Record NWSL home opener crowd. Two red cards. Nine players on the pitch. Portland shut out the Cascadia rival anyway. Dark Mode Night earned its name.
22,102 people showed up to Providence Park tonight. The largest crowd for a home opener in NWSL history. They watched Portland get two players sent off with red cards, play the final 33 minutes with nine on the pitch, and win 2-0 anyway. Dark Mode Night. Welcome to Portland.
History in Rose City 🌹
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 21, 2026
A record-setting home opener for @ThornsFC! pic.twitter.com/EohqWhSANw
Before kickoff, the Riveters unfurled a tifo spanning the entire North End — a hand-painted Providence Park, its signature arches rising through smoke, banners cascading from the rafters. “Our Roots Run Deep. 100 Years and 100 More.” The stadium turned 100 this year. What happened next was worthy of every one of them.
Nine minutes in, Cassandra Bogere picked up two yellow cards in sixty seconds — the first for a bad foul, the second for pulling down a player by the arm — and walked. Down to ten before most of the 22,102 had found their seats. The sensible thing to do was sit back, grind out a draw, survive the Cascadia rival. Portland did not do the sensible thing. Portland never does the sensible thing. Portland scored twice and shut Seattle out anyway.
Pietra Tordin rose for a header off an Olivia Moultrie corner in the 28th minute and planted it bottom right. The Princeton kid is two matches into her NWSL career and plays like she’s been here for years. Moultrie — who told the team to hold on after the red card, who ran every blade of grass on that pitch for 90 minutes — dropped the corner into the mixer instead of floating it to the back post. It was perfect. 1-0 Portland, with ten players. The Riveters lost their minds.
Down a player, doesn't matter to Pietra Tordin‼️
— W Golazo (@WGolazo) March 21, 2026
@ThornsFC strikes first in the latest edition of the Cascadia Rivalry 🌹
🎥 @NWSLpic.twitter.com/jFxZgc4mBJ
Nine minutes later, Reilyn Turner finished a fast break from Tordin — left foot, center of the box, no hesitation. 2-0. Turner pointed to the crest on her jersey. It was her first home start. She’s 20 years old. She gets it.
CROWN HER đź‘‘ https://t.co/1OumMt7Rto pic.twitter.com/hd7AyTmwv1
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 21, 2026
Then the second half happened and things went fully NWSL After Dark.
Reyna Reyes saw straight red in the 57th minute for violent conduct on an aerial challenge. Fans at the stadium couldn’t tell what happened. The replay wasn’t shown. Reyes went up for the ball, her fingers caught in an opponent’s unsecured hair, and the ref called it violent conduct. Harsh doesn’t begin to cover it. Portland were down to nine. Thirty-three minutes left. Amazon Prime chose this exact moment to lose the stream — no announcers, no replays, a corner camera angle that looked like it was broadcasting from space. NWSL After Dark earned its name tonight.
Sophia Wilson entered in the 59th minute. Her first time on the Providence Park pitch since October 2024. Back from maternity leave. Golden Boot winner. Gigi’s mom. 22,102 people stood and roared. It was the loudest moment of a very loud night. She replaced Tordin, who had already earned a goal, an assist, and a standing ovation of her own.
Home is where Sophia Wilson belongs 🥹🌹 pic.twitter.com/lvFWsFYFcv
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 21, 2026
And then Portland just held. Not desperately. Not clinging. Jessie Fleming played the best match of her Thorns career — dictating tempo with ten players, then nine, doing all the dirty work that doesn’t show up in a box score. She looked like a different player than last season. Freer with the ball. More willing to take responsibility. With Coffey gone and Bogere sent off, Fleming had to be the entire midfield engine — and she was. This is the player Canada sees. Portland is finally seeing her too.
Morgan Messner recorded her second consecutive clean sheet. Obaze and Hiatt cleared everything. Seattle had 65% possession and one shot on target. One. Against nine players. Laura Harvey’s squad couldn’t break down a team that was missing two players. Seattle had a numerical advantage for 81 minutes and created almost nothing with it.
The Cascadia Rivalry has produced chaos before. This one goes in the vault. The 44th edition, Dark Mode Night, the largest home opener in Thorns history, two red cards, two goals, zero goals allowed, and a stadium full of people dressed in black screaming into the Portland rain. The kind of match where 2-0 feels like a one-goal lead for 90 straight minutes. NWSL After Dark.
2-0-0. Six points. Zero goals conceded. Top of the NWSL table. Two red cards, nine players on the pitch, and Portland still sitting alone in first place after two matches. Cascadia 44 belongs to Portland. The Thorns don’t care how many players they have to do it with.
By the Numbers
- Possession: Portland 35%, Seattle Reign 65%
- Shots: Portland 5, Seattle Reign 8
- Attendance: 22,102
- Referee: Tori Penso
- Broadcast: Prime Video
Starting XI
Portland (4-2-3-1): Morgan Messner, Isabella Obaze, Sam Hiatt, M.A. Vignola, Reyna Reyes, Olivia Moultrie, Cassandra Bogere, Jessie Fleming, Pietra Tordin, Mimi Alidou, Reilyn Turner
Bench: Sophia Wilson, Jayden Perry, Marie Muller, Deyna Castellanos, Mackenzie Wood, Mallie McKenzie, Maddie Padelski, Shae Harvey
What's Next
- Full 30-game schedule with dates, times, TV, and theme nights
- Game Day Guide: Providence Park -- transit, food, the Riveters, and what to wear
- Can't make the next one? Watch at The Sports Bra or host your own watch party
- Portland women's sports calendar -- every Fire, Thorns, and Cascade game on one page
- Full 2026 roster -- every player profile with stats and highlights
- Why Portland is Title Town -- three teams, three championships, one city
Players in This Match
Post-Match FAQ
What was the Thorns score today?
Portland Thorns 2, Seattle Reign 0 on March 20 at Providence Park. It was the 2026 home opener and Dark Mode Night. Portland played the final 33 minutes with only 9 players.
Who scored for the Thorns tonight?
Pietra Tordin scored a header in the 28th minute off an Olivia Moultrie corner kick. Reilyn Turner scored in the 37th minute on a fast break, assisted by Tordin. Both goals came while Portland was already down to 10 players.
What is the Thorns' record in 2026?
2-0-0 with 6 points after 2 matches. Two wins, two shutouts, zero goals conceded. Portland sit top of the NWSL table.
What was the attendance at the Thorns game tonight?
22,102 -- the largest home opener crowd in NWSL history. Dark Mode Night at Providence Park. Standing room only.
How many red cards did Portland get?
Two. Cassandra Bogere received two quick yellow cards in the 8th and 9th minutes. Reyna Reyes received a straight red for violent conduct in the 57th minute. Portland played the final 33 minutes with 9 players and still won 2-0.
What formation did the Thorns play?
Robert Vilahamn started with a 4-2-3-1, then reorganized after Bogere's 9th minute red card. Portland attacked on the counter and defended in a compact block.
When is the next Thorns game?
Wednesday March 25, 7:00 PM PT at Snapdragon Stadium vs San Diego Wave. Away match on CBSSN.
Did Sophia Wilson play tonight?
Yes. Wilson came on as a substitute in the 59th minute for Pietra Tordin -- her first appearance at Providence Park since returning from maternity leave. The ovation from 22,102 fans was the loudest moment of the night.
How can I watch the Thorns?
This match was on Prime Video, though the stream experienced outages during the second half. Thorns games also air on CBS, ESPN, ION, KOIN 6, and NWSL+.