The North Carolina Courage continue their quest to win a second consecutive NWSL Challenge Cup on Wednesday when they face the Kansas City Current in the first semifinal of the night. Both teams excelled during the group stage and kept the momentum going during the Women’s World Cup when the Challenge Cup was in full swing. Finishing top of their respective divisions required both to lean on the standout players who were still there, and the addition of returning World Cup stars boosts each side’s strong rosters for the matchup.
That said, it has been a season of contrasts for the semifinalists. The Courage seek to win back-to-back Challenge Cups and do so in the midst of a strong regular season campaign, and they currently remain in the mix to win the NWSL Shield this season. As for the Current, the Challenge Cup serves as a reprieve from the regular season — they currently sit bottom of the NWSL table despite their run to the NWSL title game last season.
That’s no reason to count out the Current, though. They have split the regular season series against the Courage this season, losing 1-0 on opening day and then picking up a 1-0 win in June thanks to a goal from Kristen Hamilton. It sets up a potentially tight encounter…
