The New Jersey native Brittany Ratcliffe rocked WakeMed Park on Saturday night after scoring the club’s historic third goal against the NWSL’s only undefeated team, N.C. Courage. The right-footed rocket not only helped the team take the lead in the 66th minute, but was nominated as the NWSL’s Goal of the Week.
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While Ratcliffe’s shot silenced the crowd in Cary, North Carolina, URFC fans around the country rose to their feet, talking about this highlight-reel worthy shot on social media. Let’s break it down.
1. Offense is the first line of defense
This incredible shot would have never happened without a high-pressure offense—a popular playing style for head coach Laura Harvey. Forced to clear the ball away from a charging Katie Stengel, Courage GK Katelyn Rowland mistakingly sends the ball to the feet of Ratcliffe, who traps the ball down to find her shot. Though second-half fatigue often finds forwards out of position, Ratcliffe was correctly stationed on the corner of the box to keep the attacking line balanced on the weak side.
2. First touch is everything
If you watch Rowland’s clearance closely, you’ll notice it spins clock-wise and skips right before reaching Ratcliffe — make it an incredibly difficult ball to settle on the first touch. With ease, Ratcliffe uses the inside of her foot to bring the ball down and push it forward. A successful first touch then gives Ratcliffe time to look up, push the ball forward, and find her shot with the top bone of her foot.
3. Location, Location, Location
One of the hardest skills to learn in soccer is the mechanics of shooting a ball correctly, and accurately. As Ratcliffe plants to take her shot, you’ll notice that her shooting leg is entirely extended, allowing for a full range of motion and power. She places her head and chest over the ball, keeping the shot from picking up too much air, and eliminating all topspin on the ball. Ratcliffe then approaches the ball with the laces of her cleat, sending the ball shooting forward with the surface most powerful for a driven-ball.
If continue to watch Ratcliffe after the shot, you will notice that she lands on her shooting foot — a habit to make any soccer coach proud.
4. The Celebration
Scoring her second goal of her professional career, Brittany Ratcliffe was thrilled. With a beaming smile, Ratcliffe jumped into the arms of teammate Lo’eau LaBonta, as the rest of the team embraces. Social media analytics demonstrate an immediate response from fans around the country, as URFC took a come-back lead from a stellar North Carolina team. The match would ultimately end in a 2-2 draw.
