The NWSL is back, and the Portland Thorns announced their return for the second half of the season with a marker of a win over Racing Louisville. Providence Park was rocking as much as it ever has, and it reinforced that the goal for this Thorns team should be, and is, nothing less than silverware at the end of the season.
An efficient, ruthless, and lethal nightmare
Robert Vilhamn's Portland Thorns are starting to come into focus. This new era of the Thorns has found its most success so far not necessarily by dominating play and possession, but by being absolutely ruthless when they have possession. Portland's goal scoring has fully awakened via direct and efficient attacks which end in one (or all three) of their forwards tallying.
Some of the Thorns' best wins have come via this method – including last Sunday.
The win over Louisville was significant not just because of the overwhelming scoreline or the nice dose of revenge that Portland served Racing. It mattered because of the way the Thorns won it – specifically in the offensive end.