NC Courage opens season with 1-1 tie

The North Carolina Courage has moved on from last year’s NWSL championship, but members of the title-winning team did take a moment before kicking the new season off Saturday night to receive their championship rings.

Then the whistle blew and the Courage were reminded that any success that comes this season won’t be automatic.

Despite out-shooting the Chicago Red Stars 24-6, the Courage were forced to play from behind for much of the night before forward Crystal Dunn’s 66th-minute goal helped the team earn a 1-1 tie at WakeMed Soccer Park.

“To be honest with you, all in all that’s as good of a first-game performance we’ve had as a group probably ever,” coach Paul Riley said. “But it’s a good team, and we created enough chances.”

Since moving to Cary in 2017, the Courage has played some classic games against Chicago. Two years ago, the Courage defeated Chicago to reach the NWSL Championship game thanks to an 89th-minute goal by Denise O’Sullivan. Last season, the Courage earned another victory against the Red Stars in the semifinals of the NWSL playoffs.

While the stakes weren’t quite as high Saturday night, the two teams did produce another high-quality game, one Dunn characterized as “wild.”

“Typical NWSL game, especially against Chicago,” Dunn said.

Yet, it was the Courage which had far more scoring opportunities, firing off six shots on target to Chicago’s one. North Carolina also won the corner kick battle 13-1.

Dunn, the Courage’s small but powerful and fast playmaker, was a bit surprised midway through the second half when she stood in the 18-yard box as teammate Jessica McDonald prepared to take a throw-in.

“They weren’t marking me,” Dunn said. “Maybe they underestimate me and that’s OK.”

McDonald quickly got her throw-in to Dunn, who cut inside and let loose on a left-footed curler that evaded Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and rolled into the bottom-left corner of the net.

The goal was a long time coming for the Courage, which consistently found itself in the final third and putting Chicago under pressure, only lacking the finishing touch. Dunn said she thought the Courage “did some really great things” offensively and did a good job of possessing the ball but acknowledged there are still some early-season to be worked out.

“At the end of the day, I’ve been with this team for only the last two training sessions,” said Dunn, one of five Courage players to return from the U.S. women’s national team on Wednesday. “So … a lot of up and out, and a lot of people gone and coming back.”

What was the difference between a win and a tie Saturday night?

“Sam Kerr only needs two chances to score, and we needed eight, nine, 10 chances to score,” Riley said.

Kerr, the reigning NWSL Golden Boot winner, is Chicago’s unquestionable star, and she made the most of the limited opportunities she was provided Saturday by scoring on the counterattack in the 26th minute. Played in by teammate Yuki Nagasato, Kerr calmly rounded new Courage goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe and put away her chance.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Kerr almost stole a win for the Red Stars, but saw her volley deflect off the crossbar.

The Courage dictated the proceedings for much of the game Saturday night, but struggled a bit when it came to making the final, crucial pass or move in the final third.

Part of that had to do with how compact Chicago’s defense would become when pushed back, and Riley believes the next step in the Courage’s evolution is to figure out how to break down opponents when they do play an ultra-defensive brand of soccer. The Courage coach expects to see similar looks from teams across the NWSL this season.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of low blocks,” Riley said. “We’ve talked about it a lot. I think as you mature as a group, that’s the type of thing you have to expect.”