The National Women’s Soccer League continues Saturday with the Orlando Pride taking on the North Carolina Courage at 1 p.m. ET. On Sunday, the Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue will meet at SeatGeek Stadium starting at 10 a.m., and the Portland Thorns will host the Utah Royals at Providence Park beginning 3 p.m. Unlike last week, there are no changes to the schedule.
Match of the Week: North Carolina Courage vs Orlando Pride
This match is packed with excitement mostly since the Orlando Pride have not played a game since their 2-2 draw against OL Reign, then called Seattle Reign, on Oct. 12, 2019. In addition to the 11-month wait, the Pride will have to deal with the wrath of the North Carolina Courage. This is how both sides are looking before Saturday’s meeting.
North Carolina Courage
The North Carolina Courage suffered a devastating loss to the Portland Thorns in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals stage. After winning all four of its group stages matches, the Courage lost to the Thorns, who were the lowest-seeded team. However, North Carolina bounced back last week by defeating the Houston Dash 4-3 in their first NWSL Fall Series game. The star of the show was Debinha, drawing the penalty for the first goal and scoring two goals, including the game-winner and this beauty.
Safe to say we'll be watching this Debinha goal on repeat for the foreseeable future #NoFinishLine pic.twitter.com/tO8v8HkE70
— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) September 12, 2020
Head coach Paul Riley is dealing with the unavailability of 10 players. Defenders Abby Erceg and Jaelene Daniels, midfielder Crystal Dunn, and forwards Jessica McDonald and Kristen Hamilton have opted out of the competition for personal reasons. Midfielder Denise O’Sullivan and forwards Lindsay Agnew and Hailie Mace were loaned out. And defender Merrit Mathias and forward Ally Watt will watch from the sidelines as they recover from season-ending injuries.
North Carolina Courage Fall Series roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Stephanie Labbe, Samantha Murphy, Katelyn Rowland
Defenders (7): Abby Dahlkemper, Kaleigh Kurtz, Hailey Harbison, Addisyn Merrick, Sinclaire Miramontez, Ari Romero, Ryan Williams
Midfielders (5): Debinha, Lauren Milliet, Peyton Perea, Cari Roccaro, Meredith Speck
Forwards (5): Rylee Baisden, Danica Evans, Kristina Maksuti, McKenzie Meehan, Lynn Williams
Orlando Pride
The Orlando Pride missed-out on Challenge Cup action after players tested positive for COVID-19 days before opening day. Moreover, Orlando has also suffered from players going abroad. Forward Alex Morgan and defenders Alanna Kennedy and Shelina Zadorsky left for Tottenham Hotspurs in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. Other players that have left on loans are Camila, Claire Emslie, Emily Sonnett, Emily van Egmond, Erin McLeod, Jade Moore and Taylor Kornieck.
Despite players going abroad, the Pride still have a solid core. Orlando Pride head coach Marc Skinner summoned a 19-player roster, including four international players in Brazilian captain Marta, Jamaicans Konya Plummer and Deneisha Blackwood, and Canadian Jordyn Listro. Marta will lead the pack, while Plummer, who was selected 10th overall in the 2020 NWSL College Draft out of UCF, will look to prove her worth in the Fall Series. In addition to international players, the Skinner will have 2015 Women’s World Cup winner Sydney Leroux, Kristen Edmonds and Toni Wilson.
Orlando Pride Fall Series roster:
Goalkeepers (2): Ashlyn Harris, Brittany Wilson
Defenders (6): Ally Haran, Ali Krieger, Carrie Lawrence, Courtney Petersen, Konya Plummer, Toni Pressley
Midfielders (7): Deneisha Blackwood, Jordyn Listro, Marta, Zandy Soree, Savanah Uveges, Marisa Viggiano, Chelsee Washington
Forwards (4): Kristen Edmonds, Abby Elinsky, Kate Howarth, Sydney Leroux
Talk of the Week: NWSL Players Association leadership changes
The National Women’s Super League Players Association (NWSLPA) announced on Friday that Yael Averbuch will be stepping down as Co-Executive Director on Sept. 20, 2020. She will become the Chairwoman of the NWSLPA inaugural Advisory Board following her maternity leave. Averbuch will continue to work closely with the association, providing direction and experience.
Averbuch, who played in the NWSL, founded the NWSLPA in 2017 and served as the organization’s president and executive director for the past three years. Brooke Elby and Averbuch worked as co-executive directors during the 2020 season and NWSL Challenge Cup. Elby will now be the lone executive director on the player association through the NWSL Fall Series and so on.
