Washington Spirit vs. Racing Louisville FC: Preview, time, and how to watch
Now on a two-game winning streak (and five undefeated), Washington Spirit (2-3-1) will seek to further those streaks tonight against the struggling Racing Louisville (1-1-3).
This pairing might feel familiar: the two teams played in Louisville just five weeks ago, a quirk of this year’s less-balanced NWSL schedule. Playing twice in such a short time feels a bit odd, but it gives Spirit a chance to test how much they’ve improved.
“The fact that we played them a few weeks ago means that we know them pretty much,” Adrián González said. “It is a team that obviously they have a specific way to play.”
González expects Lousiville to play similarly to that March contest but that it will be a tough game regardless. Louisville is dangerous in transition but have been defensively weak this year, allowing 12 goals in five matches. Leicy Santos said the team is aware of Racing’s strengths in long balls and recovering rebounds and will try to counter them by keeping the ball, moving it fast, and making the most of each possession, hopefully by scoring goals.
The thing that seems most likely to disrupt Washington’s plans? The predicted rainstorms that could delay tonight’s game and throw everything into chaos.
Key Player: Leicy Santos
Leicy Santos had perhaps her best game in a Spirit shirt on Friday, scoring two of the team’s four goals and winning the most ground duels. González credited her getting in the box more, which the team has been working with her on, and improving her defense, in addition to her characteristically good quick passes to spark attacks.
Watch Out For: Emma Sears
Racing’s biggest threat in transition, Emma Sears scored her only goal of the season against the Spirit last time. She’s been racking up assists, though, and has the strength and speed to trouble Washington no matter how good their rest defense is.
Challenges: The Spirit needed big defensive performances by individuals to keep Kansas City off the scoreboard on Friday. Facing a similarly vertical team tonight, they’ll want to be more vigilant to avoid dangerous turnovers and collect rebounds.
Previously: On March 20, the Spirit came back from a two-goal deficit to tie Racing 2-2.
Racing Louisville FC Availability:
Out: Savannah DeMelo (Illness), Marisa DiGrande (Maternity Leave), Erynn Floyd (Hand), Mirann Gacioch (Quad), Olivia Sekany (Knee – SEI)
Questionable: None
Washington Spirit Availability:
Out: Deborah Abiodun (Hip), Ashley Hatch (Maternity Leave), Aubrey Kingsbury (Maternity Leave), Casey Krueger (Maternity Leave), Sara Wojdelko (Hand)
Questionable: None
Location: Audi Field, Washington, DC
Kickoff time: 7 p.m. ET
Referee: Trevor Wiseman
Available streaming: Victory+
15 minutes to kickoff and there might be 2k people in the stands? It’s a pretty miserable night for it, and Wednesday games are always low attendance, but this looks to be worse than the DCU Open Cup game
It’s looking a little better now that the sun is out, but it’s a low attendance night for sure.
Yeah, a lot of people were definitely lingering under cover in the concourse. And you can never truly measure an Audi Field crowd until about the 20th minute.
Trin looks the freshest she’s been this season
Glad Cantore has taken the false 9 role with such dedication, she does a ton of work up there, but I do wish the setup would reward her efforts. A lot of “mouse churning that bucket of cream into butter” levels of hustle, and often all she gets from it personally is tired legs and lungs as she gets an early second half sub.
I’m hoping she’ll get more out of being an opportunistic lurker in the box as the season goes on and the attack gets more and more together (all the back heel goals!), but she is in there less under this setup.
I’m just saying, the team uses her and she’s providing a lot with her work, I’d like offensive dynamics from the team overall to make her job a little less thankless.
But she did great with the opening goal sequence.
Trin is back. Back again.
1-0
Obviously immense quality on the one time finish from Rodman, but Cantore built that chance with a trowel
Mackenna Morris has a hunger in her eyes to show out. Quite a good service that had 0 effective runners to pounce on- looked more like a pool game ball break than a sequence from the training ground
Woo, Sandy handles it well enough from very close range
Rodman might already be losing a bit of gas
Several players are looking a little gassed – Trin, Rose, Sofia, maybe Leicy (or maybe a light injury there).
Wonder what Leicy’s physical complaint is
Positive half. Glad Louisville are largely bereft of difference makers not named Sears.
For once, Hershfelt wasn’t guilty on a play like that 😅
I definitely thought that was a penalty in real time, but I’ll take the VAR opinion on it!
This has been such a weird second half
And it’s over.
I hope Gonzalez can pick up some lessons from that second half, cuz I don’t want to watch the tape back.
Another win registered.
Great win! Still having problems finishing goals. I hope they can fix that.