Portland Thorns FC Schedule Released

Just over two months before the start of the NWSL season, the league has released its schedule and we finally know when the Portland Thorns will play in 2015.

The Thorns kick off the season with a pair of home games on April 11th and 18th, hosting the Boston Breakers and Western New York Flash at Providence Park.

In a strange turn, not only do the Thorns only play the Seattle Reign twice, rather than three times as they do with four of the league's other eight teams, but those two matches come only five days apart as the Thorns host Seattle on Wednesday, July 22nd and head up to Seattle for the away leg on Sunday, July 26th.

The Women's World Cup, whose matches run from June 6th to July 5th, marks the halfway point of the season for the Thorns. The team will play seven games before the WWC kicks off and three while it is underway, including an away match at the Houston Dash during the opening day of the WWC that will conflict with the second match of the day, New Zealand versus the Netherlands; the other two matches will not fall on match days for the WWC.

Once the WWC has finished, the Thorns will then have ten matches remaining, four of which will be at home and six away.

The Thorns will have several matches that fall on the same day as the Portland Timbers once again this season. The matches on 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6, 7/11, and 8/30 all fall on the same day as the Timbers. While most of the matches do not directly overlap, the 7/11 match between the Thorns and Sky Blue FC will kick off at the same time as the Timbers' away match against the Philadelphia Union.

The Thorns' press release:

THORNS FC ANNOUNCE SCHEDULE FOR 2015 NWSL SEASON
Club opens third NWSL campaign with consecutive home games at Providence Park against Boston Breakers, Western New York Flash

PORTLAND, Ore. – The National Women’s Soccer League today unveiled the full 20-game, 2015 regular-season schedule for Portland Thorns FC. Portland kicks off the 2015 season with back-to-back home games on April 11 and April 18, playing host to the Boston Breakers and the Western New York Flash at Providence Park.

Thorns FC will play 10 home matches and 10 away matches during the six-month season. The nine-team league features a single table and Thorns FC will play an unbalanced schedule, hosting Boston and Washington twice at home. Portland will travel twice to face Western New York and Sky Blue FC.

Thorns FC season tickets start at $10.50 per game and are on-sale now. Lower level and general admission seats are available. Fans interested in purchasing Thorns FC season tickets are encouraged to call the ticket office at (503) 553-5555 or email ticketsales@timbers.com. Single-game ticket information will be released at a later date.

Highlighting the Thorns FC schedule is a home match against reigning NWSL champions, FC Kansas City, at Providence Park on June 19. Pacific Northwest-rival Seattle Reign FC and Thorns FC will meet twice in five days, once at home and once on the road, following the conclusion of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Portland plays host to Seattle at Providence Park on July 22, while Thorns FC visit Seattle on July 26.

Portland plays home matches on four different days of the week this season, including eight weekend contests. In addition to playing four Saturday home games, Thorns FC play host to two Sunday and two Friday fixtures at Providence Park.

Thorns FC close out the regular season on the road against Western New York on Sept. 4 with the top four teams in the standings qualifying for the NWSL playoffs.

Schedule Breakdown:
Home Dates by Day of the Week:
Wednesday (2), Friday (2), Saturday (4), Sunday (2)

Road Dates by Day of the Week:
Wednesday (2), Friday (1), Saturday (6), Sunday (1)

Home Dates by Month:
April (2), May (2), June (1), July (2), August (3)

Road Dates by Month:
April (1), May (2), June (1), July (3), August (2), September (1)

League Opponents Played Twice at Home:
Boston Breakers, Washington Spirit

League  Opponents Played Twice Away:
Sky Blue FC, Western New York Flash

League Opponents Played Once at Home:
Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Houston Dash, Seattle Reign FC, Western New York Flash

League Opponents Played Once Away:
Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Houston Dash, Seattle Reign FC, Washington Spirit

2015 Portland Thorns FC Schedule (home matches in bold, CAPS)

Date	Opponent	Kickoff (Pacific)	Venue
Saturday, April 11	BOSTON BREAKERS	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Saturday, April 18	WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH	4 p.m.	Providence Park
Saturday, April 25	@Chicago Red Stars	5:30 p.m.	Village of Lisle -Benedictine University Sports Complex
Saturday, May 9	WASHINGTON SPIRIT	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Saturday, May 16	@Boston Breakers	1 p.m.	Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium
Saturday, May 23	HOUSTON DASH	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Saturday, May 30	@Washington Spirit	4 p.m.	Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex
Saturday, June 6	@Houston Dash	5:30 p.m.	BBVA Compass Stadium
Friday, June 19	FC KANSAS CITY	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Friday, July 3	SKY BLUE FC	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Saturday, July 11	@Sky Blue FC	4 p.m.	Yurcak Field
Wednesday, July 22	SEATTLE REIGN FC	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Sunday, July 26	@Seattle Reign FC	4 p.m.	Moda Pitch at Memorial Stadium
Wednesday, July 29	@Western New York Flash	4 p.m.	Sahlen’s Stadium
Wednesday, Aug. 5	BOSTON BREAKERS	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Sunday, Aug. 9	CHICAGO RED STARS	7 p.m.	Providence Park
Wednesday, Aug. 12	@FC Kansas City	5 p.m.	Swope Soccer Village
Saturday, Aug. 22	@Sky Blue FC	4 p.m.	Yurcak Field
Sunday, Aug. 30	WASHINGTON SPIRIT	6 p.m.	Providence Park
Friday, Sept. 4	@Western New York Flash	4 p.m.	Sahlen’s Stadium