Ijeh hat-trick fuels Courage demolition

Ijeh's hat-trick powers historic rout

North Carolina Courage delivered the most emphatic performance of the NWSL season on Friday night, dismantling Orlando Pride 5-0 in a result that left the visitors with nowhere to hide.

The tone was set inside four minutes. Lauryn Thompson - now the youngest player ever to score for the Courage in a regular-season NWSL match - lashed home to open the scoring. Erica Meg Parkinson provided the assist, her first since joining the club.

Ijeh in devastating form

Evelyn Ijeh then took centre stage, bagging two goals before half-time to send the Courage into the break with a commanding 3-0 cushion. She completed her hat-trick in the 70th minute, extending a remarkable run of seven goals and two assists across her last eight outings.

Ashley Sanchez rounded off the demolition in stoppage time, taking her tally for the season to ten.

Pride left short-handed

Orlando were without key forward Barbra Banda, who is currently away at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Her absence was keenly felt as the Pride slumped to a 7-9-2 record.

Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made two saves for a clean sheet, while Natalie Jacobs earned her first start since 21 March. Norwegian midfielder Vilde Bøe Risa made her NWSL debut off the bench in the 82nd minute.

The Courage now sit at 7-6-3 after their biggest win of the campaign.