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To ‘win everything’ in 2021, the Portland Thorns are trusting in the process

Simone Charley celebrates a goal against the Washington Spirit earlier this season. (Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When the Portland Thorns first decided that they wanted to win everything in 2021, it was something of a joke.

“In the beginning of the season, we have these goal meetings where we all get together as a team and write out our goals,” defender Emily Menges says. “And it’s pretty silly because any team, you’re going to write down ‘championship,’ you’re going to write down ‘win.’”

“And we were like, well, we want to win everything. Like, let’s get that out on the table because everybody wants to win everything. That’s why you’re here.”

The “win everything” mantra became something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. This year, the Thorns have won the Challenge Cup, the International Champions Cup and the NWSL Shield. Now, they enter the NWSL playoffs as the No. 1 seed and favorites to win the franchise’s third championship.

All of that success in one season might make it easy to look past Sunday’s semifinal game and toward the NWSL trophy. But the intention the Thorns players set at the start of the season has helped them focus on the little things.

“It’s not about looking at the big picture and checking off outcomes, but it’s just about being focused on the process,” forward Simone Charley says. “So I think tomorrow it’s just about winning the day and doing your best in training, and doing that the next day, and the next day, and just taking it day by day.”

The concept of focusing on process over outcome comes up frequently with Thorns players. While “trusting the process” isn’t new in sports, the Thorns have instilled confidence by understanding what is and isn’t out of their control, and that’s led to a sense of individual security and remarkable team consistency.

“If you had the right idea, even if you didn’t execute, you compliment the idea and you compliment the bravery,” Charley says. “And obviously you want to work on the execution, but it’s just about giving your best effort.”

Menges agrees: “Honestly, it’s better when you fail because everyone’s like, ‘OK, well I saw what she was trying to do.’ That’s what we’re trying to do as a team. And so you almost get applauded for failing, because you’re trying to do what the team is trying to do. And so that has created a culture of just growth from everywhere.”

Celebrating the bravery of risking failure feels radical in the current climate of the NWSL, where several coaches have been dismissed this year over accounts of abusive behavior. It hasn’t been uncommon in past years to see players freeze up on the field, overwhelmed with the anxiety of making a mistake and being punished for it. In Portland, different levels of execution instead foster conversations about ways to improve.

The Thorns organization as a whole, however, hasn’t been blameless this season, causing some disconnect. The club placed former general manager Gavin Wilkinson on leave after The Athletic’s Sept. 30 report implicated him in Paul Riley’s controversial departure from Portland in 2015. Thorns players and supporters had called on the club to address its failures in the Riley case. Since then, the club has hired Karina LeBlanc to replace Wilkinson, who remains the GM of the MLS’ Portland Timbers.

Inside the hurricane of the week following The Athletic report, players fell back on the lines of communication they’d established the year before, in the wake of widespread protests over racial injustice and police brutality.

“Culture is just a big part of who we are. I think, especially in the 2020 season, we had a lot of time off the pitch,” Charley says. “We had a lot of hard conversations about all our core values and things that we stand for, and what we want to hold each other accountable to.”

“Black Lives Matter, all the protests in Portland … we kind of started a culture of meeting as a team and talking about bigger things. And so it was not new,” Menges says. “We told Mark [Parsons] we need some time. And so that was nothing new, and we kind of sat down and opened it up. It’s a safe space for people to share things that they might not want to share publicly, or might not feel like it’s the place to share publicly.”

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Thorns players, including No. 5 Emily Menges, have leaned on each other during a challenging season. (Lewis Gettier/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

During those meetings in the first week of October, Thorns players opened the floor for anybody to speak. The team heard from players who were only just now learning of Riley’s history, to those who had been in Portland during his tenure, to those who were struggling with the memories of their own personal experiences with abuse.

Menges says it’s impossible to know if every person’s story got told, but coming to understand what their teammates were going through helped them manage their emotions in the weeks that followed.

“I think [Thorns players have] that kind of culture where we can kind of say, OK, this player had this going on that they shared with us, and now we’re going to go out and practice,” Menges says. “But you can approach those people slightly differently because you know they’re going through something.”

It’s probably reductive to call soccer a respite from the off-field chaos, but Thorns players have found some clarity in the ability to set a deadline for off-field work and then put their phones down to focus on the task at hand.

Menges tells the story of the Thorns’ game on Oct. 6, their first since the NWSL suspended games in the wake of the Riley report. Before kickoff that night, Portland’s players released a collective statement asking for Wilkinson to be placed on leave, among other demands. It had taken them days to get the statement to the point where all 28 players felt comfortable with it being released.

They finished the message at 4:30 p.m. local time, two and a half hours before their scheduled kickoff. As Menges remembers it, the team got to the locker room at 5, and the players decided the statement would go out around 5:15.

“Once we put that out, since we had done it so well as a team and everyone felt like they at least got their voice heard, we put our phones away and we’re like, ‘We did it. F–k yeah. Now it’s time to play,’” she says.

Even under the most extraordinary circumstances this season, the Thorns’ ability to fall back on their foundation as a group has given way to consistency on the field.

“I think everyone within the team, we trust each other,” Charley says. “And we know that we want to bring out the best in each other. So when someone comes to you and has ideas on how you can improve, you’re willing to listen because you know that they have your best interests at heart.”

The players have built that bond, but the coaching staff has helped reinforce it. Mark Parsons, Portland’s coach since 2016, announced earlier this year that he would leave the Thorns at the end of the season to manage the Netherlands — a move inspired as much by a desire to be closer to his family in England as by soccer reasons. Parsons’ decision will make it a bittersweet end to the season, whenever that comes, both in on-field success and off-field ties.

“I know he tries so hard to bring people around who are good people first, and so you have that culture of, we are good human beings who care about each other first,” Menges says. “And when he is doing his head coach thing, and kind of separates himself from the team a little bit, he always touches base at the right moments. When he knows that something’s going on, or when you need maybe a little bit of extra communication with him, he always pops in at the right time.”

This Thorns team could possibly end up being Parsons’ magnum opus. They’re a tight-knit group that’s proven they can execute when all of their stars are away and when they have World Cup champions and gold medalists in their midst. They’ve drawn talent and built a foundation over the years, focusing as much on personality fit as on natural ability.

That approach has paid dividends, especially after their 2019 season plateaued and the regular season was canceled in 2020. Second-year regular season rookies Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver, who sit on the U.S. women’s national team bubble, have created some of the team’s most magical moments this year. Five-year Thorn Kelli Hubly stepped in for the injured Menges during the Challenge Cup, and then played alongside her while Becky Sauerbrunn was away at the Tokyo Olympics. Charley, a national team replacement player in 2019, has been essential to keeping the attack moving as both a starter and a late-game substitute.

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The Thorns took home the ICC trophy along with the Challenge Cup title and NWSL Shield in 2021. (Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The team has relied on its culture when integrating new faces. It will be called upon again when Parsons makes way for a new manager, reported this week to be former Thorn and Canada international Rhian Wilkinson.

“Change is exciting, no matter what the circumstances,” Menges says.

Championship or bust this year, the players hope they can walk into the next chapter with their fans behind them. They know how important the Portland community is to their success, and being transparent with their most ardent supporters will be key going forward.

“What I learned this year specifically, because it kind of hit us so close to home, is that [Portland fans] are an army that’s ready to deploy at any time,” Menges says.

“I think the fans are a very powerful tool, not just during games, but when we need help. When we need help, they’ll show up for us, and when they need help, we show up for them. And so I think if we can better communicate what exactly our vision is and what their vision is, and kind of get on the same page that way, that is the ultimate goal.”

Portland fans have repeatedly held the club accountable, using signs and smoke and sending a list of their own demands to the front office. It’s a commitment borne from a deep passion, which the players have felt throughout the season and plan to embrace Sunday against the Chicago Red Stars, with a place in the NWSL final on the line.

“What makes Providence Park is the fans,” Charley says. “And I think that community aspect that the Thorns organization has, with the fans and with the community, I think it’s just who we are. And so I’m really excited to play in front of them one last time because when you put on the crest, you’re representing them.”

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Team USA Holds Off Brazil to Win 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Championship

The USA Basketball team and coaching staff pose with a 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Champions sign after winning gold.
A young USA squad held off Brazil to claim the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup title on Sunday. (USA Basketball)

USA Basketball lifted the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup trophy on Sunday, taking down defending champions Brazil 92-84 to top the tournament's podium for the fifth time.

Pitting a roster of NCAA talent against Brazil pros like Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, Team USA battled back from a seven-point third-quarter deficit, then dominated the fourth quarter to send Brazil home with silver medals.

"What a performance by our team," said USA head coach Kara Lawson following the title win. "We knew it was going to be just a tough, physical game."

With 27 points in Sunday's championship game, guard Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt) set a USA AmeriCup scoring record en route to earning tournament MVP honors.

"This is my first time playing with USA Basketball, and to be able to cap it off with a win, a gold medal, and to play alongside such great players and great coaches, I couldn't ask for anything better," said Blakes.

After adding 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals in her 21 minutes off the bench on Sunday, guard Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) joined Blakes in representing the USA on the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup All-Star roster.

Booking a spot on the tournament's All-Star second team was US guard Olivia Miles (TCU), whose 50 assists throughout the competition shattered the modern era's previous single-event record of 46.

Along with their gold medals, Sunday's win also gives the US automatic entry into the 2026 FIBA World Cup in Germany, where they'll look to snag a 12th overall and fifth consecutive world championship.

WNBA Standings Frontrunners Phoenix, Atlanta Right the Ship with Monday Wins

Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner celebrates a turnover during a 2025 WNBA game.
Brittney Griner's Atlanta Dream bounced back with a win over the Golden State Valkyries on Monday. (Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Two WNBA championship contenders found their way back into the win column on Monday, when the No. 2 Phoenix Mercury and No. 4 Atlanta Dream each notched emphatic victories following disappointing weekend results.

Phoenix tasted revenge by blasting No. 11 Dallas 102-72, with guard Sami Whitcomb's game-leading 36 points and 2025 All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas's triple-double (15 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds) sending the Wings' rookie core packing.

After last Thursday's surprise upset, Dallas's injury-shortened lineup couldn't keep pace in a rematch with the deeper, more experienced Mercury.

The No. 6 Golden State Valkyries also showed their limits on Monday, dropping their sixth road game of the season in a 90-81 loss to the Dream.

Energized by a 24-point performance from 2025 All-Star starter Allisha Gray, Atlanta capitalized on the Valks' fourth-quarter collapse, outscoring the 2025 expansion side 15-2 to book the win.

"I'm telling the refs, 'This is a hard game for us,'" Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said afterwards. "I get it — home cooking. But to me, I thought for sure that [Valkyries players] were going up just as aggressive as their players, and we just did not get the whistle."

With All-Star Weekend fast approaching, regular-season Cinderella stories are beginning to break away from the true powerhouses, as teams keep chasing Minnesota at the top of the WNBA standings.

How to watch the Phoenix Mercury this week

While Atlanta will be resting until Friday, Phoenix is back in action on Wednesday, when the Mercury will host the league-leading Lynx at 3:30 PM ET.

Live coverage of the game will air on WNBA League Pass.

OL Lyonnes Boosts Midfield with USWNT Stars Lily Yohannes, Korbin Albert

USWNT midfielders Lily Yohannes and Korbin Albert pose in the new 2025 US jerseys.
USWNT stars Lily Yohannes and Korbin Albert will suit up for OL Lyonnes in the fall. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Eight-time UEFA Champions League winners OL Lyonnes will have even more US flair next season, with the French football titan announcing the signings of USWNT stars Lily Yohannes and Korbin Albert over the last week.

Joining the newly rebranded Lyon side from Dutch club Ajax on a reported €450,000 ($527,000) transfer fee, Yohannes's new contract runs through 2028.

Albert also signed a three-year deal on Friday, solidifying her transfer from Première Ligue rivals PSG — the club that the 21-year-old has played for since her early exit from Notre Dame in 2023.

Yohannes and Albert will join USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps in the OL Lyonnes midfield, with US billionaire and multi-team owner Michele Kang (Washington Spirit, London City Lionesses) overseeing the operation.

Backed by her global women's sports organization Kynisca, Kang reportedly beat WSL giants Chelsea FC to the punch in signing 18-year-old Yohannes on Monday.

OL Lyonnes has been stocking up after failing to make it past the 2024/25 Champions League semifinals, adding PSG striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Chelsea FC fullback Ashley Lawrence, Barcelona defender Ingrid Engen, and Vfl Wolfsburg attacker Jule Brand to a roster now led by former Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez.

While international tournaments play out across the world this summer, the club carousel continues to spin as heavyweight teams vie for the sport's top talent.

NWSL Stars Score Big in WAFCON Openers

Zambia players, including NWSL stars Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, pose during a training session before 2025 WAFCON.

The NWSL is already making a splash at this year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with three of the league's top scorers stealing the spotlight following the 2025 tournament's July 5th kick-off.

Zambia forwards Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride) and Racheal Kundananji (Bay FC) both found the back of the net in their national team's group-stage debut against host country Morocco, helping the Copper Queens earn an opening point in the 2-2 Saturday draw.

Banda struck first, notching the tournament's first goal with one of her signature long-range strikes in the first minute of the match, before Kundananji answered Morocco's 12th-minute penalty equalizer with a Banda-assisted 27th minute goal of her own.

Notably, the NWSL is powering Zambia's entire front line, as Banda's Pride teammates, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya, joined the scorers in leading the Copper Queens' Saturday attack.

Then on Sunday, Kundananji's Bay FC teammate Asisat Oshoala wrote her name on the 2025 WAFCON scoresheet, registering Nigeria's first tournament goal by heading the ball past Tunisia goalkeeper Salima Jobrani in the fourth minute of the match.

With Houston Dash defender Michelle Alozie helping hold down their back line, the Super Falcons opened their WAFCON account with a 3-0 win.

How to watch NWSL stars at 2025 WAFCON

WAFCON action revs back up when the second matches of group play kick off on Wednesday, as the 12 2025 tournament teams all chase defending champions South Africa.

Zambia will hunt their first tournament victory against Senegal at 12 PM ET on Wednesday, before Nigeria looks to maintain their winning ways against Botswana at 3 PM ET on Thursday.

All 2025 WAFCON matches will air live on beIN Sports.

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