NWSL North Carolina Courage

NC Courage Return to NWSL Play, Host Portland on Sunday August 5

Published on August 5, 2018 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release


Cary, NC - The North Carolina Courage (14W-1L-4D, 46 points) return to Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park this Sunday, August 5 at 6:00 pm ET to take on Portland Thorns FC (8W-5L-5D, 29 points).

With a victory over Portland this Sunday, the Courage will secure the NWSL Shield for the second consecutive season.

The team returns to NWSL play after an exciting international break, where they traveled to Miami to participate in the first ever Women's International Champions Cup. The NC Courage won the championship after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on July 26, and Olympique Lyonnais Feminin 1-0 on July 29. McCall Zerboni, Crystal Dunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Merritt Mathias, Samantha Mewis (United States) and Debinha (Brazil) will also be returning from the Tournament of Nations where they represented their respective countries.

In their last NWSL match on July 20, the Courage took on Utah Royals FC for the third time this season. After a hard fought 90 minutes with many looks at goal, the game ended in a 0-0 draw. The Courage had four times as many shots than Utah during the match.

In their last match, the Portland Thorns They defeated Sky Blue, 2-1 on July 21, with two goals in the first ten minutes of the match. Hayley Raso scored in the 4thminute followed by an Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic goal in the 7thminute.

The Courage and the Thorns pack the top of the league-leader standings. While Portland's Lindsey Horan is tied with Chicago's Sam Kerr for the most goals this season, Lynn Williams is only one goal behind her. Dunn is two goals behind Horan and one goal behind her teammate. Christine Sinclair is also in the race for the Golden Boot, currently tied with Dunn.

Last time around, the NC Courage defeated the Portland Thorns 4-1, scoring three goals between the 58thand 64thminutes.

Series History:

Since relocating to Cary, the Courage are 3W-2L-0D against Portland.

April 23, 2017, Cary, N.C. - 1-0 W (Debinha, 81')

July 14, 2017, Portland, Ore.- 1-0 L (Raso, 70')

October 14, 2017, Orlando, Fl.- 1-0 L (Horan, 50') NWSL Championship

March 24, 2018- Cary, N.C.- 1-0 W (Debinha, 70')

May 30, 2018- Portland, Ore- 4-1 W (Williams, 31', Debinha, 58', Williams, 62', Mewis, 64', Reynolds, 89')

Fact to Know:

With a victory over Portland, the NC Courage will secure the 2018 NWSL Shield. The Courage can also win the Shield with a draw but will have to wait for other results around the league.

Players to Watch:

North Carolina Courage - #17 Heather O'Reilly

Heather O'Reilly joined the NC Courage just one month ago but has made an impact already. The former USWNT player has not skipped a beat, playing 210 minutes in four NWSL games in the month of July. O'Reilly also played in the Women's ICC Tournament, scoring the game-winning goal in the championship game, her first with the Courage. She will surely be looking for her first goal in NWSL play this season against the Portland Thorns.

Portland Thorns - #12 Christine Sinclair

Christine Sinclair has started every game for Portland this season, playing 1620 total minutes. The Canadian has been a force to reckon with scoring seven goals so far this season. She has also done an unbelievable job of distributing the ball this season, leading the league with six assists. Sinclair is a playmaker that the Courage will have to keep their eyes on this Sunday.

Check out the North Carolina Courage Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



National Women's Soccer League Stories from August 5, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central