**Louisville, Kentucky** – Racing Louisville FC and the Houston Dash split the points on Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium after a late Houston goal via Nichelle Prince was evened out by an even later equalizer from Louisville forward Jessica McDonald.
In the third minute, Houston nearly broke the deadlock through Nichelle Prince with an early chance threatening the Louisville defense. Receiving delivery from forward Rachel Daly after winning a free kick, Prince’s effort on goal was cleared off the line and the hosts were able to get the ball away as the chance went missing.
Then, in the 32 ^nd minute, Houston again had a quality look on goal this time for Daly as she turned from near provider to goalscorer. On a break with numbers in front, the Dash centered the ball into the penalty area where Daly was waiting, but the forward lost her footing at just the wrong moment and Louisville was able to clear the chance.
On the other end, Louisville came closest in the first half in the 36 ^th minute when defender Emily Fox lifted a ball in to the back post that no one was able to get a clear touch on. With the ball still bouncing around the box, Racing’s Erin Simon attempted to step in and keep the ball in the box but fouled Houston’s María Sánchez in the process.
At the break, a tame first half saw Louisville and Houston wrap up the initial 45 minutes with no goals for either side and just one shot on target between the pair.
Five minutes into the second half, the hosts nearly opened the scoring as midfielder Savannah DeMelo stepped up to a free kick just a yard or two outside the penalty area and whipped an effort on goal that was inches away from finding the top corner at the far post. The goal would have been the rookie’s first from a direct free kick, but the shot landed just wide.
Then, just before the hour mark, Louisville again tested Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell as they inched closer to scoring. The hosts looped a cross to the back post from the left flank for forward Jessica McDonald, who rose to meet the delivery and headed down on the ball toward goal only for Campbell to intervene and eventually collect.
Against the run of play, though, the game’s first goal came at an unexpected time as the Dash earned a corner kick in the 76 ^th minute and ended up converted a rebound to go one-up. Behind Sánchez’s delivery, Houston’s Shea Groom rose to meet the ball and headed a powerful effort that crashed into the crossbar and back in play. Leaping to be first to the effort was Prince, who buried the returning ball back home to take the lead.
However, that lead was short-lived as Louisville was keen to respond with almost immediate effect. In the 82 ^nd minute, Louisville’s Lauren Milliet was in possession on the right flank and swung in a cross to the middle of the penalty area were forward Jessica McDonald was waiting. Almost in slow motion, McDonald jumped and headed the ball back across goal to beat Campbell and the hosts pulled back level in quick succession.
That equalizer would end up being good enough to earn Louisville a draw at home as Houston’s late tally through Nichelle Prince was cancelled out by McDonald’s headed goal and the sides kept a point a piece.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights