North Carolina Courage 1–2 Gotham FC, NWSL Matchday 22

North Carolina Courage v Gotham FC

North Carolina Courage6th 39 pts

N. Staude 69′

1

1–2

Full time

Sat 19 Sep

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage 0.92, Gotham FC 1.45

Gotham FC1st 51 pts

J. Dudley 8′, 90+1′

2

Sat 19 Sep, 6:30 pm EDT First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park NWSL 2026, Matchday 22

The match story

Ashley Sanchez portrait — Courtesy North Carolina Courage

NWSL News

Ashley Sanchez returns as a scorer, and a link for others

Sanchez’s Courage season has brought more frequent shooting. Her return against Spain also showed the value of moving the ball on.

17 October 2026

Key moments

8′Goal J. Dudley (Gotham FC)0–1
69′Goal N. Staude (North Carolina Courage)1–1
90+1′Goal J. Dudley (Gotham FC)1–2

Top performers

North Carolina Courage

N. StaudeDNCshirt 121G1SH
A. SanchezMNCshirt 20G6SH
G. PaulMNCshirt 230G4SH

Gotham FC

J. DudleyMGFCshirt 22G3SH
S. KerrFGFCshirt 200G3SH
BruninhaGFCshirt 3, came off the bench0G1SH

Three per club, chosen from the match record: goals, then shots.

What it means

North Carolina Courage

6thNo change

In the playoff places, 3 points above Angel City FC, with five to play.

Gotham FC

1stNo change

In the playoff places, 15 points above Angel City FC, with five to play.

Season series

Matchday 2 Sat 21 Mar

Gotham FC0

North Carolina Courage0

Matchday 22 Sat 19 Sep

North Carolina Courage1

Gotham FC2

Gotham FC won one, one drawn; 2–1 on aggregate to Gotham FC.

Team stats

NC GFC

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage: 0.92; Gotham FC: 1.45
Possession: North Carolina Courage: 45%; Gotham FC: 55%
Shots: North Carolina Courage: 14; Gotham FC: 12
Corners: North Carolina Courage: 6; Gotham FC: 2

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	25	+12	51
2	San Diego Wave FC	25	+9	45
3	Washington Spirit	24	+10	43
4	Utah Royals FC	24	+11	42
5	Portland Thorns FC	25	+8	42
6	North Carolina Courage	25	+11	39
7	Kansas City Current	25	+3	38
8	Seattle Reign FC	24	+1	37

After this result

By the numbers

Gotham FC have 23 goals conceded, the fewest in the NWSL. 0.8 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

North Carolina Courage have 6 points from last 5, in step with their season. 1.2 a match, against 1.5 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

The match on the pitch

North Carolina Courage: 45% possession; 97 possessions; 12% ended in a shot; 23% reached the box; 4.9 actions each
Gotham FC: 55% possession; 100 possessions; 6% ended in a shot; 28% reached the box; 5.5 actions each

Where each team won the ball

North Carolina Courage

Gotham FC

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. North Carolina Courage started 8% of their possessions in the final third, Gotham FC 12%.

Where the shots came from

North Carolina CourageGotham FC

North Carolina Courage attack right, Gotham FC left. A larger ringed dot is a goal. Own goals are not shots.

How each team moved the ball

North Carolina Courage

Gotham FC

Passes between 20 zones, both teams attacking right. Forward moves in the team colour, backward moves dark, sideways moves pale; line weight is the share of the team’s passes.

How long possessions ran

North Carolina CourageGotham FC

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

North Carolina CourageGotham FC

Of the possessions with each number of actions, the share that produced a shot. A gap marks too few possessions to rate.

Where play slowed down

North Carolina CourageGotham FC

Mean seconds between one action and the next in the same possession, by where the action happened.

Every recorded action

Observed match events

Every action recorded in this match, where it happened: what was seen on the pitch, not a simulated path. 1,670 events in the record.

Period Minute 98 Only the 5 minutes up to it

North Carolina Courage attack right, Gotham FC left. Passes are arrows to where they ended, dashed when not completed; a ringed start is a restart. A dot is a shot, a larger ringed dot a goal; a diamond is a take-on, a square a keeper action. Showing the whole match.

Choose an action on the pitch or in the list to see everything recorded about it.

75 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
0:24	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
6:52	G. Paul	North Carolina Courage
7:25	J. Dudley	Gotham FC
7:27	J. Dudley	Gotham FC
10:20	J. Shaw	Gotham FC
11:07	R. Lavelle	Gotham FC
11:10	R. Lavelle	Gotham FC
12:05	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
13:07	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
13:45	A. Berger	Gotham FC
22:10	M. Purce	Gotham FC
23:37	T. Davidson	Gotham FC
25:10	E. Parkinson	North Carolina Courage
28:25	A. Berger	Gotham FC
29:25	G. Paul	North Carolina Courage
31:28	M. Purce	Gotham FC
31:39	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
32:56	G. Paul	North Carolina Courage
33:23	E. Ijeh	North Carolina Courage
35:58	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage

Page 1 of 4

Lineups

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-2-3-1

North Carolina Courage, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 12 N. Staude, 18 U. Shiragaki, 11 F. Rauch. Line 2: 26 V. Bøe Risa, 20 S. Koyama. Line 3: 23 G. Paul, 19 E. Parkinson, 2 A. Sanchez. Line 4: 10 E. Ijeh.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 4 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
1	K. Sheridan	90	0	0	0.00
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00
11	F. Rauch, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.03
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.00
12	N. Staude	90	1	0	0.20
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00
23	G. Paul, off at 90+1′	90	0	0	0.21
26	V. Bøe Risa, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.00
10	E. Ijeh, off at 90′	90	0	0	0.15
19	E. Parkinson	90	0	0	0.00
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	0	0.36
Substitutes
8	C. Okafor, on at 90′	1	0	0	0.00
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.00
17	D. Weatherholt, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.00
21	Bia, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00
Team			1	0	0.96

Unused: M. White, C. Brooks, I. Younce, O. Wingate, H. Betfort

All player stats

North Carolina Courage lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
13	R. Williams	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	3	69%	2	0
11	F. Rauch, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.03	1	1	0	83%	3	1
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	82%	1	0
12	N. Staude	90	1	0	0.20	1	1	0	80%	1	0
18	U. Shiragaki	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	94%	1	1
23	G. Paul, off at 90+1′	90	0	0	0.21	4	0	0	54%	2	2
26	V. Bøe Risa, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.00	0	0	2	74%	0	0
10	E. Ijeh, off at 90′	90	0	0	0.15	2	0	0	55%	0	0
19	E. Parkinson	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	84%	5	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	0	0.36	6	1	1	59%	0	0
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
5	C. Brooks	–
6	I. Younce	–
8	C. Okafor, on at 90′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
9	O. Wingate	–
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	82%	0	0
17	D. Weatherholt, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	75%	1	0
21	Bia, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	50%	0	0
33	H. Betfort	–
Team			1	0	0.96	14	3	9	77%	16	4

North Carolina Courage goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
1	K. Sheridan	90	1	3	33%	2	2

Gotham FCFormation 4-2-3-1

Gotham FC, 4-2-3-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 30 A. Berger. Line 1: 23 M. Purce, 27 J. Carter, 15 T. Davidson, 18 G. Reiten. Line 2: 7 J. Howell, 5 D. O'Sullivan. Line 3: 2 J. Dudley, 16 R. Lavelle, 10 J. Shaw. Line 4: 20 S. Kerr.

Gotham FC lineup: 11 starters, then 4 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
30	A. Berger	90	0	0	0.00
23	M. Purce, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.02
18	G. Reiten, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.00
5	D. O'Sullivan, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00
27	J. Carter	90	0	0	0.00
15	T. Davidson	90	0	0	0.10
2	J. Dudley	90	2	0	0.98
7	J. Howell	90	0	0	0.00
20	S. Kerr	90	0	1	0.19
16	R. Lavelle	90	0	0	0.24
10	J. Shaw, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00
Substitutes
3	Bruninha, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.06
13	S. McCaskill, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.02
14	T. Sommer, on at 90+4′	1	0	0	0.00
8	T. Torres, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.03
Team			2	1	1.64

Unused: T. Boade, M. Freeman, A. Kitahata, M. Speck, T. Wy

All player stats

Gotham FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG	Sh	SOT	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
23	M. Purce, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.02	1	0	0	83%	0	0
18	G. Reiten, off at 69′	69	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	83%	2	1
5	D. O'Sullivan, off at 81′	81	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	93%	2	0
27	J. Carter	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	96%	1	2
15	T. Davidson	90	0	0	0.10	1	0	0	84%	0	2
2	J. Dudley	90	2	0	0.98	3	2	0	67%	2	1
7	J. Howell	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	92%	2	4
20	S. Kerr	90	0	1	0.19	3	1	3	75%	0	0
16	R. Lavelle	90	0	0	0.24	1	0	2	63%	0	0
10	J. Shaw, off at 90+4′	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	69%	1	0
Substitutes
28	T. Boade	–
3	Bruninha, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.06	1	0	1	88%	0	1
22	M. Freeman	–
24	A. Kitahata	–
13	S. McCaskill, on at 81′	9	0	0	0.02	1	0	0	–	0	1
14	T. Sommer, on at 90+4′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	–	0	0
25	M. Speck	–
8	T. Torres, on at 69′	21	0	0	0.03	1	0	1	67%	0	1
31	T. Wy	–
Team			2	1	1.64	12	3	8	82%	10	13