**KANSAS CITY, KS** – Attacker Brianna Pinto’s strike in second half stoppage time lifted the North Carolina Courage over hosts the Kansas City Current, with Pinto netting the winner just as the match looked like it would head to penalty kicks. The win sees North Carolina host the competition’s final on Saturday night as the Courage will face the winner of OL Reign versus Racing Louisville FC. The return to the Final for North Carolina marks the first time in Challenge Cup history that a club has featured in back-to-back finals.
In the 12 ^th minute, the Courage had their first look of the evening as forward Kerolin blasted a shot high over the bar from the top of the box. Always looking to make an impact, Kerolin had been on the ball just outside the box to the left when she survived a challenge by the Kansas City defense to maintain possession. However, the Brazilian lined up from there and could only watch as her effort sailed over the crossbar and away from Current goalkeeper AD Franch’s goal.
Then, just two minutes later, another quality chance for North Carolina came as midfielder Manaka Matsukubo’s had recovered the ball and fired from a similar position as Kerolin, but with a similar result as Manaka’s effort landed wide instead of high in a ‘heart-in-mouth’ moment for Kansas City’s Alexis Loera. Manaka had won the ball back when she had sights for goal immediately, firing from just left of the top of the box as she sent a line drive toward the far post. However, her effort skewed just wide of the post and out of play as the Current held their breath.
The Current managed to get forward a few times through the remainder of the first half but failed to truly test North Carolina goalkeeper Casey Murphy. Instead, a third chance for North Carolina came in the 43 ^rd minute when Kerolin had been sent through on goal in an opportune time. Kerolin had chased down a through pass when she was one-on-one with Franch approaching the box. Attempting to open up her foot and curl around the shot stopper to the far post, Kerolin’s effort was tame and Franch collected easily to prevent the game’s opening goal.
Therefore, at the half, the two sides remained scoreless with the hosts Kansas City not registering a single shot and North Carolina dominating possession with a 68% advantage.
As the two teams grappled through the opening minutes of the second half, the first look at opening the game came through a powerful drive from defender Hailie Mace in the 57 ^th minute. Mace was on the ball just outside the Courage penalty area as she got forward, ultimately firing a rocket of a shot down the middle of goal, which forced Murphy into a great save.
Then, one minute later, forward Alexa Spaanstra stung the palms of Murphy also from just outside the box, but Murphy was able to parry that shot out for a corner that ultimately proved fruitless. The flurry of looks then continued once more with another shot in front of goal, this time for Cooper ia a Spaanstra feed, but her effort landed over the crossbar and out.
In the 64 ^th minute, the Courage then got one of their all-team moves to connect all the way to goal before forward Tess Boade fired into the outside netting just wide of goal from just a few yards out in the end. Boade had received a layoff heading into the penalty area and charged farther toward goal. In the end, Boade tried to sneak her shot into the near side but Franch had no problem closing the angle and forcing Boade wide.
In another twist, just a couple of minutes later, North Carolina midfielder Denise O’Sullivan and Kansas City midfielder Debinha made contact inside the North Carolina box, initially worth a penalty shout by the Current players. The incident forced the center official to take a look at the monitor in the end and upheld her decision to not award a penalty, though, relieving pressure on North Carolina with the decision.
One of the last opportunities of the game, Kansas City somehow could not get the ball over the line when a goalmouth scramble from a Michelle Cooper shot was near inexplicably cleared away by the North Carolina defense after a “hold-your-breath” top of moment following a corner. However, Murphy was protected by her defense the entire time and she was in the end safe having not conceded. Then, in the 2 ^nd minute of stoppage time, a wasted chance for the Courage came as forward Mille Gejl saw a pass squared her way as she stood unmarked just to the left of the penalty area. However, Gejl pulled her right-footed shot wide as she looked on in agony following the miss.
Just when the match looked destined for penalty kicks, though, North Carolina attacker Brianna Pinto found the back of the net in the fifth of seven minutes of added time as she slotted home from just a few yards out following a bit of pinball in the area. Pinto had collected a pass and temporarily lost possession following a challenge by a Current player. Somehow ending up with the ball again in the end, Pinto then fired into the bottom far corner and in to seal the result for North Carolina as the Courage now host the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final on Saturday night.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights