Providence Park | Portland, Oregon – Sunday, March 26 at 5:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Portland is another team that has the luxury of keeping most of the team that won the NWSL Championship in 2022. Few players were able to have the impact that forward Sophia Smith did last season, but Portland is one of those teams. Smith’s 15 goals in 20 games across the attacking line, which she matched at the end of the season with San Diego forward Alex Morgan’s total, not only led her team in scoring but also helped keep the pace. Smith also contributed three assists, making her the league player with the most goals scored. However, Portland is not reliant solely on a single goal scorer because they were the only team last season to have seven players score at least three goals. Forwards Morgan Weaver (7 goals), Christine Sinclair (5 goals), and Hina Sugita (5 goals) are all back.
After losing her 2022 season to injury, Orlando attacker Marta’s return on Sunday will be watched closely. She will try to lead a Pride team that has added some young players in addition to returning key players as the club prepares for its 2023 campaign. Attacker Ally Watt, who joined in the middle of the year, is one of those players who is expected to add quality to the forward line at one of the only clubs with a leading scorer who has scored less than four goals this season. Adriana, a forward from Brazil who scored nine goals for Corinthians in 2022, will undoubtedly be of assistance as well.
Match Facts: The Orlando Pride, a team Portland Thorns FC defeated 8-0 in two games last season, including a 6-0 home thrashing, will be welcoming them back to Providence Park for the first time since winning the NWSL Championship in 2022. The second of four matches on Sunday will undoubtedly be an entertaining one, with Portland being considered one of the top contenders and Orlando hoping to get going right away.
Portland has won all nine of its regular season home openers, scoring 26 goals and allowing just five, since beating the Reign 2-1 in 2013. Additionally, the Thorns have shutout victories in each of their last three home openers by at least three goals. Additionally, Smith and Sinclair have both scored in the team’s previous two season openers. Together with Margaret Purce and Ashley Hatch, they want to become the first NWSL players to score in three straight season openers.
On the other hand, despite playing each of its last four home games, Orlando is winless in its six regular season openers (D2 L4). The Boston Breakers (D1 L4) are the only other NWSL team to play three or more seasons and never win their season openers. That side, Orlando is adding a player who has created 157 chances in 73 games since 2017, an average of 2.31 chances per 90 minutes, with Marta’s return to the team. She has the third most chances per 90 minutes (min.) during that time. 3,000 minutes), trailing only Crystal Dunn (2.51) and Megan Rapinoe (2.93).
