**CARY, N.C.** – The North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns FC produced an exhilarating six-goal encounter that saw Portland come back from being a goal down three times in their pursuit for a 3-3 draw at WakeMed Soccer Park. Crystal Dunn’s brace followed by Olivia Moultrie’s equalizer in the 83 ^rd minute helped the visitors maintain their unbeaten start to the year, while the Courage are unbeaten in two for the first time all year after their weather shortened 1-0 win over Houston last week.
It took barely 30 seconds for North Carolina to find the back of the net, as an own goal credited to Portland defender Emily Menges was the fourth-fastest goal in NWSL history, hitting the back of the net after 32 seconds. With the Courage in possession on the right side of the field, forward Tyler Lussi played in defender Ryan Williams down the flank. Working her way toward the box, Williams then attempted to pick out a teammate in the middle with a cross only for that ball in to take a deflection of Menges and hit goalkeeper Bella Bixby too late to react, crossing the line for the evening’s opening goal.
Then, two goals in four minutes beginning in the 22 ^nd minute saw Portland temporarily level the score, only for North Carolina to find a way ahead again in the 26 ^th minute. First, Portland forward Sophia Smith was on the ball and in the box on the left side, slowly dribbling toward the endline as she waited to bait her defender. Changing pace in a flash, Smith then broke downfield and quickly played a pass to teammate Crystal Dunn in the middle. Hitting the ball at the first time of asking, Dunn curled a left-footed shot into the back of the net past Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy and in.
However, four minutes later, Kerolin produced a powerful drive from outside the box that snuck past Bixby to her right and found the bottom corner to almost immediately restore the lead. Taking a pass from her teammate Williams still some 35 yards out from goal, Kerolin dribbled ahead and attempted to get past a Thorns defender, only for the ball to squeeze through to her feet again through the scramble. From there, the Brazilian talent lined up an effort that dipped in its way toward goal and shot past Bixby for North Carolina’s second of the night.
Into the second half, Portland then made their second push back as it produced one of the best team goals of the season en route to Crystal Dunn’s second goal of the night. In the 52 ^nd minute, the Thorns moved forward with a flick in the box back toward the outside that sent defender Meghan Klingenberg through on goal to the left. Klingenberg then slotted a ball across the front of goal and into Dunn’s path, and Dunn bundled it over the line as the ball crashed into the back of the net and saw the visitors pull level once more.
It would be until the 70 ^th minute when North Carolina was able to again restore their lead, with midfielder Victoria Pickett able to power home an effort from close range following a pass from teammate Olivia Wingate. Wingate had beaten a defender near goal as she wriggled around, staying close to the endline on the right side of the field. From there, she picked her head up and picked out Pickett just a few yards away from goal, and Pickett swept a right-footed shot into the back of the net for North Carolina’s third and final goal of the evening.
Not done yet, though, Portland would officially mount their comeback with a goal in the 83 ^rd minute thanks to a stunning effort by 17-year-old midfielder Olivia Moultrie. Portland had driven forward on the right side of the field through defender Natalia Kuikka when Kuikka dumped off a pass to Moultrie about 30 yards away from goal. Moultrie then turned inside toward her left foot and took a couple of touches forward before she whipped a beautiful left-footed shot around everyone in her way and past Murphy for a final equalizer just minutes from the end of regulation.
After what would ultimately be more than seven minutes of added time, neither side would be able to put a finishing touch on their push for a win and the pair split the points in a hard fought battle.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights