**CARY, N.C.** – The North Carolina Courage defeated Racing Louisville FC, 2-0, at home with goals from Kerolin and Manaka lifting the side to another UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final victory. The win makes it back-to-back for the Courage in the competition, with focus now shifting for all teams to an already highly-anticipated end to the NWSL Regular Season.
In the sixth minute, North Carolina created the first massive chance of the night as Manaka played in forward Kerolin with a through ball leaving the Brazilian with a one-on-one against Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund. The two sides had traded chances in the opening minutes, but split-second vision from Manaka, who is the youngest player to start a UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final, saw North Carolina then in through Kerolin. As the attacker barreled in on goal, she attempted to pick out the bottom far corner with a shot, but Lund played the situation perfectly and got big to deny Kerolin from around eight yards out and keep the match level.
The Final was then interrupted due to inclement weather in the 11 ^th minute, putting a pause on any momentum gained or lost in the beginning period of play. After a lengthy delay, the match restarted with the hosts picking up where they left off with threatening the Racing goal in behind the defense. In the 18 ^th minute, this time Kerolin fed Manaka from the right flank to the right side of the box, and the talented young star swiped at an effort at the first time asking with her right foot, but Lund got a vital tip on the ball to push it off the post before the chance was eventually cleared.
After sustained pressure on the Louisville goal, however, North Carolina broke through in the 28 ^th minute as Kerolin drew first blood after a solid run into the box and neat finish at the near post. The forward had been fed ahead down the right side of the field, and her ability to blitz onto the ball was only surpassed by the precision of her finish as she squeezed a ball between Lund and the near post with power to put her team in front. The goal also made Kerolin the first player to score in multiple UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Finals after opening the scoring in last year’s match.
Then, in the 39 ^th minute, the Courage nearly doubled the lead as this time forward Tess Boade broke in behind the Louisville defense and tested Lund from close range. Boade had been launched forward when she demonstrated her own agility to break through the central defense and latch onto the through ball ahead. Taking the ball on her right foot, she attempted to beat a ball past Lund, but the shot stopper did well to deny the chance close in and prevent a second goal.
Just before the halftime break, Louisville had two brief glimpses on goal through Paige Monaghan and Thembi Kgatlana, but the final piece was missing in the end and North Carolina held a one-goal lead through the interval.
Just a few minutes after the restart, North Carolina did manage to break through for a second time after Manaka found the back of the net in the 54 ^th minute. The teenager was played in to the box via a Tess Boade flick, and like her effort earlier, hit the ball at the first time asking as she lofted it over an onrushing Lund and started her run to the corner flag to celebrate as it rippled the back of the net. The goal was her first in any NWSL competition and helped give North Carolina a more commanding lead approaching the hour mark.
One of Louisville’s best chances in the second half came off a corner kick in the 77 ^th minute when midfielder Ary Borges redirected a cross and forced Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy to produce a save low to her right. Borges had gotten just enough on the ball in to still produce enough power to send the ball careening toward the bottom left corner. However, Murphy was in a good position to dive low to her right and push the ball away, and the Courage got the ball all clear in the end.
The visitors would continue to push until the end as they tried to claw their way back in, but the North Carolina defense held strong and repelled all through stoppage time to help the Courage preserve their clean sheet.
In the end, North Carolina closed out business in a professional way and won back-to-back UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Finals, with Kerolin scoring in both matches, to seal a phenomenal ediion of this year’s competition. Cementing her NWSL debut, Manaka was named the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final MVP for her outstanding performance during Saturday's match.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights