Courage defend NWSL Challenge Cup with win over Racing Louisville
North Carolina scored twice after a 2 hour lightning delay
Kerolin and Manaka Matsukubo each scored and the North Carolina Courage beat Racing Louisville 2-0 on Saturday to win the National Women's Soccer League Challenge Cup for the second consecutive year.
After a two-hour lightning delay, Kerolin scored in the 28th minute, getting a ball over the top from Narumi Miura and beating goalkeeper Katie Lund at the near post from a tight angle.
The 19-year-old Matsukubo doubled the lead in the 54th minute, running onto and volleying a chipped pass into the box from Tess Boade to become the youngest player to start and score in a Challenge Cup final.
Her joy 🥹 <a href="https://t.co/WMC6gxR1E0">pic.twitter.com/WMC6gxR1E0</a>
—@NWSLLouisville had some chances. Nadia Nadim flicked Savannah DeMelo's cross off the post. Ary Borges connected with a corner kick to force goalkeeper Casey Murphy into a tough save in the 77th minute. Another Louisville corner bounced just in front of the goal minutes later.
It was the best chance before the game went into a lightning delay in the 11th minute.
The Courage kept up the pressure when play resumed. Matsukubo received a pass from Kerolin and fired a shot from close range that Lund pushed off the post in the 18th minute.
