Marie Muller scored in the 60th minute and the Portland Thorns beat the North Carolina Courage 1-0 on Friday night, a result that sent Portland into the playoffs and into sixth place in the league standings.
The goal came on a rebound, smashed home after the initial chance was not cleared, and it was enough to turn a tight match into a season-shaping result. Mackenzie Arnold made two saves for her eighth clean sheet, and Portland’s 13-8-8 record now comes with one game left in the regular season. The Thorns have reached the postseason in 10 straight seasons, and this one is secured before the final weekend.
That is why the North Carolina Courage result matters beyond the final score line. In standings terms, sixth place can still carry weight with one match remaining because it places Portland above the playoff line and ahead of clubs still trying to secure their own place in the bracket. The Thorns did not just win; they made the next game about seeding rather than survival.
For North Carolina, the loss left it at 13-13-3 and added to a slide that has now seen the Courage drop five of their last six games. They remain close enough to the race that every result still moves the board around them, but this one deepened the pressure and narrowed the margin for error.
Portland, meanwhile, can now finish the regular season with a postseason place already in hand. What remains unresolved is the final seeding and what that might mean for the opponent ahead, but the bigger answer is already settled: Muller’s goal put the Thorns back where they expect to be when the season turns serious.
