April 21, 2022 – 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)
Players to Watch Presented by JubliaRX.com
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…