The North Carolina Courage played its first NWSL game Friday night since the sudden firing of head coach Sean Nahas two days earlier.

Sources told ESPN that the "multitude of factors" included the team's record, inconsistent play and a loss of faith in the direction of the team.

The North Carolina Courage clarified in a statement Friday night why they fired former head coach Sean Nahas, citing “confounding performance issues, culture issues, and a perceived lack of fit that created an environment that club leadership felt was untenable to the point that change was necessary at the head coaching position.”