Durham Reporter

CARY, N.C. (June 28, 2024) – The North Carolina Courage travels to the Nation’s Capital for the season’s first meeting with the Washington Spirit this Saturday, June 29, with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Audi Field. The match will air on ION with JP Dellacamera and Jill Loyden on the call.

The Courage are currently ranked sixth in the NWSL table with a record of 6-1-7, accumulating 19 points from 14 fixtures. In contrast, Washington sits third in the league standings with a record of 10-1-3 and has amassed 31 points.

North Carolina aims to secure its first road points of the season at Audi Field, where they last won on decision day in 2023. This upcoming match is their final road game before an extended international break. The team hopes to build on their recent performances to earn a result.

Last week, the Courage's offense showed significant improvement by scoring three goals and securing their first win since May 17 (2L, 1D). This victory marked their first multi-goal performance since April 13 after nine fixtures without such an achievement. Despite conceding first, North Carolina responded with three consecutive goals—a display of resilience that impressed the technical staff.

Riley Jackson made her professional debut and played a crucial role in Tyler Lussi’s equalizing goal. Ashley Sanchez then gave North Carolina the lead with a long-range strike from outside the box. Bianca St-Georges capped off the performance by assisting Meredith Speck's goal in the final minutes. Notably, Speck scored almost exactly one year after tearing her ACL on June 24, 2023.

The Courage have maintained more than 50% possession for 44 consecutive regular-season games as of Sunday against the Red Stars—a streak dating back to August 25, 2022.

Washington is leading the league with double-digit wins this season. Croix Bethune has been outstanding in her rookie season with five goals and nine assists. Alongside Trinity Rodman (four goals, four assists) and Ouleymata Sarr (six goals, two assists), Washington boasts one of NWSL's top scoring offenses.

The Spirit's speed and vision make them particularly dangerous during transitions—an aspect that will require constant vigilance from North Carolina even when they dominate possession. Bethune and Rodman have created a combined total of 55 chances this season.

This match represents a significant road test for North Carolina as they wrap up their travel schedule for the first half of 2024. With growing momentum and potential reinforcements on their front line looming, earning points this weekend would be crucial for maintaining confidence heading into future matches.

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