In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic tells the stories of players and teams as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Follow along as we track their progress as they prepare both mentally and physically for a chance to shine on the game’s biggest stage.
The Portland Thorns opened their 2023 campaign and championship defense with a big statement win at Providence Park last weekend. The 4-0 win over the Orlando Pride made it look more like a continuation of last season’s success, rather than the start of a brand new project, despite all the changes the team has gone through this offseason.
“Orlando, for us, was really a complete performance,” Sam Coffey told The Athletic on Wednesday, a day before the team was due to fly out to Kansas City for their first road trip of the season and a rematch of last year’s NWSL Championship against the Current. Coffey played a full 90 minutes on Sunday, completing 47 of her 51 passes, and she had the most touches of any of the starting midfielders. “It was a great way to start off the year. I feel excited about where the team is at, where I feel like I’m at personally.”
Coffey’s potential path to the World Cup took an unexpected turn this week, with Julie Ertz on April’s training camp roster ahead…
