Not Last Year's Courage

The NC Courage pick up a hard-fought 2-1 win at Racing Louisville, making it back-to-back victories, something we may not have been able to do last season. Trevor and Katie break down how we managed to hold on during the last half, look ahead to a tough road trip to Angel City, and celebrate some big news off the pitch. In This Episode Looking Back: NC Courage vs Racing Louisville Evelyn Ijeh continues to make a name for herself. She put up a goal early on, giving the Courage control, but Racing played a dominant second half, making for a nervy finish. Kailen Sheridan was composed all match, Ashley Sanchez's easy finish sealed the win and pushed her to seven goals on the season. We break down the goal sequences, the set-piece defending that still caused us high stress, and what the midfield shift to Shinomi, Manaka, and Jackson is doing for this team. Standout Stats The Courage controlled 59% possession in the first half before Racing took control in the second. We dig into what that swing tells us and why walking away with three points despite giving up that much control is a sign of growth. Looking Ahead: Angel City FC Angel City has lost three of their last five after a hot start, but a cross-country trip before the international break could be a trap game. We break down their tough back four, the midfield rotation questions, and why this is the best test the Courage have faced in a few weeks. Courage News Crystal Dunn announced as this year's Ring of Honor inductee, joining Courage greats Sam Mewis and Jess McDonald. The ceremony is July 11th. The win against Louisville goes down as the Courage's 100th regular season win. And we have a really moving clip from Olivia Wingate you won't want to miss. Around the League Barcelona dominate Lyon in the Champions League final, which means Lindsey Horan is heading back to the NWSL and Denver. Plus red card suspensions, and early table surprises. About The Lion’s Pitch Podcast Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. Subscribe & Follow Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com, follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social, or on Instagram @thelionspitch Hosted by Trevor Knoblich and Katie Cleary Produced by Mary Pruter Edited by Danielle Russell