Morgan time: North Carolina Courage 0, San Diego Wave FC 1

CARY, North Carolina — San Diego Wave FC ended their double-game week street journey on a very good notice, as they defeated the North Carolina Braveness 1-0 on Sunday at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Alex Morgan scored her league-leading sixth objective of the NWSL common season to win the match, and the San Diego protection held agency to select up a 3rd clear sheet of the common season.

Head coach Casey Stoney was again on the sideline for this recreation, after lacking Wednesday’s conflict in Louisville as a result of being in COVID protocols. Kelsey Turnbow was suspended for this recreation for an elbow thrown within the Louisville match, with Alex Morgan returning to the beginning XI for San Diego. Kaleigh Riehl was again within the XI, with Abby Dahlkemper not within the squad in any respect for the day.

The groups had been forwards and backwards to open the sport, with each side getting speculative seems to be early on. San Diego’s first good look got here within the twenty second minute, with Morgan making an attempt a header on the far submit off a Jodie Taylor early cross, however the defensive stress was simply sufficient to maintain the ball vast of the mark.

San Diego discovered the breakthrough within the forty first minute, as Taylor Kornieck hit a line-breaking go to Morgan, who needed to maintain calm and full the end whereas bearing down on objective, which she did.

The groups went into the halftime break with San Diego main 1-0 behind Morgan’s tally. North Carolina had a slight edge in possession and a giant edge in whole photographs within the first 45, but it surely was a reasonably even half and Wave FC managed to get the one try on course, and made it rely.

After the break, San Diego had a very good look within the 51st minute, when Tegan McGrady acquired unfastened and had a shot, however North Carolina GK Casey Murphy made the cease.

Her counterpart, San Diego GK Kailen Sheridan was pressed into motion within the 56th minute, when Debinha shot by way of visitors, however Sheridan was in a position to reserve it.

The primary Wave FC subs got here within the 59th minute, with Sofia Jakobsson and Mia Gyau getting into for Christen Westphal and McGrady.

Sheridan made one other cease on Debinha within the sixty fifth minute to maintain North Carolina off the board.

San Diego’s subsequent line change got here within the 74th minute, with Amirah Ali and Katie Johnson changing Kornieck and Taylor. Morgan was the ultimate participant out on the day, with Makenzy Doniak changing her within the 87th minute.

The efficiency from Wave FC was actually constructive, as was the consequence, particularly after shedding their first-ever common season recreation on Wednesday towards Racing Louisville. I feel this was a really shut recreation, and San Diego had the one probability they cashed in, whereas North Carolina struggled to get the ball on course, except for the Debinha makes an attempt from distance. All in all, you’ll take the consequence, particularly in a primary journey to this venue.

San Diego will probably be subsequent in motion subsequent Sunday, once they tackle OL Reign in Seattle. The final time these groups had been in motion, San Diego acquired a contested draw within the Problem Cup group stage finale, so we’ll see how Wave FC line up this time round towards the repeat opponent.

What do you suppose? Go away a remark beneath.