| Event | 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | May 7, 2022 | ||||||
| Venue | Sahlen's Stadium, Cary, North Carolina | ||||||
| Final MVP | Kerolin, NC | ||||||
| Referee | Katja Koroleva [1] | ||||||
| Attendance | 3,163 | ||||||
The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship, the final match of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, was contested by North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit. [2]
The Courage and Spirit finished the group stage as the top two teams in the East Division, both going undefeated and drawing 2–2 in both group-stage matches against each other. [3] The Spirit advanced to the semi-finals as the team with the best record among second-place finishers in each division. [4]
The Courage defeated second-seeded Kansas City Current 2–1 in its semi-final match, behind a penalty kick goal scored by Debinha and drawn by Kerolin, and the first professional goal by Diana Ordóñez. Kristen Hamilton scored for Kansas City in the 79th minute but could not complete a comeback. [5]
The Spirit drew top-seeded OL Reign 0–0 in regulation time of their semi-final match, which was marked by a perceived officiating error in second-half stoppage time when a handball foul went uncalled against the Spirit's Anna Heilferty during a corner kick. The Challenge Cup did not employ a video assistant referee, [5] which would not be introduced to NWSL competitions until 2023. [6] With no extra time, the Spirit advanced by winning a penalty shoot-out 9–8. Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury scored the Spirit's third penalty and also saved the Reign's 8th and 10th penalty attempts to secure advancement. [5]
Third-seeded North Carolina Courage won the right to host the final against fourth-seeded Washington Spirit by finishing with a better record in the group stage. Both teams were first-time finalists in the Challenge Cup. [4]
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first.
| North Carolina Courage | Round | Washington Spirit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | Group stage | Opponent | Result |
| NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2–0 | Match 1 | Orlando Pride | 0–0 |
| Orlando Pride | 1–0 | Match 2 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1–1 |
| Washington Spirit | 2–2 | Match 3 | North Carolina Courage | 2–2 |
| NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1–1 | Match 4 | Orlando Pride | 4–1 |
| Orlando Pride | 4–2 | Match 5 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 3–1 |
| Washington Spirit | 2–2 | Match 6 | North Carolina Courage | 2–2 |
| Opponent | Result | Knockout stage | Opponent | Result |
| Kansas City Current | 2–1 | Semifinal | OL Reign | 0–0 (9–8 p) |
The match was scheduled for May 7, 2022, which coincided with the second matchweek of the 2022 regular season. Regular-season matches on that day between the Courage and Portland Thorns FC, and between the Spirit and Chicago Red Stars, were consequently rescheduled to later dates. [7]
The Courage opened scoring in the 10th minute on Kerolin's first goal in her Courage career, with the Spirit's Ashley Hatch equalizing in the 35th minute. [3]
In a sequence near the middle of the second half, Spirit defender Sam Staab tackled Kerolin in the Spirit's penalty area, with the ball going out of play. The tackle injured Kerolin, who was substituted out of the match. Courage players called for center referee Katja Koroleva to call a foul and award the Courage a penalty kick, but Koroleva instead issued a yellow card to Courage defender Merritt Mathias, the match's only penalty card, and awarded the Courage a corner kick. [8]
During the ensuing corner kick, Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury was pushed by a teammate into the goal while falling, her head colliding with the goalpost, and defender Taylor Aylmer scored an own goal. Kingsbury remained down for several minutes and underwent concussion tests but returned to the match. [8] and in a post-match press conference Spirit coach Kris Ward said she would be evaluated for delayed-onset concussion symptoms. [3]
Aylmer's own goal would become the Courage's championship-winning score. [3]
In the 80th minute, Spirit defender Jordan Baggett's head collided with Courage midfielder Debinha, with players reportedly shouting that Baggett was experiencing a seizure. [9] Baggett's teammates helped paramedics carry an ambulance stretcher faster onto the pitch. After the match, Ward said Baggett was being transported to a local hospital, [3] where she was released the same day. On June 3, the Spirit listed Baggett on the league's 45-day disabled list for a concussion. [10]
        Courage |  Spirit |
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Most Valuable Player:
| Match rules
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On March 1, 2022, the league announced that the championship match would be broadcast on CBS, streamed domestically on Paramount+, and streamed internationally on Twitch. [11] The match was also streamed in Canada on Radio-Canada. [7] The match drew an estimated 368,000 viewers and 0.22 rating on CBS. [12] [13]
After the match, players expressed concern about injuries and the response by facility staff. Spirit forward Trinity Rodman posted to Twitter that the slow pace of the paramedic team to assist Baggett was "absolutely unacceptable", though press reports noted that paramedics are trained not to run to a scene. [9] [14]
Courage defender Abby Erceg criticized match officials for not calling a high-boot foul on Spirit forward Ashley Hatch after the studs of Hatch's boot struck Erceg's chest. After the match, Erceg and Katelyn Rowland both claimed that Koroleva told them the ball hit Erceg's ribs. [9] [14] Courage defender Kaleigh Kurtz [14] and goalkeeping coach Nathan Thackeray [9] also criticized officials on social media after the match about their lack of response to Spirit defender Sam Staab's tackle on Kerolin. Erceg further criticized the scheduling of the match, which forced both the Courage and Spirit to play three matches in a span of eight days and led to fatigue that lowered the quality of play. [15]
Journalists, supporters' groups, and players on other teams also joined in criticism of the match, the tournament's structure and timing, and the league's ability to protect players. [3] [16] Australian international forward Hayley Raso, who fractured three vertebrae in a collision with Kingsbury during a 2018 match while playing for Portland Thorns FC, [17] criticized the medical response to Baggett's injury as well as the league's lack of progress since her own injury. [14] OL Reign players Nikki Stanton and Jess Fishlock, and Portland Thorns FC midfielder Lindsey Horan, publicly criticized the lack of player protection from officials. Fishlock further criticized the tournament's scheduling. [14] Prior to the tournament, OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer also criticized the championship match's early kickoff time as potentially interfering with players' preparations for the match, and its date overlapping with the regular season as an injury risk. [18]
The championship match's injuries also occurred in the context of a season-ending injury during an earlier cup match to Kansas City Current forward Lynn Williams, and injures in training to Chicago Red Stars defender Tierna Davidson, and during an early regular-season match to Orlando Pride midfielder Marta. [19]
During the post-match press conference, Spirit coach Kris Ward described discussions involving coaches and league personnel about changes to the cup's format and restrictions imposed by broadcast partners. [20] On November 17, 2022, the league announced changes to the tournament's format to take effect in the 2023 edition. Cup matches would take place entirely during the regular season but would no longer overlap with regular-season matchdays, instead positioning cup matches between regular-season rounds. [21] The league cited player safety and performance as reasons for the scheduling changes. [22]
Abby May Erceg is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Racing Louisville FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She formerly played for the New Zealand national team, where she became the first player from New Zealand to play 100 international matches. She has previously played for German club Jena, the Chicago Red Stars, and the Western New York Flash / North Carolina Courage, with which she won three NWSL Championships.
Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Bay FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Kristen Marie Hamilton is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Aubrey Renee Kingsbury is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League and the United States national team. A two-time NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, she won the NWSL Championship with the Spirit in 2021.
Meredith Madeline Speck is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She is the only active player for the Courage who was part of the club when they were the Western New York Flash. She has won three NWSL Championships, three NWSL Shields, and two NWSL Challenge Cups with the Flash / Courage.
Ashley Marie Hatch is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
The North Carolina Courage is a professional women's soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acquired National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise rights from the Western New York Flash. The Courage plays its home games at the WakeMed Soccer Park.
The 2018 North Carolina Courage season was the team's second season as a professional women's soccer team. North Carolina Courage played in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. On August 5, the Courage clinched the 2018 NWSL Shield for the second consecutive season after a 2–1 win over Portland. The Courage finished the 2018 regular season with only 1 loss and broke the record for most wins in a season (17), most points (57) and most goals (53).
Emily Ann Fox is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right back for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the United States national team.
Jordan Elisabeth Baggett is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Baggett played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal.
Kaleigh Nicole Kurtz is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Ryan Emilie Williams is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right back for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup was a tournament during the 2020 National Women's Soccer League season to mark the league's return to action from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first professional team sports event to return to play in United States.
The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup was a league cup competition that took place during the 2022 National Women's Soccer League season. It was the third iteration of the NWSL Challenge Cup tournament. In the 2022 championship game, the North Carolina Courage won their first title, defeating the Washington Spirit 2–1.
Malia Nicole Berkely is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The 2022 Washington Spirit season was the club's ninth season of play and their ninth season in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
The 2023 National Women's Soccer League season was the eleventh season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the 17th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams compete in the league.
The 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup, known as the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, was a league cup competition that took place during the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season. It was the fourth edition of the NWSL Challenge Cup tournament.
The 2023 Washington Spirit season was the team's eleventh season as a professional women's soccer team. The Spirit played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
Manaka Matsukubo is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She helped lead Japan to the final of the 2022 and 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cups, receiving the Silver Ball at the latter tournament.
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