North Carolina Courage Vs Orlando Pride: Attack shining bright

After drawing with the Chicago Red Starts to start the 2019 season, the North Carolina Courage left no doubt as to their attacking qualities with a 5-0 win over Orlando Pride on Wednesday night.

The North Carolina Courage continued their dominance over the Orlando Pride when they took their first win of the 2019 season with a one-sided 5-0 home victory.

Both sides were coming off short rest as the Pride and Courage both opened their seasons at the weekend, each still looking for their first win. Orlando were defeated 2-0 by the Portland Thorns and North Carolina drew with the Chicago Red Stars, 1-1.

Courage manager Paul Riley sent out the same XI but Marc Skinner for the Pride made the change from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation. Skinner also rotated bodies as Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy made their first starts of the season.

The match started with both teams playing heavily along the touchlines, with Orlando forward Marta sending in two good crosses almost one after the other to create havoc in the Carolina defense. Shortly after, American international Sam Mewis came inches away from her first goal of the season in the 31st minute when she hit the crossbar.

But as the first half winded down, the Courage attack was in full force trying to create chances, and though it seemed that the Orlando defense would keep the game tied heading into the half, just before the break, Crystal Dunn of the Courage was able to win the ball in the attacking third and slip it into her American counterpart Lynn Williams to open the scoring.

And that would be the first of many in North Carolina.

Just ten minutes later, the press of North Carolina forced a misplay in the backline by Orlando to set up a Williams pass to Jessica McDonald to help pad the home team’s lead at 2-0. The defending champions then only had to wait 15 minutes until Dunn would score her first goal of the night from a corner.

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Seven minutes later, Dunn was once again free in the box off a corner and grabbed her brace to secure all three points at home. But the offense didn’t stop as Swedish international Julia Spetsmark made her NWSL debut and grabbed her first goal off a shot initially saved by Ashlyn Harris but deflected in off the crossbar.

The Courage came in as favorites, having defeated Orlando in all previous matchups last year. And they showed us why they are once again the team to beat as they try to repeat as champions this season.

North Carolina’s attack flourished, with players coming off the bench even generating chances, which will be huge as the team will suffer the loss of some key players due to the Women’s World Cup in France this summer.

It is the attack that grabbed the headlines and the three points for the North Carolina Courage. When it is shining as bright as this, few others can live with them. NWSL, watch out.