**LOUISVILLE, Ky.** – Racing Louisville FC defeated the Houston Dash, 3-0, behind goals from Kayla Fischer, Savannah DeMelo, and Parker Goins to make it three straight wins in this year’s Challenge Cup and remain top of the Central Division. Fischer and DeMelo struck just before the halftime whistle before Goins capped off the night with a headed goal in the 74 ^th minute to secure the win.
Racing Louisville sprang into action as early as the sixth minute when forward Uchenna Kanu put the ball in the back of the net after a through pass from midfielder Kayla Fischer, only for the flag to go up for offside in the end. A sharp pass by Fischer unlocked Kanu’s run on the left side of the field, and as Kanu entered the box her poise allowed her to fire on goal right as a Houston defender came in to challenge. However, Kanu got the shot off in time and past Houston goalkeeper Emily Alvarado, but the offside decision wiped out the potential goal and Louisville were left in agony.
The hosts continued to press ahead in search of an opening goal early with Fischer taking a rip toward net in the 17 ^th minute that Alvarado was able to collect with both palms. Then, in the 28 ^th minute, Fisher played a pass down toward the endline for midfielder Savannah DeMelo in the left side of the box. Crossing with her first touch, DeMelo then put a ball in a perfect area for Kanu to sprint onto, but the Houston defense was able to intervene in time and end the move.
By far the best chance of the opening half came in the 32 ^nd minute though, with Alvarado producing truly next level goalkeeping to dive at the last moment and keep out a shot from Fischer just a few yards away from goal. Louisville midfielder Paige Monaghan had delivered a low cross along the box for Fischer, and with Alvarado seemingly out of frame, Fischer was able to shoot toward a relatively unguarded section of the goal. However, Alvarado produced some serious heroics when she dove back across goal and kept out Fischer’s shot just as it was ready to cross the line.
Chances for defender Carson Pickett, Fischer, and Kanu would all come in the remainder of the first half, with Kanu even hitting the post in the 44 ^th minute. However, just as the half was ending, two stoppage time goals from Fischer and DeMelo in the fourth and sixth minutes of added time respectively changed the course of the match for good.
First, Fischer received a pass from teammate Ary Borges in her favored position in the left side of the box where she had a good look on goal. Closing in on Alvarado, Fischer opted to open her body and curl her effort around the goalkeeper and in for the game’s first goal. Then, just two minutes later, Savannah DeMelo continued her fantastic run of form with a world class strike in the sixth minute of added time from just outside the penalty area. Monaghan rolled a pass for DeMelo at the edge of the penalty area, with DeMelo coming onto the ball after making a run toward goal. Producing an arrowed effort that looped over Alvarado and in, DeMelo demonstrated fantastic technique and immediately doubled her team’s lead going into halftime.
Louisville needed just two minutes into the second half to test the Houston defense with Uchenna Kanu attempting to finish off a quick move sparked by Fischer. Fischer had taken the ball down the left side when she collided with a defender and left the ball to Kanu in the box. Getting her shot away, Kanu’s effort was blocked and eventually rolled out for a throw-in as Louisville’s momentum had carried over.
The hosts still remained persistent with midfielder Ary Borges having two great chances in the 58 ^th and 72 ^nd minutes, respectively. In the 58 ^th minute, a free kick just a yard outside the box saw Borges test Alvarado with a right-footed effort around the wall that the goalkeeper did well to collect. Then, in the 72 ^nd minute, Borges was played into space in the right side of the box where she took aim at the top right corner with a shot. However, her effort missed high and wide as she jogged back in disappointment.
The icing on the cake for Louisville then came in the 74 ^th minute when forward Parker Goins headed in a close range effort to make it 3-0 for good. Immediately following a set-piece situation, defender Carson Pickett lifted in a cross to the middle of the box where Goins was and the forward redirected her effort past Alvarado and in to seal the result.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights