Durham Reporter

The North Carolina Courage secured a 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville FC in a rainy encounter at Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday night. The match saw both teams putting up strong performances, with the Courage managing to equalize in the second half.

Racing Louisville took an early lead when Emma Sears scored from a corner kick, assisted by Arin Wright, just before the 15-minute mark. Despite some dangerous attempts by the Courage and two crucial saves by Casey Murphy, Louisville maintained their lead into halftime with a 9-6 shot advantage.

In the second half, North Carolina increased their pressure and found success after the hour mark. Riley Jackson capitalized on a loose ball to score in the 69th minute, leveling the match for her team. Although they dominated possession and out-shot Louisville 8-3 in this period, the Courage could not find a winning goal.

The game featured notable debuts for Jaedyn Shaw, who marked her 50th NWSL regular season appearance, as well as Hannah Betfort and Shinomi Koyama coming off the bench for their first appearances with North Carolina.

Due to weather conditions, kickoff was delayed three hours but eventually proceeded without further disruption. The Courage will now prepare for their home opener against Seattle Reign FC on March 22 at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Post-match celebrations will honor Jessica McDonald as she is inducted into the club’s Ring of Honor.