NWSL North Carolina Courage

Courage Return Home to Take on Spirit Saturday

Published on April 21, 2022 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release


CARY, NC - The North Carolina Courage return home Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m. ET to take on the Washington Spirit in their final match of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup group stage. The match will be broadcast live on CBS, and streamed live on Twitch (Internationally). The Courage (11 pts; W3, D2) and Spirit (9 pts; W2, D3) sit atop the East Division standings, with the semifinals on the line for both teams.

A win or draw will ensure a spot in the semifinals for the Courage, with a win locking in home field advantage for the North Carolina side to host on May 4. With a loss, the Courage would rely on Angel City to win or draw against Portland to have a chance at advancing to the semis. The current Challenge Cup standings across the league can be found here.

Last Time Out: The North Carolina Courage continued their undefeated streak in Challenge Cup play, defeating the Orlando Pride on the road last Saturday night, 4-2. Filled with early action, the match featured three Courage goals in the first 10 minutes, the first coming in the form of an own goal by Orlando, the second scored by Jaelene Daniels and the third scored by Taylor Smith. With that third goal, the Courage became the sole NWSL record holders for the fastest team to score three goals from kickoff in all competitions, a record previously set by the OL Reign just a few days before. Emily Gray, the Courage's top pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, made her professional and Courage debut in the 89th minute, subbing in for Debinha, the fourth goal-scorer of the night.

Where to Watch: CBS Sports Network, Twitch (International)

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North Carolina Courage - #10 Debinha

Courage veteran midfielder Debinha slammed the door shut on Orlando's comeback last Saturday night when she scored in the 89th minute of play. The goal was her third in three straight matches, and her seventh career Challenge Cup tally, which is the league record. Both Debinha and Trinity Rodman have scored in three straight Cup matches and will each look to extend that streak to four, solidifying their place as the sole occupant of the NWSL Challenge Cup goal-streak record.

Washington Spirit - #2 Trinity Rodman

Spirit forward Trinity Rodman netted a brace in Washington's last outing to bring her tied with the league lead in Challenge Cup goals (4). The 2021 NWSL Rookie of the Year also leads her team with two assists thus far. Selected as the second overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, Rodman made 22 appearances for the Spirit in her rookie season and scored six goals in that span. She is also the youngest player in NWSL history to record an assist in a playoff game.

Up Next: The North Carolina Courage will kick off their 2022 NWSL regular season in Los Angeles as they take on Angel City FC in the NWSL newcomer's inaugural match on Friday, April 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET. The match will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network and Twitch (internationally).

Check out the North Carolina Courage Statistics

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