NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC | 12:30pm ET, Paramount+ MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field | Montclair, New Jersey Match Facts: NJ/NY Gotham FC (2-0-1, seven points) has their Challenge Cup Championship destiny in their own hands; earn a result, and they are in. Expansion side Racing Louisville FC (0-2-1, one point) are […]

NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC | 12:30pm ET, Paramount+

MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field | Montclair, New Jersey

Match Facts: NJ/NY Gotham FC (2-0-1, seven points) has their Challenge Cup Championship destiny in their own hands; earn a result, and they are in. Expansion side Racing Louisville FC (0-2-1, one point) are looking to play spoiler, as Christy Holly returns to his former club.

Players to Watch: NJ/NY Gotham FC’s player to watch is none other than Midge Purce. Crucial to their thrilling win over the Courage two weeks ago, Purce only had twenty-nine touches and nine passes against Washington, down from sixty-five and twenty-nine against North Carolina, respectively. If Gotham want a place in the final, Purce will need to be more involved tonight.

For Louisville, it’s Emina Ekic. The University of Louisville alum has shown flashes of the skill she possessed in the college game, but the dynamic forward only managed thirty-three touches against the Courage. With the rest of the Louisville front four looking good and in-form, Ekic is due for a breakout game this afternoon.

Keys to the Game: Gotham need to hold possession better and limit opposition chances on Sunday afternoon. Their 0-0 draw with Washington saw them concede a season-high total of shots (nineteen), and Freya Coombe’s side had the lowest possession (41.1%) and passing accuracy (73.7%) numbers of their tournament so far. To book their ticket to the final, Gotham needs to dictate the tempo and not give any chances to the ever-dangerous CeCe Kizer and Savannah McCaskill.

For Louisville, the key to success today will be creating a higher volume of quality chances. Racing battled long and hard against North Carolina, but they only managed three shots on target – two of them eventually finding the back of the net. Christy Holly’s side have been solid finishers all season, but they need more opportunities to do so. ****

Ways to Watch: Fans in the United States can see tonight’s match on Paramount+, while international viewers can stream the match for free at twitch.tv/NWSLOfficial2