09/20/26 12:51:00
Printable Page
09/20 00:50 CDT Dudley's brace, including the decider in stoppage time, lifts
Gotham to a 2-1 win over the Courage
Dudley's brace, including the decider in stoppage time, lifts Gotham to a 2-1
win over the Courage
By PHUOC NGUYEN
Associated Press
Jordynn Dudley scored two goals, including the eventual winner in stoppage
time, leading Gotham to a 2-1 road victory over the North Carolina Courage on
Saturday night.
In the day's other National Women's Soccer League matches, the Portland Thorns
beat the Orlando Pride 4-1 and the Denver Summit topped the Seattle Reign 2-1.
Gotham (15-4-6) opened the scoring in the 8th minute with Sam Kerr providing
the assist to Dudley for the goal.
North Carolina, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,551 at WakeMed
Soccer Park, appeared to equalize in the 15th minute and 47th minute on goals
from Evelyn Ijeh and Ashley Sanchez, but both of them were ruled offside.
On a corner kick in the 69th minute, the Courage had multiple shots on goal
before Natalia Staude finally put one away to tie the game 1-1. But then Gotham
midfielder Rose Lavelle headed the ball in front of goal, and Dudley knocked it
home for the winner in stoppage time.
North Carolina (12-10-3) has now dropped consecutive matches.
Wilson converts a penalty for the Thorns
Sophia Wilson tallied a goal and two assists in her 100th NWSL regular-season
appearance, leading the Thorns (12-7-6) to a decisive road win over Orlando
that snapped a three-match winless streak.
In the third minute, Wilson drove toward the endline and laid it off at the top
of the box to Nina Nijstad, who calmly finished for the 1-0 lead --- the first
NWSL goal for the Dutch international. Then, Thorns forward Caiya Hanks drew a
foul on Oihane Hernndez in the 27th minute, and Wilson converted the penalty
kick to double the lead.
Orlando midfielder Ally Lemos scored her first NWSL goal on a long-range strike
that trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the 30th minute, but Morgan Weaver answered
with a shot from well outside the box in the 74th minute made it 3-1.
It was Weaver's first goal since Nov. 1, 2024, after missing last season with
injury.
Wilson delivered her second assist in the 88th minute to Renee Lyles for the
final margin.
It was interim head coach Yolanda Thomas' first loss since taking over the
Pride (9-13-3).
Summit's Flint scores winner against Reign
Delanie Sheehan and Tash Flint each scored to lead the expansion Summit (9-8-8)
to a home victory over the Reign in a game that was delayed for more than an
hour because of the weather.
In the 44th minute, Sheehan's curling shot hit off the post into the back of
the net to make it 1-0. Then, off a forced turnover by defender Janine Sonis,
she found Flint to double the lead in the 50th minute.
Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith was unable to corral the ball in the 55th minute,
and Reign forward Brittany Ratcliffe scored to trim the lead to 2-1. But they
were unable to find the equalizer the rest of the way.
The Reign (11-10-4) have now dropped two straight matches after a three-game
win streak.
___
See AP's full soccer coverage here
|