Portland Thorns FC left Providence Park last Friday in a state of frustration, losing a derby to Reign FC while being shutout for a second home game in a row. It’s not often a stat like “185 minutes without a goal” can be applied to Portland’s home form, but after clean sheets by Utah and the Reign, here we are.
Into that dynamic comes the Orlando Pride, a team with the worst defense in the National Women’s Soccer League. Through 12 games this season, Orlando has conceded 27 goals, and while recent results have allowed the Pride to climb out of the NWSL’s cellar, Marc Skinner’s team is still engaging in their fair share of shootouts.