WakeMed Soccer Park has been a major roadblock for the Portland Thorns in past seasons. While constantly in contention for the NWSL shield and a near shoo-in for the playoffs each year, the Thorns hadn’t won in Cary, North Carolina, since the Courage relocated from Western New York in 2017.
That changed last weekend when the Thorns beat the Courage 1-0 and left with all three points. They made a statement, and while it put a mental hurdle behind them, the result also holds significance going forward.
Over the years, regular-season matchups between Portland and North Carolina have frequently acted as midseason tests of where both NWSL titans really stand. Despite the consistent talent on both teams, the Thorns had always struggled to find that win in Cary.
Is the win a sign of things to come? At the very least, it should serve as a confidence boost going forward as the team now knows that it can win at WakeMed Soccer Park. It has now done it before.
Still, despite the afternoon’s numerous positives, coach Mark Parsons stressed the importance of not allowing the win to be a primary obstacle cleared, but just another part of the journey.
“We’ve broken and made a lot of history this year,” Parsons said. “The moment we focus on that, then (our focus) will arise on the wrong thing. For us, the process is what’s important and the journey is critical to us.”
THORNS NEAR DEFENSIVE RECORD
As the old adage goes: “Defense wins championships.”
Portland has lived up to the saying throughout 2021, conceding just 11 total goals, and currently sits with a league-best goal differential of 14.
The Thorns defense this season has been so good that they are approaching another record, perhaps even under the radar. Their 1-0 win in North Carolina was its 10th clean sheet. The club record? 11. If Parsons’ team keeps three clean sheets in its remaining five games, it will set a new league record.
“Each game we want a clean sheet,” defender Kelli Hubly said. “Each game we don’t want anyone to score on us. So it is something we do strive for.”
In years past, Portland has been known as a side that boasts plenty of offensive talent, but in the biggest moments, it has been defense that slips up. When the Thorns won the shield in 2016, they failed to make the championship game after falling 4-3 to the Western New York Flash in that year’s semifinal. In 2018, they fell to the Courage 3-0 in a championship game hosted at Providence Park.
But this season promises something different. Portland might be the strongest it has been on the defensive side of the ball since Parsons arrived in the Rose City. The Thorns have won numerous games, and trophies, over the past calendar year because of their defensive performances. Add that to the offensive firepower that they already possess, and it adds up to a team that is surely among favorites to bring home its third NWSL championship.
RACE FOR THE SHIELD
With their win in North Carolina and then victory by forfeit over Washington, the Thorns remain at the top of the NWSL table with 38 points, a place they’ve occupied since their eight-game unbeaten run in league play over the summer. OL Reign are six points behind Portland, while North Carolina and Orlando round out the top four.
In years past, only the top four teams made the playoff field. This year, however, the NWSL expanded the playoffs from four to six teams. Because of that, both Washington and Chicago would be in the playoffs if they were to start today.
Now, Portland’s focus shifts to claiming the NWSL Shield, a trophy awarded to the league’s best regular-season team. Parsons’ side has just five more regular-season games remaining, but that includes matchups against OL Reign, North Carolina, Houston (twice) and Kansas City. The Thorns haven’t won the shield since 2016, but now have a very real chance to do so –– and pick up a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The match against OL Reign on Oct. 2 and North Carolina on Oct. 30 are both at home and could determine which team takes home the prestigious award this season.
FIGHTING BACK WITH BELIEF
The Timbers have endured numerous ups and downs throughout 2021, but on Aug. 15 they hit their lowest point when a stretch of inconsistent play culminated in a 6-2 loss to Seattle.
But since then, Portland has bounced back. Following the heavy home defeat, the Timbers went on the road and took 10 points from five games. They kept three consecutive clean sheets and now sit at fifth in the Western Conference.
Timbers forward Felipe Mora (#9) reacts to his goal in the 67th minute as the Portland Timbers face the Colorado Rapids in an MLS match at Providence Park on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021.
There might be no better example of the team’s turnaround than Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw against Colorado. Portland went down to 10 men in the first half, fell behind twice after the 60th minute and ultimately ended the night with a hard-fought point after midfielder Sebastián Blanco’s scored an equalizer in second-half stoppage time.
So, what changed? Positive momentum, sure, but also less tangible things such as the team’s belief after stringing together multiple positive results.
“We felt that we went a little bit away from who we are, and we needed to make sure that each player understood again their role,” coach Giovanni Savarese said. “It starts first with the morale, with the environment, and believing that we had to bounce back from the game against Seattle, which still was inside us. That became a motivation for us to make sure that we were (on a) better path.”
DIEGO CHARA SURPASSES 300 APPEARANCES
Timbers defensive midfielder Diego Chará made his 300th career appearance for the club in its 1-0 win against Vancouver on Sept. 10.
The Colombian arrived from Deportes Tolima in 2011, right as Portland entered MLS, and has played an important role in the club’s culture in the decade since.
As the Timbers’ first-ever designated plater, Chará has not only been an example of a solid international signing for the club, but he’s also subtly underscored the importance of using a valuable roster spot to bring in a talented defensive midfielder — someone who can put out consistent fires and fit most tactical systems.
Since his first appearance in 2011, Chará has helped the Timbers win the Western Conference, MLS Cup and the one-off MLS is Back Tournament. Individually, he was named an MLS All-Star in 2019 and to the MLS Best XI in 2020.
In a 25-game stretch between 2015 and 2019, the Timbers failed to win a single game without Chará. They went 0-15-10 over that span, further underscoring the importance of their number six both on and off the field. He’s made his mark in both the team and on the city of Portland for over a decade, and fans were reminded of that after last Friday’s game.
“I think this is the best way to get the 300th game for me, getting a win,” Chará said. “It’s been a long way to be here. I’m very happy and now the team is getting confident, is getting points and that is very important for us right now.”
INJURIES AND ABSENCES
Thorns: Parsons listed forward Simone Charley (left knee) as questionable for the team’s game against North Carolina, but she did not make the final game-day roster.
Midfielder Celeste Boureille remains sidelined with a left wrist injury.
Timbers: After missing last Friday’s game against Vancouver, midfielder Diego Valeri (right leg) made his return to Savarese’s game-day lineup against Colorado, but did not play.
UPCOMING GAMES
Timbers: vs. LAFC, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 (FS1) (Tickets)
Thorns: at Chicago Red Stars, 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25 (Paramount+)
-- Portland Timbers and Thorns FC
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