Sky Blue FC 0 – 2 North Carolina Courage
HERRIMAN, UT –There were spoilers even before the North Carolina Courage and Sky Blue FC took the field for warmups.
North Carolina had secured first place with their win over the Chicago Red Stars on July 5th, coupled with Sky Blue besting the Houston Dash last Wednesday. And in the morning match-up, OL Reign and the Portland Thorns ended in a scoreless deadlock. The draw left Portland in eighth place meaning they’ll meet the Courage in the next round of the NWSL Challenge Cup.
But before any of that could happen, North Carolina and Sky Blue took to the pitch Monday night to close out the preliminary round of the 2020 Challenge Cup.
The Courage got out to a fast start pressing Sky Blue hard through the midfield and finding lanes into the final third of the field. In the 4th minute, right back Jaelene Daniels sprung Lynn Williams with a lob pass into the penalty area but Kailen Sheridan was able to smother Williams’ shot.
North Carolina’s pressure deep in Sky Blue FC’s end of the field forced the team from New Jersey to concede several early corner kicks. In the 7th minute, the Courage played another corner kick into the penalty area. Midfielder Sam Mewis slipped her defender and found the ball at her feet. After a quick turn, Mewis popped a one-timer low and hard past Sheridan putting the defending champions up 1-0.
In post-game remarks, Mewis talked about the Courage getting several chances at scoring off the set piece. “[The corner kick] just wasn’t working out, then we switched it up and it went in, so it worked out great.”
The Courage continued the pressure on Sky Blue, creating several chances to double their lead before halftime. Debinha had a couple of chances to get her second goal of the tournament, but Sheridan made the saves to hold the Brazilian national off the scoresheet.
Carrying the 1-0 lead into the second half, North Carolina showed why they are so difficult to beat, especially when you’re trying to erase a deficit against them. Coming off of a week of rest, Paul Riley’s squad looked almost like they were gaining energy in the second half. By contrast, playing on just four days’ rest, Sky Blue FC began to show fatigue early in the second frame.
The difference in energy and fitness level was on full display in the 56th minute when Williams carried the ball down the right side with a strong run. As she penetrated Sky Blue’s final third of the field, she picked out Crystal Dunn making a perfectly timed run into space. With Sky Blue defender Gina Lewandowski fully extended trying to pick off the pass, Dunn slipped past her and slotted the ball past Sheridan to double the Courage lead.
Sky Blue held the advantage in possession, but had trouble driving the ball through midfield throughout much of the second half. As the match ticked into stoppage time they caught the Courage defense in a couple of nervy moments. Evelyne Viens, who replaced Paige Monaghan at halftime, made a well-timed run through North Carolina’s defense and fired a one-timer at the net but Courage goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland was there to grab the shot and keep a clean sheet.
After two minutes of stoppage, the preliminary round of the NWSL Challenge Cup ended as it began with a North Carolina win. Now the slates are wiped clean as the teams enter the quarterfinal knock-out round this weekend.
Final notes
- There was a lengthy delay during first half stoppage time when referee Danielle Chesky went over to the sideline to have a conversation with Sky Blue FC GM Alyse LaHue. Chesky appeared to banish LaHue to the stands for the remainder of the match.
- With the substitution in the 81st minute, Lindsay Agnew saw her first minutes for North Carolina while right back Jaelene Daniels had her first rest in the tournament.
- Abby Erceg is the only player to have played every minute for the Courage in the NWSL Challenge Cup.
- Sky Blue midfielder McCall Zerboni faced her former teammates for the first time since she was traded in the offseason. “I felt kinda like I was playing my friends with my new friends and I was on a yellow card, so I couldn’t go too hard,” she said following the game.
- In a move that left many North Carolina fans feeling like they were watching a UNC game, Paul Riley pulled an Anson Dorrance-style line change in the 64th minute. Mewis, Dunn, Debinha, and Williams were replaced with Lauren Milliet, Hailie Mace, Meredith Speck, and Jessica McDonald. It was McDonald’s first appearance in the tournament, coming off of a pre-season injury.
- North Carolina has scored two goals in three out of the four games they’ve played in the tournament.
- Next up for North Carolina is the quarterfinal tilt against the Portland Thorns on Friday, July 17th at 12:30 EDT/10:30 MDT
Lineups
Sky Blue FC: K. Sheridan; S. Flores, E. Johnson (E. Skroski, 79’), G. Lewandowski, I. Dorsey; S. Woldmoe ©, J. Cudjoe (D. Richardson, 64’), M. Zerboni; P. Monaghan (E. Viens, 45’), I. Onumonu, N. Kawasumi
North Carolina Courage: K. Rowland; A. Merrick, A. Dahlkemper, A. Erceg ©, J. Daniels (L. Agnew, 81’); D. O’Sullivan, S. Mewis (L. Milliet, 64’), C. Dunn (H. Mace, 64’), Debinha (M. Speck, 64’); K. Hamilton, L. Williams (J. McDonald, 64’)
Score
Sky Blue FC: 0
North Carolina Courage: 2
Goals
Sky Blue FC: none
North Carolina Courage: S. Mewis (7’, unassisted); C. Dunn (56’, L. Williams)
Discipline
Sky Blue FC: none
North Carolina Courage: none
