PORTLAND — On a clear, cool night in Rose City, a legend’s legacy was forever immortalized as Christine Sinclair was inducted into the Portland Thorns Hall of Fame and had her No. 12 jersey retired before the club took on Bay FC. Similar to her final regular-season appearance at Providence Park, the Thorns perfectly honored the club legend with their on-field performance. 

Though the visiting Bay FC scored first in the 36th minute through Taylor Huff, Portland turned things around in the second half. Passing the torch to the next generation of Thorns stars, midfielder Olivia Moultrie scored the first brace of her career and became the youngest player in Thorns history to score twice in a single match to win the game. 

“We’re delighted to get the result for Sinc on this special night,” Thorns head coach Rob Gale said. “Being down 1-0 at home on a big occasion, it’s about character and about quality from that moment onward.”

The playoff field has its first confirmed guest, and transfer rumors are swirling over Angel City. Meanwhile, the Sphere of Mediocrity grows ever larger.

Here’s how they shape up after most of Week 18:

Cream of the Crop

x-Kansas City Current (15-2-1, 46 pts; vs Courage, 2-0):  Temwa Chawinga did not score against the North Carolina Courage, but neither did the Courage. That leaves Chawinga with 11 goals while the Current have conceded only 10. Kayla Sharples continues to stay in the discussion for Defender of the Year, and even as it has taken Ally Sentnor some time to fully integrate into the attack, the defense has become a well-oiled machine, and the win over the Courage made the Current the first team to secure an official invite to the 2025 playoffs. The only bad news is that Esther Gonzalez scored for Gotham to edge ahead of Chawinga in the Golden Boot race.

Angel City wins two in a row as transfer rumors involving Alyssa Thompson heat up, the Kansas City Current clinch a playoff spot before Labor Day, bottom teams continue to make things interesting, and Racing Louisville drop yet more points in stoppage time.

Where does Angel City stand amidst Alyssa Thompson’s reported transfer interest?

Angel City earned a 2-1 win over California counterparts Bay FC, and now sit just outside the playoff line in ninth place. Monday night’s result, however, feels like a burial of the lede, as it was set in the backdrop of multiple departures. On Wednesday, the club announced the transfers of Alana Kennedy and Katie Zelem to the Lion City Lionesses for an unspecified fee. Those exits were soon overshadowed by bombshell reports of Chelsea’s interest in 20-year-old star winger Alyssa Thompson. The deal is reportedly in “advanced talks” prior to the FA Women’s Super League’s deadline day on September 4, as Thompson was an “excused absence” from Monday’s match.   

The Most Valuable Player debates in the National Women’s Soccer League can often be contentious, with much debate over what should quantify a most valuable player. Could continue to perform without that player? When they do, does that hurt said player’s chances? For lesser teams, does an MVP need to go above and beyond to put themselves in the conversation?

That a team could perform well without a certain player doesn’t mean that player isn’t valuable, of course. Maybe that team has a great coach, or had a GM that build a great roster. Regardless, whether or not a team is good—and could do well without them—shouldn’t discount a player’s chances at MVP. Oftentimes, a player is great because of the teammates they have around

This may feel like déjà vu, but this week’s Anatomy of a Goal is highlighting yet another Pietra Tordin banger. This time, though, Tordin’s goal came during rivalry weekend, when the Portland Thorns put on a clinic against the Seattle Reign at home. 

Tordin scored the Thorns’ fourth and final goal just one minute after the Reign made it a 3-2 game in the 64th minute. Let’s break it down.

Some familiar names on this list have continued to stand out, while others have found themselves on our list for the first time. In the first year without the NWSL draft, one thing is clear: these rookies have come to play, and are contributing in big ways to their clubs.

Riley Tiernan – Angel City FC

Back when we did our first edition of standout rookies, Tiernan was firmly on the list with three goals and an assist through six matches. Now 13 games in, Tiernan has cemented herself not only as one of Angel City’s best players but also one of the top scorers in the league with seven goals to lead ACFC. Tiernan is not only firmly in the conversation for Rookie of the Year – and may very well be the frontrunner – but has also put herself in position to potentially win the Golden Boot, being in fourth place and just three goals behind current leader Esther González.

Her +4.4 xG leads the league, and she’s converting her shots on target. In total, she ranks in the top 10 in 11 major offensive stat categories, according to FBRef, and has been one of the league’s top-producing offensive players. After being named the May Rookie of the Month – marking back-to-back Rookie of the Month nods – and to the NWSL Team of the Month, she received a call-up to the U-23 U.S. women’s national team camp in June, and her two appearances were her first of any kind within the USWNT system. 

Trinity Armstrong – San Diego Wave FC

There were questions about Naomi Girma’s departure on what San Diego’s backline would look like in her absence. Trinity Armstrong has provided that answer. Back in early June, The Equalizer’s Sebastian Bush identified Armstrong as one of three NWSL standouts flying under the radar. Defensively, Armstrong’s abilities have continued to impress. And at just 17 years old, that makes her rookie performances even more eye-popping. She’s been a key part of San Diego’s surge into third place in the standings, allowing just 16 goals on the season. Armstrong currently holds an 88.1% pass completion rate, holding above 90% completion in each of San Diego’s last three games. 

Named as part of the league’s Best XI in May, she was the youngest player in NWSL history to be named to a team of the month. She had a goal and two assists on top of her defensive play, with her first career goal coming at a critical moment to hand the Wave a 2-1 victory over Bay FC. She’s the youngest player in league history to have a stoppage-time game-winner. While Tiernan is cementing herself in the conversation for Rookie of the Year, Armstrong is right there with her. 

While she’s only reached the U-17 squad, it’s likely that if Armstrong’s play continues, we’ll soon get to see Armstrong and Naomi Girma play together on the USWNT’s backline, which should be an enticing prospect for national team fans everywhere.

Taylor Huff – Bay FC

Taylor Huff has started in each of her 13 matches played for Bay FC, and has made an immediate impact for the Bay in its second season in the league and earned three call-ups to the USWNT U-23 team so far this year. Her passing abilities are among the best in the league, with Huff ranking fourth overall in passes into the penalty area. She’s also fifth in the league in total crosses with 58 and leads Bay. 

Huff leads all Bay midfielders in pass completion, ahead of players like Kiki Pickett, having completed 311 of her 461 passes. Her 38-shot creating actions rank first on Bay FC, and she’s also good at drawing penalties, making her a dangerous player to take your eyes off. 

Lilly Reale – Gotham FC

Lilly Reale’s play earned her her first-ever senior national team call-up in July, and her international debut to go along with it in a 4-0 win over Ireland. Named to the Best XI of the Month in April, Reale has one goal and one assist, having started in 11 of 12 matches for Gotham FC. She also played a full 90 in both of Gotham’s Concacaf W Champions Cup matches, gaining valuable minutes in the final that the team won. 

A shift from central to left back has allowed Reale’s talents to shine through and has helped the team’s backline allow just 13 goals – tied for fourth-lowest in the league alongside Seattle. 

Jayden Perry – Portland Thorns

Rookie center backs have come to play this season. While her goals have come off of penalties, the ability to score goals as a center back isn’t something you come by every day. And Perry not only has been doing that for Portland, she’s become a staple of the Thorns’ defense as a rookie. With a proven ability to adapt within games, she’s established herself not only as one of the best rookie defenders, but also one of the best across the league.

Not only does Perry know where to position herself in the box to help with clearances, she also holds a calmness under pressure that would make you think she’s a seasoned veteran – not a 22-year-old rookie. She’s been able to find her teammates and break through the first line of pressure, while also pressing on the dribble – that Perry can do both well is huge for a Portland team that aims to possess and break teams down on the ball. Plus, she’s been able to contribute offensively, with her three goals and one assist tied for the second-most points on the team behind fellow rookie Reilyn Turner, and Sam Coffey. Those three goals may be off of penalty kicks, but they also rank her first in the league for penalty kicks made, and it’s not like a penalty kick is always a guarantee.

For the final iteration of our Anatomy of a Goal series before the National Women’s Soccer League’s summer break, we’re taking a look at the Portland Thorns’ game-winning goal against the Chicago Stars.

With a quick glance at this season’s week-by-week standings, it may be surprising that Portland only managed to put up a single goal against the perpetually bottom-dwelling Stars. 

The post, which was a collaboration with the U.S. women’s national team and U.S. Soccer, started, “This isn’t a surprise. But it still feels big to say. It’s time – I’m retiring from football.”

She also added a cheeky caption which read, “Now available for charity matches, Sunday brunches and pool parties… preferably all in the same day.”

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A post shared by Meghan Klingenberg (@meghankling)

Klingenberg, 36, most recently played with Portland Thorns FC, but elected to depart the club at the end of the 2024 season. She spent eight years there and won two NWSL championships as well as two NWSL Shields.

After winning two national championships at North Carolina, Klingenberg was selected by the Washington Freedom in the 2011 WPS Draft. She was traded to the Boston Breakers and later played for the Western New York Flash, as well. 

Klingenberg spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons with Tyresö FF in Sweden, then joined the Houston Dash of the upstart NWSL as a 2014 expansion draft selection. She played there until a 2015 trade sent her to Portland.

For country, Klingenberg represented the U.S. at the U-16, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels. She retires with 75 caps earned between 2011 and 2018. She was a key fixture in the 2015 World Cup title run, playing every minute for the U.S.

Later in the day, Klingenberg sat down with former teammates Becky Sauerbrunn and Lindsey Horan to discuss her decision on the first episode of the new U.S. Soccer Podcast, which she will co-host alongside David Gass and Alejandro Bedoya.

In addition to joining the podcast, Klingenberg is also a founding partner in lifestyle brand and media company Re-inc., alongside Tobin Heath, Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe.

Six weeks down in the National Women’s Soccer League season, and the rookies are already showing out. 

Let’s take a look at some of the top rookies so far this season:

Maggie Graham, Houston Dash 

Through the first six weeks of the season, Houston’s Maggie Graham has been a standout. Named Rookie of the Month for March, Graham got her first NWSL goal in the team’s opening weekend against the Washington Spirit. Then again, in the second week, the midfielder got a goal against Chicago in the team’s 2-1 win on what was essentially her first touch after being subbed in. She’s just the third rookie in NWSL history to score back-to-back goals in their first two NWSL games. 

Since its inaugural season, there have been 30 opportunities to lift a trophy across all competitions in the National Women’s Soccer League. Two teams have secured nearly half of them: the North Carolina Courage and the Portland Thorns. Arguably the two most successful clubs in the league, the Courage and Thorns hold a combined five NWSL Championships, five NWSL Shields, three Challenge Cups, and one Fall Series title. 

Given the rich history of success for both teams, it is not surprising that they have fostered an organic rivalry. In the 22 times the Thorns and Courage have played each other, North Carolina has won 10 times, while Portland has won seven. There have been five draws and 55 total goals in this series, with the Courage netting 35 of them. 

All things considered, whenever the Thorns and Courage have taken the field, it has been a battle of two top clubs. However, that has not exactly been the case through the first three games of the 2025 season.