Thorns forward Caiya Hanks scores game-winner in return from ACL injury

Portland Thorns forward Caiya Hanks scored the game-winning goal against the Orlando Pride on Saturday night in her first appearance since she suffered an ACL injury in June 2025.

The 21-year-old entered the match in the 88th minute with the score tied 1-1 at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. After receiving a pass from fullback M.A. Vignola in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Hanks dribbled swiftly toward the center of the Thorns’ attacking third, took three touches to prepare a right-footed shot, and curled it past diving goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to thunderous cheers.

Hanks’ teammates surrounded her on the pitch in an emotional celebration as the camera cut to her mother and grandmother’s joyful faces in the stands.

“I wanted to cry, but I’m like, ‘No, not now. There’s still time left and the game’s not over,’” Hanks said in a postgame news conference. “But it honestly just means so much to me.”

In a clash that often saw the Thorns on the back foot against the 2024 NWSL champions, the home side scored first in the 58th minute when midfielder and Venezuela international Deyna Castellanos fired off a soaring shot that arced over the Pride’s defense.

Orlando equalized five minutes later off a deflection from Pride forward Jacquie Ovalle. The Mexican international rushed onto a cross that forced Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold off her line to make a save, but the ball bounced off Ovalle and over the end line to level the score.

Caiya Hanks scores her first goal since her return from an ACL injury, and it's a CRUCIAL one for Portland! ☄️ pic.twitter.com/aS97GJL4Jk

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 16, 2026

The Thorns’ victory provided some cushion in the NWSL standings. With 34 points, they are fourth in the table behind Gotham FC (43 points), the Utah Royals (36) and the Washington Spirit (36).

That’s thanks to Hanks’ first goal since May 16, 2025, less than a month before she suffered her season-ending ACL injury. The Thorns signed the 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy finalist to a four-year contract in March of that year, and the Wake Forest alumna needed little time to transition to the NWSL and demonstrate what she could offer the three-time league champions. She started seven of the 11 matches she played in, scoring two goals and contributing an assist before her injury.

“It was a very hard 14 months,” Hanks said of her recovery. “… There were times that I didn’t even want to show up, and there were times where the only thing that got me through the day was being around everybody and being able to be in the locker room with everyone and laugh and smile.

“It’s been hard to not have this sport that I’ve loved for so long and not be able to share my abilities and my crafts with my family and just share the field with these girls. But I think the support system that I had was just incredible.”

Sitting beside her in the news conference, Castellanos added with a smile, “She wasn’t crying, but we were.”

Hanks’ return is all the more welcome in the wake of the Thorns’ announcement Tuesday that U.S. women’s national team midfielder Olivia Moultrie will miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Portland also welcomed forward Morgan Weaver back to the pitch July 24 after she suffered an injury to her right knee that required three surgeries and a meniscus and cartilage transplant. Weaver, who sat out the 2025 season, was on the pitch when Hanks scored Saturday night.

“We had a lot of conversations, and at the end of the day, we stick together,” Castellanos said. “We know the potential that we have as a team, and obviously it’s super sad to lose Olivia, but we gain back Caiya and Morgan, and Julie (Dufour) is on her way back as well, and I think it’s just supporting each other all the way and sticking together.”

The Thorns will remain at home for their next match next Saturday against the Denver Summit before traveling to Harrison, N.J., to meet league-leading Gotham FC on Aug. 28.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic .

Portland Thorns, NWSL, women's sports

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