Exciting midfielder Ary Borges is back in the starting lineup for Racing Louisville for today’s 5 p.m. ET regular-season finale at San Diego.
The reinsertion of Ary into the XI is the only change to coach Kim Björkegren’s squad from last week’s win over Orlando, with the Brazilian set to make her 17th start of the season. Back from international duty with the Chinese national team, Wang Shuang is available off the bench alongside club captain Jaelin Howell, who is listed as a substitute for the second straight game after returning from injury.
Racing and San Diego’s match is part of the NWSL Decision Day lineup of games that all kick off at the same time across the league. San Diego and Portland have already clinched playoff spots and byes into the semifinals as the top seeds, while Racing is one of eight teams in contention for the final four available playoff positions. Louisville needs a win and help from results elsewhere to make its first postseason.
The midfield around Borges features Finnish international Elli Pikkujämsä, making her eighth consecutive start at defensive midfielder in place of Howell. Savannah DeMelo, the creative force in Louisville’s attack, will start her 40th start in a Racing jersey. She scored the game-winner in Racing’s 1-0 win over San Diego last summer, the only goal either team has scored over the previous three games against each other. The June meeting between the teams ended in a 0-0 draw in Louisville.
Up front, Thembi Kgatlana, Paige Monaghan and Nadia Nadim lead the line. Nadim converted a penalty in the win over Orlando to become the first player in Racing club history to reach double-digit goals, with 10. Kgatlana’s assist on Kirsten Davis’s equalizing goal vs. the Pride was the South African’s first regular-season assist in Racing colors.
The back line is a familiar one: Carson Pickett, Julia Lester and Lauren Milliet join Abby Erceg, who is wearing the captain’s arm band to start the game. Both Erceg and Milliet need to play all 90 minutes today to become Racing’s first outfield players to play every minute of a season.
Erceg and Milliet would join goalkeeper Katie Lund as ironwomen, with Lund also set to start and aim for her second consecutive ironwoman season. The 26-year-old Texan can set a new career high in shutouts (potentially seven) if she keeps a clean sheet.
Davis will begin the game as a substitute alongside Howell, Wang, Kayla Fischer, Emina Ekic, Maddie Pokorny and goalkeeper Hillary Beall.
Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer was placed on the season-ending injury list, while Jess McDonald is on maternity leave and Jordan Baggett is listed as out for the game.
Racing Louisville Team Sheet at San Diego Wave
1 – Katie Lund
2 – Lauren Milliet
15 – Julia Lester
20 – Abby Erceg (c)
16 – Carson Pickett
4 – Elli Pikkujämsä
7 – Savannah DeMelo
8 – Ary Borges
5 – Paige Monaghan
10 – Nadia Nadim
11 – Thembi Kgatlana
Substitutes: 18 – Hillary Beall; 6 – Jaelin Howell, 9 – Kayla Fischer, 13 – Emina Ekic, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 22 – Kirsten Davis, 26 – Taylor Aylmer, 29 – Uchenna Kanu, 77 – Wang Shuang
