Main Takeaways

In the first game back from the international break, the North Carolina Courage fell to the OL Reign on the road. Despite controlling the match for the majority of the first half, the Courage conceded two second-half goals and struggled to get on the board as the clock ran out.

Game Recap

A handful of North Carolina’s regular starters were missing from Friday night’s match-up in Seattle, which forced the team to line up with a new starting XI. Debinha (Brazil), Casey Murphy (USA), and Diana Ordoñez (Mexico) are still out on international duty, and will be for a majority of July as their respective national teams attempt to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Though Kerolin was available for North Carolina over the weekend, she will be returning to the Brazilian squad for the Copa América Femenina once the tournament kicks off next week. 

Though not on international duty, Courage captain Abby Erceg was also kept out of the line-up with a right-knee injury. As a result, head coach Sean Nahas’s line-up was different than any North Carolina line-up we’ve seen so far this season. 

Most notably, Frankie Tagliaferri earned her first professional start in the forward position, regular outside back Carson Pickett lined up beside Kaleigh Kurtz to anchor the defense in the center-back position, and Katelyn Rowland held it down in goal. With the 90-minute performance, Rowland became just the 12th keeper in NWSL history to record at least 5,000 minutes.

Despite a brand new starting XI, the Courage looked extremely dangerous in the first half. The highlight for North Carolina was an impressive effort by Kerolin in the 18-yard box at the 17th minute. Kerolin beat OL Reign defenders with some of her signature footwork before firing a shot toward the near post. OL Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was forced to make a save and kept North Carolina off the board. 

The battle continued as the half waned. Rowland’s acrobatics in the 39th minute preserved the clean sheet after a Jess Fishlock rocket that looked destined to find the back of the net. 

Maria Sánchez and the Houston Dash erased the deficit in the 15th minute, but the Courage attack was more dangerous through the first 45 minutes and the defense held on to end the half with the score knotted up. North Carolina recorded more shots (7) and shots on goal (4), and also edged the Dash out on possession (54%) in the first half of play. 

The second half was an entirely different story. A handful of defensive lapses saw the Courage facing a three goal deficit after just seven minutes. Houston’s Elizabeth Eddy scored in the 47th and 50th minute, and then Nichelle Prince iced the scoring for the Dash in the 51st minute.

North Carolina’s attack joined the party shortly after, with Diana Ordoñez netting another goal against the Dash in the 57th minute.