October 12, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release
RALEIGH, NC – Angel City drew 1-1 on the road in North Carolina tonight, following two stoppage-time goals- one by ACFC forward Christen Press and one by Courage forward Olivia Wingate.
The hosts dominated the first half, earning their first chance in the 12th minute. On a transition play, forward Ashley Sanchez combined with midfielder Manaka Matsukubo to set up midfielder Aline Gomes. The Brazilian received the ball inside the 18 and sent a shot past her mark, but it sailed wide of the far post.
In the 28th minute, Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haračić made a big stop. Courage defender Malia Berkely played a long ball over the top to forward Tyler Lussi, who took a single touch to beat her mark and play the ball into the penalty area. The ball fell into Sanchez’s run, and she made an attempt on goal with the outside of her foot that Haračić blocked.
That blocked shot was the first in a flurry of chances by the Courage; their next came two minutes later when defender Feli Rauch made a run up the left wing in transition and once again sent the ball into the run of Sanchez, near the penalty arc, but Sanchez’s shot went wide. They had another look in the 32nd minute when Matsukubo beat her mark and sent a short lateral pass to Sanchez. This time, her shot was on target, but proved an easy save for Haračić.
The game settled down over the final 15 minutes of the half, with just one more real chance for either side before the break. That came in the 40th minute, when Berkely again sent a ball over the top, this time for Rauch. In a footrace with Angel City defender Sarah Gorden, all Rauch could do was send a one-touch lob toward the goal from a few yards short of the 18-yard line- an attempt that went wide.
The second half started fairly quiet, with a 54th-minute chance by North Carolina being the biggest play in the opening minutes. Sanchez sent a short diagonal ball to Lussi as she sprinted into the box; Lussi fired off a shot from 10 yards, which went just high of the crossbar.
Things picked up for Angel City starting in the 70th minute, when they had their first real look of the game. Midfielder Katie Zelem sent a diagonal ball to forward Christen Press, who cut left into the 18. She put an angled shot on frame, which goalkeeper Casey Murphy blocked. Forward Sydney Leroux took a crack at the rebounded ball, hitting the crossbar, and then sending her follow-up attempt back to…