March 25, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – North Carolina Courage News Release
CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina Courage opened the 2023 NWSL season with a clean sheet win over the Kansas City Current, 1-0, Saturday in front of 4,948 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park.
After a flurry of early chances, Mille Gejl scored in the 23′ for what would prove to be the game-winner. Narumi Miura played Gejl into a one-on-one with a Current defender just beyond midfield and Gejl was able to loop inside to create an angle. She launched a low, curling shot that blew past AD Franch and into the left-corner netting for her first NWSL goal.
The Courage had several chances to break the game open but could never add to their advantage. Kansas City got a great look for the equalizer late in the first half and had a pair more heart-stopping chances in the second, but could not solve Casey Murphy, who made three saves in the clean sheet performance.
Match Notes:
Saturday’s match was the opening match of the NWSL 2023 season
Five players made their Courage debut Saturday, three of whom also made their NWSL debut
The Courage held nearly 60% of possession and completed 79% of their passes
Casey Murphy recorded her 18th career shutout for the Courage, breaking a tie with teammate Katelyn Rowland for the club record.
Quoting the Courage
Sean Nahas
“It was a gutsy three points. We had some really good spells in what we were doing, and then second half I thought we dropped off a bit, which is normal. Thought we had several, several quality chances, thought we could maybe put the game away. But, young players are going to learn. That’s [KC Current] a good team, they’re deep. I know they were missing a lot of players but we still have to go out there and get three points and I felt that the group battled. For a young group, a new group, to get three points it’s only a small step with where we want to go, but it’s a really good foundation to set.”
On Mille Gejl’s goal…
“It was funny, before the game I told Mille- she’s a confidence person, most people are, I told her when you get the ball wide I want you to have one thought- I want you to dictate where they defend and I want you to run at them and get them on their heels and have the space inside open up, you’re going to have acres of space. And she did it. The kid’s quality. She’s still trying to get fit to our level, when I took her off she was like ‘I’m dead.’ But yeah, tremendous goal, great way to settle into the league, we’re…