The Portland Thorns are two victories away from tying the NWSL record for consecutive wins, and it appears all is right again with the franchise that set the standard on and off the field in the league’s first decade.
This, however, has been quite an abrupt change of fortune for the Thorns, who started this season in a cloud of uncertainty as the club emerged from off-field problems and on-field questions.
A few weeks ago, the team reached the nadir of its two-year identity crisis. The Thorns had already spent an offseason going through an ownership change — a year-long process that came as the result of a forced sale following investigations into systemic abuse across the league.
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On the field, the 2024 season started as an unmitigated disaster. Portland got shellacked by the Kansas City Current on the opening day and managed only one point on from its first four games, a 2-2 draw at home against Racing Louisville that required a two-goal comeback and a stoppage-time equalizer.
“We don’t play to tie — we don’t play for a point,” midfielder
