Back in May, after the Portland Thorns’ 5-0 thrashing of the Chicago Red Stars, I wrote about how great teams often have a stellar attack but they must also be defensively dominant. It was only the first match of the regular season against a Red Stars team that was struggling, but signs of a defensive identity were visible. Throughout the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup and the first match of the regular season, the ideas and tactics of the press, the structure, and the commitment from everyone on the field to defend were clear.
Thorns’ once again display dominant defense against the Washington Spirit
