Thorns open home slate with new look, high hopes
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The Portland Thorns FC. Photo: Photo by Hannah Foslien/NWSL via Getty Images
The Thorns return to Providence Park on Friday as they kick off their home opener with one less star, a returning favorite, a new coach and lofty expectations for the oncoming soccer season.
Why it matters: Portland fell one match short of last year's final and enters the new campaign aiming to take the next step.
The latest: The Thorns got their season off on the right foot last weekend, with a 1-0 revenge win over the Washington Spirit, who eliminated Portland last season.
Zoom in: The Thorns start their season with a new coach, Robert Vilahamn, who only joined the club days before their victory in Washington as the native of Sweden sorted out his work visa.
- Vilahamn is new to North American soccer after leading teams in Europe for four seasons. He replaces Rob Gale, who was fired last year.
What we're watching: Sophia Wilson — former league MVP, Olympian and the first National Women's Soccer League player to notch a $1 million salary — is back with the team after missing all of last season for maternity leave.
- Olivia Moultrie is the longest-tenured active Thorn, at just 20 years old, and scored the team's lone goal in its first win.
Yes, but: Last year's team captain, Sam Coffey, left in the offseason to play in England for Manchester City, and it remains to be seen how the Thorns will fill the void left in the midfield.
- Injuries to Bella Bixby, Deyna Castellanos, Julie Dufour, Caiya Hanks and Morgan Weaver also raise questions about the team's depth.
Zoom out: Still, Portland took the No. 1 spot in ESPN's power rankings after the first week.
What they're saying: Vilahamn said in his introductory press conference that he was drawn to the Thorns by both their past and their potential.
- "The history of winning is what you see first, and then when you start looking closer you see the amazing fan base when you watch clips from this stadium," he said, per the Oregonian.
- "The plan is to have success where we see progress, and make sure we have an environment where we feel like we can improve every day."
If you go: The Thorns take to the pitch against their dreaded archrivals, the Seattle Reign, at 7pm Friday.