Match Forecast: OL Reign Set for Final Cascadia Clash of the Season
OL Reign is down in Portland this weekend for the final Cascadia rivalry clash of the season. The Seattle-side looks to continue their winning ways in regular season play as they battle as the NWSL playoffs are rapidly approaching. Notably, this is forward Megan Rapinoe’s final rivalry match against Portland in regular season play.
WHEN AND WHERE: The Reign kickoff at 7:30 p.m. PT at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.
WHERE TO WATCH: Local fans can tune in to FOX 13+ to watch the match or catch the action on Paramount+. Canadian fans can tune in on TSN+.
2023 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 8-7-3 (27 points, 4th place), Portland Thorns FC: 8-5-5 (29 points, 2nd place)
Key Points Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – The last time OL Reign and the Thorns met was in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, where the teams split the points in a scoreless draw. That was the third meeting between the two teams in 2023, as the rivals previously clashed in another Challenge Cup game in June, where the Reign won 1-0, and a regular season game which also took place in June, where the Thorns won 2-0. With each team recording a win, loss and two shutouts, this match will truly be a test for both sides.
In regular season play, the Reign have not lost a match in Portland since September 7, 2018, which marks over five years of dominance at Providence Park. In all competitions, the Reign are unbeaten in their last five games in Portland.
2. SCOUTING PORTLAND – Most recently, the Thorns took on Racing Louisville FC in a regular season match up at Lynn Family Stadium. Despite going up a goal just six minutes in thanks to forward Morgan Weaver, Portland lost 2-1. Racing Louisville mounted back-to-back attacks in the 60th and 64th minutes to take down the Thorns. Prior to that match, Portland faced off with the Washington Spirit and drew 1-1, once again going up a goal on their opponent on a Weaver goal but conceding later in the match.
“I think I've said it at the time was that, I think the [loss to Portland earlier in the season] was decided by two moments of quality that one team had and the other team didn't and that's something that we've spoken about as a collective that we have to get better at those things and when we do have those moments of quality consistently throughout games, we tend to get the result that we want. So, that's been a big focus for us this week and just consistently over the last, probably, month or so of just really honing in on the details that make us great, both with and without the ball. So, Saturday will be no different,” said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey.
3. OGs LEAD – Anytime OL Reign meets Portland Thorns FC, the rivalry match is sure to be action-packed and fueled by passion. No one is more passionate about the rivalry than OL Reign’s original three players – defender Lu Barnes, midfielder Jess Fishlock and forward Megan Rapinoe. Fishlock and Rapinoe have scored a combined 14 of the club's 43 goals against Portland all-time and are two of the top three goal scorers in the head-to-head series. Fishlock also ranks second all-time in assists in the head-to-head series between the teams. Barnes leads all-time in games played and minutes played, having played nearly 250 more minutes than any other player in the series.
“I think this is probably a derby that has a lot of meaning for both sides and at this point in the season, given how the league is right now, I think it's maybe five points between (No.) 1 and (No.) 8, which is wild. It has a lot of standing with both teams, with which way this result goes, it's a big game - who better to kind of have that with right now than Portland in Portland? It's going to be a huge game - take the rivalry out of it, it's going to be a big game anyway, add the rivalry into it, I mean, yeah, it's going to be crazy down there and I can't wait,” said Fishlock.
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