A Game Winner from FW Brittany Ratcliffe in Stoppage Time Gave the Utah Side Their Third Win in Four Games;
Team Now Heads to Chicago to Play the Final Leg of a Four-Game Road Campaign
CARY, North Carolina (Saturday, June 16, 2018) – Utah Royals FC (4-2-5, 17 points) beat the unbeaten N.C. Courage at Sahlen’s Stadium, 1-0. Sub FW Brittany Ratcliffe bagged the game-winner from outside of the box in the 94th minute to give Utah the full three points on the road.
The match-up carried a lot of action, with both teams getting chances on goal early in the game. Courage held a majority of the possession in the second half, but GK Abby Smith & her backline held strong, registering Smith’s fifth clean-sheet of the season.
A set piece in the 94th minute ended in a slide tackle & a final chance by Ratcliffe. Shooting before the Carolina defense could respond, Ratcliffe sailed the ball into the upper-90, making for the only goal of the night.
UP NEXT: URFC will now prepare for their fourth consecutive road match next Saturday, June 23, against the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MT, and will feature international star & goal-scorer Sam Kerr.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
UTA: Brittany Ratcliffe, ‘94 – After winning the ball from Courage defender Jaelen Hinkle, Ratcliffe took one step forward before shooting from the far-right corner of the box (the exact same location as her last goal at WakeMed). Sailing past N.C. GK Katelyn Rowland, the shot dipped right under the crossbar.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS
UTA: GK Abby Smith, 32’ – Courage FW Crystal Dunn received a pass from teammate McCall Zerboni on the top of the box, where she cleanly struck a right-footed shot to the left-corner – but GK Abby Smith read the shot to keep a zero on the board.
UTA: GK Abby Smith, 43’ – Dunn sent in a cross from the far side that met the head of Courage FW Jessica McDonald within the six-yard box, but GK Smith jumped up to snag it out of the air.
UTA: GK Abby Smith, 52’ – Courage Jaelene Hinkle sent in a cross that met the head of McDonald on top of the eighteen-yard box, but GK Abby Smith once again was able to jump up and deny the goal.
NCC: GK Katelyn Rowland, 57’ – Katrina Gorry fired a low shot from the top of the eighteen, but Rowland collapsed on the ball to deny the Australian midfielder.
NOTES
-URFC is one of only three teams that has taken points from N.C. Courage (the other two include Chicago and Houston), and the only team to have beaten the Courage this season.
-Utah Royals FC still leads the league in fewest goals conceded, tied for first with the Seattle Reign with eight
-Utah Royals FC have scored one header, and eight right-footed goals – but have yet to score with their left foot.
-GK Abby Smith registered her fifth clean sheet of the season
Match: Utah Royals FC vs N.C. Courage
Date: June 16, 2018
Venue: Sahlen’s Stadium, WakeMed Soccer Complex, Cary, NC
Attendance: 5,164
Weather: Sunny, 88 degrees F
Scoring Summary:1 2 F
Utah Royals FC 0 1 1
N.C. Courage 0 0 0
UTA: Ratcliffe, 94’
Lineups:
Utah Royals FC (4-3-3): Abby Smith, Katie Bowen, Rachel Corsie, Becky Sauerbrunn, Desiree Scott, Gunny Jonsdottir, Katrina Gorry (Brittany Ratcliffe, 77’), Diana Matheson, Katie Stengel (Lo’eau LaBonta, 68’), Amy Rodriguez (Elise Thorsnes, 84’)
Substitutes not used: Nicole Barnhart, Taylor Lytle, Erika Tymrak, Sydney Miramontez
NCC (4-4-2): Katelyn Rowland, Jaelene Hinkle, Abby Erceg, Kaleigh Kurtz, Merritt Mathias, Debinha, McCall Zerboni, Samantha Mewis, Crystal Dunn, Kristen Hamilton (Denise O’Sullivan, 59’), Jessica McDonald (Lynn Williams, 72’)
Subs not used: Sabrina D’Angelo, Cari Roccaro, Yuri Kawamura, Meredith Speck, Darian Jenkins
Stats Summary: UTA / NCC
Shots: 8 / 15
Shots on Goal: 3 / 4
Saves: 4 / 2
Corner Kicks: 1 / 4
Fouls: 5 / 9
Offside: 6 / 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
UTA: Desiree Scott, 26’ (caution)
OFFICIALS
Center: Jasmine Peralta
First Assistant: Trent Vanhaitsma
Second Official: Mathew Osterhouse
Fourth: Aaron Gallagher
