Piscataway, N.J- While on the road during week 21 of the NWSL season, the North Carolina Courage earned three points as they saw a 2-1 win over Sky Blue FC. An own goal for Sky Blue hindered the home teams results as it put the Courage ahead with a 1-0 lead and paved the way for them to see their fourth win.
Defender Erica Skroski used her right foot to make a clearance and instead, the ball soared over goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and fell to the bottom left corner of the net to give the Courage a strong start in the first minute of the match.
Moments later, Sky Blue were on their way to a comeback as a penalty kick was called on North Carolina. Midfielder Carli Lloyd was prepared to take the shot and fans waited in anticipation before her right-footed shot gave the home team the equalizer.
Lloyd was on the move from her goal in the 13’ minute and swept past the defense where she took a shot at the top of the box. Although her solid shot was on target, it was deflected from the crossbar and then cleared out from the box.
The match remained at a 1-1 standstill into the second half until Kristen Hamilton worked her way through the box in passing. Hamilton sent the ball middle to Crystal Dunn, who shot the ball to the left corner of the net while Sky Blue’s defense was amid the madness.
With Dunn’s breakthrough, she recorded her sixth goal of the season to lead the Courage in the second half. In the final minutes of the match, the Courage continued to look for opportunities as Jess McDonald used a long ball to run down the field where Sheridan then swooped in to make the clearance.
Sky Blue will host again next weekend on Sunday, Sept. 15 as the Chicago Red Stars will make their appearance with a 2:00pm PST kickoff.
SCORING SUMMARY:
NC-Erica Skroski (Own goal), 1’
NJ-Carli Lloyd, 13’
NC-Crystal Dunn, (Assisted by: Kristen Hamilton), 57’
BOOKING SUMMARY:
NJ-Raquel Rodriguez, 79’ yellow card
SKY BLUE FC: #1-Kailen Sheridan, #28-Imani Dorsey, #12-Gina Lewandowski, #8-Erica Skroski, #3-Caprice Dydasco, #10-Carli Lloyd, #19-Elizabeth Eddy, #11-Raquel Rodriguez, #16-Sarah Killion, #7-Jennifer Hoy, #4-Paige Monaghan
Subs not used: #5-Julie James, #9-Nahomi Kawasumi, #13-Didi Haracic, #14-Kenie Wright, #17-Dominique Richardson, #24-Estelle Laura Johnson, #29-Amandine Pierre-Louis
NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE: #1-Stephanie Labbe, #15-Jalene Hinkle, #6-Abby Erceg, #13-Abby Dahlkemper, #11-Merritt Mathias, #21-Roccaro, #5-Sam Mewis, #19-Crystal Dunn, #7-McCall Zerboni, #9-Lynn Williams, #23-Kristen Hamilton
Subs not used: #99-Katelyn Rowland, #8-Densie O’Sullivan, #10-Debinha, #17-Heather O’Reilly, #14-Jess McDonald, #4-McKenzie Meehan, #25-Meredith Speck
TOTAL SHOTS: NJ 10-21 NC
SHOTS ON GOAL: NJ 3-6 NC
FOULS: NJ 11-6 NC
OFFSIDES: NJ 2-1 NC
Sky Blue FC
NC Courage
