Group five of the Challenge Cup had the promise of a lot of action. It didn’t come in the form of goals but each match featured moments that wowed supporters. It took every match in the East to determine who would advance to the Challenge Cup final too. At the final whistle, Gotham FC won their division and made their travel plans to take on the Portland Thorns. Here’s what happened to get them into that match, and drama in the final two West Division matches that followed.
NC Courage v. Orlando Pride
The lead up to NC Courage versus Orlando Pride focused on goals. Courage score them in droves, with nine in their first three matches. Orlando had three but the total spoke more about the defenses they faced than their shot output.
Both sides played for a chance to win the 2021 Challenge Cup, and the defenses stepped up. In the first 10 minutes though, Orlando had a big chance. Orlando forward Taylor Kornieck shot a strong ball off a free-kick, that hit the crossbar, in the 4th minute. Orlando ended the half with the only shot on goal, but North Carolina had many chances to get on the scoreboard.
NC Courage’s offense held a strong possession advantage. They had 64.7% compared to 35.3% for Orlando. Kornieck made a big block in the 39th minute, that kept it 0-0 going into halftime.
Goalkeeper Casey Murphy, of North Carolina, made the biggest save of her night in the 18th. Orlando’s Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir delivered a cross through the Courage defense, onto the feet of midfielder Marisa Viggiano. Her shot to the bottom right corner of the net was saved by the fingertips of Murphy.
The second half brought a couple of chances for both sides, but both sides showed strong team defense in deflecting shots before they got to the team’s respective keepers. Orlando forward Sydney Leroux opened the second half with Orlando’s only other shot on goal. Getting ahead of the last line of defense, Leroux charged at Murphy but the charging keeper forced a shot that went right into her gloves.
Forward Alex Morgan gave Orlando their second-best chance of the last 45 minutes. Leroux sent a pass through the penalty area, past multiple NC defenders. Morgan had a strong shot on net, from the cross, but fullback Carson Pickett stood strongly on the near post, stopping the opportunity.
Both teams had opportunities in the draw. Not only to score but to challenge Gotham FC for the East Division crown. Unfortunately, for both sides, the usual offensive firepower didn’t manifest because of defenses prepared to block shots.
NC Courage 0 Orlando Pride 0
NJ/NY Gotham FC v. Racing Louisville FC
Since Saturday night’s Courage match didn’t end in a North Carolina victory, all Gotham had to do was earn a draw to move into the championship game. Gotham achieved their goal, couldn’t find their scoring touch, and reintroduced a name to professional soccer in the New York area.
Louisville’s first half had trouble keeping Gotham’s offense out of their defensive third. Forwards Midge Purce and Carli Lloyd both had chances, but the only ones making it on frame were mishit or pressured. To assist with disrupting Gotham was the Louisville midfield. Lauren Milliet and forward Yuki Nagasato clogged Gotham’s passing lanes for multiple interceptions. Milliet turned one into a charging shot on net that went too wide, in the 10th minute.
At the start of half number two, Gotham reintroduced New York-native, Allie Long. The former Sky Blue midfielder joined the team Friday, in a Tuesday trade from OL Reign, trained Saturday, and played 45 minutes Sunday. She did well in the midfield, and will only improve as she builds chemistry with her teammates.
The second half saw Racing’s defense tighten up and overcome an injury. Fullback Emily Fox, who was the number one pick in the 2021 NWSL draft, sustained an injury on a tackle from fullback Caprice Dydasco. The foul happened in the box, but the referee didn’t award a penalty kick. Louisville substituted her soon after the challenge.
They allowed just one shot on goal, in the 62nd minute. Dydasco’s shot got past the defense, but not goalkeeper Michelle Betos. It was one of her four saves. All three of Gotham’s other shots on target, in the second half, found a Louisville defender in their way. The final of their three blocks came in the 95th minute. Lloyd found space and fired a shot that ricocheted off the head of center back Brooke Hendrix.
Both teams had cause to celebrate at the final whistle. Louisville recorded their first clean sheet in their expansion franchise’s history. This is big for the young team, as each of their first three matches had the defense give up late, game-changing, goals. More importantly, though, Gotham celebrated advancing to the Challenge Cup Championship against the Portland Thorns.
NJ/NY Gotham FC 0 Racing Louisville FC 0
Houston Dash v. Portland Thorns
Houston and Portland came into their Sunday evening match with similarities. Both teams played half of their Challenge Cup without a multitude of international star power. Also, both teams have played or will play, in a Challenge Cup final. The difference between the two sides, coming in, is how their teams managed without that wealth of star power. Houston, to their credit, didn’t give up a goal in their first two matches, but also couldn’t score one either. Portland won convincingly in their first match against Kansas City NWSL and withstood strong Chicago Red Stars pressure before winning on a counter-attacking long ball.
Sunday night was a heavyweight fight between two sides fully equipped with their best lineups. The 2020 Challenge Cup winning Dash versus the 2021 West Division winning Portland Thorns. For all that strength in goalscoring, goalkeeping dominated the match.
Jane Campbell shined the brightest out of all the group five goalkeepers. Portland had seven total shots on goal, and Campbell stopped four in the first half. In the 6th minute, Portland forward Tyler Lussi sent in the first, which wasn’t difficult for Campbell. They’d get tougher as the half wore on.
The Thorns had a corner kick and two shots from the run of play that challenged Campbell. The best chance coming in the 26th minute. Midfielder Crystal Dunn found space and took a chance from five yards outside of the penalty area. Its power forced a diving Campbell to deflect it away, with the slightest of touches.
For all the pressure that Portland had in the first half, Houston ended it with the lead. Winger Veronica Latsko sent a pass into the 18-yard-box, on a counter. The ball was deflected by the Portland defense, but midfielder Shea Groom of Houston still received the pass, burying it past Portland’s Adrianna Franch. A goal that Portland didn’t see coming. It took some time, but they would level it in the second half.
Not before some more goalkeeping by Campbell. Within the first five minutes of the return to play, Portland’s Meghan Klingenberg sent what looked like an errant cross into the Houston penalty area. Its course took a last-second dip and Campbell punched it away from landing near the corner of the net. Then, ten minutes later, another save came off a header from forward Simone Charley. The header didn’t look dangerous, but it caught Campbell by surprise and needed a diving effort to keep the lead for Houston.
Right before the 77th minute, Charley made a spectacular move on Houston fullback Allysha Chapman. A sharp turn before receiving a pass, also known as a dummy, pushed Portland down the field, quickly. Charley slipped as she sent a pass into the box, where Christine Sinclair did what Christine Sinclair does – score a lot of goals. A low-rolling chance got past the seemingly unpassable Campbell for the game-tying goal.
The match was everything that supporters hoped, in terms of excitement and name notoriety. Portland brings momentum to the final, that they tentatively host Saturday, May 8.
Houston Dash 1 Portland Thorns 1
Kansas City NWSL v. OL Reign
The final Challenge Cup group stage match featured Kansas City and OL Reign. Kansas City had a rough go of a tournament, leading into Monday night. They scored a goal in each of their first three matches but had two losses and a draw to show for it. For the opening third of their final match, they began to show their potential.
A lot of it came in the return of forward Mallory Weber. Prior to the Challenge Cup, Weber played, on loan, in Australia’s W-League. With Adelaide United, she scored two and assisted on four, in 10 matches. While she only played 28 minutes, she made the most of them.
Kansas City looked like a team possessed, offensively. They pressured the OL defensive backline and Weber broke it in the 6th minute. Dribbling from left to right, past five Reign defenders, she shot on the move, lobbing the ball past a leaping Karen Bardsley into the top right corner.
The match settled down for both sides after her substitution. In the 32nd minute though, a defensive error put OL Reign back into the match. Midfielder Jordyn Listro tackled Reign forward Tziarra King, earning a penalty for the Tacoma side. The tackle was unnecessary, as King was tracking away from goal. Team captain, and midfielder, Jess Fishlock converted the penalty, for a 1-1 halftime scoreline.
In the second half, Kansas City had to withstand a strong OL Reign offense.
Reign put nine shots on frame, five that weren’t blocked, reaching the goal. One got just a bit further when defender Celia scored the game-winner in the 84th minute.
Kansas City overcame a lot in the offseason. Obtaining new ownership, moving cities, and overhauling a roster all in the span of a few months. Although they earned just one point in their four Challenge Cup matches, they showed signs of the team they can be in the future.
Kansas City NWSL 1 OL Reign 2
Best XI
Tournament Championship Match
There’s only one more match of the Challenge Cup, and it’s to decide who lifts the trophy.
Saturday, May 8 – Portland Thorns v. NJ/NY Gotham FC – 1:00 p.m. ET.
Look for more coverage of the Challenge Cup final and the upcoming NWSL regular season on Beyond Women’s Sports throughout 2021.
Follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello and check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
