July 3, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Racing Louisville FC News Release
Savannah DeMelo and Emina Ekic each scored in Racing Louisville FC’s 2-2 draw to the Orlando Pride on Sunday night, a match played on a pitch on the infield at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
Racing Louisville (2-4-4, 10 points) started fast, taking a 2-0 lead, but Orlando netted two goals 10 minutes apart to salvage the tie and share a point with the visitors. It was the first match ever played outside of a traditional stick-and-ball-sport stadium, with 5,573 in attendance along the massive grandstand and racetrack.
“Just a point today, and we’re disappointed because we really wanted to fight and take the three points,” said Racing coach Kim Björkegren. “We had really good training again this week, and we’re disappointed with just one point.”
Ekic’s goal opened the scoring in Daytona Beach. After Orlando started as the aggressor, Racing grew into the match, asserting itself midway through the first half.
After Ekic came close twice moments earlier, she found herself on the end of a Nealy Martin cross, toe-poking it into the back of the net in the 34th minute. DeMelo carried the ball into space and played a perfect through-ball into Martin’s overlapping run on the right wing, and Orlando goalkeeper Erin McLeod could only get her fingertips to Martin’s whipped-in cross.
That’s when Ekic pounced.
Early in the second half, DeMelo doubled the lead in highlight-reel fashion, curling in a beautiful free-kick goal from 19 yards out after winning the foul to create the set-piece opportunity.
She is the only player in the NWSL with a direct free kick goal so far this regular season – and the California native has two of them. Sunday’s blazer matched her May 18 goal against San Diego in catching the eye.
“I just know if we get a foul outside the box, Emina and me are pretty good at taking them,” DeMelo said. “I think it’s just another advantage for us around the box.”
Orlando’s Kylie Strong scratched one back for the Pride eight minutes later in the 59th minute, curling in a right-footed shot from 16 yards out after a clearance fell to her.
Then the Pride equalized in controversial fashion in the 69th minute, with Darian Jenkins scoring from what appeared to be an offside position.
Racing came close to winning late, with Ekic’s 78th-minute free kick requiring a diving near-post save by McLeod and a late surge getting forward, but Orlando withstood the pressure.
“We just…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Women's Soccer News…