just flowing throughout the whole stadium. Walking out on the field and having all of those fans supporting you and cheering you, I think it’s hard for other teams to come in here. I know at Gotham in our last game, their fans were very loud and it gets in your head as the visiting team. But honestly, playing in front of them and especially if we don’t have a lot of energy, feeling their energy gives us energy.”
*On one character attribute she would use to describe her team and teammates this season* …
“I would say resilient because I feel like this past year as a team, we’ve gone through a lot. Stuff coming out last year, having to deal with that through the playoffs, getting a whole new coaching staff in the offseason, trying to learn how our new coaches were versus how our old coach, just still totally embracing everything we’ve faced. With Challenge Cup we had a rough start and we were kind of worried, but we stayed resilient and stayed on our path, and it took us to an amazing place. Second in the league is amazing to accomplish, so when things just didn’t go our way, we were super resilient and brave to get through it and to keep pushing.”

Match Highlights

Match Highlights