May 6, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Racing Louisville FC News Release
A flat start frustrated Racing Louisville on Saturday night in a disappointing 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride at Exploria Stadium in central Florida.
Messiah Bright scored the game’s only goal, putting Orlando ahead in the 21st minute.
“The first half was one of the worst we have had, at least this year,” said Racing coach Kim Björkegren. “Super disappointed over the energy. We want to be a team that works with a high press, a lot of energy, difficult to play against – and we showed the opposite today.”
It was a befuddling start to a busy May for Racing (0-2-4, 4 points) that includes six matches, including two in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup.
In a game void of many great scoring chances for Louisville, Ary Borges, Kirsten Davis and Carson Pickett came the closest.
Borges required an excellent save from Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse in the 35th minute off a Pride turnover. In the second half, both Pickett and Davis put shots on frame that needed to be parried by Moorhouse.
“It just needs to be an overall, complete performance,” said captain Jaelin Howell. “I think that’s the most frustrating part – in the first half, we came out really slow. They got an opportunity, and we dug ourselves a hole. Second half, we looked good for the most part, but it was already too late. It’s just the same thing – a 90-minute performance. It’s fairly early in the season, but we need to get results – period.”
The best news of the night was the return of Thembi Kgatlana, who returned to the field for the first time in 10 months since tearing her Achilles tendon at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. She had signed with Racing a few days prior to the injury, making her Louisville debut a long time coming.
“It was amazing to come back and play,” Kgatlana said. “It was a very bittersweet moment for me because I signed with Louisville a year ago, and I only got to play now.”
Louisville now has back-to-back home games for the first time this season, first hosting Chicago on May 12, then Kansas City on the 17th in Racing’s Challenge Cup opener.
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC at Orlando Pride
Date: May 6, 2023
Venue: Exploria Stadium
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Weather: 77 degrees, partly cloudly
Scoring
Racing Louisville (0, 0, 0)
Orlando Pride (1, 0, 1)
Goals
Orlando Pride
21′ Messiah Bright (Kylie Strom)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC (4-3-3): 1 – Katie Lund; 16 – Carson Pickett, 20 – Abby Erceg, 15 – Julia…