Despite 80 minutes of hard-fought, deadlocked play, the North Carolina Courage defeated the Chicago Red Stars Sunday to notch their third win of the Challenge Cup and remain at the top of the tournament table.
The game was a rematch of the 2019 NWSL championship, which saw the Courage clinch their second-consecutive league title with a 4-0 rout of the Red Stars. Despite Chicago’s loss of 2019 league MVP Sam Kerr, the two teams were more evenly matched on Sunday.
Led by keeper Alyssa Naeher and centerback Julie Ertz, the Chicago defense effectively shut down the lethal Courage attack for the first half, limiting the reigning champs to only three shots on frame all match.