Saturday night’s Challenge Cup match was the first for both sides. Orlando, after missing the 2020 edition, was held in the Utah bubble due to positive COVID-19 tests. Louisville, playing hosts to their inaugural match in the National Women’s Soccer League. Each side made the most of their tournament/league debuts.
Racing Louisville FC’s supporter group; the Lavender Legion, unfurled their first tifo display. It read “This Is HER Louisville.” Louisville is the smallest market in the league, but the crowd doesn’t care. The noise and experience from within Lynn Family Stadium is comparable to any team in the league. In front of a sellout crowd, both sides provided fireworks.
During the starting lineup announcements; Orlando’s international stars like Brazil’s Marta and the US’ Ashlyn Harris received a warm reception. When it became Racing’s turn, the stadium erupted. Especially for Louisville graduate Emina Ekic, playing her first NWSL match.
As soon as the whistle blew, both sides came out strong. Immediately, Orlando broke through the Louisville defense. The newly formed center back combo break under the early pressure. Instead, their midfield took control and started sending in long, focused, passes to forward Yuki Nagasato. The former Chicago playmaker had two chances at the net, one sent wide and another saved by Harris. That chance came off a dangerous cross from midfielder Lauren Milliet.
Around the 10-minute mark, the clouds opened up, and so did the scoring. In the 12th minute, NWSL No. 1 draft pick Emily Fox sent in one of those towering passes. It made it to the feet of forward CeCe Kizer. On the break, she scored Racing Louisville FC’s first-ever goal in the NWSL. It was Kizer’s first NWSL career goal too. That goal came as no surprise to those watching Louisville’s dominance in possession and passing.
Orlando adapted, and their defense held Louisville back until they made the game interesting in the 44thminute. That’s when a cross came into midfielder Taylor Kornieck; who struck a header perfectly, as she was moving parallel to the goal line. Racing goalkeeper Michelle Betos was not able to reach the ball and both teams went into the half deadlocked.
A minute into the second half, Louisville had an opportunity at goal. Turning it away was Orlando center back Konya Plummer, who continued her first half shutdown defense. She neutralized multiple Racing crosses in the first half, and a dangerous Kizer ball in the box.
In the 68th minute, Orlando had an opportunity. Midfielder Marta had a free kick five yards outside of the penalty area. She sent it high, but it was the best chance for Orlando. Until the 88th minute. Racing Louisville had their best second-half chance on goal, coming from a McCaskill cross. Orlando turned into a counterattack. Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard found 77th minute substitute Abi Kim, on a perfectly timed leading pass. Kim scored a magnificent goal from inside the right corner of the penalty area. What made the goal even more impressive was she slipped while taking it, after the 40-minute downpour.
Even with six minutes of stoppage time added, the Kim goal could have deflated any team. Louisville handled it differently. Maybe it was the excitement of the first match. Maybe it was good training and coaching. It was likely a combination of all three, but Racing’s conditioning was superb. At no point in the final minutes did the team look gassed overall. That conditioning set up the game-tying goal.
Veteran 33-year-old forward Nagasato’s defense was how the play started. Nagasato toe-poked possession away from defender Ali Krieger to the feet of McCaskill, who was fouled. That free-kick by McCaskill deflected in the box until it reached the feet of defender Brooke Hendrix. From a few yards out, the defender buried the shot and earned Louisville’s first positive result.
Racing Louisville FC is a young team. Saturday, their speed was on display, but it went beyond pace. The midfield of McCaskill, Milliet, and Swedish midfielder Freja Olofsson neutralized Marta and the Orlando midfield for much of the 90 minutes.
The Pride did not have as strong of conditioning as Louisville, and injuries surfaced in the second half. Two moments gave Racing the opportunity to talk strategy on the sideline. Captains McCaskill and Betos gave individual players tactics and places to watch. Although they are an expansion team, they didn’t look like it for much of the match.
It’s on the defensive side that the expansion Louisville will need to improve. Their opponents will get more difficult. Orlando has not won a match in 12 contests, dating back to August of 2019. Also, not every team is as susceptible to speed and a high press. Washington Spirit on Thursday, and NC Courage on April 26, are back-to-back big tests for Louisville.
Defensive improvement will come as relationships improve, and players return from injury. Defender Nealy Martin signed with Louisville on April 4 and started six days later. Former Courage defender Addisyn Merrick was unavailable, and she brings strong defensive depth. As players return from injury, and the team builds chemistry, comebacks like tonight will turn into victories.
Orlando has a faster turnaround time, welcoming Gotham FC to Exploria Stadium on Wednesday. They will be without forward Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Erin McLeod. Both are away with the USA and Canada respectively.
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