With their first NWSL win since July 5th, Portland ended Orlando’s record 24-match unbeaten streak on Friday.
Thorns forward Morgan Weaver’s 13th-minute opening goal marked the first time the Pride trailed in a game since March 22nd.
Portland captain Christine Sinclair notched her 78th goal across all NWSL competitions to secure the 2-0 finish. The soon-to-retire legend’s 55th-minute strike puts her just behind league-leader Lynn Williams, who scored her 80th goal in Gotham’s 2-0 win over Chicago on Saturday.
The Pride, who secured the 2024 NWSL Shield earlier this month, notably did not start their three leading scorers: Barbra Banda, Marta, and Adriana. All entered in Friday’s second half to face a Thorns side still missing top scorer Sophia Smith due to ankle injury.
Seventh-place Portland will look to clinch their postseason spot in the NWSL season’s final two matchdays, a fact cheekily pointed out by Marta after the Thorns’s victory.
Chawinga bags NWSL scoring record
With her season’s 19th goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bay FC, Kansas City striker Temwa Chawinga surpassed former Chicago Red Star Sam Kerr’s 2019 scoring…
