SeatGeek Stadium | Bridgeview, Illinois – Wednesday, May 31 at 8:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Chicago’s Casey Krueger set up Yuki Nagasato for the Red Stars’ only goal in their 1-0 win over Orlando in league play on Saturday. Three of Krueger’s five assists in all NWSL competitions since the start of the 2019 season have set up goals for Nagasato. Nagasato’s two goals now have her tied for the team’s lead alongside forwards Penelope Hocking and Ella Stevens.
Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo is in the middle of a breakout campaign and scored her first career brace in Racing’s opening match of this year’s Challenge Cup. It is the still the only multi-goal performance in a Challenge Cup match so far this year. DeMelo also leads the team in regular season goals with three in eight games as the goalscoring is evenly spread for Racing, with eight different players scoring for the home side.
Match facts: The Chicago Red Stars welcome Racing Louisville FC to SeatGeek Stadium on Wednesday night for their second Challenge Cup match of the year, looking now to reverse fortunes after a 2-0 loss in Houston to the Dash in early May. Meanwhile, Racing’s start to the Challenge Cup was a successful one, earning a 3-2 win over Kansas City to enter into Wednesday’s match second in the Central Division only on goal differential and with a game in hand on the leaders the Current.
The Red Stars have managed just two wins in 11 Challenge Cup matches since 2021 (D4 L5) after reaching the final of the inaugural tournament in 2020. Chicago opened the 2023 edition of the tournament with a defeat but has never had the same result in consecutive Challenge Cup matches within a single year. Working in Chicago’s favor is their most recent 1-0 win over Orlando in the regular season, which gives them slight momentum after a six-game winless run that saw them collect just one point across that run.
On the other side, Racing Louisville opened its 2023 Challenge Cup with a 3-2 win over Kansas City on May 17. Louisville has lost only one of its last five Challenge Cup matches (W2 D2) with both draws in that time coming against the Red Stars. Louisville is entering off a 2-1 loss against North Carolina in the regular season over the weekend, though, ending a three-game unbeaten run spanning back to a 3-0 win over Chicago on May 12.
Racing Louisville and Chicago have each won two of the seven all-time meetings (3 draws) with both Challenge Cup matches last year ending in draws. Both teams have won once at home and once away against the other.
