NC Courage and Portland Thorns Draw 2-2 in Four-Goal Thriller

The North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns FC played to a 2-2 draw on April 4, 2026, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. The match, which saw all four goals occur in the first half, ended in a tie that marked the third consecutive draw between the two clubs.

Portland opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Defender Jayden Perry delivered a deep cross into the box, which forward Reilyn Turner converted with a diving header to give the Thorns an early 1-0 lead.

The Courage responded in the 28th minute when forward Manaka Matsukubo dribbled into the box and placed the ball into the bottom far right corner to equalize the match.

The Thorns regained the lead in the 33rd minute. Midfielder Olivia Moultrie created space in the box for a shot; although Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan saved the initial attempt, Moultrie finished the rebound to make the score 2-1 in favor of Portland.

North Carolina leveled the score again in the 37th minute. Midfielder Ashley Sanchez shot the ball over the Portland defense into an open area of the net. According to the NC Courage, the goal occurred after Ryan Williams cut the ball back inside to Sanchez in the middle of the box.

The Courage nearly took the lead before the end of the first half, but Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold made a full stretch save to maintain the 2-2 deadlock heading into the interval.

Second Half and Match Statistics

The second half remained scoreless as both teams attempted to break the tie. In the final minutes of the match, Payton Linnehan of the North Carolina Courage had a right-footed shot from the right side of the box miss to the left following a fast break assisted by Ashley Sanchez.

Statistically, North Carolina held 60% of the possession compared to Portland’s 40%. The Courage recorded 12 shot attempts with 7 on goal, while the Thorns had 16 shot attempts with 6 on goal. North Carolina earned 7 corner kicks to Portland’s 4.

The match was attended by 7,018 fans and officiated by referee Alyssa Pennington.

League Standings and Team Records

Following the result, the Portland Thorns hold a record of 3 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, placing them second in the league standings with 10 points. The North Carolina Courage have a record of 1 win, 2 losses, and 1 draw, totaling 5 points.

The Thorns have not lost in their last four meetings against the Courage, a streak dating back to June 2024 that includes one win and three draws.

Upcoming Schedule

The Portland Thorns are scheduled to face Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on Sunday, April 26. The match is scheduled for a 3 p.m. PT kickoff and will be broadcast on ESPN 2.