Exploria Stadium | Orlando, Florida – Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Of the seven goals scored in the Challenge Cup in team history, zero came from player that are currently on the Pride roster. Forward Ally Watt, though, did score for the OL Reign in their 1-1 draw with the Wave in their final game of last year’s group stage, which secured a spot for the team in the knockout rounds of the competition. The Pride have also scored just one goal in three games in the regular season thus far, though attacker Messiah Bright, who scored that goal, has looked more and more likely to continue finding the back of the net.
Courage forward Kerolin scored the opening goal in North Carolina’s 2-1 victory over Washington in the 2022 Challenge Cup Championship. The 10th-minute goal from the Brazilian international is the only goal ever scored in a Challenge Cup final by a player outside North America. Kerolin currently has two goals in three regular season games to kick off her 2023 campaign, with teammate Mille Gejl the only other goalscorer so far this year.
Match facts: The Orlando Pride welcome the North Carolina Courage to Exploria Stadium on Wednesday night in the opening match of the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup. The Pride, who have lost all three of their regular season games thus far will meet a Courage side that has lost two of their first three games, their only win coming against the Kansas City Current in the season opener.
Orlando has not had a desirable start to the year, conceding eight goals and scoring just one in three losses against Portland, Angel City, and Gotham FC. Their lone goal came against Angel City as forward Messiah Bright equalizer for her side in the 51st minute, though the latest regular season goal in NWSL history by forward Katie Johnson swiped Orlando’s chance at a point off the table as Angel City won, 2-1. In Challenge Cup form, no team earned fewer points in the 2022 Challenge Cup than the Pride, who bookended four losses with a pair of draws. Orlando’s four total goals scored were the fewest in the competition last season, while its goal differential of minus-7 was tied for the lowest in the group stage (with Angel City).
Meanwhile, after a big 1-0 win over Kansas City to start the season, the North Carolina Courage enter Wednesday’s match after back-to-back losses against San Diego and Washington. A silver lining, forward Kerolin managed to score in both of those losses and was her side’s lone goalscorer (3-1 v. San Diego; 2-1 v. Washington). The Courage now look to defend their Challenge Cup crown from last season and are currently riding a 10-game unbeaten streak (W6 D4) in the competition dating back to 2021. That is the longest undefeated streak by any team in Challenge Cup history.
North Carolina has 11 wins in 19 matches (D4 L4) against the Pride all-time in NWSL competitions (league, Challenge Cup, Fall Series). The Courage have also won six of their last eight visits to Orlando (D1 L1) in all competitions, including going unbeaten in its last seven visits (W6 D1).
