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NWSL Racing Louisville FC

What to Watch for When Racing Plays Angel City (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Lynn Family Stadium)

August 18, 2023 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release


Racing Louisville FC forward Kirsten Davis (right)
Racing Louisville FC forward Kirsten Davis (right)
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: USA TODAY Sports Images)

Following a five-week break from NWSL regular-season action, Racing Louisville returns home at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Lynn Family Stadium for a crucial match against Angel City in its ongoing campaign for a club-first playoff spot.

The match will be streamed on Paramount+, and Racing anticipates a club-record crowd as it welcomes back 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup stars Ary Borges (Brazil), Savannah DeMelo (USA), Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria) and Wang Shuang (China).

Racing (4-4-7, 19 points) reenters league play following a win in its last regular season match, a 2-1 victory on July 7 against Kansas City. The seventh-place Louisvillians are on the cusp of the NWSL playoff cutline, two points behind the San Diego Wave in the standings with seven matches left.

Saturday's visit from Angel City (4-6-5, 17 points) is a rematch from the season's third game, a 2-2 draw that was a tale of two halves for Racing, which led by two goals at halftime only to leave Los Angeles with a draw. DeMelo and Kirsten Davis each scored in that matchup.

Riding a boost in form with the appointment of interim head coach Becki Tweed, Angel City comes to Louisville unbeaten since June 17 and 4-0-3 across all competitions following a rocky start to the year. Angel City is 1-0-2 away from home during that stretch.

Both sides will be aided by players returning from international duty. Three of Racing's four returning World Cup participants scored in the planet's most prestigious competition, including Ary Borges's hat trick in Brazil's tournament opener.

Racing midfielder Alex Chidiac (Australia) is still with the Matildas, who lost in Wednesday's World Cup semifinal and will play in the third-place match this weekend. Thembi Kgatlana, whose knockout stage-clinching game-winner sent South Africa to the World Cup Round of 16 for the first time in the nation's history, is expected to return to Louisville next week.

Angel City standouts Ali Riley (New Zealand), Julie Ertz (USA) and Alyssa Thompson (USA) all played in the World Cup but could be available for Saturday's game. Japanese star Jun Endo helped her country reach the World Cup quarterfinals.

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 be streamed live on Paramount+, and international viewers may watch for free on NWSLSoccer.com.

Story lines ...

Playoff push: With seven matches to go in the 2023 NWSL regular season, Racing finds itself two points behind the San Diego Wave, which currently occupies sixth place, the final playoff spot. Saturday's match is key for both squads' playoff hopes, with Angel City only four points behind the Wave. A win for either side could dramatically reshape the playoff picture across the league.

Fortifying the Fam: Racing Louisville anticipates a club-record crowd to bolster the home side this weekend, aiming to best the previous-best 8,729 at Lynn Family Stadium. Racing has defended especially well in Louisville, ranking second in the NWSL in goals allowed on home turf. Defenders Abby Erceg and Julia Lester lead the league in blocked shots per 90 minutes (1.6 and 1.5, respectively), while goalkeeper Katie Lund has five clean sheets between the sticks in regular-season play. The team is 6-1-3 in home games this season.

Returning reinforcements: Following their excellent performances in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Ary Borges (Brazil), Savannah DeMelo (USA), Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria) and Wang Shuang (China) are available for selection for Saturday's match. Racing players combined for eight goals scored and three assists in the group stage of this year's tournament, ranking among the best clubs in the world. Alex Chidiac remains on international duty with semifinalists and co-host nation Australia, while Thembi Kgatlana is expected to return next week after reaching the Round of 16 with South Africa.

League form: Racing forward Paige Monaghan returns to regular-season action in top form, having scored in each of her past two league contests. Standout midfielder Savannah DeMelo is back with Racing after seven weeks with the U.S. Women's National Team, hoping to rekindle her MVP-caliber run of form in the NWSL. DeMelo has eight goals and three assists across all competitions, plus a converted penalty that was ultimately ruled an own goal against Chicago.

July Team of the Month: For the second consecutive month, Racing landed two players on the NWSL Best XI, presented by Mastercard. Abby Erceg was a repeat nomination, winning back-to-back monthly honors. Paige Monaghan was named to the team after a standout July in which she scored three goals across all competitions. Monaghan has set two career-highs this year, her first with Racing, tallying four goals and two assists across all competitions.

Iron women abound: Racing has more iron women - players who have played every minute of the season - in regular-season league play than any other NWSL team. Goalkeeper Katie Lund and defenders Abby Erceg, Lauren Milliet and Carson Pickett have all played 1,350 minutes through 15 games, providing consistency and reliability along Racing's backline.

Global Racing: Racing Louisville is the first club in NWSL history to feature players from six different continents on its roster. The Louisvillians already had an international flavor last year, with four continents represented. But the additions of Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges as well as Nigerian forward Uchenna Kanu and South African forward Thembi Kgatlana nudged Racing to six continents. Abby Erceg, who made 146 appearances for New Zealand's national team, reinforced Australian midfielder Alex Chidiac as a second representative from Oceania.

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Images from this story

Racing Louisville FC forward Kirsten Davis (right)
Racing Louisville FC forward Kirsten Davis (right)
(USA TODAY Sports Images)		   



National Women's Soccer League Stories from August 18, 2023


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