Savannah DeMelo’s 51st-minute penalty stood as the all-important tying goal for Racing Louisville in a gritty 1-1 draw against the Washington Spirit in a physical game at Audi Field on Saturday night.
Racing trailed for almost 50 minutes after Trinity Rodman put the hosting Spirit ahead just two minutes and 28 seconds into the match. But DeMelo’s team-leading sixth goal across all competitions, plus 25 minutes of what center back Abby Erceg called “desperate” team defending when down to 10 players, helped Racing secure a valuable road tie against third-place Washington.
“There was a lot of heart in what we were doing,” Erceg said. “People were just fighting left, right and center for everything. You could see clearances off the line, people going into tackles, bloody noses. People are giving life and limb to defend. I think it’s new for this team, that mindset that, ‘We are not going to give up a goal. We are not going to lose a point here. We’re going to come away with a point even with 10 (players). Really, really proud of the girls.”
It was the second time this season that Racing (2-3-5, 11 points) drew against Washington, with the teams sharing a point at Louisville’s home opener on April 1 in a 1-1 tie. In both games, Racing rallied from a trailing position going into halftime, though Saturday’s game required a much more defiant performance in the game’s final moments.
“I am so happy to work with this group of people,” Racing coach Kim Björkegren said. “The energy they have, they never give up. When we needed to change, play 4-4-1 in the end, they did it. They kept fighting. They worked hard together. One point away in Washington is not bad – I’m extremely proud of them.”
To get back level, DeMelo made a smart pass into the feet of Ary Borges, whose turn at the edge of the box caught Washington midfielder Paige Metayer wrong-footed and won a penalty shot for Racing. DeMelo, who has now converted three penalties this season, sent Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury the wrong way in slotting home her shot into the bottom right corner.
The goal continued DeMelo’s torrid start to the 2023 campaign. She has been involved in 10 goals this season, with six scores, three assists and a penalty that she converted last month that was ultimately ruled an own goal.
“(I’m) always nervous taking a PK,” DeMelo said, “but I just knew where I was going to go, placed it hard and wanted to get the ball so we could go for that second goal. I was just happy I could put it away.”
In the 77th minute, in a match that had already seen multiple physical challenges and even a bloody nose for Racing midfielder Ary Borges, Racing lost defender Elli Pikkujämsä, who was issued a red card when the referee deemed Pikkujämsä’s foul on Rodman denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Down to 10 players, the Louisvillians mostly defended for the remaining 13 minutes of regulation plus 10 more minutes of stoppage time. Washington’s Ashley Sanchez hit the crossbar in the 86th minute, and Racing’s Carson Pickett made a goal-line block on the Spirit’s Andi Sullivan to stave off a late chance for the Spirit.
Racing now has a few days to regroup before another tough stretch of games, with three home matches in nine days against San Diego (June 9), Houston (June 14/Challenge Cup) and NJ/NY Gotham (June 18), all teams that hold playoff positions in the NWSL.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC at Washington Spirit
Date: June 3, 2023
Venue: Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Weather: 71 degrees, partly cloudy
Player of the Match: Savannah DeMelo
Scoring
Racing Louisville (0, 1, 1)
Washington Spirit (1, 0, 1)
Goals
Racing Louisville
51’ Savannah DeMelo (penalty)
Washington Spirit
3’ Trinity Rodman (Ashley Hatch)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC (4-3-3): 1 – Katie Lund; 16 – Carson Pickett, 20 – Abby Erceg, 15 – Julia Lester (76’ 4 – Elli Pikkujämsä), 2 – Lauren Milliet; 6 – Jaelin Howell (c), 7 – Savannah DeMelo, 8 – Ary Borges (84’ 19 – Jordan Baggett); 5 – Paige Monaghan (58’ 11 – Thembi Kgatlana), 22 – Kirsten Davis (76’ 29 – Uchenna Kanu), 77 – Wang Shuang (84’ 25 – Rebecca Holloway)
Subs not used: 99 – Olivia Sekany; 3 – Zaneta Wyne, 9 – Kayla Fischer, 21 – Parker Goins
Head Coach: Kim Björkegren
Washington Spirit (4-3-3): 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury (c); 19 – Dorian Bailey, 9 – Tara McKeown, 3 – Sam Staab, 14 – Gabby Carle; 12 – Andi Sullivan, 25 – Marissa Sheva (60’ 7 – Ines Juarena), 26 – Paige Metayer (90’+4 39 – Chloe Ricketts); 2 – Trinity Rodman, 33 – Ashley Hatch, 10 – Ashley Sanchez
Subs not used: 18 – Lyza Bosselmann, 28 – Nicole Barnhart; 16 – Maddie Elwell, 17 – Nicole Douglas, 20 – Civana Kuhlmann, 22 – Amber Brooks, 24 – Lena Silano
Head Coach: Mark Parsons
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / Washington Spirit
Shots: 11 / 21
Shots on Goal: 3 / 5
Expected goals: 1.33 / 2.59
Possession: 47.7% / 52.3%
Fouls: 9 / 12
Offside: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville:
45’ Savannah DeMelo (yellow)
77’ Elli Pikkujämsä (red)
90’+8 Thembi Kgatlana (yellow)
Washington Spirit:
38’ Ashley Hatch (yellow)
87’ Dorian Bailey (yellow)
Referee: Rebecca Pagan
VAR: Shawn Tehini
