Portland Thorns poke blemish on long Orlando Pride run

At the same time Orlando Pride players celebrated winning their first NWSL Shield, they also suffered their only defeat.

The Orlando Pride lifted the club’s first NWSL Shield during this, the squad’s greatest season ever. Yet, as they prepared a campaign to win the league for good in the post-season, the players suffered the team’s only defeat.

The Portland Thorns haven’t had success to match the Orlando Pride. But the Thorns still inflicted the only blemish on the squad that could stop their 24-match undefeated streak. The 2-0 Pride loss is the team’s first defeat since October 6, 2023.

The Pride lineup for this match had forward Evelina Duljan in her first start, while defender Emily Sams made her 50th appearance across all competitions.

The Thorn players and coaches were prepared and waiting for the Pride. Their first goal was by Morgan Weaver, assist to Rayna Reyes, in the 13th minute. This is the first time the Pride has trailed in a match since the second game of the season. They are still first in the league with a 17-1-6 record.

The second Thorn goal by Christine Sinclair, assist to Sam Coffee, came in the 55th minute.

Head Coach Seb Hines said after the game the players and coaches should feel the loss and know they don’t want to feel like that again.

Forward Ally Watt added that the players will study how they performed, how the Thorns attacked, and learn from the match. She said they will use the defeat as a wake-up prompt as they draw near the post-season.

Until this defeat, the Pride had placed great emphasis on how they created wins, and not just on the wins themselves.

Defender Carrie Lawrence said the players will also reach back and grab the momentum they used to sustain their undefeated streak, which started in 2023.

That momentum got the Orlando Pride to hoist the 2024 NWSL Shield trophy. That’s the trophy they’ll carry far into the league post-season.