Savannah DeMelo scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute and assisted Parker Goins’s insurance score in the 85th to push Racing Louisville to a 2-0 win over the visiting Houston Dash on Friday night at Lynn Family Stadium.
It was Racing’s second consecutive win, extending a three-match unbeaten run, and its fourth shutout of the campaign. The win was also Louisville’s first regular season defeat of Houston since June 20, 2021.
“Incredibly proud of the group – we go back-to-back wins, and we go back-to-back shutouts,” Racing coach Bev Yanez said. “It continues to push momentum for us. It continues to show what we’ve been saying from the beginning – what we believe that we can do and what we believe we can continue to do.”
Racing Louisville (3-2-6, 15 points) moved into seventh place with the win, three points clear of the playoff line, as the club pursues a first playoff berth in its four-year history. The win started a big month on the right foot, with two more home games in June after spending four of the last five weeks away from home.
Against Houston, it took Racing a half to snap into form. The Louisvillians put some early pressure on the Dash, but Houston had the better of the chances over the final 30 minutes of the opening period. Scoreless at the break, Yanez said Racing’s staff wanted to get players higher on the field and change the team’s structure, “and the group responded massively.”
DeMelo broke the deadlock with yet another neatly finished rebound, this time from 10 yards out. The play started with rookie forward Emma Sears charging through the middle with a 20-yard run before laying a pass off to Uchenna Kanu on her left. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell parried Kanu’s initial effort, but the save caromed to DeMelo, who coolly placed her shot through traffic.
“Those are scary,” DeMelo said. “Me and my dad always work on those, because these are the ones that people miss. And I’m like, ‘Just do not put it over. Just put it on frame.’ And when I saw it hit the back of the net, I was so pumped.”
The 26-year-old DeMelo became the first player in Racing’s young history to score in three consecutive home games. She also tied her career-best for goals in a single season, with five.
Twenty-three minutes later, DeMelo scooped a cross to the back post toward an unmarked Goins, who nodded in her second career regular-season goal.
“That’s my job coming off the bench – bringing energy,” Goins said. “I saw Sav had the ball. I made eye contact. I knew she was going to play the ball high, which is what she did. I just needed to get there.”
Racing now turns its attention to a nationally televised pairing with the reigning NWSL champions NJ/NY Gotham FC, a 12 p.m. June 15 matchup at Lynn Family Stadium that will be broadcast on ESPN.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Houston Dash
Date: June 7, 2024
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Weather: 78 degrees, sunny
Player of the Match: Savannah DeMelo
Scoring
Racing Louisville (0, 2, 2)
Houston Dash (0, 0, 0)
Racing Louisville
62’ Savannah DeMelo
85’ Parker Goins (DeMelo)
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 (90+7’ 6 – Jaelin Howell), 23 – Elexa Bahr (46’ 29 – Uchenna Kanu); 66 – Reilyn Turner (84’ 21 – Parker Goins)
Subs not used: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 5 – Ellie Jean, 10 – Linda Motlhalo, 11 – Yuuka Kurosaki, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 18 – Milly Clegg
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
Houston Dash (3-4-3): 1 – Jane Campbell (c); 3 – Tarciane, 4 – Natalie Jacobs, 7 – Paige Nielsen; 8 – Courtney Petersen, 17 – Sarah Puntigam (78’ 19 – Belle Briede), 30 – Avery Patterson, 13 – Sophie Schmidt (87’ 14 – Yuki Nagasato); 11 – Michelle Alozie, 15 – Barbara Olivieri (78’ 16 – Amanda West), 10 – Andressa (59’ 9 – Diana Ordóñez)
Subs not used: 40 – Erin McKinney; 22 – Croix Soto, 26 – Madison Ayson, 33 – Jyllissa Harris
Head Coach: Fran Alonso
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / Houston Dash
Shots: 13 / 10
Shots on Goal: 4 / 3
Expected goals: 1.38 / 1.35
Possession: 47% / 53%
Fouls: 10 / 12
Offside: 2 / 1
Corners: 5 / 4
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville
60’ Uchenna Kanu (yellow)
78’ Reilyn Turner (yellow)
Houston Dash
43’ Sarah Puntigam (yellow)
45+1’ Fran Alonso (yellow)
Match referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant referees: Joe Suchoski, Matthew Schwartz
Fourth official: Mohamed Sadraoui
Video Assistant Referee: Shawn Tehini
Assistant VAR: Kaili Terry
