With just two weeks remaining in the NWSL regular season, the North Carolina Courage welcomed NJ/NY Gotham FC to WakeMed Soccer Park on Sunday afternoon in a match with huge playoff implications.
After a scoreless first half, Midge Purce got the opener for Gotham in the 54th-minute before adding a second 10 minutes later. The 26-year-old forward is now her team’s leading scorer on the season with eight goals.
Ball in the box + @100Purcent = @GothamFC Goal #NCvNJNY | https://t.co/bONPZnnmCJ | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/ysSHDWSB0d
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 17, 2021
MIDGE MAYHEM IN CARY #NCvNJNY | https://t.co/bONPZnnmCJ | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/0pGwxr7C8d
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 17, 2021
Carli Lloyd made it 3-0 in the 67th with her third of the campaign — a rocket on the turn from 20 yards out.
@CarliLloyd in Cary, it just had to be ⚽️#NCvNJNY | https://t.co/bONPZnnmCJ | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/vqAT6UUB9H
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 17, 2021
Great iso on Lloyd moving into space, calling for the ball, taking a look at how much space she has, and sticking the landing. pic.twitter.com/8I5DUILdUk
— Our Game Magazine (@OurGameMagazine) October 17, 2021
It’s a terrible result for North Carolina. The Courage are now below the playoff line with just one match remaining, and that’s a trip to Portland to play the league-leading Thorns on Oct. 30.
Gotham moves up to fifth with the win, and the club still has three games remaining in the regular season to improve its standing. Lloyd will miss the next one — against Kansas City on Oct. 22 — as she plays her final two matches with the USWNT.
Since people are wondering, I will be playing in all the rest of the @GothamFC games this season except for the 10/22 one in KC. 10/31 is my last regular season home game! So come on out to catch it!
— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) October 11, 2021