Match Preview:
CARY, N.C. (July 19, 2024) — The North Carolina Courage are back in action this week, hosting the Orlando Pride in the team’s first match of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup on Saturday, July 20, with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at WakeMed Soccer Park. The match will stream live on Paramount +.
The Courage and Pride wrapped up their regular season series for 2024 in June, with the Pride winning in Orlando and the two playing to a scoreless draw in Cary.
Both sides will be without key contributors taking part in the Olympics. For the Courage, Casey Murphy (USA), Kerolin Nicoli (Brazil), Sydney Collins (Canada), Feli Rauch (Germany) and Cortnee Vine (Australia) are all in Paris for the Games, while Orlando will be without Barbra Banda (Zambia), Marta (Brazil), Adriana (Brazil), Rafaelle (Brazil), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (USA) and Grace Chanda (Zambia).
The Courage entered the Olympic break on a good streak of results, winning the team’s final three games of the regular season and picking up points in the final four, including the scoreless draw against Orlando. That streak put the Courage at 8-7-1 on the season.
Ashley Sanchez scored in each of those wins, giving her a team-leading seven goal contributions on the season.
Orlando sits atop the NWSL standings with an undefeated 11-0-5 record heading into the Summer Cup, but the Pride will be without MVP front-runner, Banda, who has 12 goals and five assists in 12 games this season. Banda, Marta and Adriana have combined for 20 of Orlando’s 30 goals this season.
Summer Yates, Ally Watt and Julie Doyle will be the Pride’s go-to players up front in the absence of the Olympians, with Yates’ four goals leading the way. Watt, who the Courage drafted No. 6 overall in 2020, and Doyle each have two goals and one assist on the season.
Anna Moorhouse has played every minute in goal for Orlando this season, maintaining an 82.09 save percentage and allowing just 12 goals.