North Carolina Courage vs Portland Thorns FC, 2024 NWSL, Regular Season
· NWSLNorth Carolina Courage defeat Portland Thorns 2-0
Tyler Lussi scored a goal five minutes in and assisted on another to lead the North Carolina Courage to a 2-0 victory over the Portland Thorns on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
Match Timeline
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 4': Corner, North Carolina Courage. Conceded by Reyna Reyes.
- 5': Goal! North Carolina Courage 1, Portland Thorns 0. Tyler Lussi (North Carolina Courage) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ashley Sanchez with a cross following a corner.
- 10': Attempt missed. Tyler Lussi (North Carolina Courage) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ashley Sanchez.
- 12': Attempt saved. Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
- 13': Attempt blocked. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Olivia Moultrie.
- 14': Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 14': Foul by Tyler Lussi (North Carolina Courage).
- 16': Attempt saved. Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Janine Beckie.
- 18': Attempt missed. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Morgan Weaver with a through ball.
- 19': Foul by Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage).
- 19': Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 23': Foul by Narumi Miura (North Carolina Courage).
- 23': Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 28': Attempt saved. Narumi Miura (North Carolina Courage) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ryan Williams.
- 29': Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 29': Foul by Marie Müller (Portland Thorns).
- 33': Attempt blocked. Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
- 33': Attempt missed. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Olivia Moultrie.
- 34': Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 34': Foul by Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns).
- 35': Attempt missed. Tyler Lussi (North Carolina Courage) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ashley Sanchez.
- 35': Goal! North Carolina Courage 2, Portland Thorns 0. Haley Hopkins (North Carolina Courage) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tyler Lussi.
- 38': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Kaleigh Kurtz.
- 39': Attempt missed. Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Sam Coffey with a cross following a corner.
- 41': Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 41': Foul by Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns).
- 44': Attempt missed. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
- 45': Foul by Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns).
- 45': Tyler Lussi (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 45'+5': Delay in match because of an injury Isabella Obaze (Portland Thorns).
- 45'+7': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 45'+8': First Half ends, North Carolina Courage 2, Portland Thorns 0.
- 45': Second Half begins North Carolina Courage 2, Portland Thorns 0.
- 49': Attempt missed. Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Tyler Lussi.
- 49': Foul by Narumi Miura (North Carolina Courage).
- 49': Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 52': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Ryan Williams.
- 53': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Haley Hopkins.
- 54': Foul by Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage).
- 54': Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 55': Attempt blocked. Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Sam Coffey with a cross.
- 55': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Kaleigh Kurtz.
- 57': Foul by Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns).
- 57': Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 58': Attempt blocked. Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Denise O'Sullivan.
- 58': Foul by Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns).
- 58': Narumi Miura (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 59': Substitution, Portland Thorns. Kelli Hubly replaces Isabella Obaze.
- 59': Substitution, Portland Thorns. Jessie Fleming replaces Janine Beckie.
- 63': Attempt saved. Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sophia Smith.
- 66': Foul by Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage).
- 66': Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 69': Foul by Kelli Hubly (Portland Thorns).
- 69': Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 71': Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 71': Foul by Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns).
- 71': Hina Sugita (Portland Thorns) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 72': Attempt missed. Kaleigh Kurtz (North Carolina Courage) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ashley Sanchez with a cross following a set piece situation.
- 72': Substitution, Portland Thorns. Christine Sinclair replaces Olivia Moultrie.
- 78': Substitution, North Carolina Courage. Bianca St-Georges replaces Haley Hopkins.
- 78': Delay in match because of an injury Shelby Hogan (Portland Thorns).
- 79': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 80': Foul by Kelli Hubly (Portland Thorns).
- 80': Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 81': Kelli Hubly (Portland Thorns) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 82': Attempt missed. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Christine Sinclair.
- 83': Foul by Bianca St-Georges (North Carolina Courage).
- 83': Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 85': Attempt blocked. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jessie Fleming.
- 85': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Ryan Williams.
- 86': Attempt blocked. Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sam Coffey with a cross.
- 86': Corner, Portland Thorns. Conceded by Kaleigh Kurtz.
- 87': Substitution, North Carolina Courage. Brianna Pinto replaces Ashley Sanchez.
- 87': Substitution, North Carolina Courage. Dani Weatherholt replaces Narumi Miura.
- 87': Substitution, Portland Thorns. Ana Dias replaces Hina Sugita.
- 88': Ana Dias (Portland Thorns) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 88': Foul by Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage).
- 89': Attempt saved. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Marie Müller.
- 90'+1': Brianna Pinto (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 90'+1': Foul by Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns).
- 90'+2': Substitution, North Carolina Courage. Riley Jackson replaces Manaka Matsukubo.
- 90'+3': Dani Weatherholt (North Carolina Courage) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 90'+3': Foul by Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns).
- 90'+5': Second Half ends, North Carolina Courage 2, Portland Thorns 0.
- 0': Match ends, North Carolina Courage 2, Portland Thorns 0.
Game Information
Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park
Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA
Attendance: 5,711
NWSL Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angel City FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Bay FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Boston Legacy FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Chicago Stars FC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Line-Ups
North Carolina Courage (4-2-3-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Casey Murphy (GK) |
| 7 | Malia Berkely |
| 3 | Kaleigh Kurtz |
| 11 | Feli Rauch |
| 13 | Ryan Williams |
| 2 | Ashley Sanchez |
| 6 | Narumi Miura |
| 10 | Denise O'Sullivan |
| 34 | Manaka Matsukubo |
| 5 | Haley Hopkins |
| 14 | Tyler Lussi |
Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 18 | Shelby Hogan (GK) |
| 4 | Becky Sauerbrunn |
| 5 | Isabella Bryld Obaze |
| 2 | Reyna Reyes |
| 23 | Marie Müller |
| 17 | Sam Coffey |
| 13 | Olivia Moultrie |
| 8 | Hina Sugita |
| 9 | Sophia Wilson |
| 22 | Morgan Weaver |
| 16 | Janine Sonis |
NWSL News
Liverpool have completed the signing of North Carolina Courage captain and Republic of Ireland international Denise O'Sullivan, the clubs announced Saturday.
Gotham FC and United States women's national team midfielder Rose Lavelle has been voted U.S. Soccer's Female Player of the Year for 2025.
Holders Nigeria learned their Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2026 group-stage opponents on Thursday, with the Super Falcons set to renew acquaintances with Zambia in the opening round in Morocco in March.
The 2026 NWSL 248-match season kicks off on March 13 when 2025 season runners-up Washington Spirit host Portland Thorns FC at Audi Field.
The NWSL Players Association has filed a grievance against the league arguing that the NWSL's creation of the new "High Impact Player" mechanism violates the CBA terms.