PORTLAND THORNS FC GAME NOTES PORTLAND THORNS FC VS. SEATTLE REIGN FC SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016, 7:30 P.M. (PT) VP Communications: Chris Metz - (503) 553-5433, cmetz@timbers.com Manager, Media Relations - Thorns FC: Katie Simons - (503) 553-5539, ksimons@timbers.com Manager, Media Relations: - Timbers: Jhamie Chin - (503) 553-5529, jchin@timbers.com Coordinator, Media Relations: Kevin Acevedo - (503) 553-5512, kacevedo@timbers.com
THORNS FC
2016 SCHEDULE
REIGN FC
2016 NWSL RECORD: 7-2-5 (Home: 4-1-1; Away: 3-1-4)
VS.
7-2-5 (26pts)
5-4-5 (20pts)
MATCH INFORMATION Date: Saturday, July 30, 2016 Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) Location: Providence Park (Portland, Ore.) Forecast: Sunny, 84 degrees Referee: Malik Bawadi Assistant Referees: Cory Richardson, Adrienne McDonald Fourth Official: JJ Blodgett Webstream: www.thornsfc.com
NWSL WEEK 15 SCHEDULE Saturday, July 30
TIME (PT)
Sky Blue FC at Washington Spirit FC Kansas City at Chicago Red Stars Western NY Flash at Houston Dash Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC
4 p.m. 5 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 31
TIME (PT)
Orlando Pride at Boston Breakers
3 p.m.
LAST MATCH RECAP Portland played its last match on the road against the Houston Dash on July 16 at BBVA Compass Stadium, falling 3-0 in the match. Thorns FC created several good scoring opportunities in the opening 20 minutes of the match. Forward Hayley Raso sent a shot just wide of the left post in the fourth minute and nearly chased down a back pass by a Houston defender in the 14th minute, pushing her shot just wide. After conceding the opening goal in the 7th minute to Houston forward Rachel Daly, midfielder Celeste Boureille nearly equalized, sending a shot from near the penalty spot just over the bar in the 25th minute of the match.
CALL-UPS Three players will be available for selection for Saturday’s match with several players away with their respective national teams for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Forward Shade Pratt, defender Sam Lofton and midfielder Maureen Fitzgerald will all be available for selection on Saturday. All three played against Houston on July 16, while Fitzgerald made her second appearance this season, earning the start for Portland.
DATE Sun., April 17 Sat., April 23 Sun., May 1 Sat., May 7 Sat., May 14 Sat., May 21 Sun., May 29 Sun., June 12 Fri., June 17 Wed., June 22 Sun., June 26 Sat., July 2 Sat., July 9 Sat., July 16 Sat., July 30 Sat., Aug. 27 Sun., Sept. 4 Wed., Sept. 7 Sun., Sept. 11 Sun., Sept. 25
OPPONENT TIME/RESULT ORLANDO PRIDE W 2-1 @FC Kansas City D 1-1 @Boston Breakers W 1-0 @Washington Spirit D 0-0 @Seattle Reign FC D 1-1 WASHINGTON W 4-1 SEATTLE REIGN FC D 0-0 @Chicago D 1-1 @Western NY W 2-0 CHICAGO W 2-0 @Orlando Pride W 2-1 SKY BLUE FC W 2-1 FC KANSAS CITY L 1-2 @Houston Dash L 0-3 SEATTLE REIGN FC 7:30 p.m. @Seattle Reign FC 2 p.m. BOSTON 4 p.m. HOUSTON DASH 7 p.m. WESTERN NY 6:30 p.m. @Sky Blue FC 4 p.m.
BROADCAST/ATT. 16,073 2,033 3,698 4,333 4,631 15,823 18,114 3,131 2,235 16,931 7,143 14,287 16,942 5,661 ThornsFC.com ThornsFC.com ThornsFC.com ThornsFC.com FOX Sports 1 ThornsFC.com
*dates and times subject to change
MATCH DAY PREVIEW Portland Thorns FC return to action, following an idle week, and will play four of their final six regular-season games at Providence Park, starting with a match against Seattle Reign FC on July 30. In addition, it’s the final match before the NWSL takes a league-wide break for the Rio 2016 Olympics. Saturday’s match is the third of four meetings between Portland and Seattle this season, and the first of back-to-back matches. The two teams will meet after the Olympic break in Seattle on Aug. 27. The match features two of the top defensive teams in the league as Thorns FC have surrendred the second-fewest goals (12) in the league, while Seattle has conceded the third-fewest goals (13) in the NWSL this season.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME Playing their home matches at downtown Portland’s iconic Providence Park, Thorns FC have led the league in attendance in each of their first three NWSL seasons. Globally, Thorns FC have the highest attendance of any women’s professional team in the world, averaging 15,639 fans in their third season in the league in 2015. Portland has produced record crowds in each season, including Thorns FC’s first sellout of 21,144 fans against Seattle Reign FC on July 22, 2015. Portland equaled that mark for a second time on Aug. 30 against the Washington Spirit. In its first three seasons, Thorns FC have averaged better than 14,038 fans per game.