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NWSL Season Preview: Portland Thorns FC

A look at what’s ahead for the Thorns in the 2023 campaign

The 2023 season is rapidly approaching with the NWSL kicking off this Saturday, March 25! The 11th year of league action will feature 12 teams with the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup featuring mid-season.

In a team-by-team preview, we’ll break down each squad’s big moves, massive matches, and more of what to know as we get ready for the regular season opener.

Portland Thorns FC
2022 Season: 2nd | 10-3-9 – 39 points

Big Additions:

  • Izzy D’Aquila – 2023 NWSL Draft No. 12 overall pick

Key Games:

  • March 26: Orlando Pride (H) – Regular Season Opener
  • April 19: San Diego Wave FC (A) – Challenge Cup Opener 
  • June 3: OL Reign (A) – Cascadia Rivalry

What to Expect:
The Thorns finished an incredible year by winning their third NWSL Championship with a 2-0 victory over Kansas City, despite missing out on a regular-season title. Portland is now one of the favorites to win the regular season under Mike Norris as head coach, and if their talent on paper comes through on the field once more, they could be back in the title decider.

There aren’t many new players to talk about, but drafting Izzy D’Aquila to give the club more forward depth will only strengthen an already strong attacking line. The club’s most memorable draft pick-midfielder Reyna Reyes, who was chosen with the fifth pick in the NWSL Draft-is still in agreement discussions.

Regardless of this, Portland is running it back with goalkeeper Bella Bixby, a slew of defenders, including Kelli Hubly, Meghan Klingenberg, Natalia Kuikka, Becky Sauerbrunn, and others, in an effort to build on their 2022 defense, which was one of the best in the league. Sam Coffey, Crystal Dunn, Olivia Moultrie, Hina Sugita, and others compete for limited space in the midfield just ahead of them. Choosing who to field in the future may present Norris with a selection headache, but it is the best problem to have.

D’Aquila and Morgan Weaver will try to make even more contributions this season to the aforementioned attack that includes Christine Sinclair, who recently signed a one-year extension following the success of the previous season. However, the scoreboard and the crowd will be lit up by the seemingly always-in-form Sophia Smith, who returns and remains one of the league’s most potent finishers. The injury to Janine Beckie, which will prevent her from participating in the Women’s World Cup, was one of the only negative aspects of the club’s preseason.

The Thorns’ ability to once again defend well and continue to unlock their prolific attack will be the differentiator with all eyes on Portland’s run to repeat.

NWSL Season Preview: Orlando Pride

A look at what’s ahead for the Orlando Pride in the 2023 campaign

The 2023 season is rapidly approaching with the NWSL kicking off this Saturday, March 25! The 11th year of league action will feature 12 teams with the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup featuring mid-season.

In a team-by-team preview, we’ll break down each squad’s big moves, massive matches, and more of what to know as we get ready for the regular season opener.

Orlando Pride
2022 Season: 10th | 5-10-7 – 22 points

Big Additions:

  • Adriana – Acquired via Corinthians in Brazil’s top flight, scored 12 goals in 34 games including nine times in 2022
  • Emily Madril – 2023 NWSL Draft No. 3 overall pick
  • Messiah Bright – 2023 NWSL Draft No. 21 overall pick

Key Games:

  • March 26: Portland Thorns FC (A) – Regular Season Opener
  • April 2: Angel City FC (H) – Regular Season Home Opener
  • April 19: North Carolina Courage (H) – Challenge Cup Opener

What to Expect:
The Pride will now look to build under interim head coach Seb Hines, who saw the interim tag removed and will take charge with a point to prove heading into his first full season as the team’s head coach.

Jordyn Listro, Erika Tymrak, and Ally Watt all re-signed ahead of 2023 as Orlando’s offseason began with the signing of new contracts or extension deals for a number of players. However, Brazilian star Marta, whose ACL injury prevented her from playing in 2022, is without a doubt the player that fans have been eagerly anticipating her return. With the addition of forward Adriana, who transferred from Brazilian side Corinthians in the offseason and will look to assist in bolstering the attack, she will not be the only Pride player to represent her country at the club level as she approaches her seventh season with the Pride.

The Pride did lose six of the 14 players who played at least 15 games last season, but a young crop of draftees, like defender Emily Madril, who was picked third out of this year’s talent, and forwards Messiah Bright and Summer Yates, will have a chance to make an immediate impact. Adding to its childhood is midfielder Viviana Villacorta, who was the 10th choice in the 2021 draft and just adds to the side’s true capacity as its center will blend its veteran involvement with new faces.

Orlando will have a new coach in charge as it tries to move up the table and improve on where it was in 2022. However, the team still has a chance of returning to the postseason if everything goes according to plan.

NWSL Season Preview: OL Reign

A look at what’s ahead for OL Reign in the 2023 campaign

With the NWSL starting on March 25th, the 2023 season is quickly approaching! Twelve teams will compete in the league for its 11th season, with the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup taking place midway through the season.

As we get ready for the regular season opener, we will break down each team’s major moves, major matches, and more in a team-by-team preview.

Season of OL Reign in 2022: First Place | 11-4-7 – 40 points

Bigger Additions:
Elyse Bennett, acquired from the Kansas City Current, scored three goals and contributed to two others during the regular season and Challenge Cup. Luany, a Brazilian midfielder who most recently played for Gremio in the Serie A1, also scored three goals. Emily Sonnett, acquired from the Washington Spirit, played in the following games:

March 26: Washington Spirit (A) – April 15: First game of the regular season: Home opener of the regular season for San Diego Wave FC (H) on April 19: An Overview of Angel City FC (A)’s Challenge Cup

The First Game:
Going into the 2023 season, Old Rule will have a gathering of natural faces, and considering that they completed first in the association last year, it would be elusive many individuals who view that as an issue. As of Monday, March 20, Laura Harvey and her staff had retained 24 of the 27 rostered players from the 2022 season.

For instance, Kansas City and Washington’s Elyse Bennett and Emily Sonnett are both regulars, and the club’s acquisitions will undoubtedly contribute. Bennett had three goals in the regular season last year, and Sonnett, who is considered to be one of the best defensive backs in the league, will help support a back line that gave up the fewest goals in association play last season (19).

In any case, even without the augmentations, the Rule would in any case introduce themselves as quite possibly of the most incredibly complete group, with Sofia Huerta, Rose Lavelle, and Megan Rapinoe from the US Ladies’ Public Group dispersed all through. It is anticipated that standout Phallon Tullis-Joyce will play goal once more with Huerta, Alana Cook, Sam Hiatt, and Lu Barnes serving as regular starters in front of her. In the midfield, Jess Fishlock, Quinn, and Nikki Stanton are competing with Lavelle, and Luany, a new signing, adds depth.

As the Reign attempt to reclaim their position at the top, all four forwards—Bethany Balcer, Jordyn Huitema, Tziarra King, and Veronica Latsko—have returned to the team to run alongside Rapinoe and Bennett.

Whether they are On the planet Cup year, Old Rule seem to have every one of the elements for another fruitful mission. The question is whether they can replicate last year’s success or whether familiarity will cause complacency, something Harvey and her staff can only avoid.

NWSL Preview: San Diego Wave FC (0-0-0) vs Chicago Red Stars (0-0-0)

Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California – Saturday, March 25 at 10:00 PM ET

Players to watch:

The San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan set the pace last season by winning the Golden Boot and scoring 15 goals in 17 games. This season, she will undoubtedly be expected to keep scoring goals. Morgan’s rate of 0.94 goals per 90 minutes is the highest, surpassing Christen Press’s 0.97 goals per game in 11 Red Stars games in 2015. However, no player in history has ever scored more than 15 goals in a single game. After winning NWSL Protector of the Year and NWSL The New Hotness awards following a heavenly mission last year, back-up Naomi Girma will be another player to watch throughout 2023.

Mallory Swanson, a forward for the Chicago Red Stars, is one of the few forwards in the league who can consistently score a lot of goals. Last year, Swanson was tied for first place in assists with 11 goals and six enrollees. She additionally tied Morgan and Sophia Smith of Portland for most absolute objective commitments with 17 objectives contributed. Penelope Hocking, a draftee who was selected first and No. After a few departures, 1, will assist Swanson in attack this year. seventh in the NWSL Draft in 2023. Julia Bianchi, a former Palmeiras midfielder in Brazil’s first class, and Cari Roccaro’s appearance from Holy messenger City FC in the midfield will help provide stability behind that forward line.

Match Details: At least 23,500 fans are anticipating the start of the Wave’s regular season when they take on the Chicago Red Stars at Snapdragon Stadium in a rematch of the NWSL Playoffs’ First Round matchup from last year. Morgan’s objective in the 110th moment isolated the groups for good after the two groups went to additional time tied at 1-1.

The hosts’ inaugural campaign, in which they finished tied for third in points (W10 D6 L6), will be an exciting one if everything goes according to plan. The only NWSL team to finish its inaugural season with a higher point total—49 (W16 D1 L7, excluding the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013)—was the North Carolina Courage. There is little reason to believe San Diego cannot achieve even greater heights as they begin a promising year. They have numerous returning players in addition to a fair number of outstanding newcomers.

Swanson’s return, along with other key players at the top of the field and in the club’s midfield, will help the Chicago Red Stars take on the competition head-on, despite having their fair share of faces to replace. If Chicago’s head coach Chris Petrucelli, who is in his second season with the team, is able to get his team to start working together, it might surprise some people as they try to get back to the postseason. The Red Stars’ defense, which includes Tatumn Milazzo and Arin Wright, has the potential to move in the right direction, and Alyssa Naeher’s return as a goalkeeper is a boost in and of itself.

NWSL Preview: North Carolina Courage (0-0-0) vs Kansas City Current (0-0-0)

WakeMed Soccer Park | Cary, North Carolina – Saturday, March 25 at 2:00 PM ET

Players to watch:

Kerolin, a forward for the North Carolina Courage, will be given some of the responsibility for regaining the offensive output that will be lacking after leading scorers Debinha (12 points) and Diana Ordóez (11 points) left during the offseason. Kerolin established herself as one of the league’s best attackers by scoring six goals last season, combining speed with excellent finishing to win the 2022 Challenge Cup. The offseason acquisition of Tyler Lussi will also attempt to assist in that area. Kaleigh Kurtz, a defender, and Tess Boade, a forward, and Brittany Ratcliffe, a forward, were the only other returning players to score multiple goals last year.

Discussing Debinha, the Brazilian star chose to move to Kansas City during the offseason. He will be in the same place as Kristen Hamilton, Cece Kizer, and other returning attacking talent. The return of midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta, who, along with Kizer, led the team in scoring with seven goals last year, will please fans. The MAC Hermann Trophy winner from 2022, Michelle Cooper, is also back, and the rookie hopes to get her season off to a good start. However, a challenge this year is not guaranteed by the Current’s attack on its own. Adrianna “Promotion” Franch, the goalkeeper, and a large number of different protectors, including Kate Del Fava, Alex Loera, Hailie Mace, and others, are back.

Match Details: As the North Carolina Courage host the Kansas City Current to kick off the 2023 NWSL Season, the headlines are writing themselves as Debinha returns to the WakeMed Soccer Park after six years in North Carolina. The hosts are hoping to remake while the meeting Current are moving forward expecting to gather speed.

The previous season, the Courage scored in almost every game, but they only managed one goal, which was equal to Portland’s 2022 total. How quickly North Carolina can get along with a mix of new and returning players will be a challenge if they want to stay competitive starting on Saturday. There are unquestionably a lot of gaps to fill with the departures of Debinha and Ordóez as well as the veteran defenders Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg. Sean Nahas, the team’s second-year head coach, and his players will have every incentive to succeed in the face of a significant obstacle.

In addition to having a strong group of returning players, Kansas City also has a strong group of new players. Debinha isn’t the only one who will draw attention in 2023; the club’s spine and core group are nearly all back. Hanna Glas, a defender who joined FC Bayern Munich after a few successful years in the Frauen-Bundesliga, will add even more defensive quality. During the previous regular season, Kansas City was the only team to not lose a game in which they scored at least one goal (10W, 6D).

The Challenge Cup was won by the Current last year, and the Courage and Current have split the matchup evenly, with the Courage winning two games and drawing two. However, Kansas City won both of its most recent matches, both of which were regular-season contests played the year before.

MLS Preview: New York City FC (2-1-1) at Houston Dynamo FC (1-2-0)

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This will be the first time the Houston Dynamo FC and the New York City FC have met since August 2019, when NYCFC won 3-2 at home. It will also be the first time they have met in Houston in nearly five years, since May 2018, when the Dynamo won 3-1. Houston FC has not defeated New York City FC since that victory (D2 L2).

Saturday, Houston Dynamo FC defeated Austin FC 2-0 at home to earn their first point of the season. Since early September 2020, when they defeated Inter Miami FC and the San Jose Earthquakes in April 2022, the Dynamo have only won consecutive league games once.

After only securing one point from its first two 2023 matches, New York City FC won both of its matches at home. The club has the second-best start to a MLS season with seven points through four games, trailing only the 10 points it had in its first four games in 2018.

In Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Austin FC, Houston’s Hector Herrera scores his first MLS goal. Herrera took five shots in the match, making it only the second time in more than a decade that he has taken five or more shots in a league match. In November 2019, Herrera will take five shots for Atletico de Madrid against Espanyol in the La Liga.

In Saturday’s victory over D.C. United, New York City FC, Santiago Rodriguez scored and assisted. Only FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta (21) has more assists in that time than he has in MLS play since the start of the previous season (including playoffs). This was his 18th assist in that span.

NFL Transactions 3-23-23

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The following are the NFL transactions for Thursday, March 23. Transactions will be published each day after they are circulated to NFL clubs. This public version will include waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades. 

WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTION


TERMINATION OF VESTED VETERAN

TAMPA BAY
    Succop, RyanKSouth Carolina   
 


TRADE
  No. 9NEW YORK JETS TRADE:   Moore, ElijahWRMississippi   Selection Choice–Round 3, 2023; Overall #74CLEVELAND TRADES:   Selection Choice–Round 2, 2023; Overall #42


ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS


FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
    Parham, DonaldTEStetson University   

NEW ENGLAND
    Waitman, CorlissPSouth Alabama   
 NEW YORK GIANTS
    McCain, BobbyDBMemphis   

NEW YORK JETS
    Pankey, AdamGWest Virginia   



FREE AGENCY SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS


SIGNING:  FRANCHISE PLAYER

DALLAS
    Pollard, TonyRBMemphis   
SIGNING:  PLAYER WHOSE CLUB RETAINED EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS

JACKSONVILLE
    Patterson, RileyKMemphis   


SIGNINGS:  UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

ARIZONA
    Daley, DennisTSouth Carolina   
         Old Club: TENNESSEE

BUFFALO
    Edwards, DavidGWisconsin   
         Old Club: LOS ANGELES RAMS

CHICAGO
    Cole, DylanLBMissouri State   
         Old Club: TENNESSEE

CLEVELAND
    Dobbs, JoshuaQBTennessee   
         Old Club: TENNESSEE

GREEN BAY
    Hollins, JustinLBOregon   

JACKSONVILLE
    Johnson, D’ErnestRBSouth Florida   
         Old Club: CLEVELAND

KANSAS CITY
    Nnadi, DerrickDTFlorida State   
 LAS VEGAS
    Cole, KeelanWRKentucky Wesleyan   
    Hooper, AustinTEStanford   
         Old Club: TENNESSEE
    Shelley, DukeDBKansas State   
         Old Club: MINNESOTA
 MIAMI
    Van Ginkel, AndrewLBWisconsin   

MINNESOTA
    Bradbury, GarrettCNorth Carolina State   
    Powell, BrandonWRFlorida   
         Old Club: LOS ANGELES RAMS

NEW ENGLAND
    Ekuale, DanielDTWashington State   
NEW ORLEANS
    Abram, JohnathanDBMississippi State   
         Old Club: SEATTLE
    Yiadom, IsaacDBBoston College   

NEW YORK GIANTS
    Crowder, JamisonWRDuke   
         Old Club: BUFFALO
    Oruwariye, AmaniDBPenn State   
         Old Club: DETROIT
    Sweeney, TommyTEBoston College   
         Old Club: BUFFALO

NEW YORK JETS
    Hardman, MecoleWRGeorgia   
         Old Club: KANSAS CITY

SAN FRANCISCO
    Bryant, AustinLBClemson   
         Old Club: DETROIT

TAMPA BAY
    Gaines, GregNTWashington   
         Old Club: LOS ANGELES RAMS
    O’Connor, PatDEEastern Michigan   

WASHINGTON
    Scott, TrentonTGrambling   
         Old Club: PITTSBURGH

NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (34-38) at Portland Trail Blazers (32-40)

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When the Chicago Bulls visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, they are looking for their sixth victory in eight games and are exhibiting signs of making a late-season dash.

Chicago (34-38) is in tenth spot in the Eastern Gathering, having the last play-in compartment by 1 1/2 games over the Indiana Pacers. However, the Bulls are also just one and a half games behind the Toronto Raptors, who are in ninth place, and the Atlanta Hawks, who are in eighth place.

The Chicago Bulls split two games with the Philadelphia 76ers, who are currently in third place. On Monday, the Bulls won in double overtime by a score of 109-105, but on Wednesday, they lost 116-91 at home.

In the rematch, the Bulls overcame early deficits of 17-0 and 23-1.

The team begins a three-game road trip with a matchup against Portland (32-40) on Sunday and two games against the Clippers on Monday in Los Angeles.

After suffering a strain to his right quadriceps during the third quarter of Wednesday’s game, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan’s availability is in question. DeRozan scored just four points for the season, missing all seven of his field goal attempts.

The injury to DeRozan did not particularly concern Chicago center Nikola Vucevic.

DeRozan was having a five-game scoring spree prior to Wednesday’s injury, during which he averaged 31.6 points and scored a season-high 49 points in a double-overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Portland is opening a five-game homestand and it can’t bear the cost of a lot more misfortunes. The group is 3 1/2 games back of the last two Western Gathering play-in spots.

With their road victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, the Trail Blazers ended a six-game losing streak.

Damian Lillard, a star player for Portland, scored 30 points and had 12 assists, matching his season-high, as the Trail Blazers won for just the fourth time in the last 15 games.

With starters Jerami Award (quadriceps) and Anfernee Simons (foot) out of the arrangement, first-round draft pick Shaedon Sharpe and undrafted second-year ace Trendon Watford got a move on.

Sharpe enlisted vocation highs of 24 places, nine bounce back and four takes, while Watford matched his season best of 21 focuses to give Portland some genuinely necessary capability.

Sharpe’s performance is expected to one day become the norm for the Trail Blazers. The 19-year-old is inexperienced and did not play college ball before being selected seventh overall in the 2022 draft. He missed the last season at Kentucky.

Jusuf Nurkic, a big man, scored 20 more points and is averaging 21.5 points in the last two games.

LaVine scored 36 points in the first meeting, which Chicago hosted and won 129-121 on February 4. The Trail Blazers got 40 points from Lillard.

NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (49-23) at Golden State Warriors (38-36)

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When the Philadelphia 76ers take on the resurgent Golden State Warriors on Friday night in San Francisco, they hope to have James Harden and Joel Embiid back in the lineup.

Despite Harden missing the game with a sore left Achilles and giving Embiid the second half off because of tightness in his right calf, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Chicago Bulls, who were their opponents, 116-91 on Wednesday night.

After the 76ers had built a 28-point halftime lead, Embiid was benched. As a result, Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers spent more time explaining Harden’s future status than his star center’s availability for Friday’s second game of a four-game trip.

On Dec. 16, the 76ers defeated a Warriors team that was shorthanded 118-106 at home. Harden scored 27 points and Embiid scored a game-high 34. Stephen Curry (left shoulder dislocation), Draymond Green (bruised right quad), and Andrew Wiggins (strained right adductor) were all out that night for Golden State.

Golden State still does not have Wiggins because of personal issues, but it was able to win on the road in consecutive games for the second time this season when it beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-125 and the Houston Rockets 121-108 on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, to end a two-game road trip.

In an effort to move up from sixth place in the Western playoff standings, the Warriors (38-36) now have four games in a row at home.

Particularly significant was the victory over the Mavericks, who protested the game due to a miscommunication with the officials in the third quarter. With just eight games remaining, the Warriors would have fallen below Dallas and into a Western play-in spot if they had lost.

In the two victories this week, reserve Jonathan Kuminga helped Golden State. The second-year player scored 17 points at Houston and 22 points at Dallas, making 16 of his 20 shots, taking advantage of playing time that Wiggins might not have had.

The Warriors haven’t said when Wiggins might be back, but a statement on Thursday said that Gary Payton II, who hasn’t played since being acquired from Portland a month ago because of problems with his core muscles, can practice on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s game against Minnesota.

The 76ers (49-23), who enter the final ten games of their season tied for the most losses with the Boston Celtics (50-23) as they compete for the No. 1 seed, are just like the Warriors in that every game matters. 2 planting seeds in the east.

Philadelphia will likewise confront the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets to finish its basic four-game excursion prior to traveling east for a home-weighty stretch where the 76ers will have the Celtics on April 4.

NBA Preview: Milwaukee Bucks (52-20) at Utah Jazz (35-37)

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The Utah Jazz’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night in Salt Lake City, whether they win or lose, could be a valuable learning opportunity for the young team.

At least, that’s how one of Will Hardy’s Jazz coaching mentors views the Bucks.

Gregg Popovich, San Antonio’s head coach, praised Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team after their loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday night, 130-94.

By defeating the Boston Celtics, the Jazz (35-37) did the Bucks (52-20) a favor last weekend. In the race to finish first in the Eastern Conference standings, Milwaukee leads the Celtics by 2 1/2 games entering this game.

Milwaukee faces Utah on Friday and the Denver Nuggets, the West’s top seed, on Saturday night, giving them a difficult road trip. In their last 26 games, the Bucks have won 23 of them.

Before Tuesday night’s 127-115 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah had won four of its previous five games.

The Jazz are still in the running for one of the West’s highly competitive postseason spots.

Joe Ingles, a former Jazz fan favorite who joined the Bucks this season after being traded from Utah to Portland at the trade deadline a year ago, will make his homecoming in Friday’s game.

This will be Ingles’ first real game as a visitor in his former home state of Utah, where the shooting guard spent the first eight NBA seasons. Due to a knee injury, he was unable to participate in Portland’s season last year.

In a reserve role for Milwaukee this season, Ingles is averaging 7.3 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. He likes where he landed.

Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz’s leading scorer with 25.7 points per game, is in limbo. During the loss on Wednesday, he fell and injured his left wrist, causing him to bruise it. Despite the negative X-rays, the pain persists.