It’s finally happening. OL Reign kicks off the PNW Soccer Doubleheader on Saturday when they host the Portland Thorns at Lumen Field. If you can’t catch the action in person, you’ll be able to watch on Paramount+ (U.S. viewers) or Twitch (international fans). The match kicks off at 4 PM PT.

The Portland Thorns come into the weekend in first place in the NWSL with a 10-3-2 record, while OL Reign is in a tie for third place with 22 points and a 7-7-1 record.

Both teams are experiencing a good run of form. Portland has won nine of its last 12 matches, while the Reign have won four consecutive home matches — and five of their last seven games. Neither team is too keen on draws, with the Reign only having one (their first match of the season) and Portland two.

The Reign and Thorns share another similarity. They have a diverse set of threats in the attack. Portland has nine goal-scorers, with Simone Charley and Sophia Smith leading the team with five goals each. OL Reign, meanwhile, have eight players with a goal, and Bethany Balcer leads the team with six.

What to Watch

• Win the duels — especially in the 18-yard box
• Create chances early to set the tone
• Defend with numbers to stop Portland’s speedy forwards

Injury Report / International Absences

OL REIGN

OUT: Ally Watt (right knee), Rosie White (illness)

PORTLAND

OUT: Celeste Boureille (left wrist), Meghan Klingenberg (right thigh)

QUESTIONABLE: Simone Charley (left knee), Tyler Lussi (right hip)

Lineups

A strong lineup for OL Reign, with some experimenting on the backline.

Crystal Dunn, midfielder.

Highlights

5’ - Christine Sinclair nearly opens the scoring, but her shot is off the bar.

16’ - Megan Rapinoe breaks the deadlock, cutting back to set up her shot after Jess Fishlock played her in behind the defense!

40’ - Megan Rapinoe slams a penalty home after a cross from Eugénie Le Sommer is handled in the box to make it 2-0!

45’ +4 - Angela Salem pulls one back for Portland with a volley from a set piece. 2-1

80’ - Shortly after a Jess Fishlock attempt was pushed over the bar by Bella Bixby, Morgan Weaver runs in behind the Reign defense but Sarah Bouhaddi keeps the lead intact.

Date/Time: Saturday, August 29, 4 PM PT
Location: Lumen Field (!!!!!!), Seattle, WA
TV: None
Streaming (US/Canada): Paramount+
Streaming (International): Twitch (search NWSLOfficial)

Join the Discussion

This is your OL Reign versus Portland Thorns gamethread. Join the discussion here in the comments, or follow the action on Twitter: @rovalks.