**CARY, N.C.** – The North Carolina Courage rallied behind a goal via forward Tyler Lussi in the 34 ^th minute to defeat OL Reign, 1-0, at WakeMed Soccer Park. The match kicked off a three-game slate across the league, with this result keeping OL Reign in 2 ^nd place on 13 points while North Carolina jumped to 6 ^th place, with the win taking them to 10 points through seven games. A win for the Courage takes them to three straight games unbeaten with two wins in that span.
The Courage were on the attack early on, forcing Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce into action within the first 15 minutes. In the 13 ^th minute, forward Tyler Lussi was bursting ahead into the box where she received a pass on the right side. From there, Lussi opted to fire on goal only for Tullis-Joyce to produce a good save out to concede a corner. On the ensuing corner, forward Kerolin then put the ball in the back of the net with a curling right-footed shot, but after VAR review the goal was overturned and North Carolina’s lead was nullified.
The Reign created one good look from their own in the 25 ^th minute as midfielder Jess Fishlock led the charge from just inside the opposing half. Fishlock was pressing ahead in possession when she decided to play in attacker Megan Rapinoe down the left side of the box. Rapinoe was able to latch onto the pass, but her left-footed effort toward the far post could not sneak inside the post and the chance went missing.
Going back the other way in the 34 ^th minute, the forward Lussi was played in behind via a low through pass from teammate Rikke Madsen. With only the goalkeeper to stop her, Lussi barreled down toward goal and finessed a right-footed effort around Tullis-Joyce at the near post to give the hosts the lead. It was a calm finish by Lussi, who scored her second goal in the last three games now.
Then, just before the break, a ball in from the right side via Narumi Miura created another opportunity for the Courage as Kerolin then buried her headed chance from close in. However, the flag went up immediately for offside and the goal was waved off.
Into the second half, the next quality opportunity for either side came in the 66 ^th minute when the Reign nearly equalized via forward Jordyn Huitema. OL Reign were building toward goal when defender Sofia Huerta was able to pick out space in the center of the box and whip in a dangerous cross. In perfect position to meet the ball in, Huitema was able to head on goal from just a few feet out, but a really sharp stop by Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy kept her side’s lead intact.
One last opportunity for the visitors to pull level came in the 85 ^th minute as forward Megan Rapinoe drew a foul on the Courage’s Ryan Williams to earn a free kick some 20 yards out from goal. Rapinoe stepped up to take, but her aim to get a shot over the wall and back under the bar sailed high and out of play.
The fulltime whistle was a welcomed one for a North Carolina team that is gaining steam over its last few games. The win also extends the Courage’s unbeaten streak at home, which now at three games after an opening win over Kansas City, a 3-3 draw against Portland last week and the one-goal victory over the Reign. The loss is just the Reign’s second of the season after their opening loss against Washington, but a chance to overtake the Spirit at the top of the table fell short.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights