Match Preview: NC Courage at Utah Royals
NWSL North Carolina Courage

Match Preview: NC Courage at Utah Royals

Published on May 3, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release


SANDY, Utah - The North Carolina Courage are hitting the road this weekend to take on the Utah Royals at American First Field in Sandy, Utah. The match is set for Saturday, May 3, at 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ION.

The Courage enter the match on the back of a dramatic, 3-2, comeback win over the league-leading and previously undefeated Kansas City Current. Ryan Williams led the way to that win, scoring her first NWSL goal and assisting Ashley Sanchez's game-winning goal in the 90'+3'.

With the win, the Courage became the first NWSL team since 2017 to win a match after entering the final minute trailing. Kaleigh Kurtz kicked off the comeback, slamming home a second-chance effort in the 90', before Sanchez's emphatic stoppage-time winner.

The win was the Courage's first of the season, ending a five-match winless stretch to start the season.

The Courage switched to a 3-4-3 formation in the match, giving Ryan Williams and Feli Rauch the freedom to provide attacking width, while allowing Sanchez, Jaedyn Shaw, and Manaka Matsukubo to all operate in their preferred central positions.

The Royals are currently 13th in the NWSL table with a 1W-4L-1D record. The lone win came against 14th-place Chicago Stars.

Second-year sensation Ally Sentnor leads the way for the Royals' attack with one goal, one assist, and six chances created. The former UNC Tar Heel scored the match-winner against the Courage in the match at America First Field last season.

Former Courage forward Bianca St-Georges found the back of the net in her team debut, but missed the team's match against Houston, while Japanese forward Mina Tanaka, who lit up the SheBelieves Cup, missed all of the Royals' matches in April.

The Royals enter Saturday's match following a 1-0 loss against the Houston Dash, with Delanie Sheehan scoring the lone goal in the 80'. Recent free agent acquisition Cece Kizer started that match, giving the Royals another option in attack.

The Details

What they'll wear:

Courage - Field: Blue/Blue/Blue | GK: Black

Royals - Field: Yellow/Blue/Yellow | GK: Red

2025 Records:

Courage - 1-3-2 (11th, 5 points, -3 GD)

Royals - 1-4-1 (13th, 4 points, -5 GD)

Courage vs. Royals (Regular Season): W-L-3

Last time out:

Courage - Win, 3-2 vs. Kansas City Current

Royals - Loss, 1-0 vs. Houston Dash

Up next:

The Courage return home to First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park to host the Orlando Pride for Shield Night. The match is set for Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets are available here. The match will be broadcast on ION.

Check out the North Carolina Courage Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from May 3, 2025


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