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Racing Louisville FC will continue its inaugural season Wednesday at a place the new club has played its best: Lynn Family Stadium.

Racing hosts league power North Carolina Courage at 7:30 p.m., looking to extend a three-game home unbeaten streak matched across the league only by the table-topping Orlando Pride and Chicago Red Stars.

Prior to Wednesday, at Lynn Family Stadium the club opened its inaugural season with a May 15 draw against Kansas City, defeated the Washington Spirit on May 21 and Sunday registered a victory over the Houston Dash.

Racing has out-scored opponents 3-0 in all at home.

Opened last year in the Butchertown neighborhood close to downtown, Lynn Family Stadium is also home to the USL Championship’s Louisville City FC. So far, Racing has averaged attendance of 6,201 in its regular season home games at a venue that features safe-standing supporter zones and seating in close proximity to the pitch.

The only club to have defeated Racing at its house? Coincidentally, that’s the Courage, who came away with a 3-2 victory April 26 in the preseason Challenge Cup tournament.

Here’s what to watch for as North Carolina returns…

Coach Christy Holly says…

“Three games in (seven) days and starting off on probably the hottest days of the year, it’s a lot, right? We keep things in perspective. One with the club of where we’re at, and two what this week is and the types of teams we’re playing — North Carolina followed by Chicago. So, there’s massive challenges, but we spoke during the game: We may have won 1-0 (on Sunday), but did we get better? Did we apply different lessons throughout previous weeks to our performance? If the answer is yes, then yes, we’re moving forward. If the answer is no, we sit down, we hash it out and we go again. We ask for the more experienced players to kind of lead these conversations, make sure it’s more of a two-way conversation — one in terms of how we recover, replenish ourselves — and two, how do we look at the game, take the lessons and out them into our next performance.”

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 Mike Watts and color commentary by Anna Witte. Internationally, fans can watch the match on the NWSL’s Twitch channel. 

Notes to know

Recent rematch: Racing will be seeking a much better result than the last time it saw the Courage, as the 2018 and 2019 NWSL champs posted a 5-0 victory back on May 28. That night, North Carolina welcomed back star midfielder Sam Mewis, who can soon expect a call up for the Tokyo Olympics. The roster features U.S. international forward Lynn Williams and prolific Brazilian midfielder Debinha as well.

Salmon’s heroics: If you watch SportsCenter, you’ve witnessed it. Sunday’s No. 1 play saw English forward Ebony Salmon sub on Sunday in the 71st minute against Houston and only seconds later use some fancy footwork to slip behind the defense and net a game winner in her NWSL debut. Salmon, 20, arrived to Louisville earlier this month after The Athletic named her the FA Women’s Super League’s young Player of the Year for 2020-2021, then with Bristol City.

Brick wall Betos: Racing has called upon its team captain for plenty of help, and goalkeeper Michelle Betos has almost always obliged. Her 34 saves lead the NWSL and are 13 more than second on the list, NJ/NY Gotham FC’s Kailen Sheridan. The New York native Betos — the NWSL’s 2015 Goalkeeper of the Year— made seven saves to preserve a shutout in the Houston win.

Defensive dynamo: Having arrived recently on transfer from England’s Manchester City, Gemma Bonner made her debut Sunday at center back to much success. Along a defensive line that held a clean sheet, she led Racing with eight clearances and stayed involved with 56 passes, also most on her team, complementing a solid four-tackle performance by left back Emily Fox.

More reinforcements: Salmon and Bonner aren’t the only newly available players for Racing. Defender Julia Ashley, who has dealt with a hamstring pull, subbed on Sunday in the 85th minute for her first regular season appearance. Defender Addie Merrick (back) and forward Cheyna Matthews (hip) have also returned to full training as of late, eligible to begin picking up more minutes soon.

Finding her role: Forward Savannah McCaskill, seen often in a winger’s role last year for the Chicago Red Stars, has played in behind Racing’s top line in the club’s debut season. On Sunday, she continued to show growth in distribution, leading her side with 26 passes in the opponent’s half of the field, including a run and give to Salmon that led to an assist. McCaskill also tried five crosses and made four key passes, also team highs.

Managerial matchup: Racing coach Christy Holly has faced off against Courage head coach Paul Riley six times. During those meetings, Holly posted a 1-3 record against Riley while leading Sky Blue FC, now known as Gotham FC. Two of the defeats came prior to the Courage relocating from Buffalo, N.Y., as the Western New York Flash to their current base in Cary, N.C.

Carolina connections: Five of Racing’s 22 rostered players have links to North Carolina. Both Merrick and midfielder Lauren Milliet played for the Courage before they were selected by Racing in the 2020 NWSL Expansion Draft. Midfielder Sinclaire Miramontez was also originally drafted by the Courage. Additionally Ashley, Fox and midfielder Taylor Otto all played collegiately at nearby UNC.

Injury Report

• Taylor Otto – Out
• Noelle Higginson – Out
• Addisyn Merrick – Questionable
• Brooke Hendrix – Questionable
• Cece Kizer – Questionable
• Ebony Salmon – Questionable

Milestone watch

• Savannah McCaskill is two goals away from her 10th across all NWSL competitions.
• Michelle Betos is one appearance away from her 100th professional appearance.

Thomas Costello covers the NWSL for Beyond Women’s Sports, which offers stories throughout the world of women’s professional and collegiate athletics. Follow Thomas on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.

Racing Louisville FC came back from the international break Sunday and put prior results in the rearview mirror. At Lynn Family Stadium, against an always dangerous Houston Dash side, the NWSL expansion club extended its unbeaten streak at home with a 1-0 victory. The showing proved that when Racing is healthy and new faces get a chance to acclimate, this team’s ceiling can push higher.

Here are a few lessons learned from Louisville’s second-ever victory.

Fresh faces shine

Louisville and NWSL supporters will talk about Ebony Salmon’s game-winning goal for a long time. In the 71st minute, seconds after subbing on, the 20-year-old English striker made an incredible individual effort to move around two Houston defenders and bury the first shot of her NWSL career. Head coach Christy Holly shared in the excitement.

“She’s going to push the standard,” he said. “She’s just going to make us better, which is fantastic, both in the games and the training environment.”

The social media chatter around the goal was warranted, and there will likely be some Salmon jerseys in the stands soon. But she wasn’t the only significant new addition to Racing’s rotation on Sunday.

Veteran defender Gemma Bonner, who recently plied her trade with Manchester City in the FA Women’s Super League, played a full 90 minutes at center back to mark her first minutes since December due to a combination of injury and COVID-19 diagnosis.

After an initial 15 minutes in which Bonner made some passing mistakes, picking up a yellow card as the emotions of the day took their toll, she calmed and her performance upped. Bonner positioned herself well against a left side of the field for Houston that includes U.S. international Kristie Mewis. Bonner cleared chances off the line and completed the most passes for Louisville on the day, 56.

“First half we were disappointed with how we were,” said Bonner. “We were giving away easy chances, but I think in the second half, we really tightened up and when you got the likes of Ebony coming from the bench, with her first touch and doing what she did, it was thoroughly deserved today.”

Taking their shots

Prior to Sunday’s victory, Louisville came into the match with five shots on goal registered in four regular season matches. Against Houston, the club doubled its total.

Racing still required goalkeeper Michelle Betos to make key saves, seven total and the biggest in the 87th minute off a Veronica Latsko shot. But getting more shots of their own on frame shows progress.

All five on target came from different players, too. Aside from Salmon’s magnificent goal, Emina Ekic, Lauren Milliet, Cece Kizer and Freja Olofsson all made Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell work. A big reason for the improved offensive attack goes to vice captain Savannah McCaskill.

McCaskill took advantage of the midfield all day. Her effort on defense turned into chances down the pitch. Before the Estopinal End went crazy in the backdrop of Salmon’s goal, it was McCaskill who charged through, fought off a Houston defender and set up the chance, earning an assist. It was one of four chances she created on the afternoon.

Racing’s dynamic offensive midfielder is showing the league what she can do now that’s she’s on a side that allows her to play her style of the game.

Schedule congestion next

Post-match, Holly and Bonner both spoke about the busy week ahead. On Wednesday, Racing welcomes NC Courage back to Louisville, where they have the chance to avenge a 5-0 loss from May 28. Saturday, the club travels to meet the Chicago Red Stars for the first time in franchise history.

Those opponents promise a dynamic style of play different from Houston’s counter attacking soccer.

“I think in training if we can keep it competitive and healthy then every single player here is supporting whoever’s on the pitch no matter if they’re on the bench or in the stands,” said Bonner. “I think that’s a real great quality that we’ve got. We’re always pushing each other and you know that when you step out on the pitch you have everyone’s support behind you.”

Louisville is showing the league that it can adapt. Racing made adjustments Sunday after a Houston first half that looked like past performances in the regular season: a lot of shots allowed and having to make do with what possession it earned.

But for almost 30 minutes of the second half, Louisville adapted and become the aggressor. They take those lessons with them into Wednesday.

“We may have won 1-0, but did we get better?” asked Holly. “Did we apply different lessons from previous weeks to our performance today? If the answers yes, then yes, we’re moving forward. If the answer is no, we sit down tomorrow, we hash it out and we go again.”

All of 20 years old, Ebony Salmon recently arrived to Louisville with plenty of promise. It took her less than 60 seconds to start living up to it.

The new Racing Louisville FC forward came on as a 71st-minute substitution Sunday and scored nearly instantly thanks to a nifty bit of footwork, sparking her new side to a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dash at Lynn Family Stadium.

Salmon, named England’s FA Women’s Super League Young Player of the Year by the Athletic exiting the 2020-2021 season with Bristol City, was announced as a new Racing signing in May. She then joined training in June toward Sunday’s debut NWSL appearance.

“Watching from the bench I knew that I could come on and create something, but definitely I was surprised that I came on and scored so quick,” Salmon said. “I think it’s been a really good two weeks of training with the girls, and I’ve just wanted to get myself going and get into a game, and I think that getting in 20, 25 minutes in the bank and getting a goal is a really good start for me.”

En route to her strike, Salmon controlled a well-played ball through from teammate Savannah McCaskill, initially finding her back to the goal. With a couple of flicks, she dribbled in behind and finished smoothly to the goalkeeper’s left, scoring the same minute in which she entered the game.

Salmon went on to number two more shots after her goal and numbered 15 total touches in limited time on the pitch to mark the start of what she could do for Racing.

“I think the big thing for us was to be able to attract Ebony,” said Racing’s head coach, Christy Holly. “I don’t know how many people in America truly knew what Ebony could do and maybe what she’ll go on to do. We’re very excited about it.

“We know she’s a project. We know she’s got a lot of growth ahead of her, but to be able to turn to the bench and have that type of player come off the bench and really introduce herself to the NWSL with a soccer player’s finish is something we’re very excited about.”

The victory — a second across all competitions for the expansion club — moved Racing to 2-1-2 with Salmon not the only newcomer available to Holly exiting a recent international break.

Manchester City transfer Gemma Bonner went the full 90 minutes Sunday at center back, Julia Ashley subbed on at outside back for her regular season debut, and defender Addie Merrick was available for the first time as a substitute on the return from a back injury.

One constant remained: Racing needed a big performance from its team captain to stay in the game. Goalkeeper Michelle Betos tallied seven saves and punched away another Houston chance on an afternoon when the attempts came in bunches.

Betos turned away shots in the 31s and 33rd minutes, the latter leading to a Dash header into the back of the net disallowed for offside. Later, an 87th-minute sequence in goal held a lead when Betos made her final save and a pair of defensive blocks followed.

“Everyone’s young, everyone’s coming hungry, and we just want to get better as a team and grow, and I think hopefully today was another good step in the right direction,” Bonner said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of things we can be better at, especially from the first half but I think the way that we managed the game a bit better in the heat, we can definitely take those positives forward into the next part of the season.”

Racing, which dropped a pair of lopsided away results before the international break, is 2-0-1 at home early in its inaugural regular season — all of them clean sheets. That record will be tested when perennial NWSL power NC Courage visits for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium.

Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Houston Dash

Venue: Lynn Family Stadium

Kickoff: 3 p.m.

Weather: 90 degrees, partly cloudy

Player of the Match: Ebony Salmon

Attendance: 5,971

Scoring

Racing Louisville FC (0, 1, 1)

Houston Dash (0, 0, 0)

Goals

Racing Louisville FC:

71’ Ebony Salmon (assisted by McCaskill)

Stats Summary: Racing Louisville FC / Houston Dash

Shots: 11 / 23

Shots on Goal: 5 / 8

Fouls: 6 / 7

Offside: 5 / 4

Corner Kicks: 4 / 6

Saves: 7 / 4

Lineups

Racing Louisville FC: 1 – Michelle Betos, 14 – Nealy Martin, 4 – Gemma Bonner, 3 – Erin Simon (85’ 16 – Julia Ashley), 5 – Cece Kizer (71’ 9 – Ebony Salmon), 2 – Lauren Milliet (85’ 12 – Sinclaire Miramontez), 8 – Freja Olofsson, 11 – Emily Fox, 13 – Emina Ekic (56’ 22 – Katie McClure), 17 – Yuki Nagasato (90 + 6’ 20 – Cheyna Matthews), 7 – Savannah McCaskill (90 + 6’ 18 – Kaleigh Riehl)

Subs not used: 23 – Katie Lund, 26 – Addisyn Merrick, 33 – Jorian Baucom

Houston Dash: 1 – Jane Campbell, 2 – Allysha Chapman, 25 – Katie Naughton, 11 – Megan Oyster (81’ 23 – Ally Prisock), 9 – Haley Hanson, 13 – Sophie Schmidt (86’ 14 – Brianna Visalli), 19 – Kristie Mewis, 6 – Shea Groom (68’ 5 – Gabby Seiler), 7 – Maria Sanchez (68’ 22 – Jasmyne Spencer), 8 – Nichelle Prince (86’ 33 – Makamae Gomera-Stevens), 12 – Veronica Latsko

Subs not used: 24 – Jamia Fields, 20 – Lindsey Harris

Discipline Summary

Racing Louisville FC: Bonner (yellow) 10’

Houston Dash: Latsko (yellow) 7’

Referee: Laura Rodriguez

Assistant Referees: Meghan Mullen, Maggie Short

Fourth Official: Chris Schurfranz

After the NWSL’s international break, a revitalized Racing Louisville FC returns to action Sunday when hosting the Houston Dash at 3 p.m. inside Lynn Family Stadium.

While the club dropped its last two games by a combined 8-0 score — defeats at NC Courage and Portland Thorns FC — those came without the services of key players newly available for selection this weekend.

In recent weeks, English defender Gemma Bonner and forward Ebony Salmon have integrated with the team; defender Addisyn Merrick has been medically cleared for the first time this season; and forward Cheyna Matthews continued to get fit, making two starts with Jamaica’s national team while on international duty.

Racing, at 1-2-1 overall, could use the help on this upcoming stretch, which consists of three games in six days. After the Houston tilt, the Courage visit Wednesday before Louisville travels to Chicago the following Saturday.

As for the Dash, who are 2-2-1, the 2020 Challenge Cup champs have seen players’ stocks rise significantly over the last year. Midfielder Kristie Mewis and goalkeeper Jane Campbell are on the radar to represent the United States in the Olympics, while England’s Rachel Daly and Canada’s Sophie Schmidt are international standouts.

Here’s more of what to watch for Sunday…

Coach Christy Holly says…

“You know how much we love playing at Lynn Family Stadium. It is one, because the stadium is fantastic, but two for the people that are there. The fans are passionate. They are excited. We talked about this from day one. I want a connection with the fans. Now as the restrictions lift, we can grow that connection between us and the fans even stronger. That fuels us a little bit more.

“…For Houston, they are the 2020 Challenge Cup winners. They are really growing from where they left off. They have some fantastic players in the middle of the field through Kristie Mewis and Shea Groom. They have great organization at the back three with Megan Oyster and Katie Naughton. They are a very difficult team to break down. We have highlighted some areas where we need to dictate to them what is going to happen within those moments. If we allow them to control the game, if we allow them to control the tempo, it could be a long afternoon. We will go out and set the terms for them rather than letting them enjoy the stadium.”

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 Mike Watts and color commentary by Kaylyn Kyle. Internationally, fans can stream the match on Twitch. 

Notes to know

FULL CAPACITY: Sunday’s match will mark Racing’s first allowing full capacity at Lynn Family Stadium, a boost from 50% the last time the club hosted a game in May. Louisville City FC, the men’s club also operated by Soccer Holdings, drew a venue record crowd of 12,115 at its June 12 game in what was the stadium’s first 100% capacity game.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Racing has found much more success in front of its supporters. Dating back to the preseason Challenge Cup tournament, the new club is 1-1-2 across all competitions at Lynn Family Stadium, including its 2-0 victory May 21 over the Washington Spirit. In all but one of those home games, Racing also scored multiple goals, the exception being a scoreless draw May 15 to open against Kansas City.

SCORING TOUCH: It remains to be seen how new roster additions will reshape the lineup. In the meantime, forward Cece Kizer has carried the scoring load for Racing, hitting the back of the net in three of Racing’s four home games to go with an assist. With Salmon available and Matthews healthy, Kizer may eventually gravitate to her more natural role as an attacking midfielder.

BRICK WALL BETOS: Goalkeeper Michelle Betos has been vital to Racing’s defensive efforts. She leads the league with 27 saves, an indication that she can get in the right place at the right time — but also that a young Racing team has called on her to help quite often. Betos recorded nine saves last time out against Portland, one off her season-high of 10 in the Washington game.

SUPER MOM CHEYNA: By subbing on in the 84th minute against Portland, Matthews made her return to the field for the first time since giving birth to her second child in December. Matthews’ last NWSL appearance had been in September of 2019, when she earned an assist with the Washington Spirit against the North Carolina Courage.

ON INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Following her return with Racing, Matthews joined the Jamaican Women’s National Team to compete in the Summer Series. Matthews started both matches for the Reggae Girlz, who played Nigeria and the United States in Houston. While Matthews is a Massachusetts native, her mother is from Jamaica, allowing for the dual-national status.

MORE ON THE WAY: Racing announced its latest high-profile signing during the international break in Danish international forward Nadia Nadim, who most recently won the Division 1 Féminine title with Paris Saint-Germain, chipping in 10 goals on the campaign. Similar to Bonner and Salmon, Nadim will arrive to Louisville upon receipt of her work visa.

REGULAR SEASON DEBUT: By subbing on for Erin Simon in the 84th minute against Portland, defender Sinclaire Miramontez made her NWSL regular season debut against the Thorns. Seven more Racing players on an especially young squad are still awaiting that moment, with the list including goalkeepers Katie Lund and Shelby Money; defenders Julia Ashley, Bonner and Merrick; midfielder Noelle Higginson as well as the new forward Salmon. 

MANAGERIAL MATCHUP: Racing head coach Christy Holly has faced off against the Houston Dash four times as coach. During those meetings, Holly posted a 3-0-1 record while leading the club formerly known as Sky Blue FC, now NJ/NY Gotham FC. This is his best record against any active NWSL team. Sunday’s game, however, will mark Holly’s first time going up against current Dash coach James Clarkson, who joined the club in 2019.

LONE STAR CONNECTIONS: Two players on the Racing roster — Kizer and 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, the goalkeeper Lund grew up four hours north of Houston in Plano, Texas.

Injury report

• Noelle Higginson – Out
• Taylor Otto – Out 
• Brooke Hendrix – Questionable
• Addisyn Merrick – Questionable
• Ebony Salmon – Questionable

Milestone watch

• Savannah McCaskill is two goals away from her 10th across all NWSL competitions.
• Yuki Nagasato is one appearance from her 55th in NWSL regular season play. 
• Erin Simon is one start away from her 30th in the NWSL regular season.
• Michelle Betos is two appearances away from her 100th as a professional.

Having just completed its first season, the Racing Louisville FC Academy is already providing opportunities for players that no other youth system in the region can match: the ability to train with a club in the world’s best women’s soccer league.

Sixteen-year-old Ella Sanchez is doing so on a regular basis, mixing in with Racing’s first teamers to continue a big year for the rising star.

Sanchez, who’s coming off a call up to the United States U-17 National Team’s Virtual Camp in February, trains with her academy team three times a week in the evenings. Twice a week in the mornings, she also works with a small group called the Elite Training Initiative.  

Over the past month, Racing head coach Christy Holly has also invited Sanchez to join his squad several times.

“It has been incredible,” Sanchez said, “especially in the mornings when you are training and you can see the pro teams next to you. You see how intense that level is.”

“Ella has certainly earned that opportunity with the work that she has done away from as well as in team training,” said Racing Academy Director Tim Nowak. “She has gotten a lot of respect from her teammates. I know a lot of our younger girls look up to her and hope to someday fill in her shoes.”

When Sanchez received her youth national team call up back in February — effectively putting her in the 2022 FIFA U-17 World Cup player pool — it marked a first for either the Racing or Louisville City FC academies.

“I was very surprised that we had a player already that is capable of transferring into the first team,” Holly added. “Ella has come in and done great. She wants to learn. She is asking questions. She has developed some nice relationships with the team. It is exciting for the first team, but it is fantastic as well for the academy.”

When she first trained with the first team, Sanchez noticed the speed and intensity of play immediately. While the adjustment was difficult for her, Sanchez finds focusing on what matters makes it easier for her. 

“When I get out there, I try to have the mindset that this is supposed to be fun, and I am trying to make myself a better player,” she said. “I am trying to play as quick as I can and try my because this is their job and I want to make them better too.”

In part, the Racing players are making Sanchez a better soccer player. When she competes with her academy team on the weekends, she now feels more prepared for her competition. 

“I think her being in the professional environment every day will push her to make good decisions on the ball, which she is very capable of doing at a high level,” Nowak said. 

Sanchez hails from a family deeply entrenched in the local soccer community. Her father, Mario, heads the academies and serves as assistant coach for LouCity’s first team. Her brother, Sebastian, is an all-state standout on the boys side and high-profile member of the LouCity Academy.

Growing up in Illinois, Sanchez first played for one of the midwest’s most competitive youth soccer programs in St. Louis Scott Gallagher. As with Racing, it’s a member of the top youth circuit, the Elite Clubs National League.

“No other club that I have been at is there a pathway to play with the pros,” she said. “Here, you have that opportunity to be a pro, whether it is the morning training or training with the first team. I know on the boys’ side, a couple of them train with the first team too. Here you can be a pro and you can see that. I don’t think that playing with the first team is offered at very many clubs.” 

While Sanchez may be the first player to get the opportunity to train with the Racing first team, she surely won’t be the last. The academy’s goal is to bring in the area’s top talents and produce a consistent pipeline of players deserving of college scholarships and pro contracts.

“I think it goes in lock step with our mission as an organization: prepare young women to play at the highest level,” Nowak said. “We want to give them opportunities to expose them to the professional environment.”

“We are showing that we can play at that platform here and you don’t have to move from this great city,” Holly added. “You develop as a player. You can play professionally. And you can have a fantastic career right here. This opportunity is a great stepping stone for the club.”

Soccer Holdings, LLC — parent company of Racing Louisville FC and Louisville City FC — will host a pair of Pride Night celebrations at Lynn Family Stadium in conjunction with the clubs’ upcoming games.

Racing’s Wednesday, June 23, matchup with the NC Courage and LouCity’s Saturday, June 26, showdown against Indy Eleven will serve as occasions to further align with the LGBTQ+ community and fundraise for associated local nonprofits.

Proceeds from all team Pride merchandise, now available online and in Lynn Family Stadium’s Team Store, go toward the Butchertown Neighborhood-based Louisville Pride Foundation. The foundation seeks to promote unity between LGBTQ and straight allies by engaging in a conversation with the broader community about what makes us one while celebrating what makes us different.

Additionally, supporter groups representing both clubs are actively participating in a Prideraiser, pledging to donate to the Louisville Youth Group for every Racing or LouCity goal scored in June. LYG creates a brave space for LGBTQIA+ Youth and Allies and is dedicated to providing youth with skills and experiences designed to help them thrive as community leaders now and in the future. Click here to contribute to the Prideraiser.

Players will also get in on Pride Night recognition with Racing’s kits to be decorated in rainbow numbers and LouCity wearing its 2021 Pride Warmup Jersey in pregame. A number of activations, including a pre-LouCity National Anthem performance by Voices of Kentuckiana, a chorus that celebrates diversity, will surround Pride Night games.

Following the final whistle, bring proof of your ticket purchase for free admission to PLAY Dance Bar, at 1101 E. Washington Street, for official Pride Night after parties. Proceeds from an occasion-oriented custom cocktail will be donated the Louisville Pride Foundation.

“Having the chance to be a part of our Pride Night planning and Pride Month activations has been really special,” said Lauren Schuster, the clubs’ community engagement coordinator. “As an organization, developing the growth and continuing to foster a meaningful relationship with the LGBTQ+ community is imperative to us.

“Here at Racing and LouCity we believe in equality for all. Using our platform to help create a space where those around us can be their most authentic selves is only the beginning of what we want to be a part of within the LGBTQ+ community.”

Beyond Pride Nights, Soccer Holdings is exploring a workshop and/or training from Louisville-based Queer Kentucky to educate its employees further about inclusion, diversity, intersectionality, and trans-inclusivity.

Forward Nadia Nadim, who numbered 10 goals and four assists on the season in helping Paris Saint-Germain to its first Division 1 Féminine title clinched just last week, has signed to continue her career with Racing Louisville FC.

Racing and Nadim agreed to a contract including allocation money that runs through 2023, bringing one of the world’s most prolific scorers and humanitarian athletes to the NWSL expansion side upon receipt of her work visa.

“We are delighted to have Nadia in our club and city,” said Racing’s head coach, Christy Holly. “We feel that being able to secure an iconic, world-class player is a strong statement of our intent moving forward. Nadia has had a tremendous amount of success throughout her career, and we are excited to tap into those experiences as we build our club.”

Afghan refugees, Nadim and her family fled to Denmark during her childhood. There she discovered soccer, received citizenship and now represents the Danish national team, which Nadim is in camp with ahead of Thursday’s friendly against Australia.

The 33-year-old is also an Aarhus University medical student one semester from graduation. She plans to complete her education in order to become Dr. Nadim, specializing in reconstructive surgery following a career on the pitch.

Nadim will arrive in Louisville after two seasons with PSG. In recent years, she also starred for NWSL power Portland Thorns FC (2016-2017) and England’s Manchester City (2018).

“I’m looking forward to returning to the NWSL to be a part of Racing Louisville FC,” Nadim said. “The club has an interesting future with a lot of talented players and, from what I’ve seen and heard, a great fanbase.

“Everyone who knows me understands that I will give blood sweat and tears for that lavender jersey. I want to create history with Racing Louisville, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Holly, Racing’s coach, worked previously with Nadim during her stint in 2014 and 2015 with the former Sky Blue FC of the NWSL. As Holly came up as an assistant before eventually landing the head coaching job, Nadim made her mark in what’s considered the world’s top women’s soccer league.

Lethal from the penalty spot, Nadim will wear No. 10 for Racing, expected to be among leaders on an especially young squad. She was voted Denmark’s Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017; led Portland in scoring with nine goals as it won the NWSL shield in 2016; and saw PSG end French superpower Lyon’s run of 14 domestic league titles.

“Racing Louisville contacted my agent in January and, after hearing the plans that James O’Connor and the ownership has for the club, it became interesting quite quickly,” Nadim said. “The fact that Christy Holly is the coach later made it a priority. Since leaving Sky Blue, I’ve always said I wanted to work with Christy again. Now we reunite at such a great organization. I’m thrilled.”

Along with her former NWSL teams, Nadim could run into PSG while representing Racing. The French champions will take part this August in The Women’s Cup, a four-team tournament at Lynn Family Stadium that also includes FC Bayern Munich. In her final days with PSG, as detailed by CNN, Nadim helped the club partner with KLABU, an Amsterdam-based charity that builds sports into refugee camps around the world.

Nadim’s signing rounds out Racing’s international contingent of players for the club’s debut campaign. World Cup-winning forward Yuki Nagasato (Japan) and midfielder Freja Olofsson (Sweden) have become regular starters since signing during the offseason, while defender Gemma Bonner and forward Ebony Salmon — both from England — are more recent additions to the squad.

Paramount+ will stream all four matches this August of The Women’s Cup, an inaugural tournament featuring the NWSL’s Racing Louisville and Chicago Red Stars, Frauen-Bundesliga champion FC Bayern Munich and Division 1 Féminine champion Paris Saint-Germain.

The action kicks off at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, Aug. 18, with Bayern facing PSG in a matchup between two of of Europe’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinalists at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Ky. At 7:30 p.m. ET, Racing and Chicago will meet in a contest that will also count in the NWSL’s regular-season standings.

Winners of the opening day games will face off in The Women’s Cup final at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 21, with a third-place game preceding at 3 p.m. ET.

“Paramount+ is committed to showcasing the world’s top clubs across both the men’s and women’s game, and these four clubs only further elevate the quality of our soccer programming,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, executive vice president and general manager of CBS Sports Digital. “Paramount+ continues to be a year-round must-have soccer destination for fans of the game, and we’re excited for The Women’s Cup to be a part of our growing lineup at CBS Sports.”

CBS Sports Digital will deliver additional coverage and original programming, plus feature highlights across social channels, CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news network. The Women’s Cup matches will also re-air at a later time on CBS Sports Network.

A leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, Paramount+ features more than 1,600 live matches each year, including many Racing and Chicago games throughout the NWSL season, which also airs on CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network.

Tickets to The Women’s Cup go on sale June 15. Fans are encouraged to visit TheWomensCup.world now to make a ticket reservation. Those with reservations will receive first right to select their seats later this month.

About 20 minutes after Cheyna Matthews completed her first bit of game time in more than a year, the Racing Louisville FC forward still sounded a bit winded.

That’s no knock on Matthews’ conditioning — you’ve got to be in supreme shape to play at all just months after giving birth — but rather quantified the moment for the 27-year-old.

Matthews, who had baby No. 2 in December, was spending her first nights away from that child as Racing traveled to play Portland Thorns FC. It just so happened this would be the trip in which she came on as an 84th-minute substitute, marking her first NWSL appearance since 2019 and first time in any game since February of 2020.

“I didn’t think it would take me as long as it did to just breathe,” Matthews said afterward. “It’s emotional.”

Matthews got on the pitch right in time for a two-week international break to the NWSL season. She’s expected to be the only Racing player to represent a country, receiving a call up from Jamaica, which plays Nigeria at 5:30 p.m. Thursday before meeting the U.S. Women’s National Team at 10 p.m. June 13. Both games are at Houston’s BBVA Stadium and will air on FS1.

Beyond anticipated recuperation time following her pregnancy, Matthews dealt with a minor hip injury upon her return to training with Racing, which selected her playing rights last fall off the NWSL’s re-entry wire.

“It was so important for me,” she said of getting on the field. “I was supposed to play in the last Challenge Cup game, and I had an injury like the day before that game. So just mentally getting my mind set on the next opportunity was really hard.

“This past week I was in full practice — no setbacks — and kind of worked my way up. I feel good now, so it was really important for me to get a feel for it before I got on an international stage again. Hopefully I just keep building.”

A native of Massachusetts, Matthews represents her mother’s home country internationally. Her parents were at Providence Park for Saturday night’s game while, back home, husband Jordan and Matthews’ in-laws looked after the children.

“We have strict bedtimes, and this game’s obviously very late,” she said.

That means the kids were asleep — “or at least they should be,” Matthews said with a smile — while Mom returned to the pitch.

Moving forward, Matthews will look to further mix into coach Christy Holly’s rotation of forwards when the club next plays host to the Houston Dash on June 20. Within the attack, Racing will also pick up English forward Ebony Salmon, who recently arrived to Louisville following her signing, while defender Gemma Bonner made her first trip to Portland.

Between now and Louisville’s next game, Matthews should get the chance to continue building a foundation for the rest of the season.

“Obviously we have a good break here with the team,” Matthews said. “It’s nice with me having the injury setback and not being able to get minutes underneath me early on like I expected, to be able to get those with my country is a unique opportunity against the world’s best.

“I should get some minutes to help build on fitness, so when I get back in the team I should be in better shape for sure.”