**LOUISVILLE, Ky.** – Racing Louisville FC edged the Chicago Red Stars, 2-0, in an overall dominant road win that saw the visitors hold the majority of the session and nearly triple the hosts’ shot output with goals in both halves. First, forward Uchenna Kanu tapped Louisville in front in the 44 ^th minute before fellow forward and Kanu’s substitute Parker Goins put the final nail in the coffin for her side in the 71 ^st minute.
Louisville began attacking early on as the team created multiple chances in the first few minutes to keep the Chicago backline on their toes. In the 16 ^th minute, the forward Kanu put a teasing ball into space for a teammate only for no one to meet it at the back post. Then, in the 21 ^st minute, a cross into the box was sent sky high but not out of the penalty area. That allowed Louisville to head the ball from about 12 yards out back toward goal, but as it took a bounce on the field, Naeher was able to grab it before a Louisville player to close in.
Continuing the onslaught, Louisville then saw Kanu fail to bundle the ball over the line in a pinball chance in the 27 ^th minute as midfielder Paige Monaghan sent in the cross. From there, a shot from midfielder Ary Borges followed by a near miss by midfielder Jaelin Howell only further intensified the wait for Louisville’s first goal.
Chicago created a chance of their own in the 34 ^th minute as they were afforded a set piece opportunity in the form of a corner kick, but though Samantha Fisher’s corner met the head of forward Ella Stevens, Stevens was unable to put her effort on frame and the chance rolled wide.
Just before the halftime break, though, Louisville found its opening goal as the forward Kanu finally got the goal she was looking for after a quick move forward. Speedy passing by Racing as it advanced up field eventually saw the ball played out to the left side of the field for the midfielder Monaghan to run onto. Once on the ball, Monaghan then entered the box and played a ball across the frame of goal for Kanu who was able to fire a low effort past Naeher and into the back of the net for the game’s first goal.
Into the second half, Louisville saw multiple chances for forward and halftime substitute Thembi Kgatlana. In the 53 ^rd minute, Kgatlana was in possession just outside the box when she turned forward and fired ahead from 19 yards. However, her shot cleared the crossbar and sailed out of play despite having plenty of pace behind it. Then, five minutes later, Kgatlana fed Kanu in the box where Kanu was able to take a touch toward goal on the left side and aim a low effort to the far post. However, Naeher made a great save to repel the ball and the Chicago defense did enough to get it clear and the chance went missing.
In the 66 ^th minute, Kgatlana had another solid look on goal from a similar position as her effort in the 53 ^rd minute. On the ball and moving forward, Kgatlana opted to go low instead of high when she ripped an effort toward goal. This time, though, Kgatlana’s shot ended up just wide of the far post as she continued to threaten Chicago’s goal.
The real turning point came in the 71 ^st minute however, when Louisville sealed the game through forward Parker Goins’s headed goal. A free kick from just inside the Chicago half saw the ball launched into the penalty area from a good distance. Rising above everyone else to meet the ball was Goins, and she looped a high header over Naeher and into the top corner as the visitors were able to create even more separation.
In the end, Louisville hung on for the clean sheet and two-goal win, sending the club to the top of the Central Division in this year’s Challenge Cup. Racing is the only side in its division to win both of its opening games, while Chicago remains winless in the same group after two losses to being this season’s competition.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights