With multiple players at World Cup, NC Courage earns another win behind young players
NC Courage head coach Sean Nahas knew his team’s matchup against the Houston Dash was going to be important. Both the Courage (8-2-4 NWSL) and the Dash (4-6-4 NWSL) came into the match on unbeaten streaks, it was his team’s last home game until July 22, and he was debuting a new version of the Courage — one without his top six players.
But the 1-0 victory gave the head coach some assurance and deepened his confidence, he said, with this newly-defined group.
“I think what it proves is we’re more than six players,” Nahas said. “We’re 26 players that compete and work for each other and love each other.”
Closing out a three-game homestand, the NC Courage entered its match against the Houston Dash with new faces in its lineup. Six Courage players have left to represent their countries in the FIFA Women’s World Cup later this month, leaving Nahas the task of setting up his team for continued success.
Saturday’s contest was the first true test to mix-and-match the roster against an opponent. And as Nahas hinted at previously, a few regular substitutions came in for the full time Saturday evening, including Frankie Tagliaferri, Tess Boade and goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland.
Saturday’s match was Rowland’s first match she’s played so far this season, and she posted a clean sheet — a fourth straight NWSL clean sheet for the Courage. Tagliaferri and Boade both have started a few matches before the World Cup attendees left for Australia and New Zealand. However, it was Tyler Lussi once again taking care of business, scoring her second game-winning-goal in the past three home games.
“Honestly it was, ‘find a way to win,’” Lussi said. “I think the first half we played well. Obviously we needed to create more chances. So you kind of reset came out with more energy and everything Kiki was phenomenal. Stopping everybody. She played a perfect ball just ran through and you know just it was a shot cross.”
Brianna Pinto and Kiki Pickett also started, both putting up performances that Nahas praised following the match. Pinto, in particular, Nahas said, stood out to him, after being more comfortable on the field. The defender and Nahas exchanged a brief moment following the match, the head coach described, where Nahas said he loved how well she played against the Dash’s press.
“Every touch and every minute gave me like more confidence a reminder that like I can be on this field,” Pickett said. “I’m just like ‘yeah, I’m feeling it’ and like you know when you’re in the zone, it’s just flowing.”
Outside of the 11 on the field, earlier this week, the Courage signed several players to National Team replacement contracts to help fill in holes. Defenders Nikia Smith and Sarah Clark, midfielder Haleigh Stackpole and goalkeeper Hensley Hancuff all joined since Monday. While none of them had any action during the match, it’s filling the roster back closer to 30, right in the middle of the summer.
“It’s kind of a newer group in terms of the players on the field,” Lussi said, “but everybody in practice every single day knows their job and knows their roles. So when they come in the game when they’re able to step up and step in, they know exactly what they’re going to do.”
The Courage hit the road for a match against Los Angeles next, challenging the club to find the same success it did at home. Having won four straight matches, the Courage are still reliant on the chemistry they’ve built throughout the season. Nahas also added that heading to L.A. with the winning streak helps, too.
“We’re going to a tough place to play next week,” Nahas said. “But it’s a lot easier to go on the road when you’re having success than it is when you’re struggling a little bit.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2023 at 5:00 AM.