HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, May 2, 2025) - Utah Royals FC (1-4-1, 4 pts, 13th NWSL) return to the Wasatch Front to host the North Carolina Courage (1-3-2, 5 pts, 11th NWSL) on Saturday, May 3rd at 8:00 p.m. MT in Sandy.
The Utah Royals are coming off a 1-0 loss away from home at the hands of Houston Dash last Friday night. In a match where both teams battled neck and neck, Houston found the game-winner in the 80th minute, and Utah was unable to mount a comeback. Defender Lauren Flynn made her return to the field after being placed on the season-ending injury list last August, which cut her rookie year short. Forward Cece Kizer made her first start for Utah after coming on as a substitute the previous Friday against the Chicago Red Stars, following her arrival to Utah on April 18. It was a night of firsts in Houston, as midfielder Aria Nagai — who signed a salary-cap-exempt contract at the beginning of the season — made her professional debut on Friday. Utah has secured six wins in its last 10 home matches across all competitions since the beginning of last year’s NWSL x Liga MXF Summer Cup (1 draw, 3 losses). Since the start of that tournament, only last season’s top four teams boast a higher home winning percentage than Utah’s 60.0%.
The 2024 season saw both Utah and North Carolina earn one win each with both teams defending their home turf. Utah earned the first win of its inaugural season on March 22 at home when Captain Paige Monaghan delivered a corner that defender Kate Del Fava headed past a helpless Casey Murphy, giving Utah a 1-0 lead. That advantage lasted only 11 minutes before Ashley Sanchez equalized for the Courage. In her rookie year, midfielder Ally Sentnor took the ball from inside her own half, dribbled straight at the North Carolina defense, and ripped a left-footed shot from the top left corner of the 18-yard box, sending it over the goalkeeper into the top right-hand corner. North Carolina avenged the earlier loss two months later on May 17, when a late 76th-minute goal made the difference in a 1-0 loss away from home for the Royals.
WATCH LIVE on ION with Maura Sheridan & Jordan Angeli :: Utah Royals FC vs. North Carolina Courage | America First Field | 8:00 p.m. MT
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LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 7:30 p.m. MT
North Carolina enters this match on the heels of its first win of the NWSL season. The Courage took down the previously undefeated Kansas City Current at home by a 3-2 scoreline in dramatic fashion, Ashley Sanchez scoring the game-winner in the 90+3’ minute. All six of the Courage’s goals have been scored from inside the 18-yard box which is something that Utah will be wary of. North Carolina head coach Sean Nahas will look to continue finding ways to utilize both Jaedyn Shaw and Ashley Sanchez, as a struggling Courage side rely heavily on that duo for much of its success. North Carolina's offseason was highlighted by the acquisition of USWNT forward Jaedyn Shaw in a trade with San Diego Wave FC. Utah will also face former forward Hannah Betfort, who made an offseason move to the Courage as a free agent, for the first time since her departure from the Beehive State.
Following Saturday night’s match, Utah will hit the road for two consecutive games — first traveling to Los Angeles to face Angel City FC on May 9, before heading to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Spirit on May 17. Utah Royals FC then returns home to Sandy to host the 2024 NWSL Shield winners and NWSL champions, the Orlando Pride, on May 23. Kickoff on May 23 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT. Tickets for the match are available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single.
