Recorded at Dingo's during the October international break. There was no Thorns match this week, so we follow where every Thorns player went, starting with USA 0–2 Spain. Our Pappy's friend Tyler drops in partway through.

Sophia Wilson's suspension is now two matches. She misses Bay (Sun Oct 18) and North Carolina at home (Fri Oct 23). Club suspensions don't carry over to internationals, so she started against Spain. She still has no new contract, which raises the question of whether we've seen her last game at Providence Park.

USA 0–2 Spain at Audi Field (sellout, 19,220). Spain scored twice in the first 14 minutes. The US were much better in the second half: Wilson's goal was ruled out for offside, and Lily Yohannes had a second-half penalty saved after Wilson was fouled.

The penalty debate. Wilson was the player fouled and is 11 for 11 on career penalties for Portland. Alan's read is that the order was set before the game: Heaps was first on the list but had been subbed off, so Yohannes was next. Alan and Marissa still want to know why the list is in that order.

Marissa's hot takes: the Heaps, Yohannes and Lavelle midfield "will never work." Sam Coffey was badly missed. Yohannes should go to the U-23s until she's ready. Tordin's technical game is what this midfield lacks.

Thorns Abroad: Arnold's Australia lost 4–2 to Müller's Germany, with Thorns on both sides. Canada drew 1–1 with Denmark and won an unofficial shootout (Marissa had Fleming as captain). Marissa said Reyes started and played well in Mexico's 4–3 home loss to Jamaica. Marissa said Loboa was a late call-up for Colombia. Hanks, Perry and Calzada went to the USA U-23s, Nijstad to the Netherlands U-23s and Bogere to the Sweden U-23s.

Crystal Dunn, a former Thorn, was honored before the match. She has 160 caps and 25 goals, and she scored the 93rd-minute semifinal winner against San Diego on the way to the 2022 title.

Coming up: the US play Spain again on Tuesday at Subaru Park (4 PM PT). Will Tordin get minutes? The Thorns are at Bay on Sunday, then home to North Carolina on Friday Oct 23. Alan and Marissa will be at that game as fans.

Recorded Sunday, October 11, 2026, before the Tuesday rematch. Suspension and contract details are as of the recording.

Bring a drink.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Back at Dingo's, and the international break
02:54 Wilson's ban is now two games
04:04 USA 0–2 Spain
07:53 Our friend Tyler drops in
11:26 Marissa's counterpoints
20:36 Wilson and Tordin in camp
23:07 Thorns Abroad
28:16 Crystal Dunn's tribute
30:03 What's next: Spain again, Bay, and a game as fans
33:55 Marissa's PS: give the team some grace

Portland 2-4 Boston. Down to ten in the 22nd minute, down two at the break, and still in it until stoppage time.

We're back at Pappy's, our original bar, on a Monday, because Marissa got a tattoo on Sunday. It says "gay" in Old English, lowercase g, so it doesn't read "hey".

Marissa was in the press box. Boston played like a team chasing playoff points, not one that was already eliminated. Sophia Wilson was sent off for a hair pull right in front of the referee, and Marissa isn't arguing with the red. Boston scored twice before halftime. Then, with ten players, Portland played what Marissa calls some of their best soccer. Pietra Tordin's penalty made it 2-1, and Shae Harvey scored her first NWSL goal off the bench. Boston scored either side of it, in the 88th minute and in stoppage time. Marissa has questions about Mackenzie Arnold's positioning on those two goals. She also says no one player loses a game.

Then the good news. Tordin's penalty made Portland the first club to 50 regular-season penalty goals, and she has her first senior USA call-up. Jessie Fleming set the club's single-season appearance record and has played 51 games in a row. Alan has a new jersey, and Marissa wants the owners to bring back red, black and green.

Plus Marissa's Match Week 24 Roundup, the table after the weekend's games (seventh, three clear of Seattle with three to play), and USA v Spain in the international break. Thorns Abroad is next week.

Recorded Monday, October 5, after every Week 24 game was played.

Bring a drink.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Back at Pappy's, and Marissa's new tattoo
04:55 Marissa at the game, and Stephanie from the Mercury
06:34 Portland 2–4 Boston
10:52 Wilson's second red card
12:37 Tordin's penalty, Harvey's first goal, and the last two goals
15:39 A new coach, and the players we've lost
17:25 Milestones, Tordin's call-up, and Thorns Abroad
19:54 Alan's new jersey and Fleming's record
22:03 Marissa's Match Week 24 Roundup
27:27 The table after the weekend, with three to play
30:43 The international break: USA v Spain and the FIFA rankings
33:25 The NWSL table
35:08 Sign-off

Portland 1-1 Houston. Twenty shots, eight corners, one point.

Our first show at Dingo's Sports Pub on SE Stark, where the Matildas kit hangs a couple of jerseys down from the Thorns. Alan ordered a Portland IPA to undo last week's Seattle beer curse. Marissa ordered Tito's.

It was Hispanic Heritage Night at Providence Park, with 18,247 there and every announcement in English and Spanish. Houston's Kat Rader scored in the 10th minute, and Portland chased the game until Marie Müller finished first time in the 85th after Sophia Wilson drew three defenders. Marissa's verdict: this was not on the defense. Reyes and Vignola were excellent. The finishing and the set pieces weren't: eight corners and no plan. Credit to Houston's interim coach, with a win and a draw in two weeks, and to Rader, a rookie with 10 goals.

Then the milestones. Jessie Fleming made her 50th straight league start and wore the armband. Wilson's assist was her 18th goal contribution of the season, tying the club record she set in 2024. Portland's 100th regular-season clean sheet, which no NWSL club has reached, is still out there for Boston on October 3.

Plus Marissa's Match Week 23 Roundup, the table as it stood after Saturday, and congratulations to Val Loboa, whose Colombia beat Italy for bronze at the U-20 Women's World Cup, the country's first U-20 podium.

Recorded Sunday afternoon, September 27, before Utah played North Carolina later that day, so the table talk is as of Saturday night.

Adults only. Bring a drink.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Our first show at Dingo's
03:56 Portland 1–1 Houston
11:13 Eight corners, no plan, and credit to Houston
13:59 Fleming's 50th, Wilson ties her record, and the 100th clean sheet
18:50 Marissa's Match Week 23 Roundup
25:44 The table after Saturday
28:09 Val Loboa and Colombia's U-20 World Cup bronze
29:44 Thanks to Dingo's, and Boston next