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SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 – PORTLAND, OR: Olivia Moultrie determinant free kick that lead to Reyna Reyes equalizer during NWSL Regular Season San Diego Wave at Portland Thorns at Providence Park (Photo by Diego G Diaz).
The Portland Thorns were able to rescue a point with a late goal by Reyna Reyes after a wonderful free kick by Olivia Moultrie that kissed the crossbar and bounced behind the goal line. San Diego had gone up 1-0 ten minutes into the second half with a goal by Savannah McCaskill picking up a deflection in the outside box. The result tightens the race for third place, with KC Current clinching the NWSL Shield.
The match promised to be a good competition between two teams sitting comfortably high in the top five of the table. A victory for the Thorns would have given them clear separation and a chance of a higher seed for the playoffs. The Wave had the same mission, and a victory for either team would give them a chance to threaten the top spots. The second, of course, the weekend saw Kansas City Current mathematically win the Shield in a dominant regular season performance almost 16 points ahead of current runners-up Washington Spirit.
Portland and San Diego came to the contest with similar records, exactly 8 wins, 6 draws, and 6 losses, with Portland edging by two goals on goal difference. Similar stats, but completely different styles of play, with San Diego exhibiting a more possession control game, and Portland looking for a more direct way to the goal.
It was Hispanic Heritage Day with mariachis, special celebratory posters, and the Spanish version of the US national anthem was sang, and the ball started to roll just past 7 PM. The expectation was high in a day with a full football menu. The Timbers almost overlapping in their visit to Houston, the stadium was nearly full. Fans were eager for a win after the lads in MLS had lost their match in Texas, it was up to the Thorns to bring the smile back to Portland’s Sunday.
The best way to describe the match could be joining of two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly. They lock in, and they can’t get around each other. Both teams played their game, and while San Diego was controlling the game in the midfield with lovely passing and discipline recovering the ball. They effectively neutralized the Thorns ability to orchestrate any game past the midfield. Portland let San Diego do their thing in the midfield, sitting back and able to thwart San Diego’s goal ambitions whenever they got past the last third of the field.
There were few scoring opportunities, San Diego looked better owning the ball and played on the Thorns half for the majority of the time. However, it seemed to lack that last push for goal. San Diego felt closer to the goal. On the other side, Portland was able to generate danger from the boots of Olivia Moultrie. The midfielder is in good form and when she was able to turn forward with a bit of space. She is always dangerous, especially from close in free kicks.
It was not a pretty affair, and the game looked like it was destined for a goalless draw. Both teams seemed much more interested in not conceding goals than taking risks on the attack as a loss that could still threaten their post season plans. San Diego was proposing a bit more on the offense, and midfielder Savannah McCaskill connected a placed shot from just outside past Thorns goal keeper Mackenzie Arnold.
The Portland Thorns needed to react, and coach Rob Gale brought up the talented Japanese international Hina Sugita, to the fray in the 63rd minute for Pietra Tordin, and ten minutes after, Alexa Spaanstra for Mellie McKenzie on the right wing, and Venezuelan attacker Deyna Castellanos for Marie Alidou. The Thorns regained some initiative, but San Diego was able to regain control of the play after every home team shockwave. They started to feel they could manage the advantage, but the pressure on their goal kept increasing.
Strategies and game control in a football game led by one goal are often an illusion. A glass cover often shattered by individual actions of star players, for that reason they are called “cracks” in some parts of the world. On Saturday night, that the difference maker was again Olivia Moultrie, the 20-year old, was in charge of executing a dangerous free kick in the 87th minute. Wave defender Trinity Armstrong had given away after a strong tackle on Sam Coffey that earned her a yellow card.
The free kick was ideal for Moultrie, in the center just outside the box, with the fans relentlessly singing and drumming. Olivia sent the ball almost perfectly flying past the wall of San Diego defenders, past goalkeeper Dijana Haracic, aimed to the right upper side netting. The air escaped the lungs of the local fans as it hit the crossbar enough to dive down away from the goal line, and bounce out and off Haracic unable to trap the ball.
It was like the world has gone on pause, except for Reyna Reyes, who overwhelmed the inner box left of the wall, without giving Haracic and the defenders standing on the wall any time to react. The deflection fell perfectly on Reyes feet, and the Mexican international did not miss.
There was more action in the last ten minutes of the match, including the six minutes of stoppage time, than in the whole game. Thorns saw they could hurt San Diego, and San Diego realized, that with Portland pushing, they could hurt them back in the transition, and got close to regaining the advantage in the final moments.
It was 1-1 at the final whistle, a result that tightens the race with three teams tied at 31 points, Gotham FC, Portland Thorns, and San Diego Wave, for 3rd to 5th, with Washington Spirit holding the second place six points head with 37, but with Seattle Reign and Orlando Pride, 30 and 29 points, respectively following real close. North Carolina Courage currently owns the 8th position on the table with 28 points, and the last ticket to the playoffs, while Houston Dash and Racing Louisville in 9th and 10th, with 26, and with 5 games left still have realistic possibilities to still earn their tickets to the post season.
The bottom of the table doesn’t have any team mathematically discarded yet, Chicago Red Stars are looking for an early end of their season, sitting last with 15 points, and the worst goal difference of -15 alongside Utah Royals sitting 13th with 18 points, and Bay City with 19 points in 12th place, and their heads probably already thinking about 2026. While Angle City, 11th with 26 points, and Angel City, with 24, are facing a very uphill battle, but they still could get in.
