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The Portland Thorns have announced that the 2019 edition of their preseason tournament, the Spring Invitational, will be held from March 24th to 30th at Merlo Field at the University of Portland. Two regular invitees, the Chicago Red Stars and the United States U-23 Women’s National team, return once again. Notably, last year’s entrants the Houston Dash have been swapped out for the recently-relocated Reign FC. Their new location in Tacoma makes the trip down south that much easier, so why not?
This will be the first chance for fans to get a look at how the team may operate in this World Cup season. Last year we learned the two tactical shapes the Thorns were trialing for the 2018 season as they dealt with long-term absences due to injury, and we can expect to glean more hints this year for how the Thorns will line up with some of their biggest stars working in France for an extended period of time.
As last year, Thorns season ticket holders get a free ticket to one of the three Thorns games and discounted tickets to the rest. The games that don’t involve the Thorns are typically free (and fantastic entertainment, if you can make them). Tickets for the Spring Invitational go on sale March 19th.
Spring Invitational schedule:
Sunday, March 24 – Reign FC vs. U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team at 11:30 a.m. (Pacific); Thorns FC vs. Chicago Red Stars at 5 p.m. PST at University of Portland (Merlo Field)
Wednesday, March 27 – Chicago Red Stars vs. Reign FC at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific).; Thorns FC vs. U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team at 7:30 p.m. PST at University of Portland (Merlo Field)
Saturday, March 30 – Chicago Red Stars vs. U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific); Thorns FC vs. Reign FC at 7:30 p.m. PST at University of Portland (Merlo Field)