Racing Louisville FC rounds out league play until July on Prime Video, playing host to expansion outfit Denver Summit FC at 8 p.m. Friday at Lynn Family Stadium.
It’ll be the first-ever clash between Racing and Denver, who began play at the beginning of this season as one of the NWSL’s two expansion teams, alongside Boston Legacy FC.
The finale ahead of the extended summer break through June, for the start of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, will be Louisville’s annual Pride Night. Complimentary Pride bandanas for the first 2,000 fans, courtesy of U.S. Bank, and Zambelli postgame fireworks headline the night. For tickets and further information, visit RacingLouFC.com/pride/.
Racing (2-7-1, 7 points) finished up the first third of its 2026 regular-season schedule last Saturday, suffering a 2-1 loss to the North Carolina Courage at home. It was the club’s first defeat at Lynn Family Stadium in just over eight months. Louisville had picked up two wins, including one against second-place Portland Thorns FC, and a draw at home prior to the setback this year.
It was an encounter that once again highlighted just how little separation there has been in defeat. All seven of Racing’s losses in 2026 have been by a single goal.
Though the opening to the season has presented its challenges, Friday acts as a massive chance to ride into the break with momentum. Louisville’s next match after Friday isn’t until July 5 at Portland Thorns FC.
Captain Arin Wright put it simply: “It is important to go [into] this break on a high note — you can’t go into this break with the run of games that we’ve had and feeling like you have to build some morale.”
On the flip side, Denver is hoping to bounce back after a 2-1 rivalry loss last week to Utah Royals FC.
Overall, the Summit, spearheaded by head coach Nick Cushing, formerly of Manchester City, roll into Friday with a 3-4-3 start to life in the NWSL.
The Colorado outfit, which currently sits in 12th position, picked up two consecutive dominant wins prior to the Utah defeat. That included a 4-1 road drubbing of the Houston Dash on May 9.
Since league play resumed after the April international break, Denver’s attack has been one of the most potent in the NWSL. The club’s 12 goals since Matchweek Five are tied for the league lead with the Kansas City Current.
Follow Along
- The contest will be streamed on Prime Video, available online at amazon.com/primevideo or via the app on Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku as well as most connected devices. Local radio coverage will air on SportsTalk 790 AM.
- For the starting lineup and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. You can also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.
Story Lines…
Heads up play, captain: Racing captain Arin Wright brought a goal back late on in the loss to the North Carolina Courage — her first tally of the season. Wright redirected a brilliant Katie O’Kane corner kick with a convincing header. It was the Kentucky native’s second league goal for Louisville since joining the club in January 2024. In addition to the goal, Wright led Racing in two key defensive categories last Saturday: interceptions (4) and clearances (6).
A debut in net: In relief of Jordyn Bloomer, who left last week’s game due to injury in the 22nd minute, Maddie Prohaska stepped in to make her NWSL debut between the sticks. The former Seattle Reign FC keeper played with impressive conviction from the jump, making two total saves on the night. Prohaska is in her first year in Louisville, having come to the club via trade from Seattle in mid-January.
Finding a way late on: Time and time again, Racing has proven to be a productive team late in games. Louisville is tied for the league lead for goals scored in the final 15 minutes of games (5). Denver, on the other hand, has managed just two. Wright’s finish was Racing’s third such goal across the last three matches.
Letting it slip: Denver has struggled to hold on to its advantages this season. No club has dropped more points from winning positions this season than the Summit (8). That’s tied with Portland Thorns FC for the league lead. Denver squandered first-half leads in back-to-back matches a few weeks ago, including one at home where it led San Diego Wave FC by two goals after 45 minutes.
Familiar faces: The Summit’s inaugural roster includes a few former Louisville standouts. Janine Sonis, who made 36 appearances across two seasons for Racing while also serving as club captain in five games last year, will make her return to Lynn Family Stadium Friday for the first time since departing the team in the offseason. The Colorado native, Sonis, was dealt to the expansion side in early January from Louisville. She has impressively recorded four goals across nine matches so far. Carson Pickett is also a member of this year’s Summit side. Pickett amassed just over 3,100 minutes in lavender throughout 2023 and 2024. Denver also signed ex-Racing midfielder Jordan Baggett in the offseason, but she has yet to appear for Denver, on maternity leave.
Acclimating quite well: Newcomers lead the way for Denver — two of the club’s three leading goal scorers hadn’t played an NWSL minute until this year. Natasha Flint and Melissa Kössler have started in each of the first 10 matches, combining for eight goals and two assists. Flint came to Denver first on loan through March with an option to buy from USL Super League side Tampa Bay Sun FC in January. However, she recently inked a permanent two-year deal on April 17. Kössler, a German forward, was a consistent goal threat for TSG Hoffenheim of the Frauen-Bundesliga before moving to Colorado ahead of the Summit’s inaugural campaign.
