The Seattle Reign are back at Lumen Field this Sunday, July 12, for a massive Cascadia Rivalry showdown against Portland Thorns FC. It's just our fourth home match all season, and let me tell you, the Emerald City faithful need to bring the noise, a crowd big enough to make club history, because our squad has managed just one win in their last eight games.
Reign Need To Find That Magic Against a Red-Hot Portland
We're coming off a tough 3-1 defeat at North Carolina, our first game back after that month-long World Cup break. Sally Menti got us on the board first, but then Ashley Sanchez hit us with a brace and Riley Jackson buried a penalty. Meanwhile, Portland rolls into town in seriously strong form. They're second place, fresh off a 4-0 absolute rout of Racing Louisville! Jayden Perry, Pietra Tordin, Reilyn Turner, and Sophia Wilson all lit up the scoreboard. Under new head coach Robert Vilahamn, they're unbeaten in four of their last five. Talk about a tough opponent, right?The Numbers Don't Lie, But Neither Does Laura Harvey
Reign head coach Laura Harvey put it perfectly about this rivalry: "It's the most organic, the most fiercest rivalry in the NWSL. I don't think it will ever be beaten." She talked about the respect, but also the "disliking each other" and "that rivalry emotion." That's what it's all about! But here's the kicker: The Thorns lead the all-time series 18-16-10. Portland has definitely had our number recently, too. We haven't beaten them since April 2025 right here at Lumen. Remember that 2-0 loss back in March? That's when Holly Ward and Sofia Cedeño made their NWSL debuts as second-half subs. Even with two Thorns red cards, Cassandra Bogere and Reyna Reyes got sent off, they still beat us! We've scored 46 goals against them all-time, but conceded 51. That's a stat we gotta fix.Who's On The Field For This Must-Win Match?
On the injury front, we're still without Shae Holmes and Claudia Dickey. But Jess Fishlock? Coach Harvey says she's "really close," and they'll make the call after Saturday's training. Imagine having her back for a rivalry game like this! Speaking of rosters, Portland lost big names offseason like captain Sam Coffey, who went to Manchester City, and defender Kaitlyn Torpey. But they brought back Sophia Wilson from maternity leave and added Cassandra Bogere. So it's not the exact same Thorns team, but they're still deadly. With us sitting at 4-6-2 (14 points, 11th place) and them at 8-3-3 (27 points, 2nd place), this Sunday isn't just another game. It's a statement. It's time to show the league what the Reign are made of, live on ESPN at 1 p.m. PT. Let's get loud, Seattle!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.