What to Watch for with Racing vs. Kansas City Current
September 30, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Racing Louisville FC News Release
Racing Louisville FC midfielder Lauren Milliet vs. the Kansas City Current
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)
Racing Louisville FC wraps up its 2022 campaign at 7:30 p.m. Saturday the same way it started: with a match against the Kansas City Current at Lynn Family Stadium.
Out of the playoff picture, Racing Louisville (4-9-8, 20 points) has shaken up the NWSL standings over the past two weeks, eliminating the Orlando Pride from contention two Fridays ago before handing Angel City a defeat on Sunday that dealt a blow to its chances of finishing in the top six.
While the Current (10-5-6, 36 points) already clinched a playoff spot, KC still needs a result to ensure a home game in its postseason opener. A win at Louisville could also secure KC the NWSL Shield – the most points in the regular season – while a loss could drop coach Matt Potter’s team as low as fifth in the standings.
In three previous meetings between the teams this year, results have been split, with both sides winning once in Kansas City and the two drawing in the preseason NWSL Challenge Cup opener in Louisville.
KC bested Racing in the most recent matchup thanks to a Lo’eau LaBonta penalty in the third minute.
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.
– The game will stream live on the NWSL’s Twitch channel.
Player Availability Report
– Zaneta Wyne (out, excused absence)
– Wang Shuang (out, excused absence)
– Nadia Nadim (out, left leg)
Story lines…
From a goal down: After falling behind in the 14th minute Sunday, Racing rallied for a 3-1 victory at Angel City FC to mark its first comeback win of the season. Racing had last captured all three points after conceding first against Orlando on Oct. 16, 2021.
2021 vs. 2022: Through 21 matches this season, Racing has earned 20 points (0.95 points per game). In 2021, the club earned 22 points through 24 games (0.91 PPG). A win (1.04 PPG) or draw (0.95) against the Current on Saturday would improve Racing’s points per game over last year’s mark.
On the table: Sitting in 10th, a win could move Racing past ninth-place Orlando if the Pride drops points in its final match. If the league standings hold, Racing would have the third pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.
Youth movement: Each of Racing’s three goal scorers and two assist providers in Sunday’s win were under the age of 25. Kirsten Davis (24), Alex Chidiac (23) and Emina Ekic (22) all found the back of the net, with both Jaelin Howell (22) and Emily Fox (24) providing assists.
Comeback Kirsten: Rookie Kirsten Davis got the scoring started for Louisville in Los Angeles when she found the back of the net in the 38th minute. Her second goal of the regular season and fourth in lavender, Sunday’s score marked the second time this season the forward netted an equalizer after her side fell behind in the first half. She also equalized against OL Reign in early August.
From the spot: Midfielder Alex Chidiac scored the game-winner at Angel City when she converted from the penalty spot on Sunday, marking her second goal for Louisville. Currently, the Australian international Chidiac is 5-for-5 in penalties in her professional career.
Hometown hero: Louisville native Emina Ekic put the game away on Sunday when she half-volleyed home a cross from Emily Fox. This marked Ekic’s second goal of the regular season and third across all competitions.
Howell about that: Midfielder Jaelin Howell had a standout performance on both sides of the ball against Angel City. The rookie led the match in interceptions (3), tackles won (5) and successful dribbles (5), and she assisted Davis’ equalizing goal in the first half.
Emily assists: With her assist to Ekic on Sunday, Fox made the scoresheet for the first time since the regular-season opener against the Chicago Red Stars. This also marked the defender’s first Racing assist since the club’s inaugural Challenge Cup match.
Nadia out with ACL injury: Racing’s star forward Nadia Nadim will be out for the remainder of the season after she suffered an ACL injury in last week’s match against the Portland Thorns. The Danish international returned from another ACL injury in June. Through 11 appearances in 2022, Nadim registered a team-high six goals.
Lund on Lock: Racing goalkeeper Katie Lund is on the cusp of reaching the NWSL record books for the second time this season. With 107 saves through 21 games, she could break the single-season save record of 108 currently shared by Aubrey Bledsoe and Kaelin Sheridan from the 2018 season. Lund also tied the single-game save record in August when she tallied 12 against OL Reign.
Call-ups: Following Saturday’s match against the Current, three Racing players will depart for international duty. Midfielder Savannah DeMelo and the defender Fox were both named to the U.S. Women’s National Team roster for friendlies against England and Spain. Chidiac will be joining Australia for friendlies against South Africa and Denmark.
Headed down under: Rookie goalkeeper Hillary Beall is set to go on loan to Australian club Western United FC after the season. The Laguna Beach, California, native will compete in the Australian W-League through the offseason and into April.
Giving back: Ekic and Racing are in the running to win the Nationwide Impact Award for volunteer service with Blessings in a Backpack, a national charity originating in Louisville that focuses on feeding children on the weekend. Nationwide and the NWSL have partnered to advance local service projects. The season-long initiative began in July and a winner will be announced in October during the NWSL Championship week. The winner of the Nationwide Impact Award receives a $25,000 donation to further the organization’s efforts.
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