Durham Reporter

CARY, N.C. (July 6, 2024) – The North Carolina Courage return home for Match Day 16 of the 2024 NWSL regular season to host Racing Louisville FC this Sunday, July 7, with a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff at WakeMed Soccer Park. The match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Chris Wittyngham and Lori Lindsey on the call.

The final fixture before the Olympic break will see both teams’ Olympians honored after the match while several members of USA Swimming will be on hand. The Courage have five Olympians and three will be present for the ceremony. Casey Murphy (USA), Kerolin Nicoli (Brazil), and Felicitas Rauch (Germany) will be honored in person while Sydney Collins (Canada) and Cortnee Vine (Australia) will be celebrated from afar.

The Courage have strung together three straight results (2W, 1D) for the first time this season, improving to 7-1-7 for 22 points from 15 matches and sixth in the league standings. Louisville is winless in its last four matches (2D, 2L) and sits in ninth place with a 3-7-5 record for 16 points.

The Courage got a massive road result last weekend, downing the Washington Spirit, 0-1, to earn their first points away from home this season while handing the Spirit their first loss since May 10. The Courage extended their streak to 45 consecutive regular-season games with more than 50% of possession on Saturday in Washington. The last time they had less possession than an opponent in the regular season was August 25, 2022, at Portland.

The Courage are unbeaten in 16 straight home fixtures (10W,6D) and haven’t lost at WakeMed Soccer Park since last April. They look to continue their impressive form at home, entering the weekend 6-1-0 this year with a +11-goal differential.

The Courage are undefeated in all competitions against Racing Louisville with a record of nine wins out of nine meetings including seven victories during regular-season play. In addition to winning all three meetings in 2023, they secured victory in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final with a scoreline of two goals to nil last September.

Savannah DeMelo’s five goals and Uchenna Kanu’s four lead Louisville's attack while Reilyn Turner and Emma Sears each contributed three goals apiece so far this season. Carson Pickett has created thirty-five chances from her fullback position while Katie Lund holds a sixty-six percent save percentage making thirty-seven saves out of fifty-six shots faced so far this campaign leading up front by Abby Erceg who remains an iron woman throughout leading defensive efforts

The Courage look forward towards building upon recent good form ending off first act into midseason sending off five Olympians stylishly hoping continued success upcoming months ahead

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