by Fran Stuchbury
September 12, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – North Carolina Courage
North Carolina Courage battle Racing Louisville FC
(North Carolina Courage, Credit: Fran Stuchbury)
The North Carolina Courage defeated Racing Louisville FC 5-1 at a rainy WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday. The Courage have won four of their last five games, inching them up in the NWSL standings to eighth place with five regular season game remaining. The top six teams will qualify for the NWSL postseason.
“What a performance; I thought we were brilliant. What a performance,” said North Carolina Head Coach Sean Nahas. “I thought we dictated the game; our spaces were fantastic. Obviously having everyone back was an energy lifter. I was very proud of group.”
The Courage opened the scoring in the ninth minute on a goal by forward Kerolin Nicoli. North Carolina signed Nicoli to a three-year contract on January 10, 2022. North Carolina utilized allocation funds to buy out the remainder of her contract with Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenin. She has played with the Brazil National team since 2018.
The Courage extended its lead in the first half to 2-0 in the 42nd minute on Nicoli’s second goal of the game and her fourth tally of the NWSL season.
The scoring continued for North Carolina in the second half as midfielder Debinha struck in the 56th minute. She has been with the Courage since its first season in the NWSL in 2017 and has been a member of the Brazil National team since 2011.
Racing Louisville FC crept within 3-1 in the 72nd minute on a goal by forward Nadia Nadim. Nadim is playing her sixth season in the NWSL with three different teams after featuring for Sky Blue FC in 2014 and 2015 and Portland Thorns FC in 2016 and 2017. She signed with Racing Louisville FC on June 9, 2021. Nadim has been a member of the Denmark National Team since 2009.
The Courage added two more goals to sew up the game. Debinha scored in the 84th minute on a penalty kick to giver her a brace. Then in the 90th minute midfielder Tess Boade drove home her first career NWSL goal in her first NWSL regular season game. She entered the game in the 84th minute.
“It was incredible,” said Boade, “I was so happy my first NWSL goal was a home game in front of our home crowd.”
Boade played college soccer at Duke, scoring 22 goals the five seasons she played from 2017 until 2021. She signed a two-year contract with the Courage on March 18, 2022.
The Courage’s next game is at home at WakeMed Soccer…
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