Statement made. On Ali Night at Lynn Family Stadium, Racing Louisville FC answered the bell from last week’s road loss to defeat the reigning NWSL champion Orlando Pride by a 2-0 decision Friday, ending the 2025 season’s first half on a high note.
Defender Arin Wright headed home her first goal as a Racing player before Taylor Flint delivered the knockout blow on a penalty kick. As a result, Racing Louisville improved to 6-5-2 through 13 games. The 20 points are the most for a Racing team at this point in a season and good for fifth — a playoff spot — in the NWSL standings.
“It’s very rewarding for us to do it at home and to play in the fashion that we played in tonight,” said head coach Bev Yanez. “… The group knew we needed a response. The group wanted a response. I think what you saw tonight was a fantastic response from the group, so (I’m) very pleased.
“… The group believes and the group is committed. Those are the things that you can’t teach. You can teach football…but you can’t teach people just wanting to play for this city, wanting to play for this club and really feeling like that identity is very flourished within the group.”
Friday marked the fourth straight game Louisville scored multiple goals — a first for the club. It was also the first time the Pride had conceded more than once in a game in 56 days.
The hosts came out swinging, setting the tone on Wright’s 30th-minute goal. Racing’s captain was left unmarked to redirect a Courtney Petersen corner kick into the net. Sarah Weber’s relentlessness later drew a foul at the edge of the box, setting up Flint to double the lead with her 68th-minute penalty.
Racing’s defense also played a key role in securing the three points. Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer recorded a career-high seven saves in her seventh start this season as the Pride — who feature star striker Barbra Banda — were held to 0.76 expected goals. That was the visitors’ second-lowest total of the season.
Wright called it the best performance by Racing’s back four this season. She played alongside Ellie Jean, Lauren Milliet and Petersen.
“I think me and EJ, we just know each other now, right?” Wright said. “I know when she’s going to step, I know how to cover. Lo (Milliet) is just everywhere on the field. … I think Courtney is coming into her own as well as an outside back. It’s so cohesive, and when you get to a point in soccer when you don’t have to talk to each other and you just know in your brain what the next person is going to do, you’ve got something going.”
Racing narrowly missed the NWSL playoffs last year while earning 28 points in its 26 games. The club, on 20 points through 16 games this season, will finish this weekend no lower than seventh on a tightly packed league table. Louisville is aiming to qualify for the playoffs for the first time.
“It’s all about us. We’re not really focused on the other team like I think we did a little of that last year,” Flint said. “It was more of what are they going to do and how are we going to adapt. Now it’s just more of what are we going to do — what’s our identity? I think that’s a huge part of how we’ve been winning all these games.”
With the first half of the 2025 NWSL campaign now completed, Racing enters a month-plus break from league play. Next on the docket, however, is a July 13 friendly at Lynn Family Stadium against Kentucky’s other professional women’s soccer team, Lexington SC of the new USL Super League. For tickets and further information, visit RacingLoufc.com/lexington.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Orlando Pride
Date: June 20, 2025
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Weather: 82 degrees, mostly sunny
Attendance: 5,469
Scoring
Racing Louisville FC (1, 1, 2)
Orlando Pride (0, 0, 0)
Goals:
Racing Louisville FC
30’ Arin Wright (Courtney Petersen)
68’ Taylor Flint (penalty)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 11 – Courtney Petersen, 3 – Arin Wright (c), 5 – Ellie Jean, 2 – Lauren Milliet, 26 – Taylor Flint, 8 – Ary Borges (66’ 20 – Katie O’Kane), 7 – Savannah DeMelo, 16 – Janine Sonis, 42 – Sarah Weber (90’+2 14 – Marisa DiGrande), 13 – Emma Sears (78’ 6 – Ella Hase)
Subs not used: 33 – Cristina Roque; 4 – Elli Pikkujämsa, 15 – Ángela Barón, 19 – Jordan Baggett, 29 – Uchenna Kanu, 32 – Avery Kalitta
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
Orlando Pride: 1 – Anna Moorhouse; 21 – Oihane Hernández (13’ 25 – Kerry Abello), 3 – Kylie Nadaner, 6 – Emily Sams, 12 – Cori Dyke (71’ 35 – Simone Jackson), 28 – Summer Yates (46’ 19 – Carson Pickett), 2 – Haley McCutcheon (71’ 30 – Ally Lemos), 15 – Angelina, 11 – Ally Watt, 22 – Barbra Banda, 10 – Marta (c) (71’ 16 – Morgan Gautrat)
Subs not used: 40 – McKinley Crone; 9 – Prisca Chilufya, 14 – Viviana Villacorta, 34 – Zara Chavoshi
Head Coach: Seb Hines
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville FC / Orlando Pride
Shots: 14 / 16
Shots on Goal: 3 / 7
Expected goals: 2.60 / 0.76
Possession: 35.8% / 64.2%
Fouls: 10 / 8
Offside: 2 / 0
Corners: 3 / 11
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville FC:
71’ Taylor Flint (yellow)
83’ Katie O’Kane (yellow)
Orlando Pride:
43’ Haley McCutcheon (yellow)
Match referee: John Matto
