Utah Royals FC vs. N.C. Courage
June 16, 2018; WakeMed Soccer Complex
5:00 p.m. MT; KMYU, KSL TV app, ESPN700 AM
UTA (3-2-5, 14 points); NCC (9-0-3, 30 points)
Player to Watch:
USWNT attacker Crystal Dunn has become prominent figure for the Courage, scoring four goals and registering three assists this season. Playing the full 90 in almost every game this season, Dunn is the heart of North Carolina’s attack, relying on speed and technical skills to slip behind defenses. If URFC wants to shut down this dynamic forward, they will have to push her out wide and force the play backwards away from goal.
Matchup to Watch:
DF Merritt Mathias vs. FW Diana Matheson. The two former Seattle Reign teammates will go head to head on Saturday, making for one of the best duels in the NWSL. Mathias -- who scored a rocket of a goal the last time these two teams met -- is an attack-minded defender who has started every game this year for the first place Courage. You can expect to see her battle against URFC goal-scorer Diana Matheson, who is just returning from representing the Canadian side during the FIFA break window.
All-Time Record:
These two teams have only played against each other once before – and almost ended in a win for URFC. Returning from a one goal deficit, FWs Katie Stengel and Brittany Ratcliffe found the back of the net to put the Utah side up 2-1 for a majority of the second half. Although URFC seemed to own the run of play in the final minutes of this highly-competitive match, N.C.’s Crystal Dunn capitalized on a defensive error to equalize, ending 2-2.
Last 5 Overall:
N.C. Courage is leading the NWSL table with 30 points, and remains the only undefeated team in the league with nine wins and three draws. The Courage have scored a lot of goals in the last five games, with the exception of their most recent 1-1 draw against the Houston Dash (June 3).
