Elexa Bahr and Uchenna Kanu scored goals inside the first 20 minutes of Racing Louisville’s 2024 NWSL season opener at Lynn Family Stadium, but the Orlando Pride rallied to a 2-2 draw in front 6,123 fans on a sunny day in downtown Louisville.
It was yet another high-scoring, chaotic affair between Racing and Orlando, two teams that have played each other eight times and produced 26 goals in their meetings.
“I told (our players) afterward that there’s no question how hard they worked today and what they put in on the pitch today, and I’m proud of them for that,” said first-year Racing head coach Bev Yanez, who made her professional coaching debut. “Obviously we wanted to walk away with three points, but I want to acknowledge how hard the group worked, and I told them from the get-go it’s not going to be perfect on Day 1, but our effort is controllable, and I thought we controlled that very much so today.”
The result did bring back not-so-fond memories of the 2023 campaign in which Racing built two-goal leads on three separate occasions only to settle for draws. But Yanez re-emphasized her focus on growing and progressing week-by-week through the course of the eight-month season, saying Racing needed to work on “continuing to push in every aspect” and finding ways to “get that momentum tank being filled back up again.”
Racing (0-0-1, 1 point) opened the 2024 season in grand fashion, with two newcomers combining for a beautiful goal to start the scoring in the 13th minute.
Rookie forward Reilyn Turner showed why she was a collegiate All-American and national champion, lacing a perfectly-weighted pass into Bahr’s path to open up a quick-strike counterattack. The 25-year-old Bahr took one touch and chipped Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse from 20 yards out.
“Honestly, I am at a loss of words,” said Bahr, who also plays for the Colombia national team. “The only thing I can actually remember right now is the fact that I took a big touch, which beat the defender, and I just saw the goalkeeper out of her box. I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to chip it and see where it goes.’ And surprisingly, it went in. But honestly, I just want to give thanks to God for even having the opportunity to be here. It’s my first goal. I’m just so excited.”
Six minutes later, Turner and Bahr once again sparked a free-flowing counter. Turner collected a clearance about 40 yards from Racing’s defensive goal, and without turning her body, she played an angle pass to the space in front of Bahr. With Kanu making a run down the left flank, Bahr curled a pass into the Nigerian international, whose low shot to the back post skipped in off Moorhouse’s palm.
The goal represented Kanu’s first regular-season score since joining Racing last March. Bahr became the fifth player in Racing Louisville’s four-year history to register one goal and one assist in a regular-season match.
“I’m excited to get my first goal in the first start of the season,” Kanu said. “And kudos to Elexa, who was there taking the runs and getting the passes and getting the cross. I was just there at the right time because I wanted to join the attack. I was just at the right spot, and good thing that Elexa saw me and she made the pass, and I was there to finish.”
Orlando pulled a goal back on a deflected cross that pinged in off Racing defender Elli Pikkujämsä, who didn’t have any time to react to the line-drive pass.
The Pride went a player down in the 63rd minute after defender Kylie Strom’s second yellow card, but they continued pushing for an equalizer, finally scratching one out through Summer Yates off a set piece in the 86th minute.
Match tap-ins: Three players made their Racing Louisville debuts on Saturday, including Bahr, Turner and midfielder Taylor Flint. … It was the 49th career start for Racing goalkeeper Katie Lund.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Orlando Pride
Date: March 16, 2024
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 4 p.m. ET
Weather: 64 degrees, partly cloudy
Attendance: 6,123
Player of the Match: Elexa Bahr
Scoring
Racing Louisville (2, 0, 2)
Orlando Pride (1, 1, 2)
Goals
Racing Louisville
13’ Elexa Bahr (Reilyn Turner)
19’ Uchenna Kanu (Elexa Bahr)
Orlando Pride
25’ Own goal – Elli Pikkujämsä
86’ Summer Yates (Amanda Allen)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC (4-2-3-1): 1 – Katie Lund; 2 – Lauren Milliet, 4 – Elli Pikkujämsä, 20 – Abby Erceg (c), 16 – Carson Pickett; 19 – Jordan Baggett (66’ 6 – Jaelin Howell), 26 – Taylor Flint; 29 – Uchenna Kanu (87’ 10 – Linda Motlhalo), 7 – Savannah DeMelo, 23 – Elexa Bahr (72’ 9 – Kayla Fischer); 66 – Reilyn Turner (66’ 13 – Emma Sears)
Subs not used: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 3 – Arin Wright, 5 – Ellie Jean, 14 – Marisa DiGrande, 17 – Maddie Pokorny
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
Orlando Pride (4-3-3): 1 – Anna Moorhouse; 3 – Kylie Strom, 6 – Emily Sams, 2 – Haley McCutcheon (83’ 13 – Celia Jimenez), 25 – Kerry Abello; 8 – Luana (75’ 30 – Ally Lemos), 16 – Morgan Gautrat (28 – Summer Yates), 15 – Angelina; 10 – Marta (70’ 32 – Brianna Martinez), 9 – Adriana, 20 – Julie Doyle (83’ 29 – Amanda Allen)
Subs not used: 40 – McKinley Crone; 7 – Marianna Laroquette, 12 – Carrie Lawrence, 17 – Evelina Duljan
Head Coach: Seb Hines
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / Orlando Pride
Shots: 8 / 9
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Expected goals: 0.71 / 1.13
Possession: 48.4% / 51/6%
Fouls: 14 / 10
Offside: 3 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 6
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville
3’ Taylor Flint (yellow)
37’ Savannah DeMelo (yellow)
68’ Jaelin Howell (yellow)
79’ Kayla Fischer (yellow)
Orlando Pride
15’ Kylie Strom (yellow)
43’ Luana (yellow)
63’ Kylie Strom (red – second yellow)
Match referee: Laura Rodriguez
Assistant referee: Matthew Rodman
Assistant referee: Ben Rigel
Fourth official: Kevin Fikar
Video Assistant Referee: Samantha Martinez
Assistant VAR: Kaili Terry
