WakeMed Soccer Park | Cary, North Carolina – Saturday, March 25 at 2:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Kerolin, a forward for the North Carolina Courage, will be given some of the responsibility for regaining the offensive output that will be lacking after leading scorers Debinha (12 points) and Diana Ordóez (11 points) left during the offseason. Kerolin established herself as one of the league’s best attackers by scoring six goals last season, combining speed with excellent finishing to win the 2022 Challenge Cup. The offseason acquisition of Tyler Lussi will also attempt to assist in that area. Kaleigh Kurtz, a defender, and Tess Boade, a forward, and Brittany Ratcliffe, a forward, were the only other returning players to score multiple goals last year.
Discussing Debinha, the Brazilian star chose to move to Kansas City during the offseason. He will be in the same place as Kristen Hamilton, Cece Kizer, and other returning attacking talent. The return of midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta, who, along with Kizer, led the team in scoring with seven goals last year, will please fans. The MAC Hermann Trophy winner from 2022, Michelle Cooper, is also back, and the rookie hopes to get her season off to a good start. However, a challenge this year is not guaranteed by the Current’s attack on its own. Adrianna “Promotion” Franch, the goalkeeper, and a large number of different protectors, including Kate Del Fava, Alex Loera, Hailie Mace, and others, are back.
Match Details: As the North Carolina Courage host the Kansas City Current to kick off the 2023 NWSL Season, the headlines are writing themselves as Debinha returns to the WakeMed Soccer Park after six years in North Carolina. The hosts are hoping to remake while the meeting Current are moving forward expecting to gather speed.
The previous season, the Courage scored in almost every game, but they only managed one goal, which was equal to Portland’s 2022 total. How quickly North Carolina can get along with a mix of new and returning players will be a challenge if they want to stay competitive starting on Saturday. There are unquestionably a lot of gaps to fill with the departures of Debinha and Ordóez as well as the veteran defenders Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg. Sean Nahas, the team’s second-year head coach, and his players will have every incentive to succeed in the face of a significant obstacle.
In addition to having a strong group of returning players, Kansas City also has a strong group of new players. Debinha isn’t the only one who will draw attention in 2023; the club’s spine and core group are nearly all back. Hanna Glas, a defender who joined FC Bayern Munich after a few successful years in the Frauen-Bundesliga, will add even more defensive quality. During the previous regular season, Kansas City was the only team to not lose a game in which they scored at least one goal (10W, 6D).
The Challenge Cup was won by the Current last year, and the Courage and Current have split the matchup evenly, with the Courage winning two games and drawing two. However, Kansas City won both of its most recent matches, both of which were regular-season contests played the year before.
