TRANS of Portland — Wikipedia

THE Thorns de Portland , abridged in “Portland Thorns” (in English: Portland Thorns ) are a franchise club of American professional professional soccer based in the city of Portland, Oregon.

2010 [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

During the NWSL Foundation in 2012, Portland Timbers are the only MLS team to launch a female section to compete in this new league. They therefore create the Portland Thorns. The team benefits from the installations and staff of the Timbers, but also of its supporters: a third of the subscribers to Timbers are also subscribed to Thorns, and from the first season the average Thorns crowds is 13,320 spectators per game ^{[ 2 ]} . For the inaugural season finished third in the regular season, the Thorns win the play-offs by dominating the Western New York Flash 2-0 in the final and win the first title of the NWSL ^{[ 3 ]} .

In 2016, Thorns won the Shield, finishing at the top of the regular season ^{[ 4 ]} , then are eliminated in the semi-finals of the play-offs by the Western New York Flash ^{[ 5 ]} . The following season, the club won a second title by taking revenge in the final on the flash, which has become North Carolina Courage (2-0) ^{[ 5 ]} .

2020s [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

While the 2020 season is canceled because of the COVVI-19 pandemic, the Thorns win the small replacement tournament, the NWSL FALLIES ^{[ 6 ]} .

After an showdown with the NWSL, the Thorns sign in 2021 the youngest player in the history of the League, Olivia Moultrie, aged 15 only ^{[ 7 ]} . The August 29, 2021 , the derby facing the Reign breaks an affluency record in NWSL with 27,248 supporters at Lumen Field (2-1 defeat) ^{[ 8 ]} . That season, the Thorns won the Shield by making the best regular season in NWSL history ^{[ 9 ]} , before losing in the semi-finals of the play-offs against the Chicago Red Stars (0-2) ^{[ ten ]} .

At the end of the season, the coach, Mark Parsons, left the club to take the reins of the Dutch selection. It is replaced by the former Canadian international and player of Thorns Rhian Wilkinson ^{[ 11 ]} .

In 2022, the Thorns were missing the NWSL Shield, failing a point behind OL Reign after a draw conceded on the last day against the NJ/NY Gotham, however last in the ranking. Sophia Smith breaks the record for goals scored in the regular season for Thorns, with 14 achievements ^{[ twelfth ]} . The team rebounds quickly and won their third NWSL title after winning the play-off final against Kansas City Current (2-0) ^{[ 13 ]} .

In December 2022, Rhian Wilkinson resigned following the start of a relationship with the Emily Munges defend ^{[ 14 ]} . The owner of the club, Merritt Paulson, announces that he wants to sell the franchise ^{[ 15 ]} .

Scandals [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In October 2021, the site The Athletic Reveals that Paul Riley, former Thorns manager, has committed sexual abuse of two of his players, Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim. He also reveals that the club’s management covered these abuses, claiming poor sporting results to justify the non-renewal of the Riley contract in 2015. By not making these abuses public, the Thorns Directorate made it possible that Riley Find an NWSL position at the Western New York Flash, which will become North Carolina Courage ^{[ 16 ]} .

A year later, a report reveals that the leaders of Thorns even highly recommended Riley’s candidacy in Flash. The president of the franchise, Merritt Paulson, then retired from the management of Thorns, while the sports director, Gavin Wilkinson, is sent. The same report reveals accusations of sexual harassment from the commercial director, Mike Golub, who is also sent back ^{[ 17 ]} .

Assessment by season in National Women’s Soccer League.

Coaches [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Current [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Portland Thorns of the 2023 season ^{[ 18 ]}

Players			Technical supervision
N O P. Nat. [ 19 ] Name Date of birth Selection [ 20 ] Previous club 2 D Reyes, Reyna Reyna Reyes October 12, 1998 ( 24 years) Mexico Alabama Crimson Tide 4 D Sauerbrunn, Becky Becky Sauerbrunn 06/06/1985 ( 37 years) UNITED STATES Utah Royals 14 D Kuikka, Natalia Natalia Kuikka December 1, 1995 ( 27 years) Finland Kopparbergs/Gothenburg FC 25 D Klingenberg, Meghan Meghan Klingenberg August 2, 1988 ( 34 years) UNITED STATES Houston Dash 8 M Sugita, hina HINA SUGITA January 31, 1997 ( 26 years) Japan Inc Kobe Leonessa 11 M Rodríguez, Raquel Raquel Rodríguez October 28, 1993 ( 29 years) Costa Rica Sky Blue twelfth M Sinclair, Christine Christine Sinclair June 12, 1983 ( 39 years) Canada Western New York Flash 19 M Dunn, Crystal Crystal Dunn July 3, 1992 ( 30 years) UNITED STATES North Carolina Courage 9 A Smith, Sophia Sophia Smith August 10, 2000 ( 22 years) UNITED STATES Stanford Cardinal 16 A Beckie, Janine Janine Beckie August 20, 1994 ( 28 years) Canada Manchester City 21 A Leon, Adriana Adriana Leon October 2, 1992 ( 30 years) Canada Manchester United 22 A Weaver, Morgan Morgan Weaver October 18, 1997 ( 25 years) UNITED STATES Washington State Cougars			Coach Assistant coach (s) Guardian coach (s) Legend

Emblematic players [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Thorns are opposed to OL Reign in the Cascadian derby (in reference to the Cascadia) ^{[ 21 ]} , like their male counterparts from Portland Timbers against Seattle Sounders ^{[ 22 ]} . NWSL’s influx records are regularly beaten during these derbies ^{[ 23 ] , [ 24 ] , [ 8 ]}

Review of Thorns’ confrontations facing Reign

Competition	IN	N	D	BP	BC
Regular season	8	3	13	22	34
Play-Offs	first	0	0	2	first
Challenge Cup	first	first	0	2	0
2020 Fall Series	2	0	0	6	2
Total	twelfth	4	13	32	37

Update January 18, 2022 .

Rose City Riveters are the main group of Thorns supporters ^{[ 2 ]} . The team is also counting on the support of the Timbers Army, the group of supporters of the Timbers ^{[ 25 ]} .