PORTLAND, Ore. — The NWSL playoffs kick off with a familiar rivalry as the third-seeded Portland Thorns welcome the sixth-seeded San Diego Wave to Providence Park on Sunday.

Kickoff is at noon, broadcast nationally on ABC.

For Portland fans, this matchup feels like a reward after a resilient regular season finale. The Thorns secured home field with a convincing 2-0 win over Houston, thanks to timely strikes from Deyna Castellanos and Jessie Fleming. That victory pushed them to 40 points and a ninth straight playoff appearance.

San Diego arrives with revenge on the mind. Back in the Wave’s inaugural 2022 season, Portland dashed their title hopes in the playoffs with a 93rd-minute goal from Crystal Dunn en route to the championship.

The Thorns have a storied playoff history, chasing a fo

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