plus first press conference with the new Chief Soccer Officer
Happy Wednesday!
The Courage pulled a 1-1 draw from one of the best teams in the league, but it’s shaded with a tinge of disappointment after nearly walking away with the win. Still, there was a lot to like about that match, and if we’re being honest, Orlando’s goal was a freaky stroke of luck in extra time. The Pride should feel fortunate (no pride at all?) to walk away with a draw instead of a loss.
We also had our first public appearance with Dr. Ceri Bowley, the new Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director with the Courage, who brings a fresh perspective and fills a much needed position with the club. It’s exciting to think about the potential for where the Courage might be headed.
And ICYMI, our podcast last week featured an interview with Courage legend Jess McDonald. It’s equal parts fun, thoughtful and vulnerable, and well worth checking out.
Here we go!
Recap: Courage v. Orlando Pride
Orlando ran the offense you’d expect, an aggressive 4-4-2 that largely lets Marta and Barbra Banda roam freely and get creative. In turn, the Courage didn’t shake up their starting XI for the first time this season, again running their 3-4-3-ish formation. For a more complete description, you can see last week’s newsletter, or better yet, check out the podcast (did I mention the Jess McDonald interview?!).
Orlando started strong, with a quick series of builds that tested the Courage defense, but the mix of Casey Murphy, Kaleigh Kurtz, Maycee Bell and Natalia Staude held strong, not giving much in the way of scoring opportunities. Kurtz and Bell continue to be a formidable force as center backs. Marta and Pride midfielder Angelina had a couple of combos early on, but nothing came of it thanks to stout defending.
In fact, one Orlando effort led to an unusual caught-them-in-transition Courage goal. An attempt from Marta to Angelina fizzled, with the ball rolling to Casey Murphy. Murphy passed to Riley Jackson, who escaped a sneaky disruption effort from Banda to get a clean pass to Shinomi Koyama. By then, Orlando’s defenders were pulling back pell mell, leaving plenty of space for a pass to Feli Rauch.
Rauch made a stunning pass, avoiding a defender, with perfect placement to Manaka, who drilled it. Pride keeper Anna Moorhouse did a twisting body block, and the ball rebounded off of her back … to Rauch, who’d stuck with the play. Rauch did a perfectly-timed airborne side kick to put it in the net.
In the second half of the game, possession was spread a little more evenly, with some chances created for both sides.
There were some controversial referee calls throughout the match, and several at the end kept the ball in Courage territory, with frustrations mounting. Orlando kept the pressure up, earning corner kick after corner kick (eight in total, ouch). And finally, at 90+3’, Prisca Chilufya completed a header toward the box – with the ball sailing in a high, awkward arc that stretched past Murphy and into the net for the equalizer.
It took a little wind out of the sails of a sold-out crowd, but progress isn’t linear, and this match continued signals of continued development on the Courage side. Not to mention serving as a showcase of their 🔥 defense.
Look ahead: Courage v. Chicago Stars FC
Chicago is … Chicago. They are sitting at the bottom of the table. The Courage beat them 3-1 last year, both at home and on the road.
Two weeks ago, head coach Lorne Donaldson was let go, a bit surprising given the team finished last in the league in 2023 and made the playoffs last season.
On a happier note, superstar striker Mallory Swanson announced she’s expecting her first baby, but that does mean she is out for the season.
Still, never write off a team in the NWSL. Legendary USWNT keeper Alyssa Naeher is in goal. Defender Sam Staab, midfielder Jameese Joseph and forward Ludmila Da Silva are all threats. Staab scored last week against the Washington Spirit, in a game that seemed like a sure draw and ended in a heartbreaking loss for the Stars.
The big question, as Katie notes on this week’s podcast, is whether the Courage continue their unusual formation, or try something new against a struggling Chicago side. The recent Courage lineup has largely proven successful, with the 2-0 win over Utah perhaps a better comparison in this case than last week’s draw.
If the Courage can organize a lot of attackers in the box, Chicago’s defense can be overwhelmed. The Courage have gotten much more adept at moving through midfield spaces in recent weeks, something to watch for in this match.
Courage news and updates
- Dr. Ceri Bowley had his first press conference this week. I wrote up some thoughts; this looks like a smart hire for the Courage: Developing People and Pathways for the NC Courage.
- The Courage wrote another in a great series of mini profiles, this time on Maycee Bell.
- Jordan Crammer at CBS17 started a new long-ish form show, Extra Time with the Courage, and interviewed Kurtz this week.
Around the league and beyond
- It’s been a slow news week, which only elevated the controversy over the league’s decision to continue the Utah / Angel City match after a scary incident in which Savy King collapsed on the pitch. The Athletic wrote up what went into that decision, answer a lot of questions NWSL fans had, even if those answers are unsatisfactory (subscription required).
- Details were finally released for the new Conacaf Champions Cup, with the group stage being played this fall and the finals slated for May 2026.
That’s it for this week! As always, you can get in touch with tips, suggestions, corrections and more: contact@lionspitch.com.
Next match: Saturday, May 17, 5:00 pm ET
North Carolina Courage v. Chicago Stars FC
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