Racing Louisville FC returns home to cap off its September slate at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday against the surging third-place San Diego Wave FC at Lynn Family Stadium.
Including Friday, five regular-season matches remain for Racing, which currently occupies 15th position.
Louisville (7-16-2, 23 points) faces a much shorter turnaround this time compared to its previous few matches this month. Racing is coming off a Sunday visit to Bay FC, where it fell 2-0 after BFC recorded two goals in quick succession at the start of the second half to capture the points.
The loss was the club’s fifth in a row following Racing’s four-game August win streak. It was also the first time Louisville has been held scoreless away from home since July 5 at Portland Thorns FC.
Racing recently faced the Wave less than a month ago on Aug. 28 in Southern California. Louisville went two goals up at halftime before San Diego stormed back to take a 3-2 win.
While Racing trails in the all-time series against the Wave (2-4-3), the results at Lynn Family Stadium are even, with each side having one win, to go along with two 0-0 draws.
San Diego (14-8-3, 45 points) is one of the most in-form teams in the NWSL, having won four of its last five matches. Angel City FC is the only team with more points than the Wave across the last five games. All those wins, though, have come at home. Friday is the beginning of a road-heavy end of the regular season for San Diego. Four out of its final five matches are away from home.
A 2-0 win over the Kansas City Current last Friday moved the Wave within six points of top-of-the-table Gotham FC. San Diego last won the NWSL Shield in 2023 — its second season of existence.
Outside of the on-pitch action, Friday night will be Oktoberfest — a celebration of German heritage and culture — at Lynn Family Stadium. Some of the festivities include a stein-hoisting competition just before the match and a variety of authentic German food.
For tickets and further information on the match and promotions, visit RacingLouFC.com/oktoberfest.
Follow Along
- Friday’s match will be streamed on the free NWSL+ app or via plus.nwslsoccer.com. Fans can also listen to the match on Sports Talk 790AM or 790louisville.com.
- For the starting lineup and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. You can also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.
Story Lines …
Closing in on 100: Racing goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer moved within nine saves of 100 Sunday after her fourth six-plus save display this season at Bay. Her 91 saves so far this year are the third-most in a single season in club history, behind Michelle Betos’ 2021 and Katie Atkinson’s 2023. Bloomer needs six more saves to surpass Betos for second all-time. Only Jordan Silkowitz (100) and Jane Campbell (104) have recorded more saves than Bloomer this season in the NWSL.
McKeen’s back in town: Audrey McKeen made her return to the pitch for Louisville Sunday after representing the United States at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. McKeen made two appearances, including a start for Vicky Jepson’s U.S. squad, which was knocked out by Brazil on penalties in the Round of 16. At 17, McKeen was the youngest United States player to earn a World Cup call-up. She came off the bench for 19 minutes in her first match back for Racing Sunday since Aug. 28.
Comforts of home: Out of Racing’s last four wins, three have come at Lynn Family Stadium — including one by multiple goals versus Boston Legacy FC and its first-ever win against Seattle Reign FC. In fact, five of its seven victories this year have been on home soil.
Going worldwide: With the recent loan acquisition of Italian Barbara Bonansea from Juventus F.C. Women on Sept. 11, 12 different nations are represented on San Diego’s roster this season. That includes three players apiece from Brazil and France. Of the Wave’s top-six goal contributors, three have earned senior and/or youth national team caps for countries outside the United States: Kenza Dali, Gia Corley and Dudinha, who was placed on the season-ending injury list back in July.
San Diego’s young spark: Just ahead of its 2-0 win over the Kansas City Current last week, San Diego signed its young star forward Melanie Barcenas to an extension through the 2028 campaign. Barcenas, 18, is in the midst of her best season as a professional since joining the Wave as a 15-year-old in 2023. In 24 appearances this year, Barcenas has recorded seven goal involvements (six goals, one assist), which is five more than her previous career high heading into the season. She is the only under-20 player in the NWSL with more than three goals this year.
