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Houston Dash and Racing Louisville FC will be “off to the races” in their quests to move up into the NWSL Playoffs picture on Friday.
On the eve of the 151st Kentucky Derby, the two clubs will face off at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium. Houston will be keen on earning its second home victory while Louisville will seek its second away win of the year as it returns home for the city’s festivities.
The Dash (2W-3L-1D) are 10th in the league table, moving within one point from the final playoff spot, after a 1-nil win against the Utah Royals.
Racing Louisville FC (1-3-2) arrives as the 12th place team with a 1-1-1 away record. The club recently earned a 3-3 draw on the road against Portland Thorns FC, showing resilience but continuing a trend of close results without a breakthrough win.
The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. CT kickoff and will be broadcast internationally on NWSL+. Deportes Nation will have the Spanish audio broadcast on DeportesNation.com, our mobile app, and across our social media channels.
The club will celebrate its annual Pups at the Pitch Night, presented by Chevron and the first fans to enter the venue will receive a Jane Campbell bobblehead. Tickets for the match are available on SeatGeek and fans can also follow the action live on NWSL+.
Head-to-Head History
Last time these two meetup was in June 2026 and Louisville took the win with a final score of 2-0 vs Houston. The last five encounters ave been pretty head-to-head each team has two wins, two losses and one tie, this can be the tie breaker.
Players to Watch
Houston Dash
- Jane Campbell – The Dash goalkeeper continues to be a reliable last line of defense with crucial saves that keep Houston in tight games.
- Ryan Gareis – With speed and sharp instincts, the young attacker is becoming can become key offensive spark for Houston.
- Yasmeen Ryan – A dynamic presence in midfield, Ryan has been instrumental in creating attacking chances and controlling tempo.
Racing Louisville FC
- Savannah DeMelo – A creative force in the midfield, DeMelo’s vision and set-piece ability make her a consistent threat she scored one of the goals against Portland Thorns, she has United States Women’s National team experience and she’s known as the “Queen as freekicks”.
- Uchenna Kanu– Has still to score this season, but is considered an important core of the team and an important player for that will likely keep the Dash defense occupied.
Key Game Points
- Houston’s Home Confidence: The Dash will try to ride the momentum from their first home win and turn Shell Energy Stadium into a fortress.
- Louisville’s Search for a Win: With no victories so far, Racing Louisville is desperate to find form and avoid falling further behind.
- Midfield Matchup: Both teams rely on creative midfielders to drive their play—whoever wins the midfield battle may dictate the outcome.
- Defensive Discipline: Houston has shown defensive improvement; keeping a clean sheet last game could serve as a blueprint for this matchup.
Possible Outcomes
- Houston Win: If the Dash can start strong get a goal and continue their improving chemistry, they could notch their second straight home win and move closer to mid-table.
- Draw: With Racing Louisville proving hard to break down, a low-scoring draw is also a likely scenario.
- Racing Louisville Win: If Louisville capitalizes on defensive lapses and finds rhythm in attack, they could secure their first victory of the season.
