MATCH RECAP | Portland Thorns Beat Houston Dash 2-0 to Clinch Home Playoff Berth

Portland secures first home playoff match since 2023 in front of season-high crowd of 21,903.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, November 2, 2025) – The Portland Thorns once again demonstrated its resilience and grit by clinching a home quarterfinal berth for the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, doing so in front of a season-high attendance of 21,903.

The Thorns finished the regular season as the #3 seed (11-7-8, 40 pts) and will host San Diego Wave (#6, 10-7-9, 37 pts) at Providence Park sometime between Nov. 7-9 with exact match date, time and broadcast information to be determined within the next 24 hours.

To recap the match, Portland got things going immediately after midfielder Jessie Fleming sent a long pass down the field to find forward Deyna Castellanos, who opened space up for herself at the top of Houston’s box and struck the ball into the left side netting to give the Thorns the lead three minutes in.  

Fleming would once again find herself contributing for Portland, this time taking her chance from outside the box in the 35’. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell got a hand on the ball, but Fleming’s shot was strong enough to sneak into the top right corner.

After closing the first half with a 2-0 lead, the Thorns did not let their foot off the gas and kept playing on the offensive to keep Houston pinned back, finishing the match leading in shots (15) and shots on target (6).

Defensively, the Thorns led the match in interceptions (7) and won 8/12 tackles while also winning 55 duels and nine aerial duels. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold made three saves as well to help Portland hold out and get a second-straight clean sheet. Arnold’s fourth clean sheet brings the Thorns season total to seven.

At the final whistle, Providence Park erupted as the youngest team in the league this year (with an average age of 25.7) secured the first NWSL playoff match in Portland since 2023, a testament to this team’s determination to defy the odds and get the job done.

TEAM NOTES

• Forward Deyna Castellanos scored her second goal of the year, her first goal since Portland’s 4-1 home victory against Gotham (April 22). Her opening goal was Portland’s earliest this season.
• Midfielder Jessie Fleming tallied her team-leading 5^th assist today as well as her second goal of the year. It was her first goal since a 3-3 home draw vs Louisville (April 27).
• Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold recorded her fourth clean sheet of the year, bringing Portland’s total up to seven.
• Defender Reyna Reyes and midfielder Olivia Moultrie set a new club single-season record in regular-season appearances, playing in their 26^th match this year.
• Reyes and midfielder Sam Coffey set a new club single-season record in regular-season starts, starting today in their 25^th match.
• Three Thorns players surpassed the club single-season minutes record of 2,160 set by AD Franch (2017), Emily Sonnett (2017) and Christine Sinclair (2018). Those three players are Sam Coffey (2,222), Reyna Reyes (2,204) and Olivia Moultrie (2,163).
• The Thorns set a new season-high attendance record with 21,903 fans. Four of the league’s top five attendances this year belong to Portland: 2^nd- 21,903 PORvHOU (Nov. 2), 3^rd-21,811 PORvSEA (Aug. 10), 4^th-21,268 PORvWAS (June 15) and 5^th-21,104 PORvBAY (Oct. 4)
• The Thorns led the NWSL this year in total attendance (236, 263) and average attendance (18,174), their first time finishing at the top for both categories since 2021.

UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns (#3, 11-7-8, 40 pts) will host San Diego Wave (#6, 10-7-9, 37 pts) at Providence Park for the NWSL Quarterfinals between Nov. 7-9. Exact match date, time and broadcast information will be announced tomorrow, Monday Nov. 3. Ticket information and sale times will be officially announced within the next 24 hours.

GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN

FIRST HALF

POR – Deyna Castellanos (Jessie Fleming) 3’: Following a long pass from Fleming, Castellanos dribbled to the top right corner of the opposition box and struck the ball into the left side netting.

POR – Jessie Fleming 35’: From the top left corner of the 18-yd box, Fleming shot the ball into the top left corner.

SECOND HALF

N/A

LINEUPS

Portland Thorns (4-3-3): Mackenzie Arnold, Reyna Reyes (Daiane 90+1’), Isabella Obaze, Sam Hiatt (Jayden Perry 90+1’), Kaitlyn Torpey (Mallie McKenzie 68’), Jessie Fleming, Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Deyna Castellanos (Laila Harbert 74’), Reilyn Turner, Alexa Spaanstra (Mimi Alidou 68’)
‍
Subs not used: Bella Bixby, Morgan Messner

Houston Dash (4-2-3-1): Jane Campbell, Lisa Boattin (Katie Lind 90’), Malia Berkely, Paige Nielsen, Avery Patterson (Clarissa Larisey 45’), Danielle Colaprico, Sarah Puntigam (Chloe Ricketts 83’), Michelle Alozie (Anna Heilferty 45’), Delanie Sheehan, Yazmeen Ryan, Messiah Bright (Christen Westphal 87’)

Subs not used: Liz Beardsley, Abby Smith, Ryan Gareis
‍

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

POR: N/A

HOU: Danielle Colaprico (Yellow) 70’

MATCH STATS

POR | HOU

Goals: 2|0

Assists: 1|0

Possession: 47|53

Shots: 15|4

Shots on Target: 6|3

Saves: 3|4

Tackles: 27|22

Tackles Won: 19|16

Interceptions: 15|12

Fouls: 16|14

Offsides: 1|2

Corner Kicks: 3|1

‍

‍