Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs Quarterfinals on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at Providence Park, seeking to advance through their home-field advantage and unbeaten streak.
San Diego comes in on the back of consistent possession stats but is still searching for knockout-stage momentum; Portland, despite injuries and rotation, believes home advantage and recent form give them the edge.
The third-seeded Thorns showcase their championship experience and sharp finishing, led by star midfielder Olivia Moultrie. Meanwhile, the sixth-seeded San Diego, just a year past their title-winning season, comes in with Dudinha’s incredible form and an impressive record on the road.
This playoff rematch, following their two 1-1 draws in the regular season, promises a tightly contested, high-energy showdown between seasoned NWSL contenders.
Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave FC – Date, Time, Predictions, and More
The Thorns head into the quarterfinal at home after finishing 3rd in the standings, while the Wave earned the 6th-seed and travels to Providence Park, facing a familiar opponent.
- Tournament: NWSL Playoffs 2025 – Quarterfinals (Presented by Google Pixel)
- Match Date: Sunday, November 9, 2025
- Kickoff Time:
- USA: 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT
- Europe: 8:00 PM GMT / 9:00 PM CET
- Local (Portland, Oregon): 12:00 PM PT
- Venue: Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
- Recent Form (Last 5 Matches):
- Portland Thorns: W–D–W–D–W (3 Wins, 2 Draws, 0 Losses)
- San Diego Wave: L–L–D–D–W (1 Win, 2 Draws, 2 Losses)
Team Form & Recent Performance – Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave
Portland Thorns FC finished the 2025 regular season in 3rd place with 40 points from 26 matches (11 wins, 7 draws, 8 losses), securing their ninth consecutive playoff appearance.
Manager Mike Middamore has guided the Thorns to a season-ending unbeaten streak with 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5 matches, culminating in an impressive 2-0 victory over Houston Dash that clinched home-field advantage.
Most notably, Olivia Moultrie, the 20-year-old American midfielder, finished as Portland’s top goal scorer with 8 goals in 26 appearances while becoming the NWSL’s highest-scoring teenager.
Moultrie recently extended her contract and played in all 26 regular-season games, starting 24 times and showing impressive consistency.
Midfielder Jessie Fleming added creative flair with 5 assists, while captain Sam Coffey contributed 4 assists, enhancing Portland’s offensive depth.
On defense, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold earned a spot on the NWSL Best XI, delivering crucial shot-stopping performances. At Providence Park, Portland has been dominant, losing just one of its last 8 home games, giving it a strong psychological edge in playoff action.
San Diego Wave FC finished the regular season in 6th place with 37 points from 26 matches (10 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses), earning their third playoff appearance in four seasons despite last year’s absence.
The Wave enters the playoffs riding an exceptional away form San Diego’s 6-4-2 away record represents one of the best road records in the NWSL, providing confidence despite a lower seeding. Most impressively, Brazilian forward Dudinha has emerged as a superstar since the summer transfer, scoring 5 goals in just 10 appearances and being named to the NWSL Best XI for October/November.
Dudinha has scored in three consecutive matches—a milestone previously achieved only by Alex Morgan and Jaedyn Shaw. French forward Delphine Cascarino provided 5 goals and 6 assists throughout the season, establishing herself as a creative force.
However, San Diego’s recent form has been inconsistent—the Wave won only 1 of their last 5 regular-season matches, and their 1-0 loss to Kansas City in the season finale deflated late-season momentum.
Most recently against Kansas City, Dudinha opened scoring at eight minutes before Kansas City equalized in the 54th minute and won 2-1, suggesting defensive vulnerabilities under pressure.
Last 5 Matches & Results Summary
| Team | Last 5 Matches | Win–Draw–Loss Record |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns | vs Houston (W) vs Racing Louisville (W) vs Gotham (D) vs Seattle (W) vs Angel City (D) | 3W–2D–0L |
| San Diego Wave | vs Kansas City (L) vs Houston (L) vs Chicago (W) vs Racing Louisville (D) vs Utah (D) | 1W–2D–2L |
Head-to-Head Record – Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave
The historical rivalry between the Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave is remarkably balanced, with Portland holding a slight statistical edge.
In all-time NWSL encounters, Portland leads 5-4-4 (5 wins, 4 losses, 4 draws) across 13 meetings, though this margin has narrowed significantly in recent seasons. Most critically, San Diego has been unbeaten in their last four consecutive meetings across all competitions, including the two 1-1 draws in 2025 regular season (May 11 and September 20).
The tactical story is layered: Portland has traditionally excelled at Providence Park (5 home wins compared to San Diego’s 3), but San Diego’s recent form, especially their impressive away record (6 away wins in 2025), suggests the usual home advantage may be fading.
San Diego’s championship experience (2023 NWSL champions) and current upward trajectory create an intriguing narrative where playoff seeding might not dictate the outcome.
Overall All-Time Record (Since 2022)
| Metric | Portland Thorns | San Diego Wave | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 13 | — | — |
| Wins | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Win % | 38% | 31% | 31% |
| Total Goals For | 18 | 19 | — |
Recent Meetings (Last 5 H2H Encounters)
| Date | Competition | Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Sep 2025 | NWSL Regular Season | Portland vs San Diego | Draw | 1–1 |
| 11 May 2025 | NWSL Regular Season | San Diego vs Portland | Draw | 1–1 |
| 29 Sep 2024 | NWSL Regular Season | San Diego vs Portland | San Diego Won | 2–0 |
| 19 Sep 2024 | Concacaf W Champions Cup | San Diego vs Portland | San Diego Won | 3–2 |
| 6 Jul 2024 | NWSL Regular Season | Portland vs San Diego | Portland Won | 1–0 |
Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave Predicted Lineups
Based on current squad availability, recent tactical setups, and playoff form, here are the expected starting elevens:
Portland Thorns FC (4-2-3-1):
- Goalkeeper: Bella Bixby
- Defenders: Reyna Reyes, Marie Müller, Nicole Payne, Isabella Obaze
- Midfield: Sam Coffey, Mallie McKenzie
- Attacking midfield/wingers: Deyna Castellanos, Olivia Moultrie, Sophie Hirst
- Striker: Pietra Tordin
San Diego Wave FC (4-3-3):
- Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan
- Defenders: Trinity Armstrong, Hanna Lundkvist, Gaby Vincent, Trinity Byars
- Midfield: Kenza Dali, Delphine Cascarino, Gia Corley
- Forwards: Adriana Leon, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Kimmi Ascanio
Players to Watch – Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave
Portland Thorns FC Standout Performers
- Olivia Moultrie: The 20-year-old American midfielder finished as Portland’s top scorer with 8 goals in 26 appearances, breaking the NWSL teenage goal-scoring record. Moultrie led the entire NWSL with 122 shot involvements (68 shot attempts, 54 chances created), demonstrating exceptional involvement in attacking sequences. She recently scored in a 4-1 comeback victory over Bay FC on October 4, becoming the youngest player in Thorns’ history to record a brace. Her movement, technical quality, and big-game mentality make her Portland’s primary goal-scoring threat.
- Jessie Fleming: The Canadian midfielder provided 5 assists and demonstrated exceptional creativity, particularly in open-play situations and set-piece delivery. Fleming’s intelligence, positioning, and ability to unlock defenses through midfield passes create multiple attacking pathways for Portland. She delivered the assist for Deyna Castellanos’ opening goal in the recent Houston victory.
- Mackenzie Arnold: The Australian goalkeeper was named to the NWSL Best XI after a season of consistent excellence. Arnold’s shot-stopping ability, command of the penalty area, and distribution accuracy provide crucial stability for Portland’s defense.
San Diego Wave FC Key Threats
- Dudinha: The Brazilian forward has become an NWSL sensation since summer transfer, scoring 5 goals in just 10 appearances and earning NWSL Best XI for October/November selection. Dudinha scored a brace against Chicago in a historic 6-1 victory and netted the opening goal against Kansas City Current. Her movement, finishing technique, and confidence make her San Diego’s primary attacking threat. Recent form suggests she’s in career-best condition heading into the playoffs.
- Delphine Cascarino: The French forward scored 5 goals with 6 assists throughout the season, providing both finishing quality and creative spark. Cascarino’s technical ability, positioning in the box, and willingness to drop deep create multiple scoring opportunities. Her partnership with Dudinha has been mutually beneficial, with complementary playing styles.
- Perle Morroni: The defender possesses exceptional assist production with 4 assists, indicating tactical involvement beyond traditional defensive responsibilities. Morroni’s set-piece delivery from both open play and dead balls provides width to San Diego’s attacking structure.
Match Preview & Tactical Analysis
Portland Thorns will seek to exploit home-field advantage at Providence Park, where they’ve lost only once in their recent eight matches. Manager Mike Middamore will deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, using Coffey and Hirst as midfield anchors while Moultrie operates as the primary attacking outlet.
The Thorns’ tactical approach emphasizes possession control through Fleming’s creative passes and quick transitions through Moultrie’s late runs. Portland’s unbeaten streak (3-2-0) provides psychological momentum, though the team must maintain defensive discipline against Dudinha’s explosive finishing.
San Diego Wave will attempt to neutralize Portland’s attacking threat through structured pressing and rapid counter-attacks.
The Wave’s tactical framework emphasizes Dudinha’s explosive movement combined with Cascarino’s creative support, seeking to exploit any Portland defensive vulnerabilities on transitions. San Diego’s exceptional away record (6 wins in 2025) suggests they possess tactical flexibility to perform in hostile environments.
Defensive solidity—particularly in central midfield through Rodriguez and Stengel’s positioning—will be critical for limiting Moultrie’s influence.
The key tactical battle centers on midfield control: Portland’s Fleming-Coffey-Moultrie trio must dominate possession while restricting San Diego’s counter-attacking outlets. San Diego’s success depends on maintaining defensive shape despite Portland’s technical superiority and exploiting Dudinha’s clinical finishing opportunities.
- Prediction: Portland Thorns 2–1 San Diego Wave FC
How to Watch Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave FC Live
Watch the Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave NWSL Playoffs Quarterfinal live with these broadcasting options:
| Region | Broadcaster | Kickoff Time |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ABC, Paramount+ | 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT |
| United Kingdom | ESPN | 8:00 PM GMT |
| Europe (Germany) | Streaming partners | 9:00 PM CET |
| Canada | CBS | 3:00 PM ET |
| Australia | Streaming partners | 2:00 PM AEDT (Mon, Nov 10) |