Racing Louisville returns home this weekend for back-to-back matches at Lynn Family Stadium, first hosting the Chicago Red Stars at 7:30 p.m. Friday before a meeting next week with Kansas City.
The Racing-Chicago showdown, the first of the 2023 campaign, will be locally broadcast in the Louisville area on Circle over the air on WAVE channel 3.3, Spectrum cable channel 193 and Dish Network’s 370. Paramount+ will carry the nationally streamed broadcast.
Racing (0-2-4, 4 points) opened the season with the toughest first five games in the National Women’s Soccer League, according to Field of Vision analytics, drawing four of them, including three against teams that made last year’s playoffs. But the Louisvillians stumbled this past weekend, dropping a 1-0 decision to then-last place Orlando on Saturday.
Coach Kim Björkegren’s squad hopes to right the ship in the friendly confines of Lynn Family Stadium, where Racing has drawn two matches this year and has a four-game home unbeatean streak that extends back to last season. Chicago was the last team to beat Racing in Louisville, a 4-0 victory in late August.
Chicago (1-4-1, 4 points) is also looking for some momentum after a tough start to the season. The Red Stars lost superstar forward Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh) to a knee injury after two games and looking for new scoring threats to emerge. Third-year forward Ella Stevens and rookie Penelope Hocking, a former collegiate teammate of Racing midfielder Savannah DeMelo, lead the Red Stars with two goals apiece.
Friday’s matchup brings three former Racing players back to Louisville in Red Stars forwards Cheyna Matthews and Yuki Nagasato as well as midfielder Taylor Malham.
This is the seventh all-time meeting between the teams in the regular season or UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, with Racing winning one, Chicago winning two and the teams tying three times. Racing’s lone win against the Red Stars was a 3-0 victory on June 26, 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 …
Kgatlana returns: Ten months after signing with Racing Louisville, Thembi Kgatlana made her debut for the club, playing four minutes off the bench. The South African forward and 2018 African player of the year tore her Achilles tendon four days after her transfer from Atletico Madrid to Louisville, forcing her to sit out the knockout rounds of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the final three months of Racing’s 2022 campaign. The first women’s player to score a FIFA World Cup goal for South Africa, Kgatlana reported for Racing preseason camp in January and started full training with the team in April. This is the second NWSL stint for the electric attacker – she spent the 2018 season with the Houston Dash, scoring twice in 16 appearances.
DeMelo delivers: Standout midfielder Savannah DeMelo will be available again for Racing after sitting out the Orlando game because of a red card suspension. She once again made the highlight reel with a 20-yard half-volley goal vs. OL Reign on April 29 as she retreated from the box, setting, turning and firing all in one motion while starting her move with her back to the frame. The second-year player now leads the team with two goals to go with an assist, and she leads the league in fouls won, with 20.
Lund leads again: Racing goalkeeper Katie Lund once again leads the league in saves, with 25. The second-year starter made seven saves on Saturday at Orlando, the second time this year she has registered that many stops. A Texas native, Lund has one clean sheet this season and has made 32 consecutive starts as Racing’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
Taking the toughest path: Racing played the toughest strength of schedule through the first five matches of season, according to Field of Vision analytics. The five games included road contests against the reigning NWSL champs (Portland), a playoff team (Houston) and in one of the toughest road environments (Los Angeles), plus home games against reigning regular-season champion (OL Reign) and third-place Washington. Racing earned four points in that stretch, tying four of five matches and claiming two valuable points away from home.
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.
