North Carolina Courage 2–3 Houston Dash, NWSL Matchday 17

North Carolina Courage v Houston Dash

North Carolina Courage6th 30 pts

A. Schlegel 37′
E. Ijeh 51′

2

2–3

Full time

Sun 16 Aug

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage 2.03, Houston Dash 2.69

Houston Dash11th 23 pts

K. Faasse 42′
C. Larisey 80′, 90+3′

3

Sun 16 Aug, 7:00 pm EDT First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park NWSL 2026, Matchday 17

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

37′Goal A. Schlegel (North Carolina Courage)1–0
42′Goal K. Faasse (Houston Dash)1–1
51′Goal E. Ijeh (North Carolina Courage)2–1
80′Goal C. Larisey (Houston Dash)2–2
90+3′Goal C. Larisey (Houston Dash)2–3

Top performers

North Carolina Courage

E. IjehFNCshirt 101G3SH
A. SchlegelFNCshirt 351G1SH
A. SanchezFNCshirt 20G5SH

Houston Dash

C. LariseyHOUshirt 9, came off the bench2G2SH
K. FaasseFHOUshirt 231G2SH
A. PattersonDHOUshirt 150G2SH

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

What it means

North Carolina Courage

6thNo change

In the playoff places, 6 points above Angel City FC, with 11 to play.

Houston Dash

11th▲1 from 12th

Outside the playoff places, 4 points behind Seattle Reign FC in the last playoff place, with 11 to play.

Season series

Matchday 5 Sat 25 Apr

Houston Dash0

North Carolina Courage1

Matchday 17 Sun 16 Aug

North Carolina Courage2

Houston Dash3

North Carolina Courage won one, Houston Dash won one; level at 3–3 on aggregate.

Team stats

NC HOU

Expected goals: North Carolina Courage: 2.03; Houston Dash: 2.69
Possession: North Carolina Courage: 55%; Houston Dash: 45%
Shots: North Carolina Courage: 17; Houston Dash: 16
Corners: North Carolina Courage: 1; Houston Dash: 4

NWSL table 2026

Standings →

NWSL table
#	Club	P	GD	Pts
1	Gotham FC	20	+13	43
2	Utah Royals FC	20	+12	36
3	Washington Spirit	19	+12	36
4	Portland Thorns FC	20	+5	34
5	San Diego Wave FC	20	+4	33
6	North Carolina Courage	19	+5	30
7	Kansas City Current	20	+3	30
8	Seattle Reign FC	18	0	27
⋯
11	Houston Dash	19	−5	23

After this result

By the numbers

Houston Dash have 4 points from last 5, in step with their season. 0.8 a match, against 1.1 all season. NWSL average 1.4.

North Carolina Courage have scored 52 goals, the 4th most in the NWSL. 1.7 a match. NWSL average 1.4.

The match on the pitch

North Carolina Courage: 55% possession; 94 possessions; 14% ended in a shot; 35% reached the box; 5.9 actions each
Houston Dash: 45% possession; 94 possessions; 15% ended in a shot; 20% reached the box; 5.0 actions each

Where each team won the ball

North Carolina Courage

Houston Dash

Where each possession began, both teams attacking right. North Carolina Courage started 9% of their possessions in the final third, Houston Dash 9%.

Where the shots came from

North Carolina CourageHouston Dash

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

How each team moved the ball

North Carolina Courage

Houston Dash

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 CourageHouston Dash

Share of possessions by number of actions.

Longer possessions shot more

North Carolina CourageHouston Dash

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 CourageHouston Dash

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. 1,687 events in the record.

Period Minute 95 Only the 5 minutes up to it

North Carolina Courage attack right, Houston Dash 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.

81 events shown.

Events shown, in recorded order
Time	Player	Team
0:58	A. Patterson	Houston Dash
2:00	K. Faasse	Houston Dash
3:02	J. Campbell	Houston Dash
3:34	K. Rader	Houston Dash
3:38	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
5:24	L. Ullmark	Houston Dash
7:02	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
13:21	K. Van Zanten	Houston Dash
14:15	L. Klenke	Houston Dash
14:27	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
16:25	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
16:27	A. Sanchez	North Carolina Courage
17:29	K. Rader	Houston Dash
17:32	K. Sheridan	North Carolina Courage
19:23	J. Campbell	Houston Dash
21:10	R. Williams	North Carolina Courage
24:20	A. Patterson	Houston Dash
24:40	R. Williams	North Carolina Courage
27:50	S. Koyama	North Carolina Courage
28:57	E. Parkinson	North Carolina Courage

Page 1 of 5

Lineups

North Carolina CourageFormation 4-3-3

North Carolina Courage, 4-3-3, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 K. Sheridan. Line 1: 13 R. Williams, 4 N. Jacobs, 25 M. Bell, 11 F. Rauch. Line 2: 16 R. Jackson, 20 S. Koyama, 19 E. Parkinson. Line 3: 35 A. Schlegel, 10 E. Ijeh, 2 A. Sanchez.

North Carolina Courage lineup: 11 starters, then 5 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	90	0	0	0.00
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.09
4	N. Jacobs, off at 14′	14	0	0	0.00
25	M. Bell	90	0	0	0.00
16	R. Jackson, off at 76′	76	0	0	0.07
19	E. Parkinson, off at 76′	76	0	0	0.06
10	E. Ijeh, off at 90+2′	90	1	0	0.89
35	A. Schlegel, off at 63′	63	1	1	0.48
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	0	0.33
Substitutes
7	L. Thompson, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.29
8	C. Okafor, on at 90+2′	1	0	0	0.00
12	N. Staude, on at 14′	76	0	0	0.00
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 76′	14	0	0	0.00
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 76′	14	0	0	0.00
Team			2	1	2.20

Unused: M. White, D. Weatherholt, U. Shiragaki, 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	2	79%	3	0
11	F. Rauch	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	67%	1	0
20	S. Koyama	90	0	0	0.09	2	0	1	79%	0	0
4	N. Jacobs, off at 14′	14	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	86%	0	0
25	M. Bell	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	1	83%	1	1
16	R. Jackson, off at 76′	76	0	0	0.07	1	0	0	84%	2	0
19	E. Parkinson, off at 76′	76	0	0	0.06	1	0	1	94%	0	1
10	E. Ijeh, off at 90+2′	90	1	0	0.89	3	2	2	92%	0	0
35	A. Schlegel, off at 63′	63	1	1	0.48	1	1	2	68%	1	0
2	A. Sanchez	90	0	0	0.33	5	1	1	73%	0	1
Substitutes
99	M. White	–
7	L. Thompson, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.29	4	0	0	67%	1	0
8	C. Okafor, on at 90+2′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
12	N. Staude, on at 14′	76	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	93%	1	0
14	C. Wickenheiser, on at 76′	14	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	67%	0	1
17	D. Weatherholt	–
18	U. Shiragaki	–
26	V. Bøe Risa, on at 76′	14	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	80%	0	0
33	H. Betfort	–
Team			2	1	2.20	17	4	11	82%	10	4

North Carolina Courage goalkeeper
#	Goalkeeper	Min	Saves	SOT faced	Save %	GA	Claims
1	K. Sheridan	90	4	7	57%	3	0

Houston DashFormation 4-4-2

Houston Dash, 4-4-2, each line from right to left. Goalkeeper: 1 J. Campbell. Line 1: 15 A. Patterson, 14 P. Nielsen, 4 L. Klenke, 2 A. Chapman. Line 2: 30 L. Ullmark, 24 D. Colaprico, 19 M. Graham, 12 K. Van Zanten. Line 3: 22 K. Rader, 23 K. Faasse.

Houston Dash lineup: 11 starters, then 6 substitutes who came on, then the team, with minutes, goals, assists and expected goals for this match
#	Player	Min	G	A	xG
1	J. Campbell	90	0	0	0.00
15	A. Patterson	90	0	1	0.09
2	A. Chapman, off at 63′	63	0	0	0.00
24	D. Colaprico	90	0	0	0.00
14	P. Nielsen, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.00
4	L. Klenke	90	0	0	0.08
30	L. Ullmark, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.63
19	M. Graham, off at 90+1′	90	0	0	0.00
23	K. Faasse, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.76
22	K. Rader	90	0	0	0.23
12	K. Van Zanten, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.14
Substitutes
9	C. Larisey, on at 63′	27	2	0	0.25
18	C. Hardin, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00
27	L. Boattin, on at 85′	5	0	1	0.00
34	K. Harper, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.36
47	M. Ivanović, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.25
8	N. Bain, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00
Team			3	2	2.79

Unused: C. DeLisle, M. Bright, M. Berkely

All player stats

Houston Dash 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
15	A. Patterson	90	0	1	0.09	2	0	3	87%	0	4
2	A. Chapman, off at 63′	63	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	79%	1	2
24	D. Colaprico	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	2	79%	1	1
14	P. Nielsen, off at 85′	85	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	79%	0	1
4	L. Klenke	90	0	0	0.08	1	0	0	89%	1	0
30	L. Ullmark, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.63	2	1	0	90%	0	0
19	M. Graham, off at 90+1′	90	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	90%	0	2
23	K. Faasse, off at 63′	63	1	0	0.76	2	1	0	80%	0	0
22	K. Rader	90	0	0	0.23	2	0	3	86%	2	0
12	K. Van Zanten, off at 73′	73	0	0	0.14	2	1	2	62%	2	2
Substitutes
40	C. DeLisle	–
6	M. Bright	–
9	C. Larisey, on at 63′	27	2	0	0.25	2	2	0	100%	0	0
10	M. Berkely	–
18	C. Hardin, on at 90+1′	1	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	100%	0	0
27	L. Boattin, on at 85′	5	0	1	0.00	0	0	1	75%	0	1
34	K. Harper, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.36	1	0	1	56%	1	0
47	M. Ivanović, on at 73′	17	0	0	0.25	2	2	0	75%	1	0
8	N. Bain, on at 63′	27	0	0	0.00	0	0	0	63%	0	0
Team			3	2	2.79	16	7	12	81%	9	13