Match Preview & Discussion Thread: Portland Thorns vs. Tigres UANL
The Thorns are in Mexico for the CONCACAF W Champions Cup Semifinal
The Portland Thorns travel to Mexico this week with a chance to play in inagural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and potentially 2028’s inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup. Tonight Portland will be taking on Liga MX’s Tigres UANL for their shot at history.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PST, with streaming available on Paramount+ and ESPN+. Below you’ll find your match preview, along with a place to stop and chat throughout the game.
Preview
CONCACAF Cup Breakdown
A tournament that began nearly a year ago will be seeing its final result come Saturday night.
Tonight the two semifinal matches of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup will take place at University Stadium in San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico.
Up first, Gotham FC will be taking on Club América at 4:30 p.m. PST. Scheduled as the first semifinal match of the night, the results of this game are expected to be made final subsequently to this article being published.
The Thorns and Tigres are expected to take the pitch directly following the completion of Semifinal #1. The Thorns, the 2 seed from Group A, and Tigres, the 1 seed from Group B, are competing for a chance to take on the winner of América and Gotham in the Championship match on Saturday.
Saturday’s winner will not only be crowned as the best women’s club in the region, but will also earn their spot in the new 2026 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup and 2028 FIFA Women’s Club World Cup.
Regardless of tonight’s outcome the Thorns will remain in Monterrey, whether that is awaiting Saturday’s championship game or Saturday’s 3rd/4th place consolation match — that is to be determined.
Portland’s lineup — do the Thorns give it their all?
Thorns head coach Rob Gale has previously vocalized to the media his intentions on taking this semifinal match seriously. Tonight, however, will be a test on if his intentions have remained true.
We know that Gale has little hesitations when it comes to rotating his starting XI. However, it has become increasingly clear that there seem to be a few pieces that must remain consistent in order for the Thorns to remain successful.
Sam Coffey, Reyna Reyes, and Hina Sugita seem to be the three components of this roster posing as the glue defensively for the Thorns. Having most recently played a 90+ minute match in the Houston heat on Friday, it will be interesting to see if minute restrictions and rest become a factor for Coffey, Reyes and Sugita tonight despite Gale’s message of having his sights set on being the aggressor — as it seems the results of this match rely on the availability of those three.
The Thorns have gone unbeaten in their last five and are currently sitting tied for 4th in NWSL standings. While this game is a break for the club in NWSL play, I can’t help but wonder what another win — and extending this unbeaten streak — would mean momentum wise for this young team? Or if NWSL play proves to be the most important thing on the minds of this club.
To hear more about what to expect out of Tigres’ lineup tonight, be sure to listen to this week’s pod where STF’s Melina Gaspar shares her expertise on the club.
Home Field Advantage
Tonight’s match will be taking place at Tigres’ famed Estadio Universitario. A home match for Tigres should prove not only to be an exciting challenge for the Thorns who are facing the trials of yet another game on this stretch of road matches, but also the tribulations of a more than committed Tigres fanbase.
The Thorns and Tigres are historically two of NWSL and Liga MX’s most successful women’s soccer clubs. The two clubs have accumulated the most titles in each of their respective leagues — with three NWSL Championships for Portland and six LIGA MX Femenil trophies for Tigres. So this match up is sure to be one for the ages.
Match Thread
How important is a win tonight for the Thorns? Chat through the match in the comments!
Liv's clearly a good player. Emma wouldn't call her into camp unless she was. But if we can't get a coach who understands how to develop and use her properly in relation to others, we should let her go somewhere that she will get that opportunity.
Castellanos -- has yet to contribute in any significant way this season. I think we need to pass on her underperformances and find someone who really has the goods.