PORTLAND, Ore. -- One win away from a third star above the crest, Portland Thorns FC returned to the field on Tuesday, resuming training ahead of a Saturday match (1:30pm PT, Lifetime) that will be historic, regardless of the outcome.
For the first time since the National Women’s Soccer League went to its neutral-site Championship Game format in 2015, the final will feature the host team, and while the Thorns’ opponent for Saturday’s kickoff at Providence Park has yet to be determined, the stands are almost guaranteed to feature a sellout crowd.
“It’s there as motivation,” head coach Mark Parsons said about hosting a championship match, after Saturday’s victory over Seattle Reign FC.