Racing Louisville FC travels to Houston this weekend for an 8:30 p.m. Friday match at PNC Stadium in the Lone Star State.
The marks the return game from the May 14 home opener in Louisville, which the teams drew, 1-1. A rematch comes amid a key stretch for Racing (2-6-7, 13 points) this season, with the team needing to rapidly pick up points to stay in the fight for a playoff spot.
Louisville hasn’t won since May 22, drawing five games and losing five over the past two and a half months, but enters Friday’s game coming off one of its best performances of the campaign, a hard-fought 1-1 tie with the reigning league champion Washington Spirit.
Houston (7-4-3, 24 points) ranks third in the NWSL standings, riding a three-game winning streak into its first home game in three weeks. The Dash rallied to beat OL Reign, 2-1, in Seattle this past weekend, led by former Racing forward Ebony Salmon’s two goals.
This is the fifth regular-season meeting between the clubs, with Houston winning twice and Louisville winning once. The fourth match ended in a draw.
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 stream live on Paramount+ in the United States and on Twitch internationally.
Player availability report
- N/A
Story lines...
New look: Racing coach Kim Björkegren tried a different formation last Friday against Washington, playing with three center backs and two wingbacks against the talented Spirit attack. The change saw Julia Lester to right wingback and Lauren Milliet out left, with Gemma Bonner, Emily Fox and Satara Murray lining up at center back.
Wang Shuang joins: Racing announced on Wednesday the signing of star Chinese forward Wang Shuang, who is training with the team and available for selection Friday. The 2018 Asian Women’s Footballer of the Year, Wang has tallied 39 goals in 117 appearances for China’s national team after making her debut at 17. China won the 2022 Asian Cup earlier this year, with Wang tying for second in tournament scoring with five goals. She is the first Chinese player to join the NWSL.
Nadim’s scoring run: Star forward Nadia Nadim has four goals in six games for Racing after recovering from a knee injury she suffered last September, including the go-ahead goal on Friday against the Spirit. The Danish standout returned to action in May after eight months of rehab and started for the first time this year against Portland Thorns on July 29.
Davis on the scoresheet: A rookie from Texas Tech, forward Kirsten Davis scored her first NWSL goal against OL Reign on August 2, adding her first NWSL assist three days later when Nadim scored against Washington. Davis, an NWSL draft selection in 2021, joined the team this past winter and has impressed in her first year as a winger and center forward.
McDonald vs. Houston: Star forward Jess McDonald hopes to keep up her scoring ways against Houston this year. Including the preseason NWSL Challenge Cup, the NWSL veteran and 2019 World Cup winner has two goals in three games against the Dash this year, including the late equalizer in the home opener on May 14.
Playoff picture: Racing sits ninth place in the NWSL standings entering Friday’s game, eight points behind OL Reign for the last playoff spot. Björkegren said Friday his team needs six wins from its final seven matches to reach its preseason goal of making the league’s six-team playoff.
The Women’s Cup returns: The next time Racing plays at Lynn Family Stadium, a trophy will be on the line. The second edition of The Women’s Cup runs from Sunday through Aug. 20 featuring six teams from three continents. Racing enters for Wednesday’s semifinals alongside of the NWSL’s OL Reign. International participants are AC Milan (Italy), Club America (Mexico), Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan) and Tottenham Hotspur (England).
Pace setter: Versatile midfielder Lauren Milliet is closing in on a first in club history – a 50th Racing appearance, with Friday’s game set to be the milestone match for the 25-year-old from Colorado. Milliet, who plays defense, midfield and attacking winger, is the only player in the club’s brief history to appear in every Challenge Cup and regular season match.
DeMelo honored: Rookie midfielder Savannah DeMelo deservedly claimed the most-recent NWSL Rookie of the Month award after scoring twice in July. The USC grad leads the league in fouls won (60) and chances created (44). She also remains the only player in the league to have scored off a direct free kick in the regular season, with two spectacular goals off set pieces. She leads all rookie field players in minutes, too, having only come off for four over the 15 regular-season games.