March 26, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Portland Thorns FC News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC opened the 2023 NWSL regular season with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Orlando Pride on Sunday afternoon at Providence Park. Four different players scored a goal in the match (Morgan Weaver, Sophia Smith, Hina Sugita, Michele Vasconcelos) while two players tallied assists (Christine Sinclair, Smith). Notably, the victory marked Portland’s 100th regular season win as Thorns FC became the first club to reach that milestone in league history. Head coach Mike Norris also earned his first win at the helm for Portland.
Trailblazers|
Thorns FC earned their 100th NWSL regular season victory today – the first team in the league to reach that milestone. Portland has the most home wins (61) all-time and shutouts (69) while having scored a league-best 333 goals as the league enters its 10th regular season campaign. Notably, Smith has scored four goals in Thorns FC’s last three home openers (2021, 2022, 2023), becoming the first NWSL player to score in three consecutive season openers.
Goal Scorers & Playmakers
Four different Thorns FC players scored in today’s home and season opener (Weaver, Smith, Sugita, Vasconcelos). Weaver opened the scoring with a goal in the 16th minute, tallying her ninth goal for the club. Weaver has scored at least one goal in Portland’s last two home openers (2022, 2023) and has tallied two goals and two assists in the last three home openers (2021, 2022, 2023). Smith recorded a goal and an assist. It was Smith’s 22nd goal and fifth assist for Portland. Sugita tallied the third goal in the match, and her sixth with Thorns FC. Coming off the bench in the second half, Vasconcelos scored the final goal, recording her first with Portland. Christine Sinclair tallied her 16th career assist. She has recorded five points in the last three home openers (2g, 1a).
Thriving in Home Openers
Thorns FC are 10-0-0 in NWSL regular-season home openers, outscoring their opponents 30-5 in those matches. Portland has won each of its last four home openers by at least three goals, all of which were shutouts. Thorns FC and the Pride opened an NWSL season playing each other for the fourth time. It is the most common season opening pairing in NWSL history. In three season opening matches at home against Orlando, Portland is 3-0-0, outscoring the Pride 8-0 (2016, 2017, 2023). In his first match at the helm for Portland, head coach Mike…