Portland Thorns FC 1–0 North Carolina Courage, NWSL Matchday 26

Portland Thorns FC v North Carolina Courage

Portland Thorns FC5th 47 pts

M. Müller 60′

1

1–0

Full time

Fri 23 Oct

Expected goals: Portland Thorns FC 1.87, North Carolina Courage 1.00

North Carolina Courage9th 42 pts

0

Fri 23 Oct, 10:00 pm EDT Providence Park NWSL 2026, Matchday 26

The match story

Ashley Sanchez portrait — Courtesy North Carolina Courage

NWSL News

Ashley Sanchez returns as a scorer, and a link for others

Sanchez’s Courage season has brought more frequent shooting. Her return against Spain also showed the value of moving the ball on.

17 October 2026

Key moments

60′Goal M. Müller (Portland Thorns FC)1–0

Top performers

Portland Thorns

M. MüllerMPORshirt 231G2SH
R. TurnerFPORshirt 660G5SH
R. ReyesDPORshirt 20G2SH

North Carolina Courage

A. SanchezFNCshirt 20G7SH
E. IjehFNCshirt 100G2SH
R. WilliamsDNCshirt 130G2SH

Three per club, chosen from the match record: goals, then shots.

What it means

Portland Thorns FC

5th▲2 from 7th

In the playoff places, 5 points above North Carolina Courage, with one to play.

North Carolina Courage

9thNo change

Outside the playoff places, 2 points behind Seattle Reign FC in the last playoff place, with one to play.

Season series

Matchday 4 Sat 4 Apr

North Carolina Courage2

Portland Thorns FC2

Matchday 26 Fri 23 Oct

Portland Thorns FC1

North Carolina Courage0

Portland Thorns FC won one, one drawn; 3–2 on aggregate to Portland Thorns FC.

Team stats

POR NC

Expected goals: Portland Thorns FC: 1.87; North Carolina Courage: 1.00
Possession: Portland Thorns FC: 37%; North Carolina Courage: 63%
Shots: Portland Thorns FC: 12; North Carolina Courage: 12
Corners: Portland Thorns FC: 5; North Carolina Courage: 8

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	28	+13	55
2	San Diego Wave FC	28	+13	54
3	Washington Spirit	28	+14	52
4	Kansas City Current	28	+12	47
5	Portland Thorns FC	29	+7	47
6	Utah Royals FC	29	+7	47
7	Angel City FC	28	+17	46
8	Seattle Reign FC	29	+3	44
9	North Carolina Courage	29	+9	42

After this result

By the numbers

North Carolina Courage have 6 points from last 5, in step with their season. 1.2 a match, against 1.5 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

Portland Thorns FC are 2 matches from their longest unbeaten run this season. Current run 3. Longest 5. Next at Washington Spirit, 8 November.

Portland Thorns FC have 8 home wins from 15 at home, and 6 from 15 away. 1.9 points a match at home, 1.4 away.

North Carolina Courage have scored 52 goals, the 4th most in the NWSL. 1.7 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

The match on the pitch

Portland Thorns FC: 37% possession; 88 possessions; 9% ended in a shot; 17% reached the box; 4.8 actions each
North Carolina Courage: 63% possession; 93 possessions; 9% ended in a shot; 26% reached the box; 7.3 actions each

Where each team won the ball

Portland Thorns FC

North Carolina Courage

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. Portland Thorns FC started 9% of their possessions in the final third, North Carolina Courage 11%.

Where the shots came from

Portland Thorns FCNorth Carolina Courage

Portland Thorns FC attack right, North Carolina Courage left. A larger ringed dot is a goal. Own goals are not shots.

How each team moved the ball

Portland Thorns FC

North Carolina Courage

Passes between 20 zones, both teams attacking right. Forward moves in the team colour, backward moves dark, sideways moves pale; line weight is the share of the team’s passes.

How long possessions ran

Portland Thorns FCNorth Carolina Courage

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

Portland Thorns FCNorth Carolina Courage

Of the possessions with each number of actions, the share that produced a shot. A gap marks too few possessions to rate.

Where play slowed down

Portland Thorns FCNorth Carolina Courage

Mean seconds between one action and the next in the same possession, by where the action happened.

Every recorded action

Observed match events

Every action recorded in this match, where it happened: what was seen on the pitch, not a simulated path. 1,741 events in the record.

Period Minute 94 Only the 5 minutes up to it

Portland Thorns FC attack right, North Carolina Courage left. Passes are arrows to where they ended, dashed when not completed; a ringed start is a restart. A dot is a shot, a larger ringed dot a goal; a diamond is a take-on, a square a keeper action. Showing the whole match.

Choose an action on the pitch or in the list to see everything recorded about it.

66 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
2:30	I. Obaze	Portland Thorns FC
2:32	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
3:04	M. Arnold	Portland Thorns FC
3:55	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
12:18	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
12:25	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
12:28	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
14:06	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
16:40	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
16:49	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
16:50	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
16:53	R. Turner	Portland Thorns FC
16:54	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
18:02	E. Parkinson	North Carolina Courage
18:25	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
19:18	R. Williams	North Carolina Courage
21:51	P. Tordin	Portland Thorns FC
24:07	C. Hanks	Portland Thorns FC
25:07	C. Hanks	Portland Thorns FC
25:41	R. Jackson	North Carolina Courage

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

Portland Thorns FCFormation 4-2-3-1

Portland Thorns FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 18 M. Arnold. Line 1: 4 C. Calzada, 5 I. Obaze, 24 J. Perry, 2 R. Reyes. Line 2: 20 N. Nijstad, 21 J. Fleming. Line 3: 23 M. Müller, 19 P. Tordin, 7 C. Hanks. Line 4: 66 R. Turner.

Portland Thorns FC lineup: 11 starters, then 1 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G
18	M. Arnold	90	0
4	C. Calzada	90	0
2	R. Reyes	90	0
21	J. Fleming	90	0
5	I. Obaze, off at 62′	62	0
24	J. Perry	90	0
23	M. Müller	90	1
20	N. Nijstad	90	0
66	R. Turner	90	0
19	P. Tordin	90	0
7	C. Hanks	90	0
Substitutes
25	M. Vignola, on at 62′	28	0
Team			1

Unused: M. Messner, C. Bogere, S. Harvey, S. Hiatt, J. Dufour, M. McKenzie, R. Lyles, V. Loboa

All player stats

Portland Thorns FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	Sh	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
4	C. Calzada	90	0	0	1	75%	1	3
2	R. Reyes	90	0	2	0	77%	0	1
21	J. Fleming	90	0	0	1	81%	0	1
5	I. Obaze, off at 62′	62	0	1	0	89%	0	0
24	J. Perry	90	0	0	0	87%	0	0
23	M. Müller	90	1	2	2	55%	0	0
20	N. Nijstad	90	0	0	2	75%	3	2
66	R. Turner	90	0	5	0	81%	0	1
19	P. Tordin	90	0	1	0	47%	1	0
7	C. Hanks	90	0	1	1	82%	4	0
Substitutes
35	M. Messner	–
6	C. Bogere	–
15	S. Harvey	–
16	S. Hiatt	–
25	M. Vignola, on at 62′	28	0	0	0	71%	0	0
27	J. Dufour	–
29	M. McKenzie	–
41	R. Lyles	–
88	V. Loboa	–
Team			1	12	7	78%	9	8

Portland Thorns FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
18	M. Arnold	90	2	2	100%	0	2

Clean sheet: M. Arnold

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-3-3

North Carolina Courage, 4-3-3, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 4 N. Jacobs, 18 U. Shiragaki, 17 D. Weatherholt. Line 2: 16 R. Jackson, 20 S. Koyama, 19 E. Parkinson. Line 3: 21 Bia, 10 E. Ijeh, 2 A. Sanchez.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 4 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G
1	K. Sheridan	90	0
13	R. Williams	90	0
17	D. Weatherholt, off at 85′	85	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0
4	N. Jacobs	90	0
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0
16	R. Jackson, off at 85′	85	0
19	E. Parkinson	90	0
10	E. Ijeh, off at 76′	76	0
21	Bia, off at 61′	61	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	0
Substitutes
23	G. Paul, on at 61′	29	0
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 85′	5	0
33	H. Betfort, on at 85′	5	0
35	A. Schlegel, on at 76′	14	0
Team			0

Unused: M. White, I. Younce, N. Staude, C. Wickenheiser, E. Hase

All player stats

North Carolina Courage lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	Sh	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
13	R. Williams	90	0	2	0	85%	3	1
17	D. Weatherholt, off at 85′	85	0	0	0	84%	3	2
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	1	79%	2	0
4	N. Jacobs	90	0	0	0	91%	0	0
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	1	96%	0	1
16	R. Jackson, off at 85′	85	0	1	0	79%	1	0
19	E. Parkinson	90	0	0	0	91%	5	0
10	E. Ijeh, off at 76′	76	0	2	1	91%	0	0
21	Bia, off at 61′	61	0	0	0	67%	2	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	7	1	81%	1	0
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
6	I. Younce	–
12	N. Staude	–
14	C. Wickenheiser	–
23	G. Paul, on at 61′	29	0	0	2	68%	0	0
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 85′	5	0	0	0	22%	0	1
33	H. Betfort, on at 85′	5	0	0	1	100%	0	0
35	A. Schlegel, on at 76′	14	0	0	0	57%	0	0
36	E. Hase	–
Team			0	12	7	85%	17	5