ON TOP OF THE TABLE — The Utah Royals’ success to start the 2026 NWSL season didn’t happen overnight.
But for at least the next month, the rest of the league will be chasing the Utah side.
Kiana Palacios scored her second goal in as many matches, and Cloé Lacasse added another as the Utah Royals split the points with a 2-2 draw at NWSL-leading Portland on Saturday afternoon at Providence Park.
Olivia Moultrie scored the opener for the Thorns (7-3-3, 24 points), and U.S. international Sophia Wilson notched the decisive penalty kick as Utah (7-2-3, 24 points) stretched their unbeaten run to a franchise-record 10 consecutive matches.
It’s just the second time this season that Utah Royals FC have earned a point after conceding the first goal in 2026, and the sixth result in the last seven meetings against Portland dating back to 2020.
But in many ways, the result was bittersweet. Perhaps even, to borrow a word from center back Kate Del Fava — whether or intentional or not — disappointing.
“It’s a sign that this group is going to do something special,” she said. “If this is how we’re feeling about a draw in Providence Park … it felt like we deserved a win in that moment. We felt like we definitely could’ve come out of here with 3 points. But that’s football; that’s sport.
These aren’t the Royals of the past two seasons. Those Royals dug themselves in a hole with a poor start before rallying in the back half of the schedule and finishing in 11th and 12th in the table.
The team that has never made the NWSL playoffs out-shot the Thorns 23-12, including eight shots on target and led for all but the first five minutes of the second half until the onset of stoppage time.
“The root of it is that people want to win,” Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets said. “We’re building a winning mentality and a winning culture.”
Portland starts strong against Utah Royals
Back in Portland’s starting lineup for the first time since May 8, Moultrie gave the Thorns an early spark.
The Salt Lake City native who grew up in California and Wilsonville, Oregon, before signing her first professional contract with the Thorns five years ago broke free in the penalty area to score her fifth goal of the season in the 21st minute.
Sophia Wilson nearly doubled the advantage five minutes later, but the offsides flag was up.
Instead, Palacios tied it up with her second goal in as many matches, pulling one back just before the stroke of halftime to equalize.
Mina Tanaka wrestled possession away from Portland before pushing the ball out to Nuria Rábano, whose crossed into the box found Palacio for a diving header that evened the score and gave the Royals the first goal by a visiting team at Providence Park in NWSL play — a run of 637 minutes without a goal.
“Honestly, the crosses that come in from my teammates are great crosses,” Palacios told ION TV at halftime. “We have to finish them off.
“When we gathered around after the goal, it was just mentality,” she added. “We were like, we’ve got to get back into this game. I think the goal will help us get this game going.”
The Royal rebound
But Utah wasn’t done.
Tanaka set up another goal in the 50th minute, digging a left-footed ball out of the corner of the six-yard box before finding Lacasse for the Canadian international’s fourth goal of the campaign to give Utah a 2-1 advantage.
“That’s a big development in our game, being able to come back from deficits,” Lacasse said. “We showed that today.”
After Mandy McGlynn was called for an eight-second violation for holding the ball inside her own box, Alexa Spaanstra was whistled for a foul in the penalty area on the ensuing corner kick in the 88th minute.
Jayden Perry, who drew the penalty, gave up the penalty to returning superstar Wilson and the U.S. women’s national team standout buried the attempt at the onset of stoppage time to level for the hosts.
That would be enough to split the points, keeping both teams tied atop the 16-team table with 24 points ahead of the international break.
“This game had its ups and downs; it definitely is not an easy atmosphere to play in. They have one of the most electric fan groups in the NWSL. Today, we had some challenges with the refs, too, as we saw. But we were determined to come out of this game with something, at least.
“I’m proud of this group for coming back, especially when it was 1-0.”
Utah Royals take league lead into international break
Holders of a franchise-record nine-match unbeaten streak, the Utah Royals have completely turned around last season’s bottom-third campaign.
With additions like Palacios and Utah native Courtney Brown, the Royals have already matched their win total from all of last season as the league takes a month-long international break to accomodate the FIFA men’s World Cup and several international women’s competitions held during the summer. The June 1-28 stoppage also includes a CBA-mandated week off under the latest collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association.
That — plus a franchise-record 10-match unbeaten run — will give Utah a historic spot atop the 16-team league table for the longest duration in franchise history. The club that has never made the playoffs — in two different stints in the NWSL — is suddenly a championship contender.
It’s the first time the Royals have been on top of the league table since May 2019, before the franchise was sold and moved to Kansas City. For at least another month, they’ll stay there.
But there are no midseason titles in the NWSL. And Utah knows — perhaps better than anyone — how quickly fortunes can change in what most still consider to be a top women’s professional league in the world.
“We’re at the top of the group,” Lacasse said, “and we want to continue to build on that.”
The Royals will return to NWSL play Sunday, July 5 against the Chicago Stars (3 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network) before returning home Friday, July 10 to host Gotham FC (8 p.m. MT, Victory+).