Racing Louisville is set to return to Lynn Family Stadium after an idle weekend for an encounter with the in-form 10th-place Houston Dash at 8 p.m. Friday.
The game is the first of three matches for Racing on its home turf in June, and the first back at Lynn Family Stadium since its Prime Video debut on May 10 against the Washington Spirit.
The match will be streamed for free on the NWSL+ app and on plus.nwslsoccer.com. Fans can follow the radio broadcast of the game on News Talk 1080 AM, online at talkradio1080.iheart.com or the iHeart Radio app.
Racing Louisville (2-2-6, 12 points) is situated in eighth place through 10 games, just above the playoff line with a game in hand over the two outfits ahead of it. Prior to last weekend’s break for players to compete for their respective national teams, the Louisvillians bested the Chicago Red Stars, using a stellar strike from Emma Sears and a gritty defensive effort to pick up three road points and a clean sheet against an opponent in playoff position.
“I think we’ve shown a lot,” coach Bev Yanez said after the win. “I know early on we were known to give up some late opportunities, and I think we’ve shown a lot in our growth.”
Racing now shifts its focus to the Dash, an opponent that Louisville is 1-3-4 against in regular-season matchups and 2-6-4 across all competitions. Both wins against Houston have come at Lynn Family Stadium, including a 3-0 victory last summer in the NWSL Challenge Cup.
Racing is one of six NWSL clubs with fewer than two losses and at least a plus-three goal differential on home soil this season.
After a tough beginning to the campaign under new coach Fran Alonso, Houston has picked up six points from its last three matches. Away from Shell Energy Stadium, the Dash are 2-2-1, winning its previous road encounter at BMO Stadium against Angel City through a second-half stoppage-time goal from defender and former Angel City player Paige Nielsen.
Before the break in play, the Dash took down the North Carolina Courage, 3-0, a significant reversal of the 5-1 loss to the Courage to open the season. Three different players found the back of the net for the Texas outfit, including Swiss international Ramona Bachmann, who converted her first since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in early April.
Follow along …
- 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.
- The match will be streamed for free on the NWSL+ app, which is available via Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku as well as plus.nwslsoccer.com for domestic and international viewers. You can listen to the match on News Talk 1080 AM or online at talkradio1080.iheart.com.
Storylines …
Sears has everything: A week after earning NWSL Goal of the Week honors for her shot-cross in Kansas City, rookie forward Emma Sears once again claimed the recognition for an outstanding strike at Chicago. The 23-year-old settled a partial clearance from Chicago, took a touch to her right and blasted a right-footed shot across the face of the goal and into the side netting on the back post for her third score of the season. Sears has been sensational through her first 10 professional games, ranking first in the NWSL in progressive carries per 90 minutes, second in successful dribbles and fourth in carries into the penalty area. The Ohio native ranks sixth in shots on target per 90, seventh in goal-creating actions and eighth in shot-creating actions.
Lockdown Lund: The Texas native Katie Lund picked up her third clean sheet of the campaign last time out in Chicago. That moves her into a tie with NJ/NY Gotham FC’s new shot-stopper Ann-Katrin Berger for the second-most shutouts in the NWSL. Lund made five saves, all of which came in the second half against the Red Stars, good for her second-highest single-game total so far in 2024. She sits in the top five among all goalkeepers in total saves and goals allowed per 90 minutes.
Heeeere’s Carson! One of the NWSL’s best passers over the past few seasons, Carson Pickett is once again showing off her range, leading the league in key passes, chances created and passes into the penalty area. Pickett’s first regular-season assist in a Racing jersey came on Reilyn Turner’s goal against Utah on April 20. Pickett has two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions since joining Racing in 2023.
DeMelo’s dramatic moment: The 26-year-old Savannah DeMelo wrote a new chapter in her journey with Racing Louisville on May 18, scoring the second-latest goal in NWSL history with her equalizer in the 13th minute of stoppage time at Kansas City. The California native collected a lofted pass from Abby Erceg, split two defenders on the dribble before entering the penalty area, shifting to her right and curling in a low finish to the back post. She’s tied for sixth in the league in goals despite missing three matches through injury. The club’s all-time leading scorer now has 13 goals in lavender and is one away from her season-best in the third year of her professional career. DeMelo is the NWSL’s leader in free-kick goals among current players and tied for third all-time.
Swiftly ingraining herself: The addition of Taylor Flint has been a game-changer for Racing. The central midfielder was named to the NWSL Best XI for March and April after a dominant seven-match run to start her Racing career. Through 10 games, Flint ranks first in the NWSL in interceptions; second in aerial duels won and tackles won; third in blocks; and fourth in possession recoveries among non-goalkeepers. The 25-year-old has created nine scoring chances and played every minute for Racing.
Rei of sunshine: Much like her fellow rookie in Sears, California native Reilyn Turner has made an immediate impact as a first-year player. The UCLA grad has two goals and two assists in her 10 appearances and set a Racing club record with eight shots on target in the 0-0 draw vs. Houston on March 23. Her 64.7% shots on target rate ranks sixth in the NWSL, and she ranks second in shots on target per 90 minutes, 12th in goals plus assists and goal-creating actions.
Kanu believe this? Racing Louisville forward Uchenna Kanu is off to a hot start this season, with four goals in nine appearances to rank sixth in the NWSL Golden Boot race. The Nigerian international added to her scoring haul with a towering back-post header to open Racing’s account in the 5-1 win over Utah on April 20, slotting home her second headed goal of the season. She scored twice in the 2-2 draw at Portland and netted the second goal in a 2-2 draw vs. Orlando in the season opener on March 16.
Bahr none: How about that for an NWSL debut? For the first time in eight years, a player registered an assist and a goal in their NWSL debut, with Racing’s Elexa Bahr matching Houston’s Rachel Daly in 2016 with the feat. Bahr scored a magnificent opening goal in the season-opening draw vs. Orlando on March 16, chipping the goalkeeper from the edge of the box. She added an assist a few minutes later on Uchenna Kanu’s well-taken goal in transition. Bahr, who grew up in Georgia and starred collegiately at South Carolina, joined Racing this winter after helping Colombia reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in the nation’s history.
Global Racing: Racing Louisville became the first club in NWSL history to feature players from six different continental confederations on its roster in 2023, and that hasn’t changed despite roster turnover this offseason. Louisville’s 26-player roster consists of two players from Oceania Football Confederation; one from Asian Football Confederation; two from Confederation of African Football; one player from Union of European Football Associations; two from CONMEBOL (South America); and the remaining 18 from the U.S. (Note: Forward Elexa Bahr was born and raised in the U.S. but competes for the Colombian national team.)
