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2017 Portland Thorns FC season
| 2017 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Merritt Paulson | ||
| Mark Parsons | ||
| Providence ParkPortland, Oregon(Capacity: 21,144) | ||
| 2nd | ||
| Champions | ||
| Christine Sinclair (8 goals) | ||
| 21,444 (September 30 vs. Chicago Red Stars) | ||
| 14,471(April 29 vs. Chicago Red Stars) | ||
| 17,653 | ||
| 4–0(September 2 vs. Washington Spirit) | ||
| 1–3(June 17 vs. Sky Blue FC) | ||
| Home colors |
Away colors | Home colors | Away colors | | Home colors | Away colors | | | | | | | | | | | All statistics correct as of July 8, 2017. | | |
The 2017 Portland Thorns FC season was the team's and the league's fifth season of existence. The Thorns played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States. The Thorns had finished in first place in the 2016 season, but failed to advance from the semifinals in the 2016 NWSL playoffs. With a slogan of "Unfinished Business", they qualified for the NWSL playoffs as the 2nd ranked team in the 2017 regular season. In the playoffs, they defeated the Orlando Pride and then the North Carolina Courage to become 2017 NWSL Champions. It was their second championship, following the first in 2013.
This page covers from the day after the 2016 NWSL final to the day of the 2017 NWSL final.
On October 17, 2016, defender Kat Williamson announced her retirement from soccer.
On October 19, 2016, Portland Thorns FC exercised contract options on goalkeeper Adrianna Franch; defenders Meg Morris and Katherine Reynolds; midfielders Celeste Boureille, Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, Amandine Henry, and Kendall Johnson; and forwards Nadia Nadim, Hayley Raso, and Mallory Weber. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos, defender Emily Menges, and midfielder Meleana Shim went out of contract and were extended new contract offers. Michelle Betos would later confirm on her Twitter account that she did not accept the offer, while Menges and Shim did.
On October 27, 2016, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Allie Long, Meghan Klingenberg and goalkeeper Adrianna Franch were called up for USA for two friendly matches against Romania.
On November 2, 2016, Emily Menges received her first USA call up due to Meghan Klingenberg suffering from a back injury.
On November 8, 2016, Portland Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons signed a long-term contract extension. Director of goalkeeping Nadine Angerer also signed a contract extension.
On December 13, 2016, Tobin Heath was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year.
On December 15, 2016, Christine Sinclair was named Canadian Player of the Year.
On January 4, 2017, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan and Allie Long, Emily Sonnett and goalkeeper Adrianna Franch were called up by USA for an evaluation period for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup.
On January 12, 2017, Portland Thorns FC selected midfielders Rachel Hill and Caroline Flynn and forwards Savannah Jordan and Tyler Lussi from the 2017 NWSL College Draft.
On January 18, 2017, Portland Thorns FC acquired Orlando Pride's first-round and fourth-round 2018 NWSL College Draft picks for the rights to forward Rachel Hill, who was chosen by Portland in the 2017 NWSL College Draft.
On January 27, 2017, Amandine Henry was sent on a short-term loan to French side Paris Saint-Germain.
On February 8, 2017, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan and Allie Long, and defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Emily Sonnett were called up to the USA training camp ahead of the SheBelieves Cup.
On February 22, 2017, Portland Thorns FC re-signed defender Emily Menges and midfielder Meleana Shim.
On March 8, 2017, Portland Thorns FC traded two fourth round picks in the 2018 NWSL College Draft to the North Carolina Courage for goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom.
On March 13, 2017, Portland Thorns FC announced their 2017 preseason roster, which included 5 non-roster invites.
On March 26, 2017, Portland Thorns FC began their preseason tournament against the Chicago Red Stars. There would be no cards and a single goal from Nadia Nadim in the 26th minute from a converted penalty. Portland would go on to win their first preseason match 1–0.
On April 14, 2017, the Thorns signed defender Meghan Cox, who was an undrafted non-roster invitee to preseason camp.
On April 15, 2017, Portland Thorns FC hosted the Orlando Pride for the start of the 2017 NWSL campaign. In the 32nd minute, Nadia Nadim successfully converted a penalty kick after an Orlando handball in the box. In the 67th minute, Allie Long sent a cross to Christine Sinclair, who scored to put the Thorns up another goal. After the 2–0 win, they were tied for first place with Houston Dash and FC Kansas City.
Vs. Orlando Pride on April 15, 2017
On April 22, 2017, Portland Thorns FC went on the road for the first time to take on the North Carolina Courage, formerly the Western New York Flash, relocated and rebranded in the offseason. North Carolina won 1–0 on a late goal from Debinha in the 81st minute.
On April 29, 2017, the Thorns returned home to defeat the Chicago Red Stars 1–0 on a Nadia Nadim penalty kick after a Christen Press handball in the box.
Position at the end of April
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
Thorns FC opened May by hosting their rivals Seattle Reign FC. In the 1st minute, Seattle's Jess Fishlock scored a long-range shot from 24 yards out. In the 37th minute, Fishlock scored again but instead this time in Seattle's own net, equalizing Portland 1–1. Shortly after in the 29th minute, Merritt Mathias, with an assist from Rebekah Stott, put Seattle back up, 2–1, at the end of the first half. Portland equalized again with a goal from Allie Long, assisted by Meghan Klingenberg, in the 82nd minute. Both teams settled with a point from a final score of 2–2.
Position as of May 6
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 |
Updated to match played Jan. 15, 2018
Source: Competitions
Providence Park Preseason Tournament
Draw Loss Upcoming fixture
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
Win Draw Loss Upcoming fixture
The 2017 NWSL Regular Season schedule was released on March 1, 2017. On June 12, the league changed kickoff times for several matches to accommodate hydration breaks during television broadcasts and implemented new guidelines for playing in extreme heat, and also allowed teams to reschedule backup games for television to later kickoff times.
Win Draw Loss Upcoming fixture
Semifinal:
Final:
Following the win in the Final, the Thorns were crowned 2017 NWSL Champions.
| Owner and Chief Executive Officer |
|---|
| Mike Golub |
| Gavin Wilkinson |
Updated to match played October 2, 2017
Source: Portland Timbers
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Mark Parsons |
| Assistant Coach | Rich Gunney |
| Assistant Coach/Equipment Manager | Sophie Clough |
| Assistant Coach/Community Youth Development Coach | Carly Copplestone |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Nadine Angerer |
| Fitness Coach | Garga Caserta |
| Head Athletic Trainer | Beckie Kruse |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) |
|---|
| Providence Park |
Source: Providence Park
The Thorns primarily wear red Nike Vapor match kit with gray shoulders, red shorts, and red socks. Providence Health & Services remains their kit sponsor as in past seasons. The Lifetime logo is printed in a white circle on the right sleeve, and the league logo is printed on the left sleeve. A 5th-anniversary logo is printed above the shirt's lower-left hemline.
The Thorns' alternate kit are white Nike Laser shirts with black sleeve cuffs, white shorts, and white socks. This is unchanged from 2016, with the exception of the Lifetime logo printed in a red circle on the right sleeve and the 5th-anniversary logo.
Last updated: September 2, 2017
| No. | Name | Nationality | Positions | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Year with club (year signed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Adrianna Franch | GK | (1990-11-12) November 12, 1990 | Avaldsnes IL | 2 (2016) | |
| 33 | Britt Eckerstrom | GK | (1993-05-28) May 28, 1993 | North Carolina Courage | 1 (2017) | |
| 2 | Katherine Reynolds | RB | (1987-09-14) September 14, 1987 | Washington Spirit | 2 (2016) | |
| 4 | Emily Menges | CB | (1992-07-28) July 28, 1992 | 2014 NWSL College Draft | 4 (2014) | |
| 16 | Emily Sonnett (FP) | CB | (1993-11-25) November 25, 1993 | 2016 NWSL College Draft | 2 (2016) | |
| 25 | Meghan Klingenberg (FP) | LB | (1988-08-02) August 2, 1988 | Houston Dash | 2 (2016) | |
| 32 | Meg Morris | LB / FW | (1992-05-11) May 11, 1992 | Sky Blue FC | 2 (2016) | |
| 7 | Lindsey Horan (FP) | CM | (1994-05-26) May 26, 1994 | Paris Saint-Germain | 2 (2016) | |
| 10 | Allie Long (FP) | LW / CM | (1987-08-13) August 13, 1987 | New York Fury | 5 (2013) | |
| 11 | Dagný Brynjarsdóttir | MF | (1991-08-10) August 10, 1991 | UMF Selfoss | 2 (2016) | |
| 15 | Kendall Johnson | MF / DF | (1991-04-24) April 24, 1991 | Sky Blue FC | 3 (2015) | |
| 17 | Tobin Heath (FP) | LW | (1988-05-29) May 29, 1988 | Paris Saint-Germain | 5 (2013) | |
| 28 | Amandine Henry | CM | (1989-09-28) September 28, 1989 | Olympique Lyonnais | 2 (2016) | |
| 30 | Celeste Boureille | MF | (1994-04-20) April 20, 1994 | UMF Selfoss | 2 (2016) | |
| 9 | Nadia Nadim | CF / RW | (1988-01-02) January 2, 1988 | Sky Blue FC | 2 (2016) | |
| 12 | Christine Sinclair | CF | (1983-06-12) June 12, 1983 | Western New York Flash | 5 (2013) | |
| 14 | Ashleigh Sykes | FW | (1991-12-15) December 15, 1991 | Canberra United FC | 1 (2017) | |
| 21 | Hayley Raso | FW / RW | (1994-09-05) September 5, 1994 | Washington Spirit | 2 (2016) | |
| 26 | Mallory Weber | FW / CB | (1994-04-04) April 4, 1994 | 2016 NWSL College Draft | 2 (2016) | |
| 34 | Tyler Lussi | FW | (1995-01-26) January 26, 1995 | 2017 NWSL College Draft | 1 (2017) | |
| 13 | Savannah Jordan | FW | (1995-01-24) January 24, 1995 | 2017 NWSL College Draft | 1 (2017) |
- (HG) = homegrown player
- (FP) = Federation player
- (Loan) = on loan
- (AP) = amateur player
| Date | Player | Positions played | New/returning | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2017 | Tobin Heath | LW | Returning | 2017 U.S. Women's National Team allocation process | |
| April 5, 2017 | Lindsey Horan | CM | Returning | 2017 U.S. Women's National Team allocation process | |
| April 5, 2017 | Meghan Klingenberg | LB | Returning | 2017 U.S. Women's National Team allocation process | |
| April 5, 2017 | Emily Sonnett | CB | Returning | 2017 U.S. Women's National Team allocation process | |
| April 5, 2017 | Allie Long | LW / CM | Newly allocated | 2017 U.S. Women's National Team allocation process |
| Date | Player | Positions played | Previous club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 7, 2017 | Ashleigh Sykes | FW | Canberra United | Sykes was added to the roster on June 13. | |
| March 8, 2017 | Britt Eckerstrom | GK | North Carolina Courage | ||
| April 14, 2017 | Meghan Cox | DF |
| Date | Player | Positions played | Previous club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|
| Date | Player | Positions played | Destination club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20, 2016 | Hayley Raso | FW | Canberra United | Returned for the start of the 2017 season. | |
| October 20, 2016 | Celeste Boureille | MF | Canberra United | Returned for the start of the 2017 season. | |
| January 27, 2017 | Amandine Henry | MF | Paris Saint-Germain | Returned for the start of the 2017 season. |
| Date | Player | Positions played | Destination club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 17, 2016 | Kat Williamson | LB | N/A | Retired from soccer. | |
| October 19, 2016 | Jen Skogerboe | DF | Suwon FMC | Option declined. | |
| October 19, 2016 | Michelle Betos | GK | Vålerenga | Out of contract. Offered extended contract but declined. |
| Date | Player | Positions played | Year with club (year signed) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 19, 2016 | Emily Menges | DF | 4 (2014) | ||
| October 19, 2016 | Meleana Shim | MF | 5 (2013) |
| Date | Player | Positions | To | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 18, 2017 | Rachel Hill | FW | Orlando Pride | Traded rights for first-round and fourth-round picks in the 2018 NWSL College Draft. |
| Round (overall pick) | Player | Positions played | Previous club | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (14) | Rachel Hill | MF / FW | UConn Huskies | ||
| 2 (18) | Savannah Jordan | FW | Florida Gators | Portland Thorns FC traded up to acquire the No. 18 overall selection from the North Carolina Courage, who picked up the No. 20 and No. 27 picks in exchange. | |
| 3 (21) | Tyler Lussi | FW | Princeton Tigers | Portland Thorns FC traded up to acquire the No. 18 overall selection from the North Carolina Courage, who picked up the No. 20 and No. 27 picks in exchange. | |
| 4 (40) | Caroline Flynn | MF | Nebraska Cornhuskers |
The draft was held on January 12, 2017.
| Date | Name | Position | Previous club | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2017 | Tobin Heath | Assistant Youth Technical Director | Portland Thorns FC (Current Player) | Not playing due to lingering back injury, no timeline for when she will play again. |
| Date | Name | Position | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 2016 | Mark Parsons | Head Coach | Re-signed long-term contract. | |
| November 8, 2016 | Nadine Angerer | Director of goalkeeping | Re-signed contract extension as Director of goalkeeping. |
| Date | Name | Position | Destination club | Notes | Ref. |
|---|
Seven Thorns players have been called up to play for their national teams during this season.
| Team | Players | Positions | # of call-ups | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Lindsey Horan | MF | 5 | |
| United States | Allie Long | MF | 5 | |
| United States | Meghan Klingenberg | DF | 4 | |
| United States | Tobin Heath | MF | 4 | |
| United States | Adrianna Franch | GK | 2 | |
| United States | Emily Sonnett | DF | 2 | |
| United States | Emily Menges | DF | 1 |
| Month | Result | Player | Ref. |
|---|
| Week | Result | Player | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Won | Lindsey Horan | |
| 18 | Won | Hayley Raso | NWSL 2017 Weekly Awards |
| Week | Result | Player | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nominated | Christine Sinclair | |
| 4 | Nominated | Allie Long | |
| 8 | Won | Lindsey Horan | |
| 11 | Nominated | Hayley Raso | |
| 12 | Won | Hayley Raso | |
| 20 | Won | Christine Sinclair | NWSL 2017 Weekly Awards |
| Week | Result | Player | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Won | Adrianna Franch | |
| 4 | Nominated | Adrianna Franch | |
| 5 | Nominated | Adrianna Franch | |
| 8 | Won | Adrianna Franch | |
| 15 | Won | Adrianna Franch | NWSL 2017 Weekly Awards |
| 16 | Won | Adrianna Franch | NWSL 2017 Weekly Awards |
| Award | Player | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONCACAF Female Goalkeeper of the Year | Adrianna Franch | Won | |
| CONCACAF Best XI | Lindsey Horan, Allie Long, Emily Menges | Team Member | |
| NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year | Adrianna Franch | Won | |
| NWSL Best XI | Adrianna Franch | Team Member | |
| NWSL Second XI | Lindsey Horan, Emily Menges | Team Member |
| Rank | Pos | No. | Player | NWSL | NWSL Playoffs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | 12 | Christine Sinclair | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | FW | 21 | Hayley Raso | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | FW | 9 | Nadia Nadim | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | MF | 7 | Lindsey Horan | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | DF | 16 | Emily Sonnett | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| MF | 28 | Amandine Henry | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| 7 | MF | 10 | Allie Long | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Other Thorns with 1 goal each | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||
| Own goals by other teams | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
| Total | 37 | 5 | 42 |
| Rank | Pos | No. | Player | NWSL | NWSL Playoffs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DF | 24 | Meghan Klingenberg | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | FW | 9 | Nadia Nadim | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | FW | 21 | Hayley Raso | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MF | 7 | Lindsey Horan | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| 5 | FW | 7 | Tyler Lussi | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Others with 1 assist each | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||
| Total | 20 | 3 | 23 |
| Rnk | No. | Player | NWSL | NWSL Playoffs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Adrianna Franch | 11 | 1 | 12 |
| Total | 11 | 1 | 12 |
All statistics are for National Women's Soccer League games.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| Games played | 26 |
| Games won | 16 |
| Games drawn | 5 |
| Games lost | 5 |
| Goals scored | 42 |
| Goals conceded | 21 |
| Goal difference | +21 |
| Clean sheets | 12 |
| Yellow cards | 33 |
| Red cards | 0 |
| Most appearances | 26 (4 players) |
| Top scorer | Christine Sinclair (9 goals) |
| Top assister | Meghan Klingenberg (7 assists) |
| Top goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch (0.81 goals-against average) |
| Winning percentage | 61.5% (16/26) |
-
2017 National Women's Soccer League season
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