This weekend is the final match week before the NWSL goes on hiatus for the Women’s World Cup. The final match is this Sunday between Angel City and North Carolina Courage. BMO Stadium in Los Angeles will host two teams at opposite ends of the table with North Carolina in first place and Angel City currently in last. Here is a preview and prediction for Angel City vs Courage on July 9.
Angel City FC Hosts the North Carolina Courage on Sunday
Join us next Sunday, 7/9 @bmostadium for our special double-header event!
🌏 1:00pm: USWNT vs. Wales watch party at Christmas Tree Lane Park
⚽️ 5:00 pm ACFC vs. NC Courage
Don't miss out, limited seating available ⬇️— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) July 3, 2023
Angel City Current Run of Form
Angel City has had a rough first half of the season so far. After a six-game winless streak, head coach Freya Co0mbe was relieved of her duties on June 15. Since then Angel City has been 1/0/2 in regular season play under interim coach Becki Tweed. Their undefeated run began with a win on the road over rival San Diego Wave 2-1. This was followed by a pair of 0-0 draws against Houston Dash and Gotham FC. In the Challenge Cup, Angel City defeated the Wave 2-1 at home again. Despite recent improvements, Angel City is sitting at the bottom of the table with 14 points.
A clean sheet for @Dideeds earns her tonight’s @heineken_US Player of the Match!#Volemos | #NWSL | #NJNYvLA | #AngelCityFC pic.twitter.com/V77iduj6VX
— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) July 3, 2023
Courage Current Run of Form
North Carolina was sitting in seventh place after a 1-0 loss to the Kansas City Current on June 3. Since then, the Courage has gone 4/0/0 without allowing a single goal. Thanks to shutout wins against Chicago, Orlando, Louisville, and Houston, the Courage now find themselves on top of the table heading into the weekend. The winning streak also includes a 2-1 win over the Washington Spirit in the Challenge Cup on June 14.
Top. Bins. Tyler. pic.twitter.com/JXibotgofD
— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) July 2, 2023
Recent Head to Head
The Courage and Angel City have met three times since the latter club was founded. Their first meeting was at Angel City’s inaugural match at home in 2022 which saw a 2-1 Angel City win. Later that year when the match-up was in North Carolina, the Courage used home-field advantage to win 1-0. This year the two squads meet in North Carolina back on May 20 and played to a scoreless draw.
Angel City vs Courage Prediction
North Carolina has had a perfect run of form heading into the World Cup break. However, they will have six players participating in the competition and therefore will be without most of their starting lineup including standout goalkeeper Casey Murphy. Angel City will have four players in the upcoming World Cup which lightens the burden. On paper, Angel City will have the more talented roster going into Sunday’s match. That combined with going three matches without a defeat makes Angel City a potential upset pick over the first-place Courage.
Current Odds: Angel City vs Courage
NC -105, ANG +250
Photo Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports, of a Jun Endo Headshot and a Emily Fox Headshot, on May 20, 2023.
