NC Courage resumes play following international break, continues to blend talent, style

Head coach Sean Nahas knows there’s no hiding the situation the NC Courage is in.

“I think, for a lot of people, it’s tough coming out of our history and now seeing so many fresh faces,” Nahas said.

The team is young. It’s playing a different brand of soccer — a newfound style it’s proud of.

Sure, there have been some hiccups. The Courage suffered its first loss of the season, 3-1, at the hands of the San Diego Wave on April 1. The Courage gave the ball up in dangerous spots, allowing San Diego to break it down, snapping the Courage’s four-game unbeaten streak and four-match shutout streak.

“Anyone who was expecting perfection, that’s not what we expected,” Nahas said.

Coming off of the loss, the Courage is looking to improve while simultaneously taking care of its World Cup players.

Seven Courage players were gone for the FIFA April window — Kerolin Nicoli (Brazil), Sydney Collins (Canada), Mille Gejl Jensen and Rikke Madsen (Denmark), Denise O’Sullivan (Ireland) and Emily Fox and Casey Murphy (USA) — which featured two matches over two weeks, most recently on April 11.

Nahas doesn’t see the large number of returning players as an issue.

“They all get trained with the same ideas and the same information, and then when they get the opportunity, it’s what they do with it,” he said.

If anything, the largest problem for Nahas has been managing his players’ minutes. Many of Nahas’ star athletes may see limited playing time in upcoming 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup games, pending discussions with the team’s athletic trainers and the players themselves.

“They’re competitors and they want to play, so we have to be the better side of their brain in that regard,” Nahas said. “I also have an obligation to look at it and say, seven of these players are going to the World Cup, do I want to put them at risk?”

Veteran midfielder Meredith Speck said, despite the team’s two-week break from competition, there’s been no drop-off of energy. She said the focus in training recently has been on the tiniest of details, even down to the passing patterns — she may suggest a player roll out instead of stepping out, or use a different foot.

With so many players competing internationally, Speck said that younger players have felt comfortable piping up to ask questions in smaller group situations.

“We were really able to dial in on getting everyone on the same page and we did a lot of video review after the game because we had nothing but time,” Speck said. “So, I think it was a really nice reset.”

Washington Spirit on deck

The Washington Spirit currently ranks at No. 3 in the NWSL with a 1-0-1 record through two games. The Spirit kicked off its season with a 1-0 victory over OL Reign and recently pulled off a 2-2 draw against Louisville FC.

Speck and Nahas are both prepared for what will be a well-coached Spirit squad.

“When Mark (Parsons) was with Portland, we felt like we had a rivalry with Portland,” Speck said. “Now he’s taken over the Spirit and I would say that they’re definitely a team we play all the time, so we’re familiar with them.”

Saturday should be an interesting contest — both teams have similar personnel and like to employ comparable counter-presses.

This weekend’s match will also put a lot of young talent on display. Half of the players taken in the first round of the 2021 NWSL Draft are on the Spirit and N.C. Courage rosters, including the top four selections — Fox (Courage), Trinity Rodman (Spirit), Brianna Pinto (Courage), and Kiki Pickett (Courage).

In film sessions, the Courage reviewed critical areas where it may want to over-possess, or not over-possess. Speck said those areas change each week based on the opponent and weaknesses in their own personnel.

The Courage will have to be wary of Rodman in Saturday’s contest. A former NWSL Rookie of the Year, Rodman already has one goal and one assist on the season. She and midfielder Ashley Sanchez are a powerful attacking duo and are anchored by defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.

In what is looking like a transition year for the Courage after losing numerous players to free agency, a win over the Spirit would be an impressive resume boost for a young squad finding its footing.

This story was originally published April 14, 2023 at 6:45 AM.