The NC Courage hosted the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL Semifinal on Sunday afternoon. With a chance to advance to the NWSL Championship on the line, North Carolina would have to do something they’d failed to do all season, beat the Red Stars. For their part, Chicago was looking to make it to the final after a somewhat up and down season, but one in which they looked like a team that wouldn’t be an easy out in the playoffs.
As the match began it seemed like Chicago would come out and try for an early goal.