Home » News » Preview: Racing Louisville vs. Washington Spirit – things to keep an eye on.
FC Louisville Racing is scheduled to host its home opener for the 2023 campaign at Spirit Washington Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.M., Taking place in Lynn Family.
Racing (0-0-1, 1 point) began their season away from home, engaging in an entertaining match against Houston that ended in a 0-0 draw. Louisville’s goalkeeper, Katie Lund, was named the player of the match for her exceptional performance, which included seven saves and her seventh career shutout. Additionally, seven players from Racing made their debuts, with Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges and Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu narrowly missing goals in their inaugural appearance for Louisville.
Saturday’s contest is the first meeting of the season between Racing and Spirit, with the game taking place on June 3rd in the nation’s capital. Racing has a historical record of 1-3-2 against Spirit, including two draws from last season. On May 21st, Louisville’s first regular-season win in the NWSL franchise history came against Washington.
Mark Parsons, the coach who led the Portland Thorns to victory in the 2017 NWSL championship, has become the new coach for Washington. Washington now has Mark Parsons as their coach, who previously guided the Portland Thorns to the 2017 NWSL title. Rodman is the centerpiece around which Ashley Sanchez, Andi Sullivan, Ashley Hatch, and other players from the U.S. Women’s National Team are built. The Spirit’s losing streak from the previous season was broken with a goal from star forward Trinity Rodman, resulting in a 1-0 win over OL Reign. Washington emerged victorious in their season opener last weekend.
Racing’s previous season saw them tying with Houston, with a score of 1-1, in the regular-season home opener. Furthermore, the inaugural NWSL home opener in 2021 resulted in a goalless draw against Kansas City. This upcoming Saturday’s game will be Racing’s third regular-season home opener at Lynn Family Stadium.
Follow along….
Please follow Racing Lou FC on Twitter for game updates and starting XI. Additionally, you can find us on Facebook at FC Louisville Racing and on Twitter at @racinglouisvillefc. You can also find us on Instagram at @racinglouisvillefc.
The match will be live-streamed for free on NWSLSoccer.Com globally, and in the United States, it can be watched on Paramount+ (with Maura Sheridan and Tony Meola as commentators).
Story lines….
In her second year with Racing, Jaelin Howell, the 23-year-old midfielder star, was named captain of the club. She started her season as the captain, illustrating her influence in Racing’s locker room. Howell made her international and professional debut last spring, scoring goals for the U.S. In the SheBelieves Cup and the NWSL Challenge Cup. She also tallied two assists and made appearances for the National Women’s Team. Among first-year players in the league, Howell finished second, trailing only her teammate Savannah DeMelo. She started every game in her rookie season and played significant minutes. Before joining Racing, Howell was a standout collegiate player at Florida State, where she won two national championships and was named Rookie of the Year.
Lund remained on the ground, while Lund was still on the ground, the subsequent bounce and a close-range diving header on an impressive double save in the second half constituted her endeavors, which led to her being named the player of the match. The player from Texas was recognized as the player of the match for her contributions, which encompassed a remarkable double save in the second half on a close-range diving header and the ensuing rebound. Lund continued her form from the previous season, registering seven saves in the season opener against Houston and achieving her seventh career shutout. Racing goalkeeper Katie Lund carried on her exceptional performance from the previous season, making seven saves in the season opener at Houston and securing her seventh career shutout. Lunderful.
In the summer, Thembi Kgatlana, a South African forward rehabilitating from a torn Achilles last season, made her debut with the Racing team. As substitutes, Paige Monaghan and Kayla Fischer both made their debuts coming off the bench. Additionally, Uchenna Kanu, Elli Pikkujämsä, Ary Borges, Carson Pickett, and Abby Erceg were introduced as new starters in the lineup. Racing had a season-opening draw of 0-0 against Louisville Houston, marking the first appearances of the offseason for them.
In the upcoming week, the national teams have selected six Racing players to represent their countries: Ary Borges (Brazil), Alex Chidiac (Australia), Rebecca Holloway (Northern Ireland), Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria), Elli Pikkujämsä (Finland), and Wang Shuang (China). These players will participate in international matches. At Wembley Stadium in London, Brazil and England, the South American and European champions respectively, will face each other in the first-ever Women’s Finalissima.
Racing Louisville stands out as the inaugural team in NWSL history to include players from six distinct continents. In the previous season, the team already boasted an international flair with athletes from four continents. However, the acquisitions of Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges, Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu, and South African forward Thembi Kgatlana expanded Racing’s reach to six continents. Additionally, Australian midfielder Alex Chidiac, the second player hailing from Oceania, was joined by Abby Erceg, the all-time leader in caps for New Zealand.
During that timeframe, instead of participating in a regular-season game during the World Cup window, the NWSL UKG Challenge Cup matches will be arranged. With up to seven countries in their roster, which consist of nine current international players, Racing is well-positioned to have a strong presence at the largest global tournament. The 2023 FIFA World Cup, taking place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, marks a significant year for women’s soccer as it is the year of the World Cup.