After an almost 40-day hiatus from the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup the Houston Dash return to group play against Racing Louisville FC on Wednesday evening at Lynn Family Stadium on Wednesday evening. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm CT.
The Dash enter Wednesday's match against Louisville looking to pick up where the last left off in May. Houston beat the Red Stars 2-0 on Wednesday, May 3 at Shell Energy Stadium. Midfielder Bárbara Olivieri scored her first NWSL goal five minutes into the game to give Houston the early lead. Forward Diana Ordóñez added another goal in the 72nd minute from the penalty marker to secure the first Challenge Cup group play win for Houston.
Wednesday’s match will be Racing Louisville FC’s second UKG NWSL Challenge Cup game in two weeks after the Kentucky based team beat Chicago 2-0 on May 31. Louisville sits atop the central division and is currently undefeated. Louisville enters the match after back-to-back draws in regular season play against San Diego and Washington.
Racing Louisville FC joined the league in 2021 as an expansion team with Houston facing the Kentucky based team eight times since then. Houston’s only loss to Racing Louisville FC came in the first meeting between the two clubs on June 20, 2021. Since then, the Dash have gone on a seven-game unbeaten streak against Louisville. During that span, Houston has four wins and two draws with a +7-goal differential. The last two matches in all competitions between Louisville and the Dash have both been 0-0 draws, both in Houston. No two NWSL teams have ever played in three straight scoreless draws (all competitions).
Louisville has won both of its Challenge Cup matches this season, making them the only team without a draw or loss in this year’s competition. Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo is the only NWSL player with three or more goal contributions in the 2023 Challenge Cup. Demelo tallied a brace in Racing Louisville’s opening Challenge Cup game and recorded an assist on May 31st against Chicago.
Houston returns to Shell Energy stadium to host OL Reign in league play on Saturday, June 17. Houston and OL Reign played earlier this season in Seattle on May 6. The match will kick off at 7:30 pm CT.
