HARRISON, N.J. – Racing Louisville forward Reilyn Turner scored the go-ahead goal five minutes into stoppage time, but NJ/NY Gotham’s Rose Lavelle tied the match 90 seconds later in a frenetic finish to a 1-1 draw at Red Bull Arena on Sunday night.
The result continued Racing’s undefeated start to the 2024 season, with the six-match unbeaten streak the longest in the young club’s history. Louisville has not yet trailed this season. The club also maintained its undefeated road record at Gotham in five games in northern New Jersey.
“Coming away from playing as good a side as Gotham, we feel like we could have been better in possession in particular, and we’re fully aware of that,” said Racing coach Bev Yanez. “I think for us, it’s continuing to showcase our processes in areas that we can. Getting a point on the road and staying undefeated is important for us.”
Racing Louisville (1-0-5, 8 points) maintained its hold on sixth place in the NWSL standings, two spots inside the new eight-team playoff cut line. The Louisvillians did so with a cagey performance in a physical match.
Gotham was whistled for 20 fouls, the most for any NWSL team this season and tying the league’s all-time record. Racing blocked 12 Gotham shots. It was the fourth time in six matches that Racing has kept the opposition from scoring in the first half, the top mark in the NWSL.
Louisville defender Carson Pickett kept the shutout going when she cleared a shot from Gotham’s Crystal Dunn off the goal line in the 49th minute.
The game finally opened up in stoppage time. Turner and fellow rookie Emma Sears provided a significant boost off the bench once again, with Sears running roughshod down the left flank.
On Turner’s goal, Sears took off with the ball from just outside Racing’s defensive penalty area. The Ohio State grad beat five defenders on her way to the end line before ripping a low cross in that was deflected to Turner, who backheeled in her second goal of the season.
“Emma’s energy that she brings is unstoppable, and whenever she gets a ball, I know we’re going to get something off of it,” Turner said. “Just knowing that she’s going to go end line and make something happen, I was just lucky to be there and tap it in.”
Off the restart, Gotham pushed forward, and a high cross into Racing’s defensive area was knocked down to Ella Stevens, who poked a pass to Lavelle for her game-tying goal.
“We battled for 100-plus minutes, and to get that goal at the end and then to let in a goal maybe one minute after is very tough,” said Racing midfielder Marisa DiGrande. “It’s a tough one, to be quite frank, just because of the fight that we put in throughout the entire game. I’m proud of the effort, but now we have to finish games, and it’s something that we’ve talked about these last couple weeks – how can we put in a full 90-plus minute performance.”
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC at NJ/NY Gotham FC
Date: April 28, 2024
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET
Weather: 72 degrees, sunny
Player of the Match: Emma Sears
Scoring
Racing Louisville (0, 1, 1)
NJ/NY Gotham FC (0, 1, 1)
Goals
Racing Louisville
90’+5 Reilyn Turner
NJ/NY Gotham FC
90’+8 Rose Lavelle (Ella Stevens)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC (4-2-3-1): 1 – Katie Lund; 2 – Lauren Milliet, 3 – Arin Wright, 20 – Abby Erceg, 16 – Carson Pickett; 6 – Jaelin Howell (c) (26’ 14 – Marisa DiGrande), 26 – Taylor Flint; 8 – Ary Borges (60’ 13 – Emma Sears), 7 – Savannah DeMelo (77’ 9 – Kayla Fischer), 29 – Uchenna Kanu (90’ 21 – Parker Goins); 23 – Elexa Bahr (60’ 66 – Reilyn Turner)
Subs not used: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 5 – Ellie Jean, 10 – Linda Motlhalo, 17 – Maddie Pokorny
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-2-3-1): 30 – Ann-Katrin Berger; 3 – Bruninha, 21 – Sam Hiatt, 6 – Emily Sonnett, 2 – Jenna Nighswonger; 14 – Nealy Martin (89’ 33 – Sinead Farrelly), 17 – Delanie Sheehan; 19 – Crystal Dunn (74’ 13 – Ella Stevens), 18 – Yazmeen Ryan, 10 – Lynn Williams (c) (74’ 16 – Rose Lavelle); 9 – Esther Gonzalez (46’ 28 – Katie Stengel)
Subs not used: 1- Michelle Betos, 38 – Cassie Miller; 8- Taryn Torres, 22 – Mandy Freeman, 25 – Maycee Bell
Head Coach: Juan Carlos Amóros
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / NJ/NY Gotham
Shots: 10 / 19
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Expected goals: 1.3 / 1.29
Possession: 42.5% / 57.5%
Fouls: 9 / 20
Offside: 2 / 2
Corners: 2 / 3
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville
37’ Savannah DeMelo (yellow)
NJ/NY Gotham
50’ Nealy Martin (yellow)
71’ Emily Sonnett (yellow)
90’+10 Gotham bench (yellow)
90’+12 Rose Lavelle (yellow)
Match referee: Calin Radosav
Assistant referees: Brian Marshall, Jeremy Smith
Fourth official: Hao Zhong
Video Assistant Referee: Anya Voigt
Assistant VAR: Tom Felice
