HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, March 28, 2025) - Utah Royals FC (0-2-1, 1 pt, 13th NWSL) return to Utah for the first of two straight home matches, hosting the Portland Thorns (0-1-2, 2 pts, 11th NWSL) on Friday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m. MT.
Utah Royals FC enter Friday night’s matchup looking to bounce back with a first win of the season from a tough 3-0 loss on the road to Kansas City Current. During the international break, URFC hosted a scrimmage against Utah Valley University, giving many players valuable minutes as the team continues to build depth and get injured players back to full fitness.
Utah had five players called up for international duty, representing four different nations: Mandy McGlynn and Ally Sentnor (USA), Mina Tanaka (Japan), Janni Thomsen (Denmark), and Bianca St-Georges (Canada). For the USA, Sentnor appeared in both friendlies against Brazil—starting in one and coming off the bench in the other—while McGlynn was available off the bench for the first match and started the second match. Tanaka started against Colombia for Japan but was substituted in the first half due to injury. For Denmark, Thomsen started against Italy and came off the bench against Wales in the UEFA Nations League, and St-Georges made substitute appearances in Canada's two games against Argentina.
Utah swept Portland Thorns FC in 2024; across two regular season matchups and one meeting in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, the Royals earned two wins and a draw. The most recent encounter took place on October 5, 2024, resulting in a 2-1 victory for Utah. Tanaka scored the eventual game-winner in the 50th minute, finishing a through ball from Sentnor. In 2025 between the two teams, ten of the eleven goals conceded have come in the first half, with Utah allowing the only second-half goal. Both teams will look to get off to a fast start and find the back of the net early, as neither has won a match this season after conceding first.
WATCH LIVE on PRIME with Mike Watts, Lori Lindsey & Lianne Sanderson :: Utah Royals FC vs. Portland Thorns FC | America First Field | 8:00 p.m. MT
OR
LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 7:30 p.m. MT
Portland has yet to earn a win this season, opening the 2025 NWSL campaign with a 3-1 loss to the Kansas City Current and then recording back-to-back home draws against Angel City FC and the North Carolina Courage. Portland is also without several key players, including USWNT star Sophia Smith, who is missing the 2025 season due to maternity leave
Utah will remain home for a second consecutive week, hosting Chicago Stars FC on Friday, April 18th—an opponent the Royals lost to in both fixtures during the 2024 season. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT. Tickets for the match can be found at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single.
URFC Next Match: 4/18 @America First Field
The Chicago Stars come to America First to take on Utah Royals on April 18 at 7:30 p.m.
