Portland Thorns FC drew 2-2 with Bay FC on Sunday while star forward Sophia Wilson served the first game of a two-game suspension for violent conduct. The dropped points left the Thorns in 7th place on 44 points with one game remaining in the regular season, keeping them within reach of the chasing Seattle Reign and North Carolina Courage for the final NWSL playoff spots. With Wilson unavailable, Caiya Hanks rescued a point for Portland with a late goal, leveling the score after Kennedy Fuller had put Bay FC ahead in the 67th minute.
The Thorns have dropped an NWSL-leading 23 points from winning positions this season, compounding their struggles in the playoff race. Portland faces the 8th-placed Courage on Oct. 23 in their final game, still without Wilson. The Reign remain in contention for the postseason but need results to go their way in their final two games.
Earlier on Sunday, the Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 2-1, with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention. Bay FC, an expansion team that began play in 2024, cannot qualify for the playoffs.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing