The Portland Thorns are climbing ESPN's NWSL matchday 17 power rankings — even after losing midfielder Olivia Moultrie for the season. The young USWNT star tore her right ACL on August 11th, and will miss the rest of 2026 club season.
But Portland hasn't felt her loss on the scoreboard, most recently notching 2-1 home win over the Orlando Pride on August 15th.
Portland Thorns Keep Scoring Behind Sophia Wilson Attack
Sophia Wilson is the reason why the Thorns' offense keeps pushing forward. She returned to Portland this season after maternity leave and has slotted back in at the top of the attack. Her presence has given the club a steady scoring threat while it reshuffles the midfield without Moultrie.
But the mood is different in Kansas City.
NWSL Power Rankings Shuffle Sees KC Current Drop 5 Spots
The Current sat near the top of the NWSL power rankings earlier this summer but have since slipped, falling 2-1 at Gotham FC on August 14th. That loss capped a rough stretch that has knocked them down ESPN's order to 10th place.
Other teams making moves in a more positive direction this week are the Seattle Reign, who rose to No. 6 on ESPN's list, and the North Carolina Courage, checking in at No. 8. Meanwhile, Gotham FC, the Utah Royals, and the San Diego Wave all held onto their top three rankings.
