Thorns-Reign sellout sets NWSL record

The Thorns visit Seattle on Sunday for a 4 p.m. rematch, then must travel to Western New York for a game next Wednesday.

The Thorns announced a sellout crowd – its first – of 21,144 ahead of Wednesday night’s match at Providence Park in Portland; the match was the club’s first home game since the U.S. Women’s National Team won the 2015 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup earlier this month. Portland also held the previous NWSL record of 19,123, set August 3, 2014.

The Thorns lead the league in attendance by a wide margin, averaging 13,769 fans a game this season. The figure beat the Thorns own NWSL record but fell short of the highest domestic crowd recorded Stateside in 2001 when 34,148 spectators attended Washington’s RFK stadium where 1999 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup™ superstars Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain were the star attractions.

Be Civil – It’s OK to have a difference in opinion but there’s no need to be a jerk. Notably, Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath were part of the champion U.S. Women’s National Team. However, it was to be the visiting Portland who came out on top thanks to a lone goal from prolific Scotland striker Kim Little. In addition, forward Christine Sinclair and midfielder Tobin Heath returned to action for Thorns FC for first time since April 25.

In total, four players that featured in the 2015 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup made their post-World Cup debut for the Thorns Wednesday, while U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Megan Rapinoe started for Seattle.

Morgan was unavailable for the match after minor surgery on her right knee. Injured Seattle goalkeeper Hope Solo was not at the match.

Heath said the Thorns would have liked to give the hometown fans a win for their overwhelming support.

“I’m just so proud to say that we have the best fans in the world for club and country”, Morgan said.

“Tonight was hard”, she said, “it was really hard”.