Photo by Elizabeth Shaw
Racing Louisville hasn’t been able to get any momentum after a slow start to the season and now find themselves at a crossroads
There are 30 matches in the 2026 NWSL season, so after the win in Los Angeles, Racing Louisville still finds themselves in last place after 15 matches completed. While not mathematically eliminated from contention, the focus has to turn to next season and rebuilding towards being competitive in 2027. There are so many factors that have led to Racing’s lackluster performance this season, but the most glaring is the seeming lack of commitment from ownership to improve the team.
The economic environment in the city of Louisville is likely the biggest force contributing to Racing’s lack of success. There are not enough corporate dollars in this city to sustain the type of financial support a team like Racing needs, especially when the ownership group is not dominated by anyone wealthy enough to own a team of this stature outright. The club admitted as much when it publicly asked for help by seeking a minority investor. The harsh truth is that the city of Louisville is not big enough to support a club like Racing when the ownership isn’t committed to losing millions of dollars a year to be competitive. The environment into which Racing’s owners bought in is vastly different than the one that exists today.
Racing was able to use grit and determination and an excellent season from Bev Yanez to claw its way into 7th place last season. This season, that place looks miles away. Without financial backing, the team has regressed and has been unable to keep up with the rest of the league. The proof is in the results.
The Matches
Racing 3 – Thorns 1
Best Bit: Katie O’Kane’s match winner is good enough to make Sportscenter’s Top 10.
Worst Bit: Racing’s back line forgets that Sophia Smith is good at football and surrenders an early goal. Bonus: My first quarter piece is published right before the match, and I look overly pessimistic (although my pessimism is quickly justified once again).
Takeaway: It’s the best performance of the year by far.
Utah 2 – Racing 1
Best Bit: Racing equalizes as their press works and Kayla Fischer scores on a fine strike from outside of the box.
Worst Bit: Racing’s transition defense is woeful, and the Royals go ahead on an own goal by Milliet.
Takeaway: Too many mistakes at the wrong times let a road point slip away.
Racing 1 – Courage 2
Best Bit: Arin Wright gets a meaningless late consolation goal.
Worst Bit: Racing struggles to connect two passes together and never really look in the match.
Takeaway: Racing’s performance it too sloppy to merit any sort of praise.
Racing 0 – Summit 1
Best Bit: I got a side hug from Janine Sonis after the match, so that was nice.
Worst Bit: Racing’ creates next to nothing and their passing is worse than the previous match.
Takeaway: Racing enters the summer break with negative momentum.
Thorns 4 – Racing 0
Best Bit: Racing can’t use the “we’re so close” excuse in this one.
Worst Bit: The entire match, if I am being honest.
Takeaway: Racing’s season is effectively done.
Racing 0 – Bay 2
Best Bit: The first 10 to 15 minutes wasn’t embarrassing.
Worst Bit: The rest of the match was.
Takeaway: Racing looks as bad at home as they do on the road now.
Racing 1 – Dash 1
Best Bit: A fresh formation breathes life into the team.
Worst Bit: In typical Racing fashion, they surrender a late goal to drop points.
Takeaway: If you ignore the scoreline, there were some good things in this match.
Angel City 1 – Racing 2
Best Bit: Rookie Maja Lardner scores her first goal, then a second to secure NWSL Player of the Week.
Worst Bit: Bloomer lets a shot go between her legs to make the last 10-15 nervier than they needed to be.
Takeaway: Racing have Angel’s City number, having one 4 in a row against them.
How should you engage with Racing the remainder of the season?
Although it is mathematically possible, it is statistically unlikely that Racing can claw its way back into the playoff hunt. Regardless, the last two matches have shown the team to have some fight left in them. By the time this is published, Racing should know the result against Kansas City away, and if they get 3 points there, they could climb out of last place. If not, they have a second chance to do so against Chicago on Saturday. If they win both, you can ignore everything I say because Racing has never won 3 in a row in the league, so that run would be unprecedented. It could put them in striking distance of the playoff spots.
The more likely scenario is that their form of less than a point per match will continue. They will be catching the tougher teams like Kansas City and Orlando at the right time (with key players missing through injury or being away for AFCON). However, one learns not to get one’s hopes up too high when it comes to Racing. Like the team itself, fans should take each match one at a time. Racing has three home matches in August against teams in the bottom half of the league. Those matches will be best remaining opportunities to see Racing win in person this season.
The goal for the rest of the season should be for Racing to be a difficult opponent for other teams and to put in good performances. Coach Bev Yanez and staff have begun to adjust formations to their opponent’s tendencies in recent matches, which has been fun to watch. The early season commitment to a 4-3-3 regardless of opponent meant that Racing’s weaknesses were often exposed. The team has set up in a 3-5-2 in the two most recent matches and the extra central defender in the lineup has meant that Racing’s lack of raw speed on the back line has been neutralized to some extent. They are still susceptible to the counter but have tended to have an extra player back to prevent as many dangerous attacks as possible. Racing has struggled in the midfield this season but now has compensated for that by moving Lauren Milliet into a central midfield position and having true wingers like Quincy McMahon, Ella Hase, and Makenna Morris occupy the left and right flanks while only playing two forwards. Racing is often so direct in attack that two forwards instead of three is often enough to create a quick opportunity. Then again, Bev has stated that the 3-5-2 formation is situational depending on how she expects Racing’s opponent to set up. Racing’s opponents adjusted to Racing’s pressing formation the first part of the season, so it is always better to keep your opponent guessing and not get too committed to a single way of playing. For me, regardless of results, Racing has become a more interesting team to watch. Seeing them commit the same mistakes over and over again was disheartening and dull. Now, there will always be some excitement, never quite knowing what kind of lineup Racing is going to put out.
If the remainder of the season is to remain watchable, then Racing needs to keep everyone guessing. The success from last season arose from a desire to play differently, and it took the league by surprise. This formation seems to have done the same thing again, albeit against lesser opponents than Racing has been facing during the 5-match losing streak. My advice is to ignore the table completely. Racing probably shouldn’t be a last-place team, but they probably aren’t a playoff-worthy team either. There were too many key losses from last season to expect another playoff run.
Should the team focus on next season?
Yes, and maybe at the expense of this one. That brings us to Emma Sears. She (or at least her agent) made a very public play to request a trade. My thoughts on this saga have been well-documented on my website where I openly advocate for the club to “Free Emma” in most posts, so I won’t rehash them here. I will reiterate that it would be best for Racing to get the best value for her (which I insist only drops if they make her see out the season). She is Racing’s best player. She has also not been as key as one might think. Two of Racing’s best performances have been with her starting on the bench. Racing is always going to be a team that is going to have to develop talent, but part of that means that once the talent does develop, you might have to cash in and start on the next one. Sears is trying to make the USWNT. That is her primary goal. Whether the team or I agree with that goal, it is what’s best for her.
Maja Lardner is starting to show her skills, and Emma only eats up minutes that could be given to her to continue to develop. Audrey McKeen would likely be another beneficiary of Emma leaving and opening up minutes for other players. To Emma’s full and complete credit, her play has not been impacted by her trade request. If anything, she has seemed more focused. The main reason I am so nonchalant about letting her go is that her scoring has dried up compared to last season. She is still creating goals (with 3 assists), but that is a much easier skill to replicate. If she were to move to a better team, I think she could show off her skills much more regularly.
The team is starting to look like it is gelling more, but you want that cohesion to be based around players who are going to be key parts to next year’s team. Racing has quite a few of those, but they don’t always get the minutes. One thing that I have really liked in the last two matches is that Mirann Gacioch has been getting minutes alongside Arin Wright. Gacioch is likely to replace Wright in the starting lineup at some point, but Arin has things to teach her before she does. Racing also needs to decide what its midfield is going to look like next season. That is where the work of cohesion might be most valuable. I like a central midfield unit of Flint/O’Kane/Milliet but if that is going to be the primary unit next season, they need minutes together this season.
