There is no better evidence of the heightened, sometimes excessive standard we’ve developed for Portland Thorns FC than the first impressions we have of their games.
Think about how most people felt after watching the 2-1 loss at North Carolina two weeks ago; or, more recently, the reaction to this Saturday’s 2-2 draw against the Chicago Red Stars. The sky was practically falling, for some, but those opponents comprise two of the three most talented teams in the National Women’s Soccer League (the Thorns being the third). The Thorns came close to beating each, but because they are the Thorns, people expect more.