The Thorns' road performances could be influenced by their reliance on Sophia Smith's goal-scoring, who averages 0.5 goals per 90 minutes at home but only 0.2 on the road. This could be a key factor in their differing results. Perhaps they should focus on getting Smith more service and space on the road.

In the NWSL, away defense outperforming home is likely variance in the sample given the smaller sample size of away games. However, the Portland Thorns' ability to limit away goals (0.6 per away game) suggests they may be employing a more conservative approach on the road.

Soccer. The Thorns' inconsistency is partly due to their reliance on Sophia Smith's goal-scoring, who has averaged 1.1 goals per 90 minutes. However, their defense has been more consistent, allowing 0.8 goals per 90 minutes fewer in away games compared to home games.