Recap: Spirit Uses Strong Second Half to Save Point on the Road, Draws Racing 2-2

Louisville, Ky. (03/20/2026) – The Washington Spirit mounted a strong comeback in Kentucky on Friday night, saving a point against Racing Louisville FC with a 2-2 draw. Goals from Sofia Cantore and Leicy Santos brought the Spirit level in the second half. 

The Spirit started the match on the front foot with strong attacking chances from Trinity Rodman and Rosemonde Kouassi. In the seventh minute, Rodman received a cross from Kouassi and fired back-to-back shots on target but Racing keeper Jordyn Bloomer was up to the task with two saves. Shortly after, Kouassi found herself alone on a breakaway but Bloomer again made an important stop to keep the match scoreless. 

Louisville would strike first in the 28th minute, however. Kayla Fischer took a shot from outside the box that went off the diving hands of Spirit keeper Sandy MacIver and into the net. The goal marked the first lead of the young season for Racing. 

Four minutes later, Leicy Santos took a deep shot of her own, firing the ball off the post and across the center of the box before being cleared away by a Louisville defender. Just before halftime, Louisville doubled its lead when Emma Sears made a long run down the field in the 43rd minute. Sears beat her defender into the box and snuck a shot past MacIver for the 2-0 lead. 

Coming out of halftime, Washington cut its deficit in half almost immediately thanks to yet another long-range rocket from Sofia Cantore against Louisville. In the 50th minute, Cantore received a pass from Kouassi and, on her second touch, fired a shot past the outstretched arms of Bloomer and into the right side of the goal. The score was Cantore’s fifth in NWSL play. 

The Spirit kept its foot on the gas throughout the second half, creating chance after chance on the attacking end. In the 69th minute, Washington substituted forwards Claudia Martínez and Gift Monday in for Rodman and Cantore, respectively. 

Shortly after, in the 74th minute, the Spirit drew level off the foot of Leicy Santos. Kouassi made a run into the right side of the Racing box and sent a cross through traffic to Santos who buried a one-touch shot into the net. The goal was Santos’ fifth across all competitions with the Spirit and represented Kouassi’s eighth regular season and 11th overall assist. 

Washington made several more subs in the following minutes, putting Deborah Abiodun and Tamara Bolt into the match for Rebeca Bernal and Kouassi, respectively. Notably in stoppage time, longtime Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan made her return to the pitch, coming on for Santos. This was Sullivan’s first action since October 2024 after missing time with an ACL injury and while on maternity leave throughout the 2025 season. 

As play grew more physical across the final sixth of the match, two Louisville players were shown yellow cards and neither side was able to find the back of the net again. Ending in a 2-2 draw, the match extended Washington’s unbeaten streak against Racing to 12 and was Louisville’s sixth consecutive home opener tie. 

Next up, the Spirit will return home to take on Utah Royals FC at Audi Field on Wednesday, March 25. Kicking off at 7 p.m. EDT, tickets are available HERE. 

 

-NWSL Match Report- 

Match: Racing Louisville FC vs. Washington Spirit 

Date: Friday, March 20, 2025 

Venue: Lynn Family Stadium (Louisville, Ky.) 

Kickoff: 8 p.m. EDT 

Weather: Cloudy, high-60s 

 

Scoring Summary: 

Goals	1	2	F
Louisville	2	0	2
Washington	0	2	2

LOU – Kayla Fischer – 28′ (assisted by Emma Sears) 

LOU – Emma Sears – 43′ 

WAS – Sofia Cantore – 50′ (assisted by Rosemonde Kouassi) 

WAS – Leicy Santos – 74′ (assisted by Rosemonde Kouassi) 

 

Lineups: 

LOU: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 15 – Mirann Gacioch; 8 – Courtney Petersen; 5 – Ellie Jean; 2 – Lauren Milliet; 20 – Kate O’Kane; 9 – Kayla Fischer (88 – Audrey McKeen, 89’); 26 – Taylor Flint; 6 – Ella Hase (11 – Taylor White, 66’); 42 – Sarah Weber (10 – Macey Hodge, 66’); 13 – Emma Sears 

Unused Substitutes: 1 – Maddie Prohaska; 19 – Avery Ciorbu; 21 – Rachel Hill; 22 – Natalie Mitchell; 23 – Macy Blackburn 

WAS: 18 – Sandy MacIver; 13 – Lucia Di Guglielmo; 9 – Tara Rudd; 24 – Esme Morgan; 14 – Gabby Carle; 4 – Rebeca Bernal (20 – Deborah Abiodun, 77’); 10 – Leicy Santos (12 – Andi Sullivan, 90+2’); 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 2 – Trinity Rodman (11 – Claudia Martínez, 69’); 27 – Sofia Cantore (21 – Gift Monday, 69’); 19 – Rosemonde Kouassi (16 – Tamara Bolt, 77’) 

Unused Substitutes: 31 – Kaylie Collins; 5 – Élisabeth Tsé; 26 – Paige Metayer; 35 – Madison Haugen 

 

Stats Summary: LOU / WAS 

Shots: 8 / 20 

Shots On Goal: 3 / 10 

Saves: 1 / 8 

Fouls: 13 / 7 

Offsides: 1 / 1 

 

Misconduct Summary: 

LOU – Emma Sears – 76’ – Yellow Card 

LOU – Taylor Flint – 90+6’ – Yellow Card 

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