A popular word surrounding the NC Courage is “underdogs.” In 2019, the Athletic wrote a piece about head coach Paul Riley using the moniker to get his side into a strong competitive mindset. It came after the 2018 season where they had no competition en route to the NWSL Championship. They finished that season 15 points ahead of the second-place Portland Thorns. A year later, they still won the shield, given to the team that has the most points in the regular season, and another NWSL Championship.
That team with a championship pedigree is vastly different nowadays. They lost players to Europe, expansion, and retirement. Now, finally, the Courage may have something that they haven’t had in a while: a reason to be an underdog.
2020 Season
The 2020 Challenge Cup had many established international stars missing from rosters. North Carolina was the exception. Players like defenders Abby Dahlkemper and Abby Erceg, midfielders Denise O’Sullivan, Crystal Dunn, Sam Mewis and Debinha, and forward Lynn Williams. All opted in for the 2020 Challenge Cup. What resulted was a preliminary round of North Carolina being in control.
They gave up one goal in four matches. Also, while most sides had trouble scoring goals throughout the four matches, the Courage scored 10 in four. Before the playoff round, they looked unbeatable. The point distance between second place and eighth was four points. Between themselves and second-place Washington Spirit, it was five. Then came the playoffs and Britt Eckerstrom.
Portland Thorns entered the match against the Courage as the only team that failed to win a Challenge Cup preliminary round match. Goalkeeper Eckerstrom kept a clean sheet for the Thorns, highlighted by eight saves on her first start of the tournament. The Courage lost 0-1 and were out of the Challenge Cup.
While that moment wasn’t the catalyst for roster change, the team that suited up for the Fall Series was much different. The biggest move was Mewis, who moved to Manchester City of the Women’s Super League. Regarded by many as the best midfielder in the world, even voted the best player in any position by journalists in a recent ESPN ranking. Her departure left a big midfield hole. Dunn, Erceg, fullback Jaelene Daniels, and midfielder Kristen Hamilton were all starters who opted out of the four-match Fall Series.
The Fall Series squad still had strength in Dahlkemper, Debinha, and Williams, but defensively they couldn’t make up for the departures. They gave up 10 goals, the most of any team, on their way to a fifth-place finish.
Offseason Moves
After their Fall Series ended, so did some Courage careers. North Carolina traded Dunn to the Portland Thorns. US International Dahlkemper signed a two-year deal with Manchester City, joining teammate Mewis. Daniels retired from professional soccer and Racing Louisville FC selected defender Addisyn Merrick in the expansion draft. Including Mewis, it’s close to half of the Courage’s starting XI.
In return for Dunn, the Courage received goalkeeper Casey Murphy from OL Reign as part of the three-team deal. Murphy was the number one keeper for the Tacoma side and should hold the same role in Carolina. She replaces Stephanie Labbé, who left the NWSL to play in Sweden.
The first two months of 2021 saw four additional new acquisitions. On defense, the Courage added three: Irish international Diane Caldwell, former Orlando Pride left back Carson Pickett, and 2018 NWSL draftee Schuyler DeBree.
Caldwell will play her first time in the NWSL after a four-year stint with SC Sand in the German Frauen-Bundesliga. Pickett has 75 NWSL appearances since 2016 between Seattle and Orlando. Her most recent coming in 2019, where she started 19 matches for the Pride. DeBree hasn’t played an NWSL match. She played for Sparta Praha in the Czech Republic until 2019 when she signed with the Reign.
Joining the midfield is Welsh international Angharad James from Reading Football Club. Since 2017, James has competed in the Women’s Super League, splitting 38 caps between Everton and Reading. The defensive-minded midfielder joins the other defensive signings as a clear indicator of where coach Riley sees a need.
Draft Picks
Round 1 – Deanne Rose – Forward – Florida
Round 2 – Alyssa Malonson – Defender – Auburn
Round 3 – Myra Konte – Defender – Vanderbilt
With the final pick of the first round, the Courage picked Canadian international Rose. The 22-year-old already has 51 senior team caps and an Olympic bronze medal. Rose joined the senior side at the age of 16. While listed as a forward at Florida, Canada used her as an attacking midfielder in her two starts at the 2021 SheBelieves Cup. She also appeared as a substitute in the match where she didn’t start. Rose joins fellow Canadian Lindsay Agnew on the Courage roster.
Rose, Malonson or Konte did not train with the team in preseason, opting to finish collegiately.
2021 Preview
The only way the NC Courage are underdogs is when comparing this squad to rosters of the past. Even with their three big US international absences in Mewis, Dahlkemper, and Dunn, the team has a strong offensive attack. Williams and Debinha are as lethal of an offensive combination as you can find in the NWSL. They were responsible for 11 of the 15 goals scored in 2020, plus four assists combined. Like every team though, they will look different for the beginning of the Challenge Cup and the Olympics this summer when both are gone representing their countries.
Defensive midfield and backline are areas to watch closely. James’ addition is not a like-for-like swap for Mewis, but she’s spent the past four years playing against some of the strongest teams in Europe. Carolina seems ok with their offensive attack, based on all of their additions on the defensive side of the ball. Erceg also returns after not playing in the Fall Series. Her absence contributed to an NC Courage side that gave up the most goals in the league.
That defensive line will also include two names not mentioned much during 2020. Fullback Merritt Mathias returns to the NC Courage after missing 2020 recovering from an ACL injury. During the 2019 season, she had five assists in the field stretching the defensive back role. Hailie Mace is the second. Mace was the 2019 NWSL draft second overall pick, to Gotham FC, formerly Sky Blue FC. She, along with other draftees, opted to not sign with the New Jersey-based club. In the Challenge Cup, she played 90 substitute minutes over the five tournament games. She began a loan spell to Swedish side Kristianstad in August, scoring five and assisting on four in nine starts.
NC Courage will not look like the teams of old but the system, coaching, and playmakers are still there. They’ll be a dangerous team, and make the playoff picture more interesting across the league than in seasons past.
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