Racing Louisville FC scored first in its second consecutive NWSL Challenge Cup opener Friday and fought to a 1-1 draw against the Kansas City Current in front of 5,332 fans at Lynn Family Stadium.
Cece Kizer’s 20th-minute goal opened Racing’s account in the tournament, redirecting a pass from Jess McDonald into the low left corner with a left-footed one-timer. The home team led for 58 minutes before halftime substitute Addie McCain equalized for Kansas City in the 78th minute.
The draw put both squads atop the Central Group standings in the six-match group stage of the Challenge Cup with the Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash set to kick off Saturday.
“it’s amazing,” first-year coach Kim Björkegren said of his first game at Lynn Family Stadium. “The only other thing I was hoping for was three points. Again, we did our best, and it’s an amazing stadium and fans.”
Friday’s match offered the first public glimpse at Björkegren’s team, which completed preseason against a number of Division I college programs. Racing, the coach said, played what he described as a typical first game – good in stretches, not good in others, uneven overall.
Kansas City outshot Racing, 25-8, though a number of the attempts on target from visitors came from outside the box and rarely troubled Racing goalkeeper Katie Lund. The team’s new No. 1 made seven saves.
“We had 15 minutes where we played good and then 15 minutes that were not so good and then back again,” Björkegren said.
For the second time in as many seasons, Kizer started Racing’s Challenge Cup scoring. She collected the ball in her team’s defensive half and carried it some 40 yards before laying a pass to the right into the path of McDonald. The 2019 World Cup winner dribbled to the end line and squared a pass into the box for Kizer, who redirected it past Kansas City goalkeeper AD Franch.
It was a moment Kizer said they were prepared for after “connecting really well” with McDonald through the preseason.
“I saw her in behind – she makes great runs – and I played her through and I just decided to keep running” Kizer said, “because she also puts great balls in the box. I saw the ball come right to my left foot and put it in the back of the net.”
The assist from McDonald gave her the triple crown of assist records: She is the all-time leader in assists in NWSL regular-season play (27), the playoffs (4) and the Challenge Cup (4).
“As soon as I saw her turn into transition, I’m like ‘OK, this is go-time,’” McDonald said. “I just kind of curled and she played me in. She was really my only option in the box, anyway, so I just tried to touch her the best way that I could and she got on the end of it. It was just a lovely finish by her, and we had a nice little goal celebration with one another to top it off.”
Both teams narrowly missed chances at more goals.
Kansas City’s Kristen Edmonds rattled the crossbar from 28 yards out in the 30th minute with a well-struck left-footed drive.
Eight minutes after that, rookie midfielder Jaelin Howell’s delivery on a corner was mishit by a Kansas City defender, rising up and over the crowd of players in front of goal and smacking the crossbar.
Just before halftime, Kansas City almost equalized when newly acquired U.S. national team forward Lynn Williams cut back onto her right foot and shot from the edge of the area. The ball deflected off a defender and landed at the back post, where an unmarked Victoria Pickett’s reaction touch banged off the post.
Gemma Bonner’s goal-line clearance in the 83rd minute served as a point-saving play.
“They’re a great team,” McDonald said. “As you can see, they’re stacked, and obviously we have a lot of learning to do, but it’s the first game. I’ll take a point for the first game of the season. We have a lot of young players, and it’s a learning process for all of us still, continuing to play with one another. To be honest, a decent first game, I wasn’t expecting perfect.”
Tap-ins
McDonald became the first player in NWSL history to suit up for seven different clubs.
Two rookies started in their debuts for Racing Louisville – the two-time NCAA player of the year Jaelin Howell and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Kirsten Davis.
Louisville native Emina Ekic started on the left flank, her fourth career start in lavender.
Addisyn Merrick, who missed all but 56 minutes last season because of two injuries, started at center back in her return to action.
Game Summary: Louisville City FC vs. Miami FC
Date: March 18, 2022
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Weather: 65 degrees, cloudy
Player of the Match: Cece Kizer
Attendance: 5,332
Scoring
Racing Louisville (1, 0, 1)
Kansas City Current (0, 1, 1)
Goals
Racing Louisville FC:
20′ Cece Kizer (Jess McDonald)
Kansas City Current:
78’ Addie McCain
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC: 1 – Katie Lund; 17 – Nealy Martin, 26 – Addisyn Merrick, 4 – Gemma Bonner, 11 – Emily Fox; 6 – Jaelin Howell, 8 – Freja Olofsson, 5 – Cece Kizer (72’ 2 – Lauren Milliet); 14 – Jessica McDonald, 13 – Emina Ekic (56’ 9 – Ebony Salmon), 22 – Kirsten Davis
Subs not used: 18 – Hillary Beall, 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 3 – Erin Simon; 7 – Savannah DeMelo, 12 – Taylor Malham, 19 – Taylor Otto; 21 – Parker Goins
Head Coach: Kim Björkegren
Kansas City Current: 21 – Adrianna Franch; 3 – Kristen Edmonds (74’ 18 – Izzy Rodriguez), 19 – Jenna Winebrenner, 22 – Alex Loera, 4 – Hallie Mace; 11 – Desiree Scott, 10 – Lo LaBonta (78’ 23 – Elyse Bennett), 15 – Sam Mewis (45’ 28 – Addie McCain), 99 – Victoria Pickett; 25 – Kristen Hamilton (68’ 14 – Chardonnay Curran), 6 – Lynn Williams
Subs not used: 38 – Cassie Miller; 7 – Elizabeth Ball, 8 – Kate DelFava, 13 – Maddie Nolf, 24 – Taylor Leach
Head Coach: Matt Potter
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville FC / Kansas City Current
Shots: 8 / 25
Shots on Goal: 2 / 9
Possession: 45.9% / 54.1%
Fouls: 12 / 7
Offside: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 4
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville:
60’ – Gemma Bonner
Kansas City Current:
83’ – Addie McCain
Referee: Daniel Chesky
