NWSL 2019: North Carolina Courage vs Chicago Red Stars – tactical analysis

The NWSL season comes to a close. Two teams battled it out for the biggest prize in women’s football in the United States. Chicago Red Stars took on North Carolina Courage in what was expected to be a highly anticipated clash between two of the leagues heavyweights.

Chicago have made the playoff semi-finals five times, and on Sunday they made their first appearance in the final. This will be the third consecutive season in which North Carolina Courage and Red Stars have met in the playoffs with the Courage coming out on top without conceding a goal. The league portrays a different story with Chicago winning five times and drawing three. It was safe to say that North Carolina had the advantage going into the final.

This tactical analysis will analyse and elaborate on the tactics used by both managers to outfox their opponents and lift the Championship.

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Both teams opted for near similar line-ups with only one forced change coming from the Red Stars camp. North Carolina Courage went in unchanged with their customary 4-2-2-2 formation. Debinha and Crystal Dunn are two of the best attacking midfielders in the league supporting the Jessica McDonald and Lynn Williams.

We can see from North Carolina Courages pass map against Reign FC in the semi-final that they tend to play centrally and look to try and concentrate play in that region. They have a good mix of offensive and defensive stability in midfield, especially with Dunns role as a left-back for the USWNT. Samantha Mewis and Denise O’Sullivan sit a little deeper offering Abbey Erceg and Abby Dahlkemper protection. This was expected to come in handy against the narrow front four of Chicago Red Stars.

The Red Stars made one change with Katie Naughton coming in to replace the injured Tierna Davidson. Rory Dames set up his side in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s been used 62% of the time this season and got them to the final. Sam Kerr led the line with her partner in crime Yuki Nagasato slotting in the number 10 position.

North Carolina Courage (4-2-2-2): Labbé; OReilly, Dahlkemper, Erceg, Hinkle; Mewis, OSullivan; Dunn, Debinha; McDonald, Williams

Chicago Red Stars (4-2-3-1)