Boston Legacy FC
“That’s a step in the right direction.”
Boston Legacy’s Sammy Smith (center) celebrates her first-half goal for a 2-0 lead in the 13th minute with teammates Josefine Hasbo (left) and Aïssata Traoré at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night. Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
April 30, 2026 | 7:11 AM
3 minutes to read
FOXBOROUGH — The celebration began for Alba Caño before the ball had even hit the net. Eight minutes later, the same was true for Sammy Smith.
Boston Legacy FC’s lengthy scoring drought came to an end Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium with goals from Caño in the fifth minute and Smith in the 13th. But after those two early goals, North Carolina surged back to pull even in the 76th minute, and what looked to surely be Boston’s first victory in its inaugural season ended in a 2-2 draw.
Prior to Wednesday, Boston had scored just once in five games. It was the first time this season the Courage conceded two goals in the first half, but a dominant second half helped dig them out of a 2-0 hole and escape Boston with one point in the standings.
“We lost a little bit of intensity in our game [in the second half], and this can make all the difference,” Legacy coach Filipa Patão said. “The players need to be able to have a good 90 minutes of the game, not just 45.”
After Smith’s goal, Patão — who didn’t mask her frustration after her team’s 2-0 blanking at the hands of Chicago on Saturday — ran down the sideline dishing out high-fives to players on the bench, a grin plastered across her face.
The celebration was a long time coming for the Legacy, who hadn’t scored since Aissata Traoré’s consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to Utah on March 28. Patão this week chalked up the lack of scoring to her players needing to get over a mental hurdle and reaffirmed her belief in the system she’s trying to build.
The team met Tuesday for what Smith called a “vibe reset” where the players emphasized their belief in one another, and they agreed to view each game as an opportunity to get better.
“Everything’s coming together — it just takes time,” Smith said. “That’s a step in the right direction.”
Caño’s fifth-minute goal gave the Legacy the lead for the first time this season.
From the center circle, Amanda Gutierres led Nichelle Prince with a long ball into the corner, and Prince sent it to Caño at the top of the box. The Spanish midfielder took one touch and fired it into the low corner for the second goal in franchise history.
Holding an early 1-0 lead, the Legacy kept their foot on the gas.
In the 13th minute, Prince won a battle with Dani Weatherholt in the box and sent a cross through traffic onto the foot of Smith, who needed just one touch to beat North Carolina goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and make it 2-0.
The goals were the first NWSL tallies for both Caño and Smith, the latter of whom grew up in Hanson and played four seasons at Boston College.
Playing for her hometown NWSL team, Smith has had a large contingent of friends and family in the crowd for every home game thus far, and after scoring she made a heart gesture with her hands toward her father, David, whose birthday was Wednesday.
Caño’s father, coincidentally, had flown in from Spain Tuesday and was also there in person to watch his daughter score her first NWSL goal.
Prince earned assists on both goals after Patão encourage the forward to play higher up on the field to better take advantage of her speed and her strength in 1-on-1 battles. The goal of the move, the coach said, was to create more space between the defenders and open up net-front opportunities like the ones she created on both goals Wednesday.
“She’s been [creating] all season,” Smith said of Prince. “It just kind of came together today.”
Weatherholt cut Boston’s lead to 1 in the 53rd minute with her first goal of the season, and Ashley Sanchez tied the game in the 76th minute with her league-leading fifth goal of the season.
As the players left the field, Patão said she heard them apologizing to each other for letting the win slip from their grasp — a gesture the coach appreciated.
“It’s important to have these players every time look [in] the mirror and ask ‘What can I do better the next day to allow us to be closer to a win?’” Patão said.
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