As the 2023 NWSL regular season nears its end, playoff aspirations intensify for some teams, while others face a desperate fight to remain relevant. In a fiercely contested race for a postseason spot, 11th-place North Carolina Courage is set to host 10th-place Angel City FC this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET (broadcast on CBS and Paramount+). Both teams enter the crucial match with an urgent need for a victory.
North Carolina arrives at this fixture winless in their last five outings and recently completed a record-breaking intraleague transfer, sending midfielder Jaedyn Shaw to Gotham FC. Angel City, similarly struggling with only one victory in their previous five games, aims to regain momentum following the transfer of star winger Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea FC.
Despite their challenges, the West Coast club is not conceding the season, actively integrating new players who align with their long-term strategy. German head coach Alex Strauss, who joined mid-season, has recently bolstered the squad by bringing in German defender Sara Doorsoun-Khajeh and securing NWSL veteran Nealy Martin via an intraleague trade.
Key Storylines and Match Details
Ahead of the match, here`s a look at key storylines and viewing information:
Match Details:
- Date: Saturday, September 13th
- Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Location: First Horizon Stadium – Cary, N.C.
- TV: CBS | Live Stream: Paramount+
- Odds: NC Courage +125; Draw +220; Angel City +165
Angel City manager Alex Strauss expressed his enthusiasm to the media regarding new signing Nealy Martin:
“I’m very happy that Nealy is here. She has won in this league with Gotham, and she knows what it takes to win. That’s a big thing, and that’s a big asset for us. She can cover a lot of positions. She can play in the midfield, but also multiple positions in the defense. We are very happy with her coming to ACFC and that she wanted to come here.”
Nealy Martin`s arrival in Los Angeles is strategically timed, with only seven match weeks remaining in the season and Angel City urgently pushing for a playoff berth. Martin transitions from a team that recently competed in the NWSL Championship and is currently in playoff contention to a club three points shy of the postseason, actively rebuilding its squad.
Reduced playing time at Gotham FC and the prospect of more minutes in a new setting were key factors that drew Martin to Angel City. She is seen as a potentially ideal fit for an Angel City team that has sought midfield stability for some time.
Strauss further emphasized Martin`s value:
“We need players with experience who have played championship games before, and she’s been a part of a very good Gotham team. She brings a lot of qualities that she adds to our team, but in the football part, she’s a very intelligent football player. She wins a lot of situations and, yeah, smart football. I’m happy she’s here.”
While Martin might debut this weekend, centerback Sara Doorsoun-Khajeh already saw her first minutes last weekend. Coach Strauss highlighted that the 33-year-old veteran was brought in to fortify a depleted defensive line.
Strauss elaborated on the team`s defensive requirements:
“When I came here, we felt that we were a little bit thin in the center of the defensive positions. We lost Savy King before I arrived, so we knew that we were a little bit underloaded in that position.”
He added, speaking about Doorsoun’s qualities:
“We looked at a lot of players, and it needed to be someone a little bit different from the ones we had, someone who could bring something into the environment that we didn’t already have. And Sara is a player that I always felt, when she played against me, was always very good, very difficult to play against, and smart.”
While new players have limited time to fully integrate, Doorsoun’s prior experience with Strauss from the Frauen Bundesliga could expedite her acclimatization. The defender joined Angel City soon after extending her contract with Frankfurt, and she remembers playing against his teams in Germany.
Doorsoun recounted her history with Strauss:
“I always played against him, which wasn’t always nice. We had tough games against each other. Unfortunately, Frankfurt didn’t win that often; Bayern won more. He knows how to win games, and he has won the last three years in Germany, so he knows what he’s doing, and having a coach who knows how people of Europe like to play soccer makes it a little bit easier. I have to get used to some things, and he’s just there to help me.”
She continued, recalling the call from Strauss:
“When I heard that Alex Strauss was going to be the next head coach of Angel City, I was a little bit jealous, but a few weeks later, I got the call from him. He said it wasn’t nice to play against you, and he saw the way I play in Frankfurt, which is something I’m really grateful for.”
Doorsoun’s extensive experience should also aid her transition between leagues, though any new player will still undergo a period of adaptation. Having already made her debut, the defender is likely to feature more prominently against a North Carolina side equally desperate for points.
Reflecting on her initial playing time, Doorsoun stated:
“When I got the chance to play… I was so proud of the Angel City logo on my chest and to finally play for this team. I’m not here for vacation or holiday or whatever, I want to be successful with this team, I want to give my best for this club. I have already achieved a lot in my career, but I also want to learn from this team because it’s different compared to the European league.”
She humorously recalled her debut, noting the difference in play style:
“I said after the game, ‘Wow, what a start.’ I got my yellow card after two minutes, and I didn’t get a lot of yellow cards in Frankfurt. I said, ‘Okay, welcome to the U.S. league’… Everything is a little bit faster and quicker. The opponents are so quick and so fast, so I have to figure out if my style of play fits, or if I have to change something.”
Both Martin and Doorsoun are potential game-changers off the bench against North Carolina. Strauss is already strategizing for the challenges Angel City will face. Although there`s still time to keep their playoff hopes alive, their performance in the remaining matches against equally ambitious teams will be the ultimate trial.
Commenting on their opponents, Strauss observed:
“They’re a very high-pressure team, aggressive, and when they have the ball, they have a lot of rotations. They have some players that are really good at playing between the lines and good in the buildup, good central defenders, and good ball-playing, so it is challenging.”
He concluded, anticipating an intriguing matchup:
“I think we are a challenge for them as well. It’s a game where two teams are trying to find themselves again, so this is going to be interesting.”
