Match Forecast: The Stage is Set for the Cascadia Rivalry at Lumen Field
After playing on the road last weekend, Seattle Reign FC are back at Lumen Field in front of their beloved home crowd for the first time since May 19. The team has been preparing all week to take on their biggest NWSL foe, Portland Thorns FC, for the second time this season.
WHEN AND WHERE: Reign FC kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. PT at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
WHERE TO WATCH: Fans can get tickets to the match HERE or tune in on CBS or Paramount+ to catch the action.
2024 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): Seattle Reign FC: 2-9-1 (13th place), Portland Thorns FC: 7-4-1 (5th place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – Seattle Reign FC and Portland Thorns FC most recently met last month at Providence Park in Portland. Despite being a close game for 80 minutes, the Reign fell 4-0.
“Honestly, I think the penalty was a deflating moment - we don't need to talk too much about that - but I think we spoke a lot about it after the game of staying in games for as long as we can. But again, that's been a narrative that we've used post that game," said Seattle Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey.
“We've been talking this week and we'll be talking again today, just about our own strategies around conceding goals, scoring goals, coming out at halftime, coming out from the kickoff, all of those things in preparation for tomorrow and moving forward after that."
2. SCOUTING PORTLAND – The Thorns are currently in fifth place in the NWSL standings, with 22 points from 12 games played. The team most recently took on the North Carolina Courage and pulled off a 1-0 win. The match was decided by a 79th minute penalty kick, converted by Thorns forward Sophia Smith.
This match up marks the 40th all-time meeting between the rivals, a league record. The head-to-head series is currently split evenly at 15 wins for each time and nine all-time draws. However, since 2015, the Reign have 11 wins over the Thorns and just six losses and six draws.
Portland currently has seven players out for the match – Belly Bixby (maternity leave), Gabby Provenzano (SEI - ankle), Morgan Weaver (D45 - knee), Isabella Obaze (lower leg), Sam Coffey (ankle), Olivia Moultrie (knee) and Sophia Smith (suspension).
3. RIVALS – Every match between Seattle and Portland means more. Rivals since the very start, a meeting between the two teams is one of the most exciting matches in the NWSL, each and every time.
"Leading into the game, everybody was talking about it - they told us all about the history, all our rookies, and about the big clubs and then to be in the game, in the stadium, it was so cool. It feels like a real rivalry, you can feel all the rivalry and you could feel it from the fans and everything. So, it was a really cool game to be in,” said Reign FC forward Emeri Adames
"I think for those of us who've been in it since the beginning, it tends to feel like it's always been it. I have probably said publicly more times than I should that I think this rivalry hasn't been held in the levels that it should have been, both internally and externally. I think that because of the high levels and the amount of competitive nature between the two teams, we've kept that going for as long as we have. I think that's a testament to what it means and I think we will continue to do that. So yeah, I will say and still say, I think it's the biggest rivalry in women's football,” added Harvey.
MultiCare Availability Report:
OUT
None
QUESTIONABLE
Claudia Dickey (knee)