2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship
Event2022 NWSL Challenge Cup
North Carolina Courage Washington Spirit
2 1
DateMay 7, 2022 (2022-05-07)
VenueSahlen's Stadium, Cary, North Carolina
Final MVPKerolin, NC
RefereeKatja Koroleva[1]
Attendance3,163

The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship, the final match of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, was contested by North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit.[2]

Road to the final

The Courage and Spirit finished the group stage as the top two teams in the East Division, both going undefeated and drawing 2–2 in both group-stage matches against each other.[3] The Spirit advanced to the semi-finals as the team with the best record among second-place finishers in each division.[4]

The Courage defeated second-seeded Kansas City Current 2–1 in its semi-final match, behind a penalty kick goal scored by Debinha and drawn by Kerolin, and the first professional goal by Diana Ordóñez. Kristen Hamilton scored for Kansas City in the 79th minute but could not complete a comeback.[5]

The Spirit drew top-seeded OL Reign 0–0 in regulation time of their semi-final match, which was marked by a perceived officiating error in second-half stoppage time when a handball foul went uncalled against the Spirit's Anna Heilferty during a corner kick. The Challenge Cup did not employ a video assistant referee,[5] which would not be introduced to NWSL competitions until 2023.[6] With no extra time, the Spirit advanced by winning a penalty shoot-out 9–8. Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury scored the Spirit's third penalty and also saved the Reign's 8th and 10th penalty attempts to secure advancement.[5]

Third-seeded North Carolina Courage won the right to host the final against fourth-seeded Washington Spirit by finishing with a better record in the group stage. Both teams were first-time finalists in the Challenge Cup.[4]

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first.

North Carolina Courage Round Washington Spirit
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
NJ/NY Gotham FC 2–0 Match 1 Orlando Pride 0–0
Orlando Pride 1–0 Match 2 NJ/NY Gotham FC 1–1
Washington Spirit 2–2 Match 3 North Carolina Courage 2–2
NJ/NY Gotham FC 1–1 Match 4 Orlando Pride 4–1
Orlando Pride 4–2 Match 5 NJ/NY Gotham FC 3–1
Washington Spirit 2–2 Match 6 North Carolina Courage 2–2
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
Kansas City Current 2–1 Semifinal OL Reign 0–0 (9–8 p)

Match

The match was scheduled for May 7, 2022, which coincided with the second matchweek of the 2022 regular season. Regular-season matches on that day between the Courage and Portland Thorns FC, and between the Spirit and Chicago Red Stars, were consequently rescheduled to later dates.[7]

The Courage opened scoring in the 10th minute on Kerolin's first goal in her Courage career, with the Spirit's Ashley Hatch equalizing in the 35th minute.[3]

In a sequence near the middle of the second half, Spirit defender Sam Staab tackled Kerolin in the Spirit's penalty area, with the ball going out of play. The tackle injured Kerolin, who was substituted out of the match. Courage players called for center referee Katja Koroleva to call a foul and award the Courage a penalty kick, but Koroleva instead issued a yellow card to Courage defender Merritt Mathias, the match's only penalty card, and awarded the Courage a corner kick.[8]

During the ensuing corner kick, Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury was pushed by a teammate into the goal while falling, her head colliding with the goalpost, and defender Taylor Aylmer scored an own goal. Kingsbury remained down for several minutes and underwent concussion tests but returned to the match.[8] and in a post-match press conference Spirit coach Kris Ward said she would be evaluated for delayed-onset concussion symptoms.[3]

Aylmer's own goal would become the Courage's championship-winning score.[3]

In the 80th minute, Spirit defender Jordan Baggett's head collided with Courage midfielder Debinha, with players reportedly shouting that Baggett was experiencing a seizure.[9] Baggett's teammates helped paramedics carry an ambulance stretcher faster onto the pitch. After the match, Ward said Baggett was being transported to a local hospital,[3] where she was released the same day. On June 3, the Spirit listed Baggett on the league's 45-day disabled list for a concussion.[10]

Details

North Carolina Courage2–1Washington Spirit
  • Kerolin 10'
  • Aylmer 70' (o.g.)
 Report
Attendance: 3,163
Courage
Spirit
GK0United States Katelyn Rowland
RB11United States Merritt MathiasYellow card 68'
CB3United States Kaleigh Kurtz
CB6New Zealand Abby Erceg (c)
LB4United States Carson Pickett
DM7United States Malia Berkely
DM8Republic of Ireland Denise O'Sullivan
AM16United States Emily Graydownward-facing red arrow 85'
AM10Brazil Debinha
FW12Mexico Diana Ordoñezdownward-facing red arrow 85'
FW9Brazil Kerolindownward-facing red arrow 74'
Substitutes:
GK1United States Casey Murphy
DF2United States Taylor Smithupward-facing green arrow 74'
DF13United States Ryan Williams
DF14New Zealand Katie Bowen
DF15United States Jaelene Danielsupward-facing green arrow 85'
MF5United States Brianna Pinto
MF25United States Meredith Speckupward-facing green arrow 85'
FW29United States Rylee Baisden
FW33United States Jorian Baucom
Manager:
United States Sean Nahas
GK1United States Aubrey Kingsbury (c)
RB5United States Kelley O'Haradownward-facing red arrow 74'
CB6United States Emily Sonnett
CB3United States Sam Staab
LB16Sweden Julia Roddardownward-facing red arrow 45'
DM7United States Taylor Aylmerdownward-facing red arrow 80'
DM19United States Dorian Bailey
RM2United States Trinity Rodman
AM10United States Ashley Sanchez
LM21United States Anna Heilfertydownward-facing red arrow 74'
ST33United States Ashley Hatch
Substitutes:
GK18Canada Devon Kerr
DF4Mexico Karina Rodríguez
DF14United States Morgan Goffupward-facing green arrow 74'
DF22United States Amber Brooks
DF30United States Camryn Biegalskiupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF11United States Jordan Baggettupward-facing green arrow 80'downward-facing red arrow 90+6'
MF13United States Bayley Feistupward-facing green arrow 74'
FW17England Tinaya Alexander
FW27United States Audrey Hardingupward-facing green arrow 90+6'
Manager:
United States Kris Ward


Most Valuable Player:
Kerolin, NC[3]

Assistant referees[1]
Katarzyna Wasiak
Ashlee Varnson
Fourth official[1]
Adam Kilpatrick
Reserve assistant referee[1]
Kali Smith

Match rules

Broadcasting

On March 1, 2022, the league announced that the championship match would be broadcast on CBS, streamed domestically on Paramount+, and streamed internationally on Twitch.[11] The match was also streamed in Canada on Radio-Canada.[7] The match drew an estimated 368,000 viewers and 0.22 rating on CBS.[12][13]

Reaction

After the match, players expressed concern about injuries and the response by facility staff. Spirit forward Trinity Rodman posted to Twitter that the slow pace of the paramedic team to assist Baggett was "absolutely unacceptable", though press reports noted that paramedics are trained not to run to a scene.[9][14]

Courage defender Abby Erceg criticized match officials for not calling a high-boot foul on Spirit forward Ashley Hatch after the studs of Hatch's boot struck Erceg's chest. After the match, Erceg and Katelyn Rowland both claimed that Koroleva told them the ball hit Erceg's ribs.[9][14] Courage defender Kaleigh Kurtz[14] and goalkeeping coach Nathan Thackeray[9] also criticized officials on social media after the match about their lack of response to Spirit defender Sam Staab's tackle on Kerolin. Erceg further criticized the scheduling of the match, which forced both the Courage and Spirit to play three matches in a span of eight days and led to fatigue that lowered the quality of play.[15]

Journalists, supporters' groups, and players on other teams also joined in criticism of the match, the tournament's structure and timing, and the league's ability to protect players.[3][16] Australian international forward Hayley Raso, who fractured three vertebrae in a collision with Kingsbury during a 2018 match while playing for Portland Thorns FC,[17] criticized the medical response to Baggett's injury as well as the league's lack of progress since her own injury.[14] OL Reign players Nikki Stanton and Jess Fishlock, and Portland Thorns FC midfielder Lindsey Horan, publicly criticized the lack of player protection from officials. Fishlock further criticized the tournament's scheduling.[14] Prior to the tournament, OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer also criticized the championship match's early kickoff time as potentially interfering with players' preparations for the match, and its date overlapping with the regular season as an injury risk.[18]

The championship match's injuries also occurred in the context of a season-ending injury during an earlier cup match to Kansas City Current forward Lynn Williams, and injures in training to Chicago Red Stars defender Tierna Davidson, and during an early regular-season match to Orlando Pride midfielder Marta.[19]

During the post-match press conference, Spirit coach Kris Ward described discussions involving coaches and league personnel about changes to the cup's format and restrictions imposed by broadcast partners.[20] On November 17, 2022, the league announced changes to the tournament's format to take effect in the 2023 edition. Cup matches would take place entirely during the regular season but would no longer overlap with regular-season matchdays, instead positioning cup matches between regular-season rounds.[21] The league cited player safety and performance as reasons for the scheduling changes.[22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, excluding substitutions made at half-time.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Koroleva to take charge of 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Final" (Press release). Professional Referee Organization. May 6, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ "North Carolina and Washington Spirit to meet in 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Final Saturday May 7". www.nwslsoccer.com.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "North Carolina Courage win NWSL Challenge Cup". The Athletic. May 7, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "North Carolina tops Kansas City, will play Washington in NWSL Challenge Cup final". CBC Sports. May 4, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Kriger, Rachael; Munson, Bella (May 4, 2022). "NWSL Challenge Cup Semifinals: Washington advances in shootout, Courage see off Current". The Equalizer. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Debut of VAR, World Cup, and coaching carousel add intrigue to 2023 NWSL season". ESPN. March 21, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "North Carolina, Washington Spirit to Meet in 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Final Saturday, May 7". OurSports Central (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. May 5, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Klum, Victoria (May 6, 2018). "North Carolina Courage Outlasts Washington Spirit to Win the Challenge Cup". Prost Amerika. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Baer, Jack (May 8, 2022). "NWSL players not happy after Challenge Cup final marred by injuries, missed calls". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ Hruby, Emma (June 8, 2022). "Spirit's Jordan Baggett placed on 45-day disabled list with concussion". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ "2022 NWSL Challenge Cup to Air Across CBS Sports Properties and Twitch" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. March 1, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  12. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (April 26, 2022). "SKEDBALL: Weekly Sports TV Ratings 4.18-4.24.2022". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ Armstrong, Megan (May 8, 2022). "Angel City FC: Ownership, Reimagined". Boardroom. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Vertelney, Seth (May 9, 2022). "The NWSL Challenge Cup final was ugly, and the league's players noticed". Pro Soccer Wire. USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Solutions to NWSL Challenge Cup format take on even greater urgency". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  16. ↑ Williams, Madison (May 7, 2022). "NWSL Catching Heat Over Safety Concerns During Challenge Cup Final". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Matildas' Raso fractures back in NWSL". ESPN. August 28, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  18. ↑ "OL Reign's Bethany Balcer criticizes NWSL Challenge Cup final start time". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  19. ↑ Lauletta, Dan (March 29, 2022). "Lauletta: Injuries take center stage at NWSL Challenge Cup". The Equalizer. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  20. ↑ Watkins, Claire (May 9, 2022). "Solutions to NWSL Challenge Cup format take on even greater urgency". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  21. ↑ Yanchulis, Kate (November 17, 2022). "NWSL Challenge Cup will take place in-season after scheduling concerns". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  22. ↑ "NWSL Announces 2023 Season Schedule Footprint" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. November 17, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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