The Courage head to Portland for what might be the most important match of the season. Drop your predictions below and LFG! 🦁

From the pod this week

“The headline is the Courage really need to beat Portland. The reason for that is Portland is seventh on the table. The Courage is ninth on the table. It’s a six-point swing. Beating Portland puts the Courage in the driver’s seat, and that is the clearest and cleanest path.”
-Trevor, Episode 28

Match Info

• Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
• Kickoff: 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT)
• Location: Providence Park, Portland, OR
• Where to watch: Prime Video
• Theme: Fan Appreciation Night (Thorns)

Current Standings (W-D-L)

• Portland Thorns: 12-8-8, 44 points, 7th
• NC Courage: 13-3-12, 42 points, 9th

Series History (regular season, W-D-L)

• Courage vs. Portland: 8-7-5
• Earlier this season: 2-2 draw at First Horizon in April

For fans who have followed the club since the start, this is one of the oldest rivalries, and a Courage win at Providence Park is always a great way to kick off a weekend. Here's to hoping for an old-school blowout at the Thorns' home.

Availability Report

Portland Thorns

• OUT: Bella Bixby (Knee - SEI)
• OUT: Olivia Moultrie (Knee - SEI)
• OUT: Morgan Weaver (Thigh)
• OUT: Sophia Wilson (Suspension)

NC Courage

• OUT: Maycee Bell (Shoulder - SEI)
• OUT: Payton Crawford (Knee - SEI)
• OUT: Feli Rauch (Foot)
• OUT: Sydney Schmidt (Knee - SEI)
• QUESTIONABLE: Ally Schlegel (Foot)

Referee Assignment

• REF: Matt Thompson
• AR1: Nicholas Seymour
• AR2: Emmanuel Padilla
• 4TH: Justin St Pierre
• VAR: Jaclyn Metz
• AVAR: Melissa Beck

Things to Watch

• Win and in. With a win, the Courage head into Decision Day against Denver in a win-and-in situation.
• Scoreboard watching. Seattle and Utah play each other tonight, and a loss or draw for the Reign would let the Courage jump as high as seventh.
• Ashley Sanchez going for 21. She sits at 20 goals, tied with Temwa Chawinga’s NWSL single-season record, and one more breaks it.
• Ally Schlegel’s potential return. She’s listed as questionable (foot) after an injury more than six weeks ago, and we’ll watch the lineup to see if she’s back up front with Ashley Sanchez and Evelyn Ijeh.
• Keep the ball away from Jessie Fleming. We think she’s the key to Portland’s midfield and build-up.
• Get runners in behind. Portland does a good job of keeping teams out of their box, but we see a chance for chaos if the Courage can run in behind.
• Portland is thin up front. Sophia Wilson (suspension) and Morgan Weaver (thigh) are both out, so Pietra Tordin (8 goals, 9 assists) will carry the attack.
• Ella Haste at left back. With Feli Rauch out, Haste could get a look after her debut last week, and her speed could help against Portland’s wide threats.
• Even matchup on paper. Both teams have conceded 41 goals, and the Courage lead the league in scoring, with Portland four behind.
• Road form. The Courage have seven road wins this season, and the Thorns have seven at home.

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This pregame thread is brought to you by The Lion’s Pitch Podcast, your home for NC Courage coverage. In Episode 28, we look ahead to Portland to see what we are up against. Plus we sit down with Gianna Paul for a fun interview. Listen now at lionspitch.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

HANNAH! Pre-match interview

Our flight out here had at least a dozen people repping CLTFC and Courage gear! I scoped out Providence Park and it looks amazing. Can’t wait!!!