A look at Racing Louisville FC after six games.
Racing Louisville FC has completed a quarter of their schedule after Wednesday’s 2-0 loss vs. the North Carolina Courage. Their record stands at 2-3-1 and they have a total of 7 points. Projected out, that would give Racing an inaugural season point total of 28, or for comparison purposes 39% of the total possible points. The last couple of true expansion teams (not relocated) were:
-Houston Dash 2014-18 from 24 games (26%)
-Orlando Pride 2016-19 from 20 games (32%)
If Racing keeps up their current pace, that would be an excellent return. However, 4 of Racing’s 6 games have been at home and they are still looking for their first road point. Their have been plenty of ups and downs as expected. “Hometown Hero” Emina Ekic socring Racing’s first goal to secure their first win, Ebony Salmon’s solo effort and the overall play of captain Michelle Betos have been the highlights.
Now that the roster is almost completely set (there are still technically two open spots), the team should be able to settle on a true first XI. This should bring a little more stability and hopefully for Racing Louisville FC, better possession numbers. Possession has been the big glaring weakness on this team. So far this year, Racing is averaging 43% possession, which is last in the league.
Being an expansion team, there aren’t but a few players that have much history with each other. There have been quite a few times when an errant pass has been the result of this lack of familiarity. I also think that this lack of familiarity may also be why we haven’t seen much successful pressing. Knowing where your teammates are behind you is the key to a good pressing game. These are all things that I believe will improve as the season progresses.
Also Read: The simple & complicated story of how Racing Louisville FC acquired its name
The second quarter of the season starts Saturday and here’s what I think the goals should be:
- Get that first road point.
- Get the possession numbers up to 45% or greater in the next 6 matches.
- Score a goal away from home.
- Have at least 2 players score their first goal for Racing Louisville FC.
- Keep a clean sheet away from home.
Player of the season so far:
This is not as easy to choose as it may appear, but it surely is Michelle Betos. She leads the league in saves with 40, which is almost double the next highest keeper. That’s not necessary a stat you want your keeper to lead the league in, but she definitely kept them in the game in both of their victories. She also sets a fantastic example as captain and is a terrific ambassador for the club. Honorable Mention: (Savannah McCaskill/Emily Fox)
Moment of the year so far:
For me, it’s a close call, but I think I will go with Emina Ekic’s goal in the first victory. It slightly beats out Ebony Salmon’s solo effort to defeat the Houston Dash. Ekic’s goal was so out of the blue, coming against the run of play when Washington was applying such relentless pressure that you could sense a goal coming. In fact, a look at that stat sheet other than the goals looked like a clear Spirit win. Salmon’s moment was pure magic too. The tiebreaker for me is that Ekic’s goal came underneath the lights, which somehow just makes the moment seem bigger.
Surprise of the season so far:
The player that has surprised me the most is Nealy Martin. Her story has been covered in other places, so I won’t get into that here. I think she has been solid in defense both at fullback and center back. It will be interesting to see if she continues to get minutes over much more highly touted and experienced players. Coach Holly must really trust her.
Prediction for Racing Louisville FC in the next quarter
Looking at the upcoming schedule I think there is a chance to pick up points in 4 out of the 6 games. I don’t think Racing is quite ready to take points off Portland or Orlando, but you never know. Seven points would be another good return. Four or less would be disappointing. I expect the performances to improve even if the results don’t. Watch for the following:
- Can Bonner inject a little more steel into the backline?
- Will Nadim be able to make an immediate impact?
- Can Betos continue to keep up her fantastic form?
- Can Racing find 2 or 3 more potential attacking threats?
- Do Racing have enough midfielders, or will players like Kizer and Fox play some there?
One final note…I think this team is really starting to connect with the city. Since the Covid restrictions have been lifted, I expect to see the players be out more in the community interacting with fans. The community should pay them back by trying to hit the 7000 or 8000 attendance mark. Hope to see you there!
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