Racing Louisville is back on the road this weekend, traveling to our nation’s capital for a 8 p.m. Saturday tilt at Audi Field against the hosting Washington Spirit.
The game will be streamed live on Paramount+.
Racing (2-3-4, 10 points) wants to bounce back from a home loss last weekend against North Carolina, but the Louisvillians will have to do so against a Washington squad that is unbeaten in five matches at home this season.
Coach Kim Björkegren’s team was left frustrated this past Saturday after outshooting North Carolina, creating three big chances to the Courage’s zero and doubling their expected goals only to drop a 2-1 decision at Lynn Family Stadium. But Louisville notched a 2-0 win over Chicago on Wednesday to move atop its UKG NWSL Challenge Cup group and regain some momentum with its fourth win in five games.
Racing will also hope its second-half effort in its home opener against Washington carries over to Saturday’s matchup. Abby Erceg and Ary Borges scored goals in the game’s final 45 minutes to help Racing rally from 2-0 down at halftime and earn a point.
Led by Savannah DeMelo’s three goals, Racing is trying to keep pace with the teams in playoff position ahead in the standings. Louisville is four points off sixth place heading into the weekend.
Since the April 1 match in Kentucky, Washington has been going strong, posting a 3-1-3 record in the seven regular-season games over April and May. Coach Mark Parsons has his team in fifth place but only a point behind league-leading NJ/NY Gotham.
Follow along…
• For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. Also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.
• The game will be streamed live on Paramount+, and international viewers may watch for free on NWSLSoccer.com.
Story lines …
Uche’s on board: Acquired via transfer this preseason, forward Uchenna Kanu nabbed her first goal for Racing Louisville in Wednesday’s UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match at Chicago, coolly finishing a transition move with her right foot. The Nigerian international had 10 shot-creating actions coming into the game, but her luck hadn’t turned with shots on frame. She became the sixth Nigerian to score in an NWSL game, according to Opta.
Goin(s) on a tear: Second-year forward Parker Goins now has two goals in four appearances this season, scoring twice against Chicago – once in the regular season and once in Wednesday’s Challenge Cup win. The Arkansas grad netted a flick-on header from the edge of the box at Chicago, a high degree of difficulty off a Savannah DeMelo free kick from 35 yards out.
Turning to Paige: Winger Paige Monaghan hit her stride in Wednesday’s Challenge Cup match in Chicago, pulling strings from her spot on the left side and delivering an assist on Uchenna Kanu’s first goal in a Racing jersey. It was also Monaghan’s first assist for Racing since arriving via trade in January. The former Gotham forward netted her first goal in lavender and mint in the April 29 regular-season draw with OL Reign.
Another Lund shutout: Goalkeeper Katie Lund has been stacking clean sheets this season, notching her fourth in the 2-0 Challenge Cup win over Chicago. Lund made one stop in the match. In her second year as Racing’s regular No. 1 goalkeeper, Lund is third in the NWSL in save percentage (77.6%) and saves per 90 minutes (4.2) in regular-season games.
Global Racing: Racing Louisville is the first club in NWSL history to feature players from six different continents on its roster. The Louisvillians already had an international flavor last year, with four continents represented. But the additions of Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges as well as Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu and South African forward Thembi Kgatlana nudged Racing to six continents. Abby Erceg, who made 146 appearances for New Zealand’s national team, reinforced Australian midfielder Alex Chidiac as a second representative from Oceania.
World Cup year: This is a big year for women’s soccer, with the 2023 FIFA World Cup set for Australia and New Zealand from July 20-August 20. Racing should be well-represented at the planet’s biggest competition. There are nine current internationals on Racing’s roster, and seven of their countries have qualified for the World Cup. The NWSL will only play one regular-season game in the World Cup window, instead scheduling half of the NWSL UKG Challenge Cup matches for that period.
