{"id":24225,"date":"2019-08-12T11:28:48","date_gmt":"2019-08-12T15:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsoccer.com\/?p=24225"},"modified":"2020-03-21T21:40:59","modified_gmt":"2020-03-22T01:40:59","slug":"portland-nwsl-record-attendance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2019\/08\/12\/portland-nwsl-record-attendance\/","title":{"rendered":"NWSL: Portland packs in record crowd, Chicago wins fifth-straight match"},"content":{"rendered":"

Portland, Oregon\u00a0 \u2014<\/strong> It’s no secret that the Portland Thorns are good at getting fans into Providence Park. A stadium that they share with an MLS club, the Timbers<\/a>, the Portland Thorns consistently put up big attendance numbers. However, this weekend, they took it to new extremes.<\/p>\n

Portland smashed an NWSL attendance record this weekend. A total of 25,218 packed themselves into Providence Park. Previously, the record was held the Orlando Pride, who brought in 23,403 fans on April 23, 2016. However, Orlando has failed to retain those numbers.<\/p>\n

Portland Packs in Record Crowd<\/h2>\n

Portland never has trouble getting five-digit attendance numbers. Thorns goalkeeper Adrianna Franch said that the fans helped the team defeat the North Carolina Courage, 2-1, on Sunday.<\/p>\n

“When we came back on a Wednesday and had like 22,000 at 8 p.m. we couldn\u2019t wait for a weekend game because we knew it was going to be like this,” Franch said. “We ended the way we wanted to. We didn\u2019t start the way we wanted to, but we found a way to win and that was with the help of our fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crystal Dunn found the back of the net early for the Courage. However, the lead lasted the first half and then disaster struck for the Courage. Two own goals gave the Thorns three points at home. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labb\u00e9 tapped the ball into her own net, while Abby Erceg slotted an own goal past Labb\u00e9 in the 82nd minute to the delight of the Portland record crowd.<\/p>\n

After the match, Icelandic international Dagn\u00fd Brynjarsd\u00f3ttir said that the support was amazing.<\/p>\n

“Obviously North Carolina scored early on us and [the crowd] just gives us this extra power,” Brynjarsd\u00f3ttir said. “We keep going against North Carolina it\u2019s always a good game. We just have this extra, you know\u2026 This crowd was just amazing today.\u201d<\/p>\n

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"It's like a championship game every time we play." @ADizzle23<\/a> on our rivalry with the Courage. This time we come out on top. #BAONPDX<\/a> #PORvNC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3zcAfD48nv<\/a><\/p>\n

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) August 11, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n