PORTLAND, Ore. – There were only two ways it could have gone, with no room between the best- and worst-case scenarios. Either the North Carolina Courage were going to come back to Providence Park, continue the success they’ve had against the Portland Thorns over the last season-plus, and throw the rest of the hosts’ season into doubt, or there would be a breakthrough, giving the Thorns reason to believe that, should the two teams meet again in the postseason, 2019’s story will be different from 2018’s.
Though some elements of the result are destined to be debated between the two sides between now and October, the impact of the outcome won’t.