**LOUISVILLE, Ky.** – Racing Louisville FC continued its perfect Challenge Cup start with a 2-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Friday night behind goals from midfielders Jordan Baggett and Paige Monaghan in the opening 20 minutes. The result leaves Louisville top the Central Division with a full 12 points from four games played, while Chicago remains bottom of the division without a point from four games played.
Chicago opened the match with attacker Ava Cook getting a shot off in the first minute, but Louisville quickly established a dominance in play with Kayla Fischer responding with a shot in the 5 ^th minute. Continuing to pry open the Chicago defense, Louisville then went in front after 11 minutes with Jordan Baggett putting her side ahead early on. Forward Kirsten Davis was on the ball on the right side of the field when she took a strong touch ahead and attempted to lift a cross to the back post. Running into position was Baggett, and she did well to get solid contact on her shot as she sent it past Chicago goalkeeper Emily Boyd to go ahead.
Three minutes later, Louisville earned a corner kick that eventually saw defender Abby Erceg shake the crossbar with a powerful header before Chicago cleared the chance. Carson Pickett played a short one-two from the corner and would then pick her head up and swing an inviting cross into the middle of the box. Rising above everyone was Erceg, but her powerful header glanced off the crossbar before the Red Stars got it clear as it was nearly a second goal inside four minutes.
Not having to wait much longer, though, Louisville then doubled its lead in the 19 ^th minute through midfielder Paige Monaghan. Monaghan and Racing were working the ball around the edge of the penalty area when Monaghan slipped a pass down the right side of the box. Eventually, the ball worked its way back to Monaghan just inside the penalty area down the middle, and Monaghan smashed her shot past Boyd for a second goal.
A brief look for Chicago came when Ava Cook again tried her best to beat Lund, but Louisville only increased its pressure on the Red Stars goal with Monaghan coming close again in the 31 ^st minute. Monaghan was driving down toward the box and was just left of the center of the field. Opting to try and get Boyd out of position, Monaghan lifted a shot toward the far post that clanged off the crossbar and back into play, once against sending Chicago a warning sign of what Louisville was capable of.
Monaghan and Fischer would each have another look at goal, as would Red Stars defender Bianca St-Georges, but ultimately neither side would add to the tally before the halftime interval and the hosts carried in a comfortable lead.
Into the second half, Chicago’s introduction of forward Penelope Hocking helped the side’s attacking exploits slightly, and Hocking had a look at goal in the 68 ^th minute. Breaking away from the Louisville defense, Hocking snuck into the box and ended up toe poking a shot at Lund, but the effort did not have nearly the power or direction required to find the back of the net as the visitors scrambled for a lifeline.
Instead, Louisville came close one more time in the 72 ^nd minute when the ball found its way to Monaghan in the middle of the penalty area with space in front of her. Opting to get a shot off quickly, though, Monaghan got enough on the shot to send it toward goal but did not have the direction to beat Boyd.
In the end, Racing held on for another clean sheet and another win in the Challenge Cup, continuing its unbeaten start to this year’s competition.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights