HC Laura Harvey and Co. Looking to Snap Three-Game Slide;
Royals FC Unbeaten Against Courage, w/ Win, Draw in North Carolina;
8:00 p.m. MT Kickoff v. Courage Airs Live on KMYU, RSL on KSL app, ESPN700 AM
SANDY, UT (Thursday, July 19, 2018) – Utah Royals FC (5-6-6, 21 pts., NWSL 6th place) host the league-leading North Carolina Courage on Friday, July 20, at Rio Tinto Stadium to conclude the clubs’ three-game regular-season series. Friday’s match kicks off at 8:00 p.m. MT, airing live locally on KMYU, the KSL TV app and ESPN700 AM with Greg Wrubell and Carla Haslam on the call.
Friday’s match marks the final of three games against the Courage, the most recent resulting in a 1-0 win for the Utah side back on June 16 at WakeMed Soccer Park, Carolina’s only loss this season. In that match, FW Brittany Ratcliffe won a deep ball in Carolina’s defensive third, turning and shooting her stoppage-time stunner to snag the game’s lone goal. Prior to Ratcliffe’s shocking game-winner, she also scored in the 2-2 draw against the Courage back on April 21.
Three players will be missing from the URFC roster for U.S. National Team duties, including Captain and DF Becky Sauerbrunn, FW Christen Press and FW Amy Rodriguez. The talented trio reports to USWNT camp in Kansas City, Kansas, until final selections are made for the upcoming Tournament of Nations from July 26 to August 2. North Carolina – which can clinch the 2018 NWSL regular-season title with a win on Friday – will also be missing six starters Friday due to USWNT duty, including DF Abby Dahlkemper, DF Jaelene Hinkle, DF Merritt Mathias, MF Samantha Mewis, MF McCall Zerboni, and FW Crystal Dunn. Utah MF Katrina Gorry was also selected to represent Australia in the tournament, reporting to her 2019 FIFA World Cup-qualified side following Friday’s contest.
While the Courage – which have scored more than twice as many goals as any other team in the league – have locked in their postseason berth, URFC continues the chase for points, currently sitting in 6th place. Friday night continues a run that sees three of the club’s next four games at its Rio Tinto Stadium home, where Utah owns a 3-2-3 mark thus far in its inaugural season. Tickets for all home games are available at www.UtahRoyalsFC.com/Tickets or by calling 844.Real.Tix.
How to Follow Utah Royals FC vs. N.C. Courage – Fri., July 20, 2018
Coverage Begins: 8:00 p.m. MT
Local TV: KMYU – Greg Wrubell & Carla Haslam
Local Radio: ESPN700 AM
Digital Streaming (Utah only): KSL TV app or KSL.com (desktop)
Digital Streaming (outside Utah):www.NWSLsoccer.com
