Come Saturday afternoon, it will have only been 27 days since the Orlando Pride last visited Providence Park, and given the team’s lack of trades, major signings, or new, long-term injuries, it would make sense to just link back to our previous preview, update the date and time, and wish Portland Thorns FC fans good luck with the mid-day sun.
During that time, though, there have been some significant changes to head coach Tom Sermanni’s team, one that tried a new formation during that day’s 2-1 loss for the Pride. Searching for solutions against the Thorns’ high-pressing, wing-back-laden approach, Sermanni inserted an extra central defender, played wing backs of his own, and hoped midfielders Christine Nairn and Dani Weatherholt could hold down the center of the field.