The Sanchez Show Rolls On
Ashley Sanchez set even more NWSL records on Wednesday night, scoring a second brace in as many matches at WakeMed Soccer Park as the North Carolina Courage (11-7-3, 36 Points) comfortably dispatched Angel City FC at home 2–0.
With the additional goals, Sanchez retains first place in the Golden Boot race, raising her season tally to 15 goals and officially shattering the Courage’s single-season scoring record previously held by Lynn Biyendolo. In doing so, Sanchez also tied the NWSL single-season record for most goals by an American player, drawing level with legends Alex Morgan and Crystal Dunn.
Courage 2, Angel City 0
North Carolina broke open a deadlocked match just before halftime when Swedish international Evelyn Ijeh opened up the Angel City backline with a exquisite back heel flick, releasing Sanchez to calmly slot home her 14th goal of the campaign in the 41st minute.
The buckle of the brace arrived in the 82nd minute through an unlikely source of creativity. Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan launched a booming distribution from her own box, allowing Sanchez to outpace three defenders and finish one-on-one with the Angel City keeper. The assist etched Sheridan into league lore as the first and only goalkeeper in NWSL history to record multiple career assists, as well as the only to do so while keeping a clean sheet.
The 2–0 clean-sheet victory vaults the Courage into fifth place on the NWSL table as they ride a blistering five-win stretch over their last six outings. Meanwhile, Angel City’s frustrating night was compounded by an early second-half arm injury to North Carolina’s Maycee Bell—who celebrated her 50th regular-season appearance—as the visitors saw their four-game draw streak unceremoniously snapped.
Up Next: A Trip to the Midwest
The Courage won’t have long to celebrate their new position on the table. They hit the road next, traveling to CPKC Stadium to face the Kansas City Current on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 PM EDT with live coverage on ION.
Carolina Ascent Come Home in First, and they’re Bringing a Band
Sassy the Sasquatch won’t be the only funky presence during the Carolina Ascent’s short season.
Garinger High School’s Blue Funk Sound Machine will become a fixture at Ascent home matches as the club’s official band. The Blue Funk Sound Machine will make its debut as the Official Band of Carolina Ascent FC at the team’s home opener this Saturday, August 29.
Known for its high-stepping style, big sound and ability to turn a crowd into part of the performance, the Blue Funk Sound Machine will bring its energy to the stadium before, during and after every Carolina Ascent home match.
The band will perform during pregame, halftime and postgame activities and, from a dedicated location in the stadium, use league-approved instruments to help lead Carolina Ascent supporters throughout the match.
Carolina Ascent FC (2-0-0, 6 Points) moved into first place in the USL Super League with a 1-3 win at Dallas Trinity on Saturday. On Saturday, they face Tampa Bay Sun FC (0-1-1, 1 Point) starting at 7:00 PM.
MLS NEXT Pro Announce Calendar Shift
Speaking of shortened seasons …
It’s been a long time coming, but MLS NEXT Pro today announced the league is going to join Major League Soccer in moving to the international calendar, necessitating a sprint season in 2027.
Like with Major League Soccer’s calendar change, the 2027 Sprint Season will be a bridge between the current competition calendar and the new Summer-to-Spring format.
Beginning in mid-February 2027, each MLS NEXT Pro club will play 14 regular season matches through late April. In May, teams will compete in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. The MLS NEXT Pro Cup is scheduled for late May, followed by an offseason of approximately eight weeks before beginning the 2027-28 season.
Carolina Core FC, recently eliminated from this year’s MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, see the sprint season as an opportunity.
“The transition to the new competition calendar, aligning with MLS and the rest of global soccer, brings positives in relation to recruitment, the fan experience and a unique opportunity with the Sprint Season,” said Carolina Core FC head coach Jake Davis in a press release. “The Sprint Season is something we can really attack as a club, knowing it is 14 games, seven at home and seven on the road … We want to be deliberate about how we build the roster for the full calendar year. However, we do not want to overlook the Sprint Season and its importance.”
