If you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe a rosebush), you may not know that the Portland Thorns are red hot and rolling. Nevertheless, the hometown team sits atop the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) standings during a dominant campaign to earn its third NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship.
The squad’s relentless, potentially record-breaking scoring pace has seen them hit the back of the net 36 times so far, and star forward Sophia Smith is tied for first (11) in the Golden Boot race — an individual accolade for most goals.
Following a dramatic stoppage time win against the Washington Spirit, the team must shift its focus to the 2022 Women’s International Champions Cup, where it will play host to three giants of the sport on Wed., Aug. 17 + Sat., Aug. 20.
🏆 Background
Since 2018, this invitational tournament has brought together four teams from North America + Europe to vie for the title, which some consider to be the decider of the best women’s soccer team in the world.
The Thorns currently sit on the throne, having progressed past the Houston Dash on penalties in 2021’s opener. In the final against Lyon, Morgan Weaver, no stranger to the big moments, was responsible for the game’s lone goal at the 87th minute in front of a raucous Providence Park crowd.
🌎 This year’s competition
- Olympique Lyonnais | 2019 WICC champions, qualified as winners of the 2022 UEFA Women’s Champions League and 2021-22 D1 Féminine in France
- CF Monterrey | First team from Mexico to compete in the WICC, qualified as the Torneo Grita México Apertura 2021 champions
- Chelsea FC Women | Also making their first WICC appearance, qualified as winners of both the 2021-22 FA Women’s Super League and 2022 Women’s FA Cup in England
⏱️ The schedule
Tickets will get you into both matches of each day’s doubleheader held at Providence Park.
Wed., Aug. 17 | $24+
- Olympique Lyonnais vs. Chelsea FC Women | 5:30 p.m.
- Portland Thorns vs. CF Monterrey | 8 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 20 | $26+
- Third place match | 5 p.m.
- Final | 8 p.m.
