Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave: NWSL semifinal live stream, how to watch, start time, team news, odds
The 2022 NWSL postseason resumes on Sunday when Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC face off in the NWSL Semifinals. Second-place Portland hosts third-place San Diego at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. The two teams will meet this year for the fifth time after games in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and the NWSL regular season. Portland is winless in two regular-season games against San Diego. Clubs are now competing for a spot in the NWSL Championship Finals and you can watch the games on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
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Here’s how to watch all the semi-finals action:
Viewing Information
- Date: Sunday October 23 | time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Providence Park—Portland, Oregon
- TV: CBS sports network
- Futures Odds for Caesars Sportsbook: Thorns +180, Dominion +180, Wave +350, Current +450
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How they got here
Portland Thorns FC: The franchise is entering its eighth NWSL Semifinals and has earned a direct bye to the NWSL Semifinals after finishing second.
Head coach Rhian Wilkinson took over the team ahead of the 2022 season and quickly earned player buy-in as the team started its season with a back three and has since made tactical adjustments throughout the year. Rookie midfielder Sam Coffey transitioned from an attacking role in college to a defensive midfield position under Wilkinson, earning a nomination for 2022 NWSL Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, sophomore Thorn Yazmeen Ryan is a part-time starter in the The team’s offense has grown, providing two goals and five assists.
Regardless of the formation, the team has relied on forward Sophia Smith as the core of the attack. Smith’s breakout season has earned her a 2022 NWSL MVP nomination with 14 goals and three assists this year. She’ll need another big performance alongside Morgan Weaver, her classmate in the 2020 NWSL Draft, if the team is to make another trip to the NWSL Championship.
San Diego Wave FC: The league expanded to 12 teams ahead of the 2022 season, and San Diego entered the group as one of two California expansion clubs. The Wave continued to make history throughout the regular season, never falling out of the top half of the league table and finishing in third place.
It took overtime, but the San Diego Wave defeated the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in the NWSL Quarterfinals after regulation time ended 1-1. Alex Morgan scored the decisive goal after a corner kick chance.
Head coach Casey Stoney has kept the club competitive from the first year with a defensive line anchored by rookie centre-back Naomi Girma. Stoney’s defensive pick, the #1 pick in the 2022 NWSL draft, has paid off as Girma’s ability to both defend and facilitate attacks from deep gives San Diego an advantage at the center-back position.
Prior to the quarterfinals, Morgan and Taylor Kornieck were deemed questionable, with Stoney calling the two players’ injuries “very serious”, and both players played a long quarterfinal. Their ability to recover and perform will be essential for San Diego to succeed in the semifinals.
Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave Prediction
Both teams are managed by first-year NWSL coaches and the game could lead to a head-coaching battle where game depth and in-game adjustments are the key factors. Choose: Thorns 3, San Diego 2