It was a record-breaking weekend for the Portland Thorns, and the Rose City is feeling good.
The 4–2 win for the Thorns over fierce rivals Seattle Reign featured the most goals ever in a Cascadia Rivalry match, a record 17th win for Portland over Seattle, the biggest attendance of the 2025 NWSL season so far at 21,811 and a club record home unbeaten streak (10 games).
What made it all sweeter was Portland leapfrogging Seattle in the standings and now sitting just one point and one place off the San Diego Wave in fourth. Considering that fourth place gets to host a playoff game come October, that's a coveted spot.
Party in Portland 🎉 pic.twitter.com/WrY5miaf3x
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 10, 2025
The energy in Portland is that the kids are alright. With an average age of 25.5, the Thorns boast the youngest playing squad in the NWSL. The team's starting frontline on Saturday was about as fresh as you'll find: Reilyn Turner, 22; Pietra Tordin, 21; and Olivia Moultrie, 19.
While it is not yet clear how good this Thorns team is just yet, the ceiling on this young group is very high.
Here are your NWSL power rankings after Matchday 15.
14. Utah Royals (1-12-3) [Previous: 14]
As grim as it looked for the Utah Royals, who are bottom of the standings and traded away their star player to first-place Kansas City Current, there is fight in this group. The Royals have had two of their most spirited and disciplined performances in the last two weeks. Jimmy Coenraets's team so very nearly came to steal a point off the Current before conceding a late goal and losing 1–0. The season feels lost, but there's still time for Utah to prove it is better than last place.
13. Chicago Stars (1-9-5) [Previous: 13]
On the one hand, the Chicago Stars are on an 11-game winless streak. On the other hand, the Stars have lost just one of their last five games. Under new interim manager Ella Masar, Chicago has looked fresh and combative. They're not going to roll over. And Shea Groom bullying her way to a nice goal in the 1–1 at the weekend against Bay FC was evidence of that.
12. Bay FC (4-5-6) [Previous: 12]
Bay are trending in the wrong direction. Now winless in four games, Bay have taken the lead in both games since the summer break and failed to lock down all three points. Racheal Kundananji has the potential to be an MVP in this league, but she needs to sharpen her shooting. She has attempted 34 shots in her last nine games and scored none, which included a 10-shot performance in the 2–2 against the Houston Dash last week.
11. Houston Dash (4-8-3) [Previous: 12]
Undefeated and four points in the bank for the Houston Dash since the NWSL's restart, with Sophie Schmidt scoring late goals in both games. Schmidt's 95th-minute winner in the 2-1 win over the North Carolina Courage came courtesy of some silky movement and a zippy pass from Yazmeen Ryan. Overall, Houston hasn't dazzled all that much. Four goals from four shots on target in the last two games isn't sustainable. That being said, there's a fresh feeling to the way the Dash are playing. An effervescence amongst the rawness and mistakes. Good news for fans in Texas.
Sophie Schmidt buries the game-winner from a perfect set-up by Yazmeen Ryan 👏 pic.twitter.com/CcELmZDJUp
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 9, 2025
10. North Carolina Courage (5-6-4) [Previous: 7]
In the wake of unceremoniously firing manager Sean Nahas 48 hours before a match, the North Carolina Courage turned in a perfectly adequate performance against the Houston Dash. Of course, perfectly adequate won't cut it in the NWSL. While Jaedyn Shaw did return to the starting XI, Ashley Sanchez went back to the bench. It's still unclear what the Courage's best starting lineup is or how they want to play amid an identity crisis in 2025.
9. Angel City (4-6-5) [Previous: 10]
Concerns are brewing as manager Alex Straus has yet to record a win five games into his Angel City tenure. Going away to a local rival and getting a 1–1 draw isn't a terrible result. At Snapdragon Stadium, Angel City put a very stodgy first half behind them and looked far better in the second half, and were good value for their tie. The good news, a first NWSL assist for new signing Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir. The bad news, a concussion could keep captain Sarah Gorden on the sidelines for a week or so.
Alanna Kennedy's first goal of the season ties things up in stoppage time! 😱 pic.twitter.com/PcTPubfjtH
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 10, 2025
8. NJ/NY Gotham FC (5-5-5) [Previous: 9]
On the one hand, Gotham have come back from the summer break with back-to-back draws. There is concern over where the goals are coming from, with Esther Gonzalez drawing a blank in the 0–0 draw with the Spirit last weekend. However, considering Geyse was rather harshly sent off in the 30th minute for raking the back of an opponent's ankle with her studs, there was some impressive defensive concentration from Gotham this weekend to lock things down and get a point and a clean sheet.
7. Seattle Reign (7-5-3) [Previous: 5]
A rather uncharacteristic showing from the Seattle Reign in their 4–2 loss to the Portland Thorns. This was a team that had only conceded 13 goals this season before Sunday, and 16.5 expected goals against (xGA). For perspective, Portland generated 4.3 xGA in that one game, which is now 21% of the Reign's entire xGA in the 2025 season. Laura Harvey will need to have a look at her defensive structure, personnel and how much space her wing-backs are giving up.
6. Racing Louisville (6-6-3) [Previous: 6]
In the 1–1 against the Orlando Pride, Racing Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer did something no player in NWSL history had ever done in a single match: She saved two penalty kicks. It is telling that after the game, Bloomer admitted it felt like her team had lost, having held the lead over the defending NWSL champions for so long. Racing continue to show they will battle and work hard— this team is not going away right now.
Not one, but TWO PK stops.
— NWSL on ION (@IONNWSL) August 10, 2025
Jordyn Bloomer was in her bag to help @RacingLouFC earn a point last night! 💼 pic.twitter.com/P7dDqF5l4f
5. Portland Thorns (7-4-4) [Previous: 7]
Easily one of the most fun teams in the NWSL right now playing joyful soccer. While the Thorns young attack will grab the headlines, let’s take a moment for Jessie Fleming, who is quietly having a brilliant second season in Portland after mixed reviews in 2024. Fleming notched her fourth assist of the season against the Reign, while also creating three more chances and winning six out of 10 duels.
Turner and the Thorns 🌹
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 10, 2025
Reilyn Turner gives Portland the 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/3kJBlIrdTt
4. San Diego Wave (7-4-4) [Previous: 4]
That’s three consecutive draws now for the San Diego Wave after a 1–1 result at the weekend. After looking so dominant in the first half of the season, there is a chance that teams are figuring out how to play against the possession-heavy Wave. Winger Delphine Cascarino has not quite been in MVP form since returning from the Euros. Once she's back up to speed, San Diego could reignite.
3. Washington Spirit (8-4-3) [Previous: 3]
A disappointing week for the Spirit, which played over an hour with an extra player against Gotham but couldn't make the advantage count. A 0–0 draw simply isn't good enough for a team with this much attacking talent. The Spirit will rue missed chances and some stodgy attacking movement on the ball and hope that the return of Leicy Santos will add more creativity to connect the lines.
2. Orlando Pride (9-5-1) [Previous: 2]
In one of the most chaotic 1–1 draws you will ever see, the Orlando Pride had two penalty kicks saved and required a very flukey own goal in the 90th minute to snatch a point against Racing Louisville. The lessons learned will be that Julie Doyle and Angelina need to practice their spot kicks, or the team needs to find a new penalty taker when Marta is not on the pitch. The Pride may be stuttering slightly, but this is a team that knows how to find a way. Even if you remove the penalty kicks, Orlando's expected goals differential in the last two games is still +0.9. No panic stations yet.
1. Kansas City Current (13-2-0) [Previous: 1]
Still dominating. This was another week with the Kansas City Current way ahead as the top team in the NWSL. Temwa Chawinga yet again stole the show in the 1–0 win over the Utah Royals. Her cheeky dinked chip over the keeper was her fifth match-winning goal within the Current's active eight-game winning streak. By scoring on her 40th NWSL appearance, Chawinga also became the fastest player to reach 30 league goals. Unstoppable.
THERE IS NO ONE LIKE TEMWA CHAWINGA 😳 pic.twitter.com/cToLCxEUa8
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 9, 2025
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NWSL Matchday 16 Power Rankings: Portland Thorns Roar After Cascadia Rivalry .
