Portland Thorns coach Mark Parsons led the team to a 12-game unbeaten streak to start the season.

The Thorns at full strength are arguably one of the best in the world, with a roster crowded with U.S. and international stars.

But with the bulk of those players away competing for their respective national teams in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, the Thorns lost their last two matches.

So Parsons got creative on Saturday night with the formation in the rivalry match against the Seattle Reign at Providence Park.

And it paid off in the Thorns' 1-0 win before 19,231 fans at Providence Park in the last match for both teams before the National Women's Soccer League takes a break for the Olympic soccer tournament.

Nadia Nadim scored on a header in the 74th minute off a perfectly weighted left-footed chip from Mana Shim on the eventual game-winning goal.

"I thought Nadia was absolutely unbelievable," Parsons said.

Nadim, playing mostly alone against Seattle's back line, outjumped two defenders to get her head on the ball.

"It was a huge, huge game for us," Nadim said. "We had a good, good plan."

It's the fifth goal of the season for Nadim, which leads the Thorns (8-2-5, 29 points).

The big change was along the back line, where Parsons deployed five players -- defenders Jennifer Skogerboe, Mallory Weber, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Menges, along with Celeste Boureille, who was dropping back from her midfield position.

Together, they clogged the channels and were successful in denying Seattle (5-5-5, 20 points) clear shots and created chances on the counter. Especially late in the game, players kept their composure even as they threw themselves into blocking passes and playing balls of the line.

It "gave us a chance to man-mark in the wide areas," Parsons said. "Going to a back five (on defense) gave us more cover in wide areas where we'd been beaten."

Menges, wearing the captain's armband, marched the defense up, up up, trying to keep the Reign off balance in the attack.

Goalkeeper Michelle Betos came up big several times, especially late in the game where she got to ground and pushed a shot wide in the 74th minute. She earned her first clean sheet in the last four matches.

The win snapped the Thorns' two-game losing streak and keeps them at the top of the league standings going into the break.

"I think we're in a good position," Parsons said. "We'll take a little rest (now)."

-- Molly Blue