Racing v Courage Pre Match Thoughts
Courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Racing gets another bite at NC Courage apple on Friday night in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup. The Courage have always been a nightmare team for Racing, but I attribute the current gap between the teams to stylistic difference (or stylistic superiority in my humble opinion) in its current iteration. North Carolina is missing 5 Olympians, but it remains to be seen if their absences will be enough for Racing to get over the hump.
The recent trip to Cary, North Carolina (home of the world’s least spectacular stadium, WakeMed Soccer Park) has definitely left a bad taste in the mouths of the Racing players. Bev commented that she didn’t feel like she needed to give the team any extra motivation to get up for this match. You would have to think that Abby Erceg would especially like to stick one to her old club sooner rather than later. If they are to do so Racing will probably have to a) possess more of the ball or b) at least not let the Courage possess so such of it in Racing’s defensive half. Having “not Casey Murphy” in the Courage goal is always a brighter scenario too. In the last match I felt like Racing ultimately outclassed Monterrey, so they definitely must do something different here to get points.
Racing have been practicing penalties in order to prepare for a shootout if things come to that in either of the next two matches. Last season prior to the knockout rounds of the Challenge Cup, Racing practiced penalties but kept them under wraps. This year, I got to see a few players take penalties. I personally think penalties can be over analyzed and there is definitely increased focus on them at the highest levels of football. Bev did say that they have “mechanisms as a staff to prepare the goalkeepers…to provide them information…quickly, so we have a lot of processes in place for that specifically.” For me, show me a saved penalty and I will show you a mediocre-at-best effort.
Not apropos of anything really, but Kirsten Wright seems like a afterthought on this team now. She didn’t practice today but was around at the end of practice. Since she is signed through the 2026 season, you have to assume that she will be around next season if she is healthy. It’s hard to say if Racing actually misses her as the combo of Sears and Turner have produced more numerically than she ever did. I said a few weeks ago that if she were to have an impact on this season, she would have to get some minutes in the summer tournaments. As of this moment, I don’t foresee that happening. One thing is for sure: Racing could have used the extra roster spot earlier in the season if they knew she was going to be out this long.
Is it just me or have 4 seasons of general lackluster play caused the fan base to go from hope to frustration to apathy in a fairly quick manner. This season has been the least excited I have been entering into a Racing season yet, and I haven’t seen anything yet to make me think my excitement level was wrong. I will admit that external factors are at play for me. My true football love (Arsenal) is good again, so that plays into my general lack of enthusiasm toward Racing because I have a different outlet for my football enjoyment. However, I don’t sense that I am alone. The attendance has been up, but has the enthusiasm? Maybe it has, and I just haven’t noticed. I think this franchise needs a shot in the arm and barring a trophy (I would even take a 2nd Women’s Cup) I don’t see much on the horizon worth me getting excited about. A playoff run might do it, but this club needs something newsworthy AND positive to happen.
