North Carolina Courage vs. Gotham FC live stream, schedule, preview: Watch NWSL online

This has the makings to be the fixture of the weekend. On the East Coast in Cary on Saturday evening, North Carolina Courage host NJ/NY Gotham FC in the weekend's second NWSL postseason rematch from 2023.

After NJ/NY Gotham FC dropped the NWSL Challenge Cup on home soil, the defending champions bounced back---like champions tend to do. A second-half finish by the Spaniard Esther González gave Portland Thorns FC its second defeat in as many matches. Last year, Portland didn't lose two games across all competitions since June 11. North Carolina Courage who kicked off 2024 as hot as anyone was shocked in Sandy, Utah by Mandy Haught and the expansion outfit Utah Royals FC in week two.

The Courage in fact have not beaten Gotham since September 2022, a contest that saw Debinha net a hattrick. The defending champions went unbeaten through five games against NC in 2023, winning three and drawing two.

Juan Carlos Amorós' crew did receive some devasting injury news in the mid-week. Midge Purce announced via social media on March 27 that she suffered a torn ACL in stoppage time of the first half on the West Coast last weekend. She is set to miss the rest of the club season, and the Olympics which will kick off in late July. Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams are up in the air for Saturday after not traveling with the team to the Rose City.

It'll no doubt impact the Amorós' game plan, but its depth should provide a cushion. There will still be plenty of goal threats in Gotham's team on Saturday. Ella Stevens, who failed to make it into the Thorns contest scored eight goals over the past two seasons for Chicago Red Stars. Veteran Katie Stengel is also very capable of stepping up. USWNT stars Jenna Nighswonger and Crystal Dunn are dynamic threats on the left flank that the Courage's right side needs to be constantly aware of.

Even with the week two defeat, there should not be much concern for Nahas' Courage at this moment in time. Accompanied by quality offseason additions including Ashley Sanchez, and Felicitas Rauch, NC plays an incredibly organized, and unselfish brand of possession football. Anchored by one of the best tacklers of the football in the game, Denise O'Sullivan, and a top-class back four, the Courage are destined to be a top-five outfit when it is all said and done at the end of the season.

Don't be shocked if we see some magic from Sanchez after she was snubbed from the USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster. Second year forward Haley Hopkins will look to cause havoc on the left wing, especially after failing to convert one of her nine shots in Utah last week.

How to watch North Carolina Courage vs. Gotham FC in the NWSL regular season

• Date: Friday, March 30
• Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Location: WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, North Carolina)
• TV info/Live Stream: NWSL+

Prediction: North Carolina Courage 2-0 Gotham FC