A lot of water had gone under the bridge since the beginning of the season when the Portland Thorns opened its tenth year in the league against the Kansas City Current. The opponent was coming from their rookie year in the NWSL, one that was not kind at all for them. Maybe that’s why it was easy to prognosticate a favorable result for the Thorns in their opening match back then.
That game ended in a comfortable win for Rhian Wilkinson’s team, her first win of the season as Portland’s head coach.
After the big blow of losing Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams due to injury, Kansas City didn’t start its season strong.