Savannah DeMelo scored a spectacular free-kick goal just before halftime, but Racing Louisville fell, 2-1, to the Washington Spirit on Friday night at Lynn Family Stadium.
The loss was Racing’s first at home this season and second in a row, but coach Bev Yanez focused her postgame reaction on her team’s strong second-half performance. Racing outshot Washington, 15-8, and tripled Washington’s touches in the opposing box, but the Louisvillians couldn’t break through for an equalizing goal despite heavy pressure on the Spirit.
“Obviously we wanted to walk away with points,” Yanez said. “I thought after halftime – the way that we started the second half, the way that we completed in the second half – showed everything about our group. I thought there were moments in the first half of brilliance, and I thought there were moments that we need to work on. But the second half for me is who we are. It’s our identity in every way, shape and form, and that’s the standard.”
Friday’s defeat was only the third time that Racing Louisville (1-2-5, 8 points) has lost in its last 17 home games. Yanez’s team started the 2024 campaign on a six-match unbeaten run to move into playoff position in the NWSL’s new eight-team field, but the back-to-back losses nudged Racing to 10th place, albeit with 18 matches and six more months of the season to go.
Like their coach, Racing’s players left encouraged by the team’s performance. DeMelo had a 26th-minute penalty kick parried by Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, but she bounced back in first-half stoppage time with a laser of a free-kick goal from 25 yards out, curling a right-footed effort past a sprawling Kingsbury to halve Racing’s deficit.
Rookie Emma Sears consistently caused problems down both flanks, making a game-high 13 touches in the opponent’s penalty area while taking four shots and creating two chances for teammates. Her right-footed effort from 15 yards out fizzed past the far post in the 58th minute, just missing the chance to tie the game.
“It is upsetting we didn’t come away with three points, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not very proud of the group,” said veteran defender Arin Wright. “Anyone who watched the broadcast or watched it here live knows that this team controlled that game. For us to not come away with three points is upsetting but something to build on, because that is the type of team that wins.”
Washington (6-3-0, 18 points) took the early lead through rookie midfielder Croix Bethune, who recently earned NWSL Rookie of the Month honors for her strong start to her professional career. In the fifth minute, Bethune volleyed in a corner from teammate Andi Sullivan, with her right-footed low drive deflecting into the side netting.
Fifteen minutes later, Racing forward Elexa Bahr was deemed to have won a penalty after an official review, setting up DeMelo for the penalty kick. Sears had the first crack at the rebound off Kingsbury’s penalty save, but her effort went wide.
The Spirit added a second in the 34th minute off an own goal from Racing – a cross that bounced off a defender and trickled past two Louisville players on the goal line.
The second half was mostly one-way traffic with Racing chasing the game, but Washington held on for its second win in a lengthy three-match road trip that took the Spirit from Chicago to Portland to Louisville.
Racing gets a long weekend break before preparing for a key showdown next Saturday at first-place Kansas City, the highest-scoring team in the league that has not dropped points at home this season.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Washington Spirit
Date: May 10, 2024
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudy
Attendance: 6,222
Scoring
Racing Louisville (1, 0, 1)
Washington Spirit (2, 0, 2)
Racing Louisville
45’+6 Savannah DeMelo
Washington Spirit
5’ Croix Bethune (Andi Sullivan)
34’ Own goal – Lauren Milliet
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC (4-2-3-1): 1 – Katie Lund; 2 – Lauren Milliet, 3 – Arin Wright, 20 – Abby Erceg (c), 16 – Carson Pickett; 14 – Marisa DiGrande, 26 – Taylor Flint; 13 – Emma Sears, 7 – Savannah DeMelo, 9 – Kayla Fischer (72’ 66 – Reilyn Turner); 23 – Elexa Bahr
Subs not used: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 5 – Ellie Jean, 6 – Jaelin Howell, 10 – Linda Motlhalo, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 18 – Milly Clegg, 21 – Parker Goins, 29 – Uchenna Kanu
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
Washington Spirit (4-3-3): 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury (c); 14 – Gabby Carle, 9 – Tara McKeown, 5 – Annaïg Butel, 6 – Kate Wiesner; 7 – Croix Bethune (73’ 26 – Paige Metayer), 12 – Andi Sullivan (66’ 16 – Courtney Brown), 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 2 – Trinity Rodman (76’ 4 – Lena Silano), 11 – Ouleymata Sarr (73’ 13 – Brittany Ratcliffe), 33 – Ashley Hatch (76’ 3 – Casey Krueger)
Subs not used: 18 – Lyza Bosselmann, 28 – Nicole Barnhart; 22 – Heather Stainbrook, 39 – Chloe Ricketts
Head Coach: Seb Hines
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / Washington Spirit
Shots: 15 / 8
Shots on Goal: 6 / 3
Expected goals: 1.69 / 0.85
Possession: 52.6% / 47.4%
Fouls: 10 / 17
Offside: 2 / 2
Corners: 2 / 4
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville
59’ Kayla Fischer (yellow)
68’ Emma Sears (yellow)
Washington Spirit
45’+9 Andi Sullivan (yellow)
53’ Hal Hershfelt (yellow)
56’ Washington bench (yellow)
87’ Paige Metayer (yellow)
Match referee: Shawn Tehini
Assistant referees: Matthew Seem, Ben Rigel
Fourth official: Jackson Krauser
Video Assistant Referee: Adorae Monroy
Assistant VAR: Maggie Short