July 29, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Racing Louisville FC News Release
Racing Louisville FC vs.Portland Thorns
(Racing Louisville FC)
Alex Chidiac scored a brilliant first goal in her National Women’s Soccer League career but Racing Louisville FC dropped a hard-fought 2-1 loss to the Portland Thorns in front of a season-high attendance Friday night at Lynn Family Stadium.
Sophia Smith opened the scoring early, putting Portland ahead in the seventh minute. Chidiac’s goal tied the game at the half-hour mark, but Hina Sugita’s 74th-minute goal sealed the win for Portland.
“Right now, the only thing we want is three points, so we are disappointed today,” Racing coach Kim Björkegren said. “They are fighting, and we played against a good team. They are doing their best. There are details we need to be better at and still there are way too many second-chance goals, so it’s about having a better reading of the game but also small details.”
Racing (2-6-5, 11 points) once again put in a solid performance, getting seven shots on target to Portland’s six and generating a flurry of chances in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Both Emily Fox and Jess McDonald came close to a breakthrough only to be denied by a sprawling Bella Bixby, Portland’s goalkeeper.
Chidiac’s goal came from a spectacular individual effort. The Australian midfielder collected Jaelin Howell’s long pass along the end line, beat her immediate defender and dribbled into the area, where she beat Bixby to the near post, toe-poking her shot in.
The 23-year-old was happy about the goal but disappointed about the final result. Racing hasn’t won since May 22 and has either lost or drawn each of its last eight matches.
“Each game we are taking a lot from – the team is really close,” Chidiac said. “A lot of people from the outside probably don’t realize that, and they think these results are breaking us. But sometimes that’s football. We’re going to get the results – we definitely feel that. It’s probably good for us that you’ve got two more games coming up really soon because we can rectify this loss.”
Portland (6-1-6, 24 points) moved into first place with the win. The Thorns generated plenty of chances, too, getting six shots on goal and winning the expected-goals battle, with 1.58 to Racing’s 0.98.
Smith scored her goal after picking up the ball near midfield, carrying it some 40 yards and slotting home a low, right-footed inside the far post.
For the game-winner, Racing…