Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
First soccer match in ICC played at Hard Rock.
Match at Hard Rock Stadium makes history
The first women’s match in the history of the International Champions Cup was a good one.
It saw the USA’s National Women’s Soccer League score a gamewinning goal in the 84th minute to beat France’s Paris Saint-Germain, 2-1.
On the surface, the atmosphere could have diminished the impact of the game. There were far more empty seats in Hard Rock Stadium than filled ones.
But the steps are small in advancing the popularity of women’s soccer. And the honor of being the first women to participate in the International Champions Cup was not lost on the players and coaches.
“It’s a privilege to be in the tournament, to be honest with you,” said North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley. “… The game’s grown a lot in the last nine, 10 years, and you never would have seen PSG against North Carolina Courage ten years ago.”
The game itself had some use for the teams.
Like Riley said, it isn’t usual for American club teams to play against European ones. Both sides used that opportunity to give their younger players valuable experience that they might not have had otherwise.
For PSG, that showed itself in the several young, 16- to 18-year-olds who got on the field.
For the Courage, it was evident on the winning goal.
Forward Darian Jenkins, a 23-year-old, had been scoreless in 13 games with North Carolina this season.
But in the 84th minute, she received a cross and fired it into the back of the net.
“It was great, you know, it’s been a long time coming,” Jenkins said. “I was just happy I could do it when it counts.
“… It’s great that we’re getting some diversity and we’re being challenged by teams with a completely different style, and football’s different in Europe. And I’m glad that we were able to compete and show what we have as well.”
Forward Jessica McDonald was the other goal scorer for the Courage.
In the 19th minute, she streaked up the right side of the field, receiving a pass from Kaleigh Kurtz. She settled the ball, closed in on PSG goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek and fired it near post and into the net.
It was the only fruits of North Carolina’s labor in the first half, though they held momentum through nearly the entire first 30 minutes.
Strangely enough, what broke up that momentum was a water break called by the referees at the 30-minute mark. They were concerned for the well-being of the players in the oppressive South Florida heat and humidity. After that, PSG turned things around and eventually evened the score in the 40th minute, when a cross deflected off Kurtz, who was defending a run, and into her own net.
Jenkins’ late goal put North Carolina in front for good, though.
Now the Courage will play in the first ICC women’s final on Sunday night, while PSG will take part in the third-place game the same night.
“I was pleased with the overall effort at least,” Riley said. “It wasn’t some quality play. We didn’t move the ball around like we normally do. … But [PSG] was good. It was great for us to play against them, for the young players that we’ve got to play against them.”
So it was a strong step for women’s soccer.
Of course, there is still progress to be made. McDonald suggested that progress can come from the use of social media and sharing the women’s game as much as possible.
The first half of the match was not streamed online, but after some complaints from fans on social media, the second half was.
That’s the kind of thing that Riley sees as the next move forward.
“That’s our next step, I think, is getting people in the stands and getting more people in the games and getting it live streamed and getting it on TV and all that good stuff. I think that’s where we’re headed.” Riley said.
“… But I would think 10 years, if me and you are still kicking it along, we’ll look at each other and say, ‘Wow, we were there the first time we played them, and what a difference now.’”