Preview: Washington Spirit aims for new league record in trip to Portland

Portland, Ore. (06/13/2025) – The Washington Spirit will hit the road this weekend, heading west to take on Portland Thorns FC at Providence Park. Kicking off at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 15, the match will be broadcast nationally on CBS and stream on Paramount+. 

  

The Spirit 

Last weekend, the Spirit returned to its home winning ways with a 3-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage. Featuring goals from Courtney Brown, Brittany Ratcliffe and Gift Monday, the Spirit became the first home team to win a match in the Washington-North Carolina series in nearly four years. The three points vaulted the Spirit over San Diego Wave FC and into a tie with Orlando for second place on the NWSL table. 

 

Washington enters Sunday’s away match with an unblemished 5-0-0 away record this regular season, tied with the 2018 North Carolina Courage for the best such start in NWSL history. A Spirit win this weekend would not only set a new league mark for best away start and streak in a single season but also be the first win in Portland in club history for the team from DC.  

 

Sunday’s match will be the second of three away matches on the west coast in the span of a month for Washington. The Spirit earned a win in Seattle on May 23 and will head back west next week to face San Diego Wave FC on June 22. 

 

On the pitch, the Spirit’s Gift Monday has been lights-out recently. With four goals in her first eight NWSL matches, the Nigerian national is already among the league’s top ten scorers despite missing the first month of the season. Also of note, Monday can become just the third player in Spirit history to record a goal contribution in four consecutive away matches with a goal or assist on Sunday. 

 

The Spirit defending third has returned to better form recently as well. After allowing 12 goals in a four-match span (1-2-1 record), Washington has allowed just two in the past two matches (2-0-0 record). The team is still without a clean sheet since April 19 when the side took down Orlando on the road, tied for the longest active shutout drought in the league. 

 

With 21 players having already started a match for the Spirit this season (more than all of last year), ten players with a goal and nine players with an assist, Washington has had no trouble finding sources of production on the pitch in 2025. Despite the injuries the team has faced, the Spirit has continued to find ways to win and is gradually getting healthier as it approaches the league’s July break. 

  

The Opponent 

Thorns FC enters Sunday’s match in a position unfamiliar to the side throughout its history: seventh place on the table and just one point above the playoff line. Despite this, Portland has been in strong form lately. After just one win in its first five matches, the Thorns have secured three wins in the past six contests, including 11 out of a possible 18 points. 

 

Missing international superstar Sophia Wilson in the attack has hurt the team this year but second-year forward Reilyn Turner has stepped up in her absence. Turner has three goals so far this season, tied for the team lead, and all have come from open play. Turner’s scoring attack is well-balanced as well, with one goal each coming from her right foot, left foot and head. 

 

The Portland attack has had no trouble finding attempts at the goal this season, leading the league in total shots with 165 while also being top five in shots on target with 54. Thorns FC also ranks in the top three in the league in total “big chances” meaning the side has had notable success putting pressure on opposing defenses. 

 

With only 12 goals conceded and three clean sheets through 11 matches, the Thorns defending third has excelled this year behind a balance of appearances from goalkeepers Bella Bixby (five starts) and Mackenzie Arnold (six starts). Portland has only allowed three goals across its last four contests and is tied for fourth-fewest goals against in 2025 with only Kansas City, Orlando and Seattle allowing fewer. 

 

Though the side ranks favorably in goals against, the team sits tenth in saves, meaning the Portland defending third also does its job in preventing scoring threats from reaching the box. The red-hot Spirit attack (14 goals in its last five matches) will need to solve the Thorns defense and put shots on frame if it wants to improve its winning streak to three. 

  

All-Time Series History 

The Spirit holds a 4-15-8 regular season record against Portland Thorns FC with a -25 goal differential (26-51). Last season, the sides split the two matches, each winning 2-1 at home. The Spirit’s win in September was a thrilling one with midfielder Leicy Santos burying a second half stoppage time game-winning header in front of new club investor Earvin “Magic” Johnson at Audi Field. The win was Washington’s first over the Thorns since 2019. 

  

Washington has a chance to correct two unfavorable numbers in the all-time series history with Portland on Sunday. With a win, the Spirit would no longer be winless at Providence Park and would also have won consecutive matches over the Thorns for the first time in club history. 

  

Sunday’s match will be the first time these sides face off this season. They will meet again in the Spirit’s next match at Audi Field on Sunday, August 3. Tickets are available at WashingtonSpirit.com/tickets. 

The post Preview: Washington Spirit aims for new league record in trip to Portland appeared first on Washington Spirit.