CARY, N.C. — Three goals in 14 minutes pushed the hosting North Carolina Courage past Racing Louisville in a 3-1 decision at WakeMed Soccer Park on a humid Sunday afternoon.
Racing Louisville claimed a first-half lead through Reilyn Turner’s 31st-minute goal – the first lead the club has ever had at North Carolina – but the Courage tied the game in the 55th minute, took the lead in the 61st and added an insurance goal in the 69th.
It was Racing’s first loss this season after taking the lead.
“It was definitely tale of two halves – very disappointed,” said acting Racing Louisville coach Carmelina Moscato, who stood in for head coach Bev Yanez while Yanez stepped away from the team for a family matter. “Nobody's happy about what just happened. This league break is coming up and we need to fill our cups and come back.”
Racing Louisville (3-6-7, 16 points) enters the National Women’s Soccer League’s summer break on a five-match winless streak but still just two points off eighth place, the playoff cutline.
The Louisvillians will now have six weeks until their next NWSL regular season game, with the league stopping the season until the completion of the 2024 Olympics. The upcoming inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and the return of The Women’s Cup will provide at least five games during the break for Racing to work on its rotations and prepare for the final 10 games of the season.
On Sunday, Racing started strong, applying steady attacking pressure through the first half-hour of the game leading up to Turner’s goal. Louisville has now scored at least once in each of its last five road matches, the longest road goal-scoring streak in the club’s short history.
In the 31st minute, Lauren Milliet swung a recycled cross back to Arin Wright, who squared a pass to Abby Erceg about 40 yards from North Carolina’s goal. Erceg laced a low pass toward Turner at the top of the box, and Turner took one touch with her back turned to the goal and raked a right-footed shot across the face of the goal and in for her fourth goal of her first professional season.
Turner now has six goal contributions – four goals and two assists – which ties her for 12th in the NWSL and gives her sole possession of second in that category among rookies.
“Back to goal, I know that a quick touch and a shot will probably not be expected,” said Turner, who won an NCAA championship at this stadium in 2022. “The ball was able to get through to me, and I just saw a window, and I just took a shot. It felt pretty nice being back on this field and scoring a goal, so definitely good memories.”
North Carolina (8-7-1, 25 points) moved up to the sixth place with the win and extended its unbeaten run at home to eight games. The Courage is 7-0-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park this year, outscoring opponents, 16-3, in those games.
Ashley Sanchez scored the equalizer for North Carolina. Manaka Matsukubo made it 2-1. Olivia Wingate added the third.
“The biggest takeaway: Can we do the performance we did in the first half in the second half of the game?” said defender Arin Wright. “And I think beyond all that, like this game had more meaning for us, so to not get the result for both hurts the most.”