Finally home after nearly a month away from Lynn Family Stadium, Racing Louisville gets to play in front of the home crowd when it takes on OL Reign at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
The match continues the challenging start to the 2023 campaign for Racing: OL Reign, the 2022 regular-season NWSL Shield winners, represent the third playoff team on Louisville’s schedule in the first five matches.
Racing (0-1-3, 3 points) opened the season with three draws, including two away from home, but the Louisvillians dropped a game for the first time this past Saturday, losing 2-0 to NWSL champion Portland. Louisville has now gone unbeaten in its last three home matches, with two wins to finish out last season and a draw vs. Washington on April 1.
Eager to bounce back, Racing is increasingly healthy, with exciting forward Uchenna Kanu expected to return. Newly-acquired midfielder Jordan Baggett, for whom Racing traded earlier this week, is also anticipated to be available for selection and ready to add her quality to the side.
Coach Kim Björkegren’s team hopes to bounce back against one of the league’s most talented squads, led by U.S. Women’s National Team stars Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle.
OL Reign (3-1-0, 9 points) is on a four-game winning streak, including a victory last week in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup. The Seattle club scored aplenty in its 5-2 win over Chicago this past weekend. Welsh midfielder Jess Fishlock, the 2021 league MVP, and forward Bethany Balcer each have three goals.
Racing and OL Reign have produced a solid series history between them, even in just two short years since Louisville joined the league. The teams have drawn three times in four regular-season meetings, with multiple goals in each of those ties. OL Reign is the only team to win a matchup, with a 2-0 victory on July 31, 2021.
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 …
Carson’s cruising: The latest Racing Louisville player to reach a career milestone, Carson Pickett surpassed 10,000 regular-season minutes in the NWSL in this past weekend’s match at Portland. The 29-year-old joined a short list of players who have hit five digits in minutes played, including Racing teammates Abby Erceg and Jess McDonald. Considered one of the best passers in the league, Pickett has been named the back-to-back left back of the year in the NWSL’s Best XI. She led the league last year in assists, with six, and currently ranks fourth this season in chances created (9).
No chill in DeMelo: A year after leading the NWSL in fouls won by a large margin, Savannah DeMelo is once again the league’s most fouled player. The savvy midfielder has won 17 fouls this season, including five in the final third, which is also a league high. The California has a goal and an assist this season, and she ranks fourth in duels won (32) and fifth in chances created (8).
From a football family: The daughter of a former NFL player, Jaelin Howell fittingly leads the NWSL in interceptions (10) this season. The 23-year-old Colorado native has claimed the top spot in the league despite missing the first match and only playing 14 minutes in the second. She returned to the lineup in Los Angeles, starting for the first time this season in the 2-2 draw at Angel City.
No Lo mileage: Known for her energetic play, Lauren Milliet is pushing toward a career year in several categories, continuing on her streak of 35 consecutive starts for Racing. The Colorado native ranks fourth in the NWSL in recoveries (42) as well as fouls won (10), winning the ball back and winning fouls at a high rate through the first four matches. The 25-year-old has now played 50 regular-season matches for Racing, tallying a goal and an assist.
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, New Zealand’s all-time caps leader, 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.
