PORTLAND, Ore.— The San Diego Wave (5-0-2) met the Portland Thorns (5-1-1) for the second time this season, this time at Providence Park on Wednesday, losing for the first time since their home opener, 2-0. As the Thorns have done since 2023, Portland defended its home turf against the Wave.
In the third match of the NWSL 2026 regular season, the Wave faced the Thorns at home and won it, 3-1. The team sought to deliver this dominance once again. In the beginning minutes of the match, there was high pressure from the Thorns to keep the Wave’s defense quick on its feet.
Tenth-Minute Madness
An assist by Olivia Moultrie drove Marie Müller up the left side with a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner of the goal, giving the Thorns an early advantage 1-0. The stadium erupted as this was also Müller’s first NWSL career goal.
First-Half Takeaways
San Diego leaned into a game of possession to disrupt Portland’s high-press movements. The first half mirrored a tennis match; in the midfield, there were constant back-and-forth battles between both sides. San Diego created multiple opportunities to score with breakaways from Dudinha and two corner kicks by Lia Godfrey and Kenza Dali. These top-of-the-table teams played at a fast pace. Both squads wanted points to remain at the top of the leaderboard.
Halftime Adjustments
At halftime, Müller commented on her early goal and the team’s preparation for the second half. The defender noted the creativity of the San Diego players and how the Thorns’ previous match against the Wave prepared the Thorns to respond in the second half.
Kenza Dali on the attack. Credit: Wave FC
Wave Under Pressure
Although San Diego was persistent in the box, the lack of directness was displayed when Portland’s goalie Mackenzie Arnold got her first save in the 60th minute. After minutes of kickball, Sophia Wilson turned from defender to scorer. Superstar for the Thorns, Wilson received a yellow card earlier in the game, but this did not discourage the standout player. Wilson slammed a line drive through the defensive outside of the penalty box to increase Portland’s lead, 2-0. With a two-goal deficit, San Diego was forced to push higher. The remaining 30 minutes of the game consisted of constant reaching from the Wave in an attempt to produce a goal. Ultimately, the Wave failed to get around Portland’s condensed defense with the final, 2-0. It’s the first time since March 14 that the Wave have come away without a goal.
Standings Update
With Portland’s 2-0 victory, they leapfrogged the Wave to claim the No. 1 spot in the NWSL. Portland now has 16 points, and San Diego has 15 points.
Select Match Stats
Stat Portland Thorns San Diego Wave
Possession 42.1% | 57.9%
Shot Attempts 5 | 11
Shots on Goal 3 | 3
Corner Kicks 4 | 5
Fouls 11 | 14
Yellow Cards 2 | 1
Up Next
The Wave will return home this Sunday, May 3, to face Bay FC and will celebrate Kids Night at Snapdragon Stadium. Get your tickets here
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