The Portland Thorns moved into first place in the NWSL standings with a 2-0 win over the San Diego Wave on Wednesday night.
The Thorns struck early to kick off the Portland vs. San Diego showdown, controlling key moments to secure the result at Providence Park.
Portland opened the scoring in the 10th minute as defender Marie Muller netted her first NWSL goal, assisted by Olivia Moultrie.
San Diego finished with more shots, but Portland's backline held firm. Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold came up with a key one-on-one save in the second half to preserve the lead.
In the 64th minute, Sophia Wilson — fresh off her 2025 maternity leave — scored her first home goal since November 2024. Wilson's strike subsequently sealed the win.
All three of Portland's home victories this season have come on a 2-0 scoreline, something head coach Robert Vilahamn said reflects the team's — and the crowd's — confidence.
“I don’t think you can find a spot in the world in the women’s game that has this kind of fan base and atmosphere,” Vilahamn told Oregon Live. “There’s nowhere near this loudness and support we have here and it gives us something extra.”
With the win, Portland overtakes San Diego to top the NWSL table. While the Thorns haven’t won the NWSL Shield since 2021, they're back in early position in what promises to be the longest season in league history.
Still, the group is keeping a steady approach.
“We’re not going to get too far ahead of ourselves," Arnold said. "It suits us better to take it game by game... We don’t really read into that too much.”
