SportsWednesday, November 4
The Courage beat Denver 1-0 on a late own goal but miss the playoffs by two points
The 5AM Fuquay‑Varina team
If you caught Sunday's finale at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, you saw a wild one. The North Carolina Courage beat Denver Summit FC 1-0 when Denver's Kaleigh Kurtz scored an own goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
- Crowd: 10,803, the second highest total in team history
- Sold-out games this season: five
- Kailen Sheridan: career 700th save, third NWSL keeper to reach it
- Ashley Sanchez: 2026 NWSL Golden Boot winner
The Courage's finale and season came with milestones
- 20
- goals for Ashley Sanchez, tying the NWSL single-season record
- 10,803
- fans at the finale against Denver
- 700
- career saves for goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan
- 2
- points separated the Courage from the playoffs
Sources: N.C. State University Technician Online, WRAL
It wasn't enough. Seattle's 1-0 win over Orlando took the eighth and final playoff spot, and the result kept the Courage in ninth place, two points out.
“Disappointed with the outcome and disappointed that we didn't make the playoffs.”
Sanchez had what looked like a record-breaking goal waved off for offside in the first half. She didn't score in the final four matches.
20goals for Ashley Sanchez, tying the NWSL single-season scoring record
Sanchez earned the 2026 NWSL Golden Boot as the league's leading goal scorer.
Sources: N.C. State University Technician Online, WRAL
Sources: WRAL, N.C. State University Technician Online