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Racing Louisville FC has terminated head coach Christy Holly’s contract for cause, the club announced Tuesday.

Mario Sanchez, head of Soccer Holdings’ youth academy system, will serve as Racing’s interim head coach until a permanent hire is made. A USSF ‘A’ license coach with 21 years of NCAA Division 1 coaching experience, Sanchez originally joined Racing’s parent company, Soccer Holdings, in 2019.

Racing continues its inaugural season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when hosting OL Reign at Lynn Family Stadium.

Racing Louisville FC’s pursuit to become the first NWSL expansion franchise to make the league’s playoffs took a hit Sunday.

Four days after losing to last-place Kansas City, the ladies in lavender dropped a 1-0 result to the eighth-place Houston Dash at BBVA Stadium.

The defeats have Racing at 4-8-4 in its inaugural season, good for ninth on the table and seven points from the current playoff cut line.

Of course, fatigue could have played a part in this week’s results as Louisville wound down a congested portion of its schedule consisting of five games in 15 days.

“I think everybody apart from me is obsessed with the playoffs,” said coach Christy Holly. “Let’s keep things in perspective: We have how many players that were out there tonight in their first season in the NWSL? We need to keep things in perspective. We need to keep getting better. If we keep getting better the results will take care of themselves.

“…The growth in the last three to four days has been more mental — players figuring out how to dig in and how to play through fatigue and how to perform through fatigue, so I do see that level of growth.”

The club had extended its unbeaten streak to four games while hoisting The Women’s Cup — a midseason trophy won over German champion FC Bayern Munich — before Racing hit the road for the Kansas City and Houston games.

A 49th-minute sequence decided the Dash game. At one end of the field, Racing forward Nadia Nadim played in a dangerous cross that Lauren Milliet just missed converting into a shot at the face of goal.

Seconds later, Louisville turned over possession near the midfield line, where the Dash’s Shea Groom played Nichelle Prince in behind the opposing defense. Prince found Rachel Daly, and the England international finished a game-winning goal.

“Nads had a great ball in the box, Lo made a great run to the near post, any other night that goes into the back of the net and we’re up one to zero instead of turning around and conceding a goal,” said Racing’s vice captain, Savannah McCaskill. “We have to do better as far as counter-measures. We have to be able to realize moments that we’re stretched and just clear balls instead of forcing them into pockets, and we just have to take care of the ball.

“There was still plenty of time on the clock. I think we ran out of energy and pulled back, but those are crucial moments that we’re going to have to really learn from and not let happen on a continual basis.”

Racing controlled the majority of possession — 54.7% — but struggled to produce chances from it, getting out-shot 13-5 by Houston.

Holly’s lineup consisted of four changes from Wednesday, including the first career NWSL start for defender Julia Ashley at right back.

“With all these games comes injury — comes people not being able to play on certain nights, and so my opportunity just came tonight,” Ashley said. “I just was talking to (Holly) right before this and I thanked him for the opportunity tonight, and he told me that I’d earned it. Every day I’ve been trying to do the right things to stay healthy, and it just happened for me tonight so I was excited about it.”

Racing limited the damage after Daly’s goal when a Kristie Mewis chance from inside the box flew wide in the 60th minute, and Prince’s attempt to score at the near post was denied.

Louisville can lay claim to the best look of the night that didn’t result in a goal. A 10th-minute scrum in front of Houston’s goal started with a blocked shot that caromed to Freja Olofsson, whose point-blank try was also denied — and left Racing’s players appealing for a handball.

Alas, a penalty wasn’t awarded, and the Dash went on to avenge a 1-0 Racing victory when these clubs first met back on June 20.

Eight games remain for Racing to gain points needed to qualify for the playoffs, with the next of them at 7:30 p.m. Saturday as OL Reign visits Lynn Family Stadium.

Game Summary: Houston Dash vs. Racing Louisville FC

Venue: BBVA Stadium

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

Weather: 90 degrees, clear

Player of the Match: Cece Kizer

Scoring

Houston Dash (0, 1, 1)

Racing Louisville FC (0, 0, 0)

Goals

Houston Dash:

49’ Rachel Daly (assisted by Nichelle Prince)

Stats Summary: Houston Dash / Racing Louisville FC

Shots: 14 / 5

Shots on Goal: 4 / 3

Fouls: 14 / 11

Offside: 2 / 2

Corner Kicks: 4 / 3

Saves: 3 / 3

Lineups

Houston Dash: 1 – Jane Campbell, 9 – Haley Hanson, 25 – Katie Naughton, 2 – Allysha Chapman, 11 – Megan Oyster, 13 – Sophie Schmidt (81’ 5 – Gabby Seiler), 6 – Shea Groom, 19 – Kristie Mewis (81’ 34 – Michaela Abam), 12 – Veronica Latsko (71’ 22 – Jasmyne Spencer), 8 – Nichelle Prince (90+2’ 14 – Bri Visalli), 3 – Rachel Daly

Subs not used: 35 – Michelle Alozie, 24 – Jamia Fields, 27 – Annika Schmidt, 20 – Lindsey Harris, 33 – Makamae Gomera-Stevens

Racing Louisville FC: 1 – Michelle Betos, 18 – Kaleigh Riehl, 14 – Nealy Martin, 16 – Julia Ashley (53’ 3 – Erin Simon), 11 – Emily Fox (53’ 15 – Brooke Hendrix), 7 – Savannah McCaskill, 2 – Lauren Milliet (65’ 33 – Jorian Baucom), 5 – Cece Kizer, 8 – Freja Olofsson, 13 – Emina Ekic (65’ 9 – Ebony Salmon), 10 – Nadia Nadim

Subs not used: 19 – Taylor Otto, 22 – Katie McClure, 23 – Katie Lund, 17 – Yuki Nagasato

Discipline Summary

Racing Louisville: 68’ Jorian Baucom (yellow)

Houston Dash: 73’ Katie Naughton (yellow)

Racing Louisville: 82’ Erin Simon (yellow)

Houston Dash: 90+7’ Bri Visalli (yellow)

Houston Dash: 90+8’ Haley Hanson (yellow)

Referee: Alexandra Billeter

Assistant Referees: Jennifer Garner, Melissa Beck

Fourth Official: Hector Hernandez

Racing Louisville FC, which has achieved mixed results in August, wraps up the busiest month of its inaugural season at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday when playing away to the Houston Dash.

Racing is 1-1-2 in NWSL play and across all competitions and just a week separated from hoisting The Women’s Cup trophy after defeating FC Bayern Munich on penalty kicks.

As the ladies in lavender chase a playoff spot — this marks their fifth game in 15 days — they’ll do so against a Dash squad Racing defeated 1-0 back on June 20 when Ebony Salmon scored seconds into her club debut at Lynn Family Stadium.

The return meeting at BBVA Compass Stadium will see Houston welcome a number of Olympians to its rotation. Allysha Chapman, Nichelle Prince and Sophie Schmidt won gold with Canada, while Kristie Mewis and Jane Campbell took bronze for the United States.

But perhaps the most important return for the Dash is their 2019 leading goal scorer, England’s Rachel Daly, who has made only one NWSL appearance since leaving for international duty in early June.

Racing has likewise bolstered its squad, adding forward Nadia Nadim following that first meeting. Nadim — fresh off winning a French title with Paris Saint-Germain — has already scored two goals and added an assist in a 2-1 midweek loss at Kansas City.

Sunday’s matchup carries plenty of weight in the league standings as well with Houston two points ahead of Racing in eighth. A win for Louisville would move the expansion side to within two points of a playoff spot.

Here’s more of what to watch for…

Coach Christy Holly says…

“I think there are going to be a lot of firsts. We are a brand-new team. There is a lot of firsts. It is up to us as a coaching staff and as a team to recognize those moments and allow that to galvanize the team.”

“I think there is so much learning going on. These players have taken it on board. We have been fortunate to bring in experienced pieces to sprinkle in experience across the team. There is no better teacher than the game. You must be burned a little bit. You must be cut up a little bit to understand what this game can do to you. There is no day off. “

Follow along

For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. Also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.

Watch the match on Paramount+ with play by play from Michael Minnich and color commentary by Kaylyn Kyle. Internationally, fans can also stream the match on Twitch. 

Notes to know

Finding a response: While Racing was defeated Wednesday, the club did end a season-long trend. In each of its prior losses, the team was shut out. This time, after going down 2-0 Louisville managed a second half goal before failing to equalize.

KC Kizer: Playing in her hometown for the first time, forward Cece Kizer found the back of the net in the 65th minute from a slipped through-ball by Nadia Nadim. This goal marked Kizer’s second during the regular season and her fourth across all competitions for the Overland Park, Kan., native.

On the scoresheet: Having missed The Women’s Cup with a sore hamstring, Nadim picked right back up with her production Wednesday to nab her first Racing assist. Nadim has now contributed to goals in three straight appearances having also scored goals Aug. 8 against Kansas City and Aug. 15 at NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Brick wall Betos: Goalkeeper Michelle Betos continues to trend toward a historic season. Through 15 games, she has logged 80 saves. With nine games left to play this season, she is on pace to surpass Aubrey Bledsoe and Kaelin Sheridan’s NWSL record 108 saves set in 2018.

Tale of two halves: That’s what coach Christy Holly called the Kansas City game, and the slow start showed on the stat sheet. Racing conceded six shots on target and didn’t get one itself in the first 45 minutes. Kansas City tried only five shots in the second half as the visitors got the only goal of the frame.

Making a splash: Forward Ebony Salmon will have fond memories of the last time Racing saw the Dash. The 20-year-old from England scored a game-winning goal seconds into her club debut with a nice turn in the box, landing her No. 1 on SportsCenter’s Top 10. Salmon has gone on to number five goals and an assist as an NWSL rookie.

Unfamiliar Territory: Houston’s BBVA Stadium is the final venue in the league Racing will visit this season for the first time. Located downtown, it’s also home to Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo and sports a capacity of 22,039

Texas connections: Two players now with Racing — Kizer and defender Erin Simon — previously played for the Dash. Both were selected by their current club in the 2020 NWSL Expansion Draft and have gone on to become regular starters in Louisville. Additionally, goalkeeper Katie Lund grew up four hours north of Houston in Plano, Texas.

Injury report

• Julia Ashley – Questionable
• Gemma Bonner – Questionable
• Addisyn Merrick – Out
• Cheyna Matthews – Out

Milestone watch

Michelle Betos is one shutout away from her 15th NWSL regular season shutout and would be one of seven players to earn that stat. 

Yuki Nagasato is one goal away from her 15th NWSL regular season goal. 

Savannah McCaskill is one start from her 45th NWSL regular season start.

You can’t have an off night in the NWSL, coach Christy Holly is fond of saying, or opponents will take advantage. His Racing Louisville FC side received a reminder of that Wednesday.

Days after the ladies in lavender upped their unbeaten streak to four games across all competitions — including a trophy-winning victory over FC Bayern Munich to cap The Women’s Cup — they came out flat to open at Kansas City.

The fellow expansion side scored both its goals in the first half of a 2-1 game at Legends Field, and the opening 45 minutes would have been worse if not for another exemplary performance by goalkeeper Michelle Betos.

Racing coach Christy Holly called it a “tale of two halves” as his side managed to cut the deficit in the second half off a goal from Kansas City native Cece Kizer. But an equalizer eluded the club in what was a tiring fourth game in a span of 15 days.

“We entered the game with a hangover — a bit of a mist or a fog from the busy schedule we’ve had,” Holly added. “You could tell right away we weren’t ready from the very first kick of the game. It was a question of how long we could absorb it.

“We came out the second half, and I’ve got to give full credit. It’s a testament to who they are in how they want to do things. They’re not going to go down without a fight. They got after the game in the second half and created some good opportunities.”

Kizer’s 65th-minute strike was the product of a give-and-go sequence with fellow forward Nadia Nadim. The shot curled just in at the near post and past U.S. international Adrianna Franch, another hometown Kansas City hero recently traded from Portland Thorns FC.

Franch, however, didn’t have much other work to do on an evening her counterpart couldn’t say the same. Betos saved four Kansas City shots in the game’s opening 15 minutes before a deflected Kristen Hamilton cross turned into a Racing own goal off the foot of Erin Simon.

In the 40th minute, the hosts doubled their lead when Hamilton got in behind to finish a counter. Hamilton nearly had another into first half stoppage time, but Betos came off her line to thwart a one-on-one chance.

“We’re far enough along in the season where we know we can’t show up to any place and do that,” Betos said of the slow start. “It’s a tough month. Games are coming hard and fast. We have to have short-term memories and move forward.

“We got stretched, honestly, from the first kick. They were better than us. They were working harder than us. That’s just not something we settle for. That’s not who we are.”

Kizer made the goal her second of the regular season after also scoring twice during the NWSL Challenge Cup. For Nadim, it was a first assist in lavender since she joined the club earlier this summer.

“I had told my family that if I scored tonight it was for them,” Kizer said. “They’re my support system and they’re the ones that have gotten me here. So just to play in front of them and to play in front not only family, but friends – high school teammates, club teammates, all that – tonight and to get that gaol, was just a really rewarding feeling for me.

“That goal was for all of them and for all the years that they put in behind the scenes to get me to where I am.”

Racing will stay on the road, going from Kansas City straight to a visit to Kizer’s former club, the Houston Dash, for a 7:30 p.m. Sunday kickoff. The club sits at 4-7-4, with 16 points five off the postseason cut line.

Game Summary: Kansas City vs. Racing Louisville FC

Venue: Legends Field

Kickoff: 8 p.m.

Weather: 93 degrees, clear

Player of the Match: Cece Kizer

Scoring

Kansas City (2, 0, 2)

Racing Louisville FC (0, 1, 1)

Goals

Kansas City:

17’ Own goal

40’ Kristen Hamilton (Hailie Mace assist)

Racing Louisville FC:

65’ Cece Kizer (Nadia Nadim assist)

Stats Summary: Kansas City / Racing Louisville FC

Shots: 14 / 6

Shots on Goal: 7 /2

Fouls: 13 / 13

Offside: 3 / 2

Corner Kicks: 6 / 2

Saves: 1 / 6

Lineups

Kansas City: 1 — Adrianna Franch, 6 — Katie Bowen, 3 — Kristen Edmonds, 7 — Elizabeth Ball, 23 — Kiara Pickett, 9 — Lo’eau LoBonta, 20 — Mallory Weber (72’ 14 Gaby Vincent), 99 — Victoria Pickett, 4 — Hailie Mace (46’ 13 — Darian Jenkins), 25 — Kristen Hamilton (86’ 77 — Jéssica Silva), 28 — Addie McCain (74’ 66 — Chloe Logarzo)

Subs not used: 0 — Katelyn Rowland, 21 — Mariana Larroquette, 15 — Michele Vasconcelos, 5 — Sydney Miramontez, 29 — Kate Del Fava

Racing Louisville FC: 1 – Michelle Betos, 16 — Kaleigh Riehl, 11 — Emily Fox (71’ 16 — Julia Ashley), 4 — Gemma Bonner, 3 — Erin Simon (46’ 12 — Sinclaire Miramontez), 10 — Nadia Nadim (71’ 33 — Jorian Baucom), 5 — Cece Kizer, 7 — Savannah McCaskill, 8 — Freja Olofsson (46’ 19 — Taylor Otto), 17 — Yuki Nagasato (71’ 2 — Lauren Milliet), 9 — Ebony Salmon

Subs not used: 23 — Katie Lund, 14 — Nealy Martin, 13 — Emina Ekic, 22 — Katie McClure

Discipline Summary

Kansas City: 10’ Elizabeth Ball (yellow)

Racing Louisville: 27’ Nadia Nadim (yellow)

Kansas City: 45’+ Lo’eau LoBonta (yellow)

Kansas City: 50’ Mallory Weber (yellow)

Kansas City: 79’ Gaby Vincent (yellow)

Racing Louisville: 88’ Sinclaire Miramontez (yellow)

Racing Louisville: 90’+ Sinclaire Miramontez (second yellow)

Referee: Michael Radchuk