The North Carolina Courage opened the 2024 NWSL regular season with a win, taking down the Houston Dash, 5-1, on Saturday in front of a crowd of 5,878 to set a club record for a home opener.
WITHIN MINUTES LEFT THEY BEAT THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAVES 5 FOREST IN A SHOOTOUT FOR THE NC COURAGE. WE GO. GUESS WHAT? THIS WAS THE MOST THEY'VE EVER HAD AT A HOME OPENER FOR THE COURAGE IN THEIR HISTORY. NWSL SEASON GETTING STARTED. WE'RE GOING TO BE HONORING SOME FOLKS HERE. WE GET TO THAT. >> IN JUST A MINUTE, SAM U.S. JOINING THE RING OF HONOR TONIGHT WE GO DURHAM'S BRIANNA PINTO IS GOING TO GET STARTED ON THIS ONE EARLIER TO SEE THE TEAMS WALKING OUT. SHE'S GOING TO DRIVE HARD, TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING, TRYING TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS, BUT IT CAN BE KNOCKED OUT A HANDBALL CALLED ON THE DEFENDER. THAT'S GOING TO SET UP A PENALTY KICK FOR NEWCOMER MALIA BERKELY. SHE GETS THE SCORING STARTED ONE NIL IN THE 1ST HALF OAKS. THERE'S A LOT OF SCORING IN THE 2ND HALF COURAGE TO PUSH THE PACE. JULIA DORSEY. >> WITH THE SMOOTH MOVES. >> AND A POWER SHOT TO THE NEXT FINISH IT OFF RIGHT THERE. YOU ARE GOALS, COURAGE. WIN THIS 1, 5, 1, SAM MEWIS FIRST PLAYER TO GO IN THE COURAGE RING OF HONOR. JOHN. A HA SAYS SHE MEANS SO MUCH TO THIS FRANCHISE. >> IT'S WHAT SHE DOES ARE YOU KNOW, SHE NEVER GOT A PROPER SENDOFF HERE. >> FOR MANY REASONS AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN BRING HER HOME IN HONOR OF THE WAY WE DID USE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CLUB. THESE 2 STARS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PROCESS IS BECAUSE OF SAM AND MANY OTHERS, OF COURSE. BUT SAM WAS A MASSIVE