North Carolina Courage 2–1 Racing Louisville FC, NWSL Matchday 1

North Carolina Courage v Racing Louisville FC

North Carolina Courage1st 3 pts

A. Sanchez 29′, 86′

2

2–1

Full time

Sat 14 Mar

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage 1.39, Racing Louisville FC 2.14

Racing Louisville FC12th 0 pts

S. Weber 45+1′

1

Sat 14 Mar, 7:00 pm EDT First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park NWSL 2026, Matchday 1

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

29′Goal A. Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)1–0
45+1′Goal S. Weber (Racing Louisville FC)1–1
86′Goal A. Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)2–1

Top performers

North Carolina Courage

A. SanchezMNCshirt 22G5SH
R. JacksonMNCshirt 160G2SH
S. KoyamaMNCshirt 200G2SH

Racing Louisville

S. WeberFLOUshirt 421G3SH
E. HaseMLOUshirt 60G4SH
E. SearsMLOUshirt 130G3SH

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

What it means

North Carolina Courage

1st

In the playoff places, 3 points above Orlando Pride, with 29 to play.

Racing Louisville FC

12th

Outside the playoff places, level on points with Houston Dash in the last playoff place, with 29 to play.

Season series

Matchday 1 Sat 14 Mar

North Carolina Courage2

Racing Louisville FC1

Matchday 9 Sat 23 May

Racing Louisville FC1

North Carolina Courage2

North Carolina Courage took both meetings, 4–2 on aggregate.

Team stats

NC LOU

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage: 1.39; Racing Louisville FC: 2.14
Possession: North Carolina Courage: 62%; Racing Louisville FC: 38%
Shots: North Carolina Courage: 14; Racing Louisville FC: 17
Corners: North Carolina Courage: 5; Racing Louisville FC: 6

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Bay FC	1	+1	3
1	Kansas City Current	1	+1	3
1	North Carolina Courage	1	+1	3
4	Gotham FC	1	+1	3
4	Portland Thorns FC	1	+1	3
6	Angel City FC	0	0	0
6	Chicago Stars FC	0	0	0
6	Houston Dash	0	0	0
⋯
12	Racing Louisville FC	1	−1	0

After this result

By the numbers

Racing Louisville FC have gone 10 without a win. Last win: 2–1 v Seattle Reign FC, 19 August.

Racing Louisville FC have 1 points from last 5 and are out of form. 0.2 a match, against 0.8 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

Racing Louisville FC have 5 home wins from 15 at home, and 2 from 15 away. 1.2 points a match at home, 0.4 away.

Racing Louisville FC have 62 goals conceded, the 15th fewest in the NWSL. 2.1 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

Every recorded action

Match events are not available right now.

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, 4 N. Jacobs, 25 M. Bell, 17 D. Weatherholt. Line 2: 16 R. Jackson, 14 C. Wickenheiser. Line 3: 15 P. Linnehan, 20 S. Koyama, 2 A. Sanchez. Line 4: 33 H. Betfort.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 3 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G
1	K. Sheridan	90	0
13	R. Williams	90	0
17	D. Weatherholt, off at 90′	90	0
14	C. Wickenheiser	90	0
4	N. Jacobs	90	0
25	M. Bell	90	0
15	P. Linnehan, off at 62′	62	0
16	R. Jackson	90	0
33	H. Betfort, off at 74′	74	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	2
Substitutes
7	L. Thompson, on at 74′	16	0
11	F. Rauch, on at 90′	1	0
22	C. Vine, on at 62′	28	0
Team			2

Unused: M. White, S. Schmidt, C. Brooks, C. Okafor, N. Staude, I. Younce

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	Sh	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
13	R. Williams	90	0	1	2	87%	2	2
17	D. Weatherholt, off at 90′	90	0	0	0	76%	2	1
14	C. Wickenheiser	90	0	0	0	81%	4	2
4	N. Jacobs	90	0	0	1	85%	2	1
25	M. Bell	90	0	1	0	95%	0	0
15	P. Linnehan, off at 62′	62	0	0	1	72%	0	1
16	R. Jackson	90	0	2	0	86%	0	1
33	H. Betfort, off at 74′	74	0	1	0	67%	0	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0	2	3	83%	0	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	2	5	1	61%	2	0
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
3	S. Schmidt	–
5	C. Brooks	–
7	L. Thompson, on at 74′	16	0	1	0	71%	0	0
8	C. Okafor	–
11	F. Rauch, on at 90′	1	0	1	0	0%	0	0
12	N. Staude	–
22	C. Vine, on at 62′	28	0	0	0	22%	0	1
6	I. Younce	–
Team			2	14	8	80%	12	9

North Carolina Courage goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
1	K. Sheridan	90	4	5	80%	1	1

Racing Louisville FCFormation 4-1-4-1

Racing Louisville FC, 4-1-4-1, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 24 J. Bloomer. Line 1: 2 L. Milliet, 5 E. Jean, 8 C. Petersen, 12 Q. McMahon. Line 2: 26 T. Flint. Line 3: 6 E. Hase, 9 K. Fischer, 20 K. O'Kane, 13 E. Sears. Line 4: 42 S. Weber.

Racing Louisville 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
24	J. Bloomer	90	0
2	L. Milliet	90	0
12	Q. McMahon, off at 89′	89	0
26	T. Flint	90	0
5	E. Jean	90	0
8	C. Petersen	90	0
6	E. Hase, off at 75′	75	0
9	K. Fischer, off at 89′	89	0
42	S. Weber, off at 68′	68	1
20	K. O'Kane	90	0
13	E. Sears	90	0
Substitutes
10	M. Hodge, on at 68′	22	0
11	T. White, on at 75′	15	0
23	M. Blackburn, on at 89′	1	0
88	A. McKeen, on at 89′	1	0
Team			1

Unused: M. Prohaska, M. Gacioch, M. Lardner, A. Ciorbu, N. Mitchell

All player stats

Racing Louisville FC lineup: 10 outfield starters, then 9 substitutes, then the team, with every figure for this match
#	Player	Min	G	Sh	CC	Pass %	Tkl	Int
2	L. Milliet	90	0	0	0	62%	1	2
12	Q. McMahon, off at 89′	89	0	1	0	76%	1	1
26	T. Flint	90	0	3	1	52%	0	3
5	E. Jean	90	0	0	1	88%	1	1
8	C. Petersen	90	0	0	1	61%	0	2
6	E. Hase, off at 75′	75	0	4	0	53%	2	0
9	K. Fischer, off at 89′	89	0	1	3	58%	1	1
42	S. Weber, off at 68′	68	1	3	0	50%	0	0
20	K. O'Kane	90	0	1	2	63%	0	1
13	E. Sears	90	0	3	3	60%	1	0
Substitutes
1	M. Prohaska	–
10	M. Hodge, on at 68′	22	0	0	0	100%	0	0
11	T. White, on at 75′	15	0	1	0	0%	0	0
15	M. Gacioch	–
16	M. Lardner	–
19	A. Ciorbu	–
23	M. Blackburn, on at 89′	1	0	0	0	0%	0	0
88	A. McKeen, on at 89′	1	0	0	0	0%	0	0
22	N. Mitchell	–
Team			1	17	11	64%	7	11

Racing Louisville FC goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
24	J. Bloomer	90	3	5	60%	2	1

Position by matchday

Each club’s place in the table after every matchday, from recorded results.

North Carolina Courage results

North Carolina Courage latest result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sun 1 Nov	H	Denver Summit FC	1–0

Earlier results

North Carolina Courage earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Fri 23 Oct	A	Portland Thorns FC	0–1

Earlier results

North Carolina Courage earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sat 17 Oct	H	San Diego Wave FC	1–2

Earlier results

North Carolina Courage earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Fri 2 Oct	A	Seattle Reign FC	1–0

Earlier results

North Carolina Courage earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sun 27 Sep	A	Utah Royals FC	1–2

Racing Louisville FC results

Racing Louisville FC latest result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sun 1 Nov	H	Kansas City Current	0–2

Earlier results

Racing Louisville FC earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sat 24 Oct	A	Denver Summit FC	1–6

Earlier results

Racing Louisville FC earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Fri 16 Oct	A	Boston Legacy FC	1–2

Earlier results

Racing Louisville FC earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Sat 3 Oct	H	Utah Royals FC	1–1

Earlier results

Racing Louisville FC earlier result
R	Date	H/A	Opponent	Score
	Fri 25 Sep	H	San Diego Wave FC	0–2

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