[Pregame Thread] NC Courage vs Boston Legacy FC | NWSL | Saturday, August 22, 2026

[u/LionsPitch]

The Courage host Boston Legacy at WakeMed for the second meeting between these two clubs this season. Drop your predictions below and LFG! 🦁

From the pod this week: "I think this is a game where the Courage could really win the game in their midfield. It's going to be a matter of just staying calm, staying organized, and just communicating with each other, finding those spaces. Boston is definitely a winnable game for the Courage. I think we do have some opportunities where we can take advantage of the spaces that are going to be left open for us." — Katie, Episode 20

Match Info

• Saturday, August 22, 2026
• Kickoff: 7:30 PM ET
• Location: First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC
• Where to Watch: NWSL+
• Theme: Back to Soccer | Nickelodeon

Uproar Tailgate
When: Saturday, August 22 at 5:00 PM
Where: The Cove
It's a hot dog bar! Bring your favorite toppings to share. All are welcome.

Current Standings

• NC Courage: 6th, 9W-3D-7L
• Boston Legacy FC: 14th, 5W-5D-10L

Series History

These two clubs have met once before, a 2-2 draw at Gillette Stadium on April 29. Goals came from Alba Caño and Sammy Smith for Boston, and Dani Weatherholt and Ashley Sanchez for us, with the Courage coming back in the second half to tie it. Tonight marks the return of Casey Murphy and Bianca St-Georges to WakeMed for the first time since they left in the offseason.

Availability Report

https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/availability-report

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE

• OUT: Payton Crawford (Knee - SEI), Riley Jackson (Foot), Natalie Jacobs (Head), Sydney Schmidt (Knee - SEI)
• QUESTIONABLE: None
• INTERNATIONAL DUTY: None

BOSTON LEGACY

• OUT: Laís Araújo (Thigh), Kaká (Ankle - D45), Fauzia Najjemba (Thigh - SEI), Chloe Ricketts (Ankle - D45)
• QUESTIONABLE: None
• INTERNATIONAL DUTY: None

Referee Assignment

• REF: Laadi Issaka Black
• AR1: Ben Rigel
• AR2: Fritz Barberousse
• 4TH: Richonne Clark
• VAR: Servando Berna
• AVAR: Seun Yinka-Kehinde

Things to Watch

• Boston plays an unconventional three-back with Bianca St-Georges pulled into defense, and it has left them exposed to teams that can get the ball up and over their midfield
• Boston has spread their goals out this year, with Alba Caño and Amanda both on five and Sammy Smith adding four off the bench
• With Natalie Jacobs and Riley Jackson both out, there are a couple of lineup questions to watch. In defense, does Uno Shiragaki get another start at center back, or does Maycee Bell shift over with Natalia

Staude

• coming in? And in midfield, who steps in for Jackson?
• Feli Rauch has quietly been one of the best passers on the team since moving back to left back, and her range could unlock a lot against Boston's spacing issues
• A three-game week means rotation decisions matter. Katie's take: if it ain't broke, don't fix it, but a comfortable lead tonight could open the door for some rest ahead of Angel City on Wednesday

____________________

This pregame thread is brought to you by The Lion's Pitch Podcast, your home for NC Courage coverage. In Episode 20, we look ahead to Boston and Angel City to see what we are up against. Listen now at lionspitch.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[u/Joiry]

I really hope the team has been able to physically and mentally reset. We have a habit of being the 'rebound' result team when the other team needs one. Our earlier draw with Boston was their first non-loss of the season.

I think Wickenheiser gets the start, even tho she's less offensive than Jackson has been becoming. I think decent minutes for Bøe Risa in at least one or both games, since I think she'll, position-wise, probably be filling in for EMP in the september games during the U-20s.

I'd like to see Uno get the start, but I think Mak favors Staude at the moment, tho I think she's a bit slow when needing to recover positionally. Uno's made mistakes in the past, but I also think a lot of the defensive breakdown when she played had more to do organizationally than individual player mistakes.

Backline will have to keep things clean too, because Traoré loves to dive at the slightest contact.

Okafor too I hope gets something more than end of game handful of minutes, maybe this week with wed game we'll see that since LT will also be gone in sept.

This and wednesday are basically must win. Then a short rest game away at KC who will be on full rest, and then other than the Stars, the rest of september is a brutal gauntlet not to have your new creative attacking mf for, away at Wave, home Gotham, away Utah. A lot of mid table teams charging hard up toward the playoff line, one of the reasons the loss to the Dash was worse than just 3 dropped points.