It's back to the road for the Thorns and Timbers, with the teams' coming games on the east coast ending a string of three-straight kickoffs at Providence Park.
For the Thorns, that means one of the most trying weeks of the season: a cross-country flight for a mid-week kickoff against the Orlando Pride before a Sunday match versus NY/NJ Gotham FC.
For the Timbers, the trip is a little easier, but Sunday's match against the Supporters' Shield holders, the Philadelphia Union, will be another great, early-season litmus test for Portland.
This week in Thorns greatness
Sunday's result may not have gone her team's way, but Christine Sinclair still got on the scoresheet, scoring her second goal of the regular season and fourth goal of 2021. Dating back to last year's Fall Series, Sinclair has now scored 10 times in her last eight club games. That seems good.
This week in Timbers history
This week marks the three-year anniversary of the Samuel Armenteros game, to the extent there's only one. The Swedish international was only in Portland for a year, but he produced two signature moments: his run into the North End after his late goal against Los Angeles FC on May 19, 2018, and his two-goal performance in Colorado that produced this disaster for defender Danny Wilson:
The Timbers ended up defeating the Rapids 3-2 on May 26, 2018, part of a season that ended with Portland's second MLS Cup final appearance. Armenteros returned to the Italian league at year's end, but not without leaving a mark.
This week's Thorns opponents
As a small reminder of how insane 2020 was, the Thorns haven't played the Orlando Pride since August 15, 2019 - an open, seven-goal shootout that featured all of the following for Portland:
Elizabeth Ball, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Ellie Carpenter, Britt Eckerstrom, Caitlin Foord, Midge Purce, Hayley Raso, Katherine Reynolds, Gabby Seiler.
So yeah, things will have changed a little in the 650 days since Portland played in Orlando.
Speaking of changes, Sunday will mark the first time Portland has played at the newly rebranded Gotham FC. It will also be the team's first match at Red Bull Arena, Gotham's new home.
This week's Timbers opponents
As for the Union, they are Major League Soccer's last surviving team in Concacaf Champions League and finished last season with the league's best record. At this point, Jim Curtin's team has established itself as a regular contender. The NBA's Philadelphia Sixers may be known for "the process," but the Union's project is paying off, too.
The Timbers, however, have had great recent success against the Union, including last year's 2-1 victory over Philadelphia in the semifinals of last year's MLS is Back Tournament. With that win, the Timbers have won five in a row against the Union, outscoring them 13-4 in the process.
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