What to Watch for as Racing Aims to Clinch Playoff Berth at Gotham FC
NWSL Racing Louisville FC

What to Watch for as Racing Aims to Clinch Playoff Berth at Gotham FC

Published on October 18, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release


Racing Louisville FC defender Ella Hase
Racing Louisville FC defender Ella Hase
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

The NWSL Playoffs won't officially start until the second weekend of November, but it will very much feel like the postseason in Harrison, N.J., on Sunday afternoon.

That is because both Racing Louisville FC and Gotham FC, who will face off at Sports Illustrated Stadium at 3 p.m., each have the same, simple directive: win and you're in.

With two games to go, neither side has clinched its playoff position in the ultra-competitive NWSL. Should there be a winner on Sunday, that club would guarantee itself a spot in the playoffs.

For Louisville, that would be historic - the club has never earned a playoff berth in its previous four seasons.

As it stands, eighth-place Louisville (9-9-6, 33 points) occupies the final playoff position, just one point clear of the ninth-place North Carolina Courage, which won emphatically on Friday 4-1 against Bay FC to keep its playoff hopes alive.

While Gotham (9-7-8, 35 points) sits marginally higher than Louisville in fifth place, its postseason bid is hardly assured. The club is just three points above the playoff line.

With the right results, either team could move the season's final weekend with its sights on the fourth-seed and a home playoff game, while the wrong results could mean a fall out of the top eight altogether.

The game is a rematch from a 1-0 Louisville win in May at Lynn Family Stadium. Taylor Flint, who returns from suspension for Sunday's game, scored the winner, a long-distance blast from outside the penalty area.

If Racing can duplicate that result on Sunday, it would quickly become the most important victory in club history.

Follow along...

The match will be streamed on the free NWSL+ app or via plus.nwslsoccer.com and on Paramount+. Fans can also listen to the match on Sports Talk 790AM or 790louisville.com.

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.

Story lines...

Ring ring: Five Racing Louisville players received international call-ups this week: Ary Borges (Brazil), Emma Sears (United States) and Janine Sonis (Canada) will each represent their senior national teams, while rookies Ella Hase and Katie O'Kane each were called in to the United States Under-23 National Team for next week's international window.

Getting healthy: Racing Louisville activated goalkeeper Katie Lund and midfielder Maddy Pokorny from the season-ending injury list on Friday. Both players will be eligible for selection in Sunday's game.

Record setting Sonis: Janine Sonis registered her fifth assist of the season last week on Bethany Balcer's stoppage time equalizer, setting the Racing Louisville single-season assist record. She's tied for third in the NWSL in that category.

Welcome back, Taylor: Louisville midfielder Taylor Flint returns to action this week, following a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulation. The 26-year-old leads the league in blocks, interceptions and aerial duels this season.

High press: Both teams employ similar high-pressing styles. Gotham FC leads the NWSL in tackles in the attacking third of the field with 84. Louisville ranks fifth with 72. They differ greatly, though, in ball retention. Gotham ranks third in the league in average possession (53%), while Racing ranks 14th (41.3%).

Check out the Racing Louisville FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Racing Louisville FC defender Ella Hase
Racing Louisville FC defender Ella Hase
(Connor Cunningham)		   



National Women's Soccer League Stories from October 18, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central