2021 NWSL Challenge Cup: How to watch Gotham FC vs. NC Courage & preview

Topics: 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, MSU Soccer Park, Jessica McDonald, Jennifer Cudjoe, Hailie Mace

NJ/NY Gotham FC will host the North Carolina Courage at MSU Soccer Park in New Jersey on Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. ET. The NWSL Challenge Cup game will stream live on Paramount+ in the USA and Twitch internationally.

Gotham FC and the NC Courage will meet in their second game of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup to fight for the first position in the Eastern division.

NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. North Carolina Courage

Gotham FC will be looking for back-to-back wins in Challenge Cup play against the Courage on Tuesday. The newly rebranded team took down the Orlando Pride 1-0 on Wednesday, April 14. A late Paige Monaghan goal assisted by Ideoma Onumonu saw Gotham take all three points in their first game of the tournament.

NJ/NY Gotham FC dominated possession at Exploria Stadium, but they struggled to create dangerous chances in front of goal. That might not be the case on Tuesday given, that Carli Lloyd, Midge Purce and Evelyne Viens will be back to lead the team’s attack. Also, defender Estelle Johnson joined the squad after representing Cameroon in the two-legged intercontinental play-off for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 against Chile.

All in all, Gotham should be better in front of goal with the attacking reinforcements coming in from international duty. The only question is, can they replicate a dominant performance in possession again against a fiery North Carolina Courage? Midfielder McCall Zerboni remains questionable for the clash against the Courage with a back injury. Despite having an impressive game against the Pride, Ghanaian midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe might have a harder task at hand if Zerboni ends up missing out.

Visitors NC Courage will also be looking for consecutive wins after defeating the Washington Spirit on Saturday, April 10. The game turned out to be a 3-2 blockbuster in favor of North Carolina, which put them at the top of the Eastern table. Forward Jessica McDonald was the player of the game for bagging in a goal and dishing out an assist. Also, midfielder Hailie Mace played an important role in the midfield; both attacking – one assist and 82.4% pass accuracy – and defending – five successful tackles.

Like Gotham, the Courage have some returning players in Denise O’Sullivan, Elizabeth Addo, Diane Caldwell, Lynn Williams and Casey Murphy. Williams returns to NWSL Challenge Cup play after a successful individual performance in 2020 where she was a joint top scorer with three goals. At the other end of the pitch, Murphy will wear the goalkeeper gloves on goal for North Carolina.