Ekic Hits Her “Sweet Spot”
Racing Louisville battled back to earn a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday night. After conceding an early goal, Racing remained scoreless for over 70 minutes until Emina Ekic’s equalized with a rocket from distance.
“I practice that shot 100 times,” said Ekic after the match. This can be confirmed by any fans who’ve watched pre-game warm-ups. Seeing Ekic line up a final shot from above the penalty area as all her teammates are returning to the locker room is a common sight before matches. The fact she sank a shot in the upper left corner – a place she calls “her sweet spot” – was only a matter of time.
Coach Kim Björkegren praised his team for coming back from a mediocre first half to equalize in the second.
“First half was OK, but not amazing – in the second half, much better,” he said. In particular, he praised the substitutes, like Ekic and Savannah DeMelo who came in and energized the team. “The end of the game, we controlled. We had the momentum. We were close to winning the game, so I’m proud about the team’s fight and spirit to keep working for 90 minutes. You always want to win a home game, but we did our best, especially in the second half.”
Although some may find this draw a bit of a letdown after their win against Kansas City, it is still solid evidence that the team is improving. Coming back to equalize after going down a goal was something Racing struggled to do last season. Saturday night’s match was the first time Racing has gone down a goal first this season. The fact they were able to hold Chicago back and find a late equalizer demonstrates a shift in mentality from 2021 to now.
What’s better than one angle of @emina_ekic10’s goal from last night?
TWO angles of Emina Ekic’s goal from last night. 😍 pic.twitter.com/TSFTnxfB90
— Racing Louisville FC (@RacingLouFC) April 17, 2022
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